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Roseanne vs. the Rabbis
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More in The ShmoozeRabbi Arthur Waskow had heard enough.
The left-wing activist and Jewish Renewal rabbi was slated to face off via telephone with media personality Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on comedian Roseanne Barr’s radio show last week. But after a lengthy lead-in during which Barr and her co-host/boyfriend, Johnny Argent, let loose a torrent of invective against Judaism, Jewish identity and religion in general, Waskow decided he was no longer interested in participating.
By the time the pair tried to put Waskow on the air, the rabbi had hung up.
But he didn’t allow them the last word. In a mass-e-mail titled “Why I Hung Up the Phone on Roseanne Barr,” the rabbi slammed the hosts’ “foul thought in stupid words.”
“There are plenty of cogent critiques to be made of religion, including Judaism, but this was drivel. Stupid, ignorant, whiney, and hostile all at the same time,” wrote Waskow, director of the Philadelphia-based Shalom Center.
Only a year ago, the Kabbalah-practicing Barr had been talking up her desire to have an adult bat mitzvah and joking about wanting to become Israel’s prime minister. Lately, however, Roseanne has taken to dishing out harsh — and sometimes bizarre — critiques of Judaism and Israel.
Boteach wound up sparring alone with Barr and Argent for half an hour, defending Judaism, circumcision and the Bible from their sallies. The Orthodox rabbi told The Shmooze that Barr has been a friend ever since he appeared on her daytime TV talk show in 1999 to promote his book “Kosher Sex.” Boteach called her “a very proud Jew” who is “going through a stage in her life where, for some reason, she’s extremely disillusioned with religion.”
“As far as Waskow’s criticism, I disagree with it,” Boteach added. “Religion has to be prepared to address its critics. It has to be prepared to respond to those who feel that religion is a bad thing.”
Comments
One of the most unattractive characteristics of the Jewish community is the desire to cuddle up to barely-Jewish celebrities whose approach to Judaism comes from their alienation and ignorance. All of us have heard Barr's rants before on many subjects and her "expertise" on this particular issue is equal to all her previous pronouncements. Let's stop chasing those who do not wish to be part of the Jewish people. Let them go. Nathan Shuster
How is Barr a "very proud Jew" when she shows abysmal ignorance of its precepts? She suffers from the current celebrity affliction of "foot in mouth" disease that has circulated among the "glitterati" of Hollywood and elsewhere. No use in making excuses for her. If she doesn't like Judaism, then tell her to shut up and ignore it. Maybe she should convert to Islam. Now, that would be interesting, wouldn't it! She'd probably wind up with a fatwah on her head.
I had the privilege of meeting Rabbi Waskow (Arthur) at last summer's Pro Faith Blog Con. He was a wonderful, friendly and devout man whose warm manner made me feel very proud to spend a few minutes sitting next to him. If he hung up on Roseanne? He did so with good reason. There's criticism and there's obnoxious baiting. My feeling is Roseanne and company probably did the latter.
good bye Rosanne. We have enough discourtesy in this world. Where is her understanding of tolerance, among mankind. Her behavior proves publicity is all she is after, look what it did for Madonna.
But Art, where would Renewal be without left-wing drivel?
It's amazing that IT Waskow that hung up on her considering his 'liberal' background. It must have been pretty bad for him to have cut off the conversation and Rabbi Boteach must be a very patient man to have continued talking with her!! She obviously needs to do some real studying!!
I am confused with Rabbi Boteach strange and bizzarre affiliations. From Roseanne Barr to a few years mentoring Michael Jackson. I agree with Rabbi Waskow and i think its time JEWS TAKE THE HIGH ROAD agint those detractors whether jewish or not. Doing as R'Waskow did was proving that JEWS DO AND WILL SURVIVE WITH OUR DIGNITY AND BELIEFS INTACT and some will be lost, for the greater good of the NATION OF ISRAEL , THEY WILL BE LOST BY THEIR OWN ACCORD. NOT EVERY JEW WANTS OR CAN BE SAVED AND WE MUST NOT TAKE DOWN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE ODD BALL.
IN JEWISH AMERICAN ACTORS, I CAN'T FIND WILLIAM SHATNER OR THE THREE AMIGOS AS BEEN JEWISH??? CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK IT OUT. THEY HAVE JOHNNY WISEMILLER AND STEVEN SEGAL AS JEWISH. ALSO PLEASE CHECK OUY "JEWISH AMERICAN ACTORS" BILL SHATNER is a home (montreal) town boy
I'd rather have Shmuley keeping an eye on these confused celebrity wannabes than reps from the Kabbalah Center or the self-ordained Messianic rabbis and JFJ.
I for one can't comment since nowhere is there a transcript of Barr and her sidekick's remarks. However, since the Rabbi is a Reform Rabbi I tend to think that the reason for the hangup had to be pretty compelling. Also, I don't know what is meant by Barr "practicing Kaballah." Kaballah is a mystical fomulation re the Old Testament and the nature of deity and not a technique to be practices so the whole thing seems to be very poorly reported. Herb Michelson
On second thought!
I was able to find part of the tirades of Roseanne Barr in which she raged at Judaism, Israel, etc. and supported the "arabs" and palestinians citing their protection of the Holy land. HUH? It seems to me that the arabs not only continue to lob rockets, kill, kill, kill, but during their period of power over Jerusalem they dismantled much of the ancient sites and continue to dismantle much of the Mount and the remains of the very, very ancient civilization of the Jews--perhaps to elevate the "antiquity (?)" of islam by comparason. Who knows? Also, this nonsense about Jesus, the invective hurled at the ancient practice of circumcision which is now "discovered" to be an effective protection against HIV AIDS. I can't understand where the lady is coming from nor do I really care. I should think that in view of her obvious competitiveness with the male of our species she mourns the "loss" that results from circumcision. However, I want to assure her that the "loss", "muitilation"' and "torture" are really her own adjectives and even if so are all in a good cause with salutary consequences so the good "lady" may feel reassured. Roseanne Barr's out bursts and confused, illogical and uninformed to say the least, nonesense may have their source deep within the good lady herself and it might be prudent to seek this source through proper psychotherappeutic help,--unless this too is unacceptable since yet another Jew, Dr. Freud did the basic work in this field. And finally, I have the feeling that scholars of the old and New Testaments would be unable to find reference to the Kaballah or to Jesus reading or study of it since it was assembeled long after Jesus death. The lady's mind is indeed a fascinating study in ..... well I don't really know but certainly she seems to be a very angry person and her outbursts really have little to do with religion,--any religion or even her adopted self view as a lover of diversity and of humankind. Ech!
I truly didn't think that there was ANYTHING derogatory about Judaism or Israel that anybody could say that Arthur Waskow wouldn't be on board with. This must have been something truly extraordinary.