HOUSE

[mamadeb]

I am in tears right now, from purest anger.

I have no words. It's...I have no damn words.

That was so offensive.

I should have known better.

I'm going under my rock now.

Comments

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

May I hug you?

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

I'm traveling at the moment and haven't seen the episode; dare I ask?

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

I should know better than to watch Christmas episodes.

But this was egregious. *Wilson* teaches House about Christmas spirit. (Of course, Wilson is a "good Jew" who loves Christmas and doesn't do a damn thing about any of HIS holidays) and Cuddy (also Jewish) gets a Christmas miracle (that took the death of a girl who wasn't far different from me in high school, except I wasn't self-destructive - and because babies just fall out of the sky like that - triple whammy right there) and Kuttner - Indian who was raised by Jews and took their name - gets the spirit enough to apologize. Because NO OTHER HOLIDAY in NO OTHER religion that he MIGHT have been exposed to talks about asking forgiveness.

But only fake Christianity is allowed on TV in December lest people realize it's not an imperative to buy.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

It's the Christmas episode. See my rant above for the spoilers.

There were a couple of good moments, and I even liked the final bit with Foreman and Thirteen, but it was all the things I hate about fanfiction this time of year mushed together.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Seriously. How stupid was that?

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Yuck. Much sympathy. *hug*

Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

It's because despite being a LARGE percentage of writers, producers, directors and actors, we Jews tend to be skittishly terrified of allowing people to see our faith. We don't like creating characters who are Modern Orthodox or even Conservative Jews who are proud and observe faith openly and unapologetically. We're more comfortable creating the Jerry Seinfields, the Cuddys, the Wilsons, the Yangs, the Jews who just aren't Christians and don't have any other flavor. We can be the meddling obnoxious mothers, the geeky friends, the bankers, the doctors, the lawyers, but we're just...well...if we get a parave little Passover or Hanukah episode (usually in a mixed marriage, in a completely watered down ceremony.

Jews can be anything they want on tv, as long as they are secular "Well, umm...I guess I'm Jewish" or laughable examples of Hasidim which do not conform to real life. And that is sad.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

What's really sad is that the producer's brother is frum. And they had a lovely, respectful and (well, mostly) accurate portrayal of a Chasidishe couple - a BT and her brand-new husband - last year.

But, yes. Judaism is portrayed mostly as a negative - Not Christian. Nothing positive, even in little pieces that Jews would get - a mezuzah on an office door (not necessary, but still...), blue and silver decorations, a grimace at something overdecorated for Christmas.

And seeing a Chanukah or a Passover episode would be great, however watered-down. So far, only one show has ever done that.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Which part?

[aunt-becca.livejournal.com]

I only started watching it this season and didn't realize the back stories. Yeah, a baby coming to her like that is just shmaltz.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

... I'm so glad Doris Egan doesn't get the "credit" for writing this ep, because then I'd have to get mad at her.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't think I could pick just one part. But the many miracle babies for Christmas would be up there at the top of the list, which also includes everything here.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Just so many things - set decoration (Wilson doesn't have a single Jewish patient to send him a Chanukah card? Really?) Cuddy being "too busy" to have children and then to have that "miracle". And in such a horrible way - Cuddy gets her baby because a sixteen year old girl *died*.

There was so much wrong with that episode. Although I did like Foreman/Thirteen. (She said she was bisexual - it's not like his love "fixed" her.)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

That was part of it.

One of these years, I'd love to see a show with Jewish characters be positive about one of their own holidays. And blasé about Christmas. Just. Blasé.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

only one show has ever done that

Two that I know of -- Sports Night (Seder), and thirtysomething (Chanukah).

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes.

I have vague memories of that episode.

I think House has one of the highest numbers of Jewish characters on TV - including that rarest of creatures, a Jewish woman. That's what makes it galling - it's not like they would have to stretch to do something tiny.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Three. Rugrats (the Nick cartoon) did Passover and Hanukkah eps...and no Christmas ones.

(Meanwhile, I think I'm really glad I missed House tonight)

[aunt-becca.livejournal.com]

I have heard women talk about not having children because they had either a busy career or didn't wan to "cramp" their lifestyle. "Too busy" seems like something not too far fetched.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

I saw that episode, and was pretty impressed by it. This one I missed.

Jews come off great on tv, but Judaism...not so much, unless your character is over 70, and then they can be the traditional bubbe who has no life but marrying off any available descendants and complaining about goyim, (okay, that is actually at times, true) but we can't actually have a normal life that just incorporates Judaism as a religion.

Take my brother Mark. He is a small business owner and is happily married to Lisa, who is a fashion designer. They have a two year old son. They are avid readers and both have a serious interest in local politics. But if you look closer, you'll notice certain things. Mark has tiny tufts tucked behind his ears. Under his baseball cap, he has a small knitted yarmulke. He takes a short break around 2 and goes into a private room. He has a mezuzah on his door. He always bring his lunch. He is active in Jewish politics and serves on the board of his shul. His son attends a Hebrew pre-school. He is fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish. He invites friends for Shabbos. His wife wears a Jewish star and also brings her lunch. Her store is closed on Saturday. She reads the Jewish Week and offers to help clients if they want to make their clothing more tznuis.

They are everyday normal people who practice a religion which permeates their daily life. It's not that hard to write in.

[wickedgoodgrrrl.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm glad I don't regularly watch "House" because I might have been oblivious to how wrong-headed this episode was.

Although I like some of the trappings of Christmas and I'm nominally Episcopalian, I'm still a childless, single woman for whom a lot of the fun Christmas isn't meant. Moreover, a significant number of romantic disappointments in my life happened around Christmas. It's a good thing my then-husband is now an ex-husband, but we got married Dec. 24, 1988. I have no idea how I'm going to cope or how to _feel_ on Christmas Eve this year.

In fact, last night I got dumped via e-mail. I bleeding hate December.

Your anger is different and, dare I say, nobler than mine. But the pabulum about this being a "good and kindly time of the year" doesn't always work for me, either. I fear I may have misunderstood your point of your anger, but it is palpable, and I am very, very sorry. Christians should not have the monopoly on grace and forgiveness, and Christmas should not become some weird rallying point for North American hegemony, if I have the word right.

Big, big, big hugs to you, especially 'cause I could use a few hugs myself right now.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

>>It's because despite being a LARGE percentage of writers, producers, directors and actors, we Jews tend to be skittishly terrified of allowing people to see our faith.<<

And given your people's persecuted history, who could blame you? Besides, there may not be enough of you amongst those in the TV and film industries who actually green-light the shows and sign the checks. (There were more in TV's earlier days—remember David Sarnoff and Brandon Tartikoff?—but with all the mergers, not so much anymore.)

It's not just the Jews, either; network executives have always been skittish about depicting even the religious part of Christmas. Look up the behind-the-camera history of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" to see the trouble Sparky Schulz, Lee Mendelsohn and Bill Melendez got in just for having Linus recite a few lines from the Gospel of Luke (they were actually told, essentially, "the Bible thing scares us"). Depicting ANY authentic expression of religious faith on TV risks offending those who are of a different faith, or have no faith at all, and thus losing customers for the advertisers. (Which is why Christmas on TV and in movies—the entertainment as well as the advertising—is so relentlessly mercenary and secular; take it from one who was raised in the original Christian faith.)

And to MamaDeb: On behalf of my fellow non-Jews, I apologize most profusely for the egregiously offensive story to which you were subjected this evening.

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

That is true, many Jews have a terror of people noticing us too much. As for Jews in media, Peter Chernin is CEO of Fox, Jeff Zucker chairs NBC news, Robert Iger is head of ABC, and Leslie Moonves heads CBS, all four are Jews. (Oy, okay, I'm definitely seeing your point about why Jews are so skittish)

And that's terrible. I did notice Christmas is so whitewashed that it could be any random holiday of any random culture, it could be Thanksgiving with a tree!

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

Wicked, can I hug you too? I'm so sorry and I'm in a huggy mood!

Re: Having not watched this show, can't comment too much but...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Rugrats did have a Christmas ep - it's for sale on Amazon. Remember, Tommy's father is Christian. However, yes, they did have Chanukah and Passover eps, and the grandparents were certainly Jewish.

The only good part was the Foreman/Thirteen subplot, which had nothing to do with Christmas at all.