Multiplex is an online comic strip about the staff of a movie theatre. It’s generally a good strip. But I was surprised when I read this strip.
The joke seems obvious to me. But I don’t want to comment on it because maybe I’m missing an obvious joke. Reading it first, what’s your interpretation of it?
Well, the credit lists a lot of Jewish last names and thanks a kosher deli, so it seems clear to me that the cartoonist is saying that Hollywood makes sterile Christmans movies because the movies are made by Jews.
Everyone who made the movie has a stereotypically Jewish name (except for one Khan). Hence the loss of Jesus from Christmas. And the increase in commercialism…? Not sure. Was it drawn by Mel Gibson?
Did you pay attention to the credits rolling up on the screen in front of the protagonists? You noticed all the names there are stereotypically Jewish? It’s a Christmas movie made by Jews! (judging by some of the names, possibly supposedly even “filmed in Israel”) – which just goes along with the general feeling of angst I think the writer of the strip is feeling at the total meaninglessness the holiday has achieved. Is the writer a Christian, I wonder?
It’s obvious to me too. Christmas movies are generally shallow and commercialized because they’re produced by Jews (or Jews-by-proxy), who don’t really care about Christmas. Which may or may not be true, but I’d like to note that most of the best Christmas songs have been written by Jews, so nyah!
Well, this one is about non-minorities making racist jokes. I got the vibe from that strip that the cartoonist is Jewish. I think he’s pulling a Borat of his own.
If it had just been a joke about the movies not being about the christian element of christmas, that would be fine. But this line “Not even the slightest attempt to say something substantial about the holiday, * or even just real life *” doesn’t ring right to me. What, jews aren’t in touch with real life either?
His MySpace page doesn’t state a religion but does state that he is of Pacific Islander ethnicity…which isn’t the mental picture I had developed from his name either, so I guess I wouldn’t be any more surprised to find out that a McAlpin was Jewish.
The impression I get from the other strip linked here is that he isn’t Jewish, but probably feels that it is hypocritical for people to think that joking around about race/religion is only okay if you’re part of that group. Maybe someone can write him and ask for a clarification.
He’s no stranger to racial jokes. (I thought the strip in the OP was kind of funny, if I don’t think about it’s literal inaccuracy, just like any joke.)
Don’t blame the Jews for Christmas movies (or any other kind of movie) being mindless drivel- its what the mindless masses want. I thought the steretypical Jewish names were hilarious- all that was missing was Schmolie Lipshitz.