# Romantic comedies = Jewish. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 28, 2008, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214 "2008-04-28T13:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/21 "2008-05-02T05:30:51Z")
According to Wikipedia Helen Hunt’s _paternal grandmother_ is Jewish. That makes her only a quarter Jewish by anyone’s standards, and not Jewish at all by Jewish standards. The same is By the way - Google ad: CumBetter Read more Info about CumBetter Ingredients, details, pros & cons. > **[The Men's Choice - Your ultimate guide to Men's Lifestyle](https://themenschoice.com/)** > > Your ultimate guide to Men's Lifestyle ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/22 "2008-05-02T12:21:36Z")
The first one that came to my mind was “The Heartbreak Kid” - the original, not the remake (which I haven’t seen). The “hero” is Charles Grodin, his bride he’s about to cheat on is stereotypically Jewish (cringingly so), and the girl of his dreams is uberWASP Cybil Shepard. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/23 "2008-05-02T14:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] Romantic movies are Jewish? Well that’s cool, so was J.C. [/QUOTE] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/24 "2008-05-02T14:19:57Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Jewish actress doesn’t equal Jewish character. The female character is very rarely explicitly Jewish. [/QUOTE] Unless it’s needed for the plot, when is any character’s religion mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/25 "2008-05-02T14:27:40Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] Unless it’s needed for the plot, when is any character’s religion mentioned? [/QUOTE] Rarely, but he’s not talking about plot points. He’s talking about the characters and the perception - it wouldn’t surprise me, but I can’t back it up - that you’re much more likely to see a Jewish guy dating a gentile woman in a movie than the reverse. There are some pretty clearly defined Jewish male types in the movies, but I think the only recognizable female stereotype is the Jewish mother, so he may be onto something. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/26 "2008-05-02T14:35:19Z")
A real Jewish actress no one has mentioned is Barbra Streisand, and she’s been in a few romantic comedies, like _What’s Up Doc_ and and _For Pete’s Sake_. I don’t recall if her character in either of those films is supposed to be explicitly Jewish, but her New Yawk dialect and mannerisms certainly imply it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/27 "2008-05-02T14:47:35Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Rarely, but he’s not talking about plot points. He’s talking about the characters and the perception - it wouldn’t surprise me, but I can’t back it up - that you’re much more likely to see a Jewish guy dating a gentile woman in a movie than the reverse. There are some pretty clearly defined Jewish male types in the movies, but I think the only recognizable female stereotype is the Jewish mother, so he may be onto something. [/QUOTE] But where does he pull that perception from? I can think of a handful of Jewish actors (Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Goldberg, Ben Stein, Mel Brooks), but only Stiller has any presence in romantic comedies and even then, his Jewishness is only an issue because he’s Jewish in real life. And if that standard counts for actors, why not for that large list of Jewish women a few threads up? Especially considering the fact that most of them have played the object of desire in romantic comedies and a ton of other genres. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/28 "2008-05-02T15:10:42Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] But where does he pull that perception from? [/quote] He’ll have to answer that. I think I know what he sees, but I’m not sure where he sees it. I’m not convinced there are enough cases to definitely state that it’s a trend like “Romantic comedies = Jewish” (which also isn’t drawing any real support), but I think I’ve seen a few instances that fit what he’s talking about. > [@](#): > > And if that standard counts for actors, why not for that large list of Jewish women a few threads up? Especially considering the fact that most of them have played the object of desire in romantic comedies and a ton of other genres. Frankly, most of them don’t look Jewish, and audience assumptions about what Jews look like are probably involved. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/29 "2008-05-02T15:12:29Z")
Here’s a theory – many movies have big-city or New York settings. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t New York have a good-size Jewish population? Where I live, for example, I know exactly four Jewish people. If you set a movie in Kentucky, it turns out that Kentucky is a huge part of the movie’s plot. Set a romantic comedy in New York, and it’s just the normal way people live. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Flipbustle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@Flipbustle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipbustle)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/30 "2008-05-02T15:13:44Z")
Jewish-schmuish- - - Can you think of any aryan Script Writer who can keep you laughing ? The best Play- and Film-writers are of the Jewish persuasion. Goyism has never been able really to laugh at itself. The only things that bother me are orthodox rites and rituals (victuals ?). Same for incense-waving Roman Catholicism. All of the ISMS are dangerous and poisonous and never did anything but harm to someone. More people should fear ALL the gods. Now, which commandment did I break just now ? Oh, word-play. Flip ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/31 "2008-05-02T15:16:03Z")
Could be the circumsicion factor. Nothing romantic about smegma build up, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Flipbustle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@Flipbustle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipbustle)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/32 "2008-05-02T15:18:32Z")
OY ! Such a tempest in a samovar ! Flip ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/33 "2008-05-02T15:19:16Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] I can think of a handful of Jewish actors (Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Goldberg, Ben Stein, Mel Brooks), but only Stiller has any presence in romantic comedies and even then, his Jewishness is only an issue because he’s Jewish in real life. And if that standard counts for actors, why not for that large list of Jewish women a few threads up? Especially considering the fact that most of them have played the object of desire in romantic comedies and a ton of other genres. [/QUOTE] It may be a very subtle form of anti-Semitism, but although a few of those women self-identify as Jewish, and others have Jewish heritage but don’t practice it in their daily lives, virtually none of them is widely perceived by most movie/TV fans as being Jewish, the way that Siller, Seinfeld, and the other men mentioned are. Perhaps it’s because there haven’t been many positive portrayals of Jewish women, outside the stereotypes. So they may not find it advantageous to be overtly Jewish. Or maybe they just prefer to keep their private lives private. One of the things I found refreshing and interesting about _In Her Shoes_ was that Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette (neither of whom are Jewish IRL, AFAIK) were portrayed as Jewish in a relatively off-hand way, without the obvious clichés of being JAPs, or neurotic, or mousey, or whatever. Shirley MacLaine, who played their grandmother, and who is also not Jewish (AFAIK) did a very nice job of playing a completely non-stereotyped Jewish mother/grandmother: she was smart, classy, assertive, but caring. Likewise with most of the rest of the cast: they were portrayed as ordinary folks who happened to be Jewish, but with few of the stereotypical signs. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/34 "2008-05-02T15:26:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Romantic movies are Jewish? Well that’s cool, so was J.C. I would have sworn that Jimmy Carter was a Baptist. Well, ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/35 "2008-05-02T15:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=Ellen Cherry] Here’s a theory – many movies have big-city or New York settings. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t New York have a good-size Jewish population? [/QUOTE] No, you must be thinking of some other city. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/36 "2008-05-02T15:39:42Z")
Well, we’re an ignorant lot, out here in the hinterlands. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/37 "2008-05-02T17:00:34Z")
[QUOTE=commasense] One of the things I found refreshing and interesting about _In Her Shoes_ was that Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette (neither of whom are Jewish IRL, AFAIK) were portrayed as Jewish in a relatively off-hand way, without the obvious clichés of being JAPs, or neurotic, or mousey, or whatever. Shirley MacLaine, who played their grandmother, and who is also not Jewish (AFAIK) did a very nice job of playing a completely non-stereotyped Jewish mother/grandmother: she was smart, classy, assertive, but caring. Likewise with most of the rest of the cast: they were portrayed as ordinary folks who happened to be Jewish, but with few of the stereotypical signs. [/QUOTE] This is exactly how the book was written, too, FWIW. In fact, when I first read the book (which was before the movie was made), I felt that it was incredibly refreshing to finally read a piece of chick lit that didn’t involve White-as-Wonderbread characters. As far as rom-com literature goes (as well as the larger genre of romance as a whole), there’s a heavy bent towards white characters of Anglo ancestry. The few ethnic characters that get mixed in are usually there for comedic value or to play the role of “tall dark handsome pirate/gypsy/nomad/native lover”. It was nice to see that the writer stuck to her roots and gave her characters a background similar to hers, rather than creating something more in keeping with the dominant trend in her genre. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/38 "2008-05-02T20:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] No, you must be thinking of some other city. [/QUOTE] Dallas, probably. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/39 "2008-05-02T21:05:59Z")
I’ve always figured that it was because Jewish people are overrepresented in the film business compared to the general population, and people tend to write what they know. Many romantic comedies involve the two main characters coming from different social, economic, or ethnic backgrounds, and having to overcome the culture shock and familial expectations of their own tribe to come together. That doesn’t have to be Jewish, but if the writers are Jewish, it easily could be. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214/40 "2008-05-02T21:13:20Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Rarely, but he’s not talking about plot points. He’s talking about the characters and the perception - it wouldn’t surprise me, but I can’t back it up - that you’re much more likely to see a Jewish guy dating a gentile woman in a movie than the reverse. There are some pretty clearly defined Jewish male types in the movies, but I think the only recognizable female stereotype is the Jewish mother, so he may be onto something. [/QUOTE] Yes, I _was_ talking about female characters rather than actresses themselves. This [Boston Globe piece on Jewish women’s pop culture image problem](http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/01/16/invisible_in_hollywood_jewish_women/) has some examples; more are at the [Morningstar Commission](http://www.morningstarevents.com/news.htm) site. Tempest in a teapot, maybe, but I do notice an affection for Jewish men in pop culture that isn’t there for women of a similar background. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romantic-comedies-jewish-why/447214.md?page=3)