Heeb

Okay, so I already had a bias against Heeb after reading an article in it a couple months ago. I won't go into details, but I'm pretty sure that's why my friend at University of Central Florida tells me that the word around campus is that "Jewish girls are easy."

But enough with that, here's what I think about this issue.....

The main story featured on the cover is a reaction to Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ movie. I was really disappointed by the execution of the article (Um.....no pun intended?). Heeb Jesus is hot, but the pictures just don't match up with the rest of the story. The opening points out the fallacy of the passion play and inside there are two good quotes. I think the most interesting one is by the photographer who quotes Susan Sontag. He says that he doesn't think the movie will "create hatred against Jews, but it might awaken dormant hostilities" and that "The dangerous part of filmmaking is that it fools us into seeing fantasy as reality and representation as history." The other interesting quote is by the guy playing Pontius Pilate who basically says that the Christian church was created on the "one simple anti-Semitic principle" that Jews killed Jesus. I'm kinda wondering if he's Jewish or not (he went to a Catholic high school, but is a Yiddish translator) because for some reason it makes a lot more of an impact if a non-Jew says that.

So, we have these two comments that have the potential to really create an in-depth, interesting critique of the Passion controversy. But instead, Heeb falls short. Take the caption below the guy playing Judas. He says, "I'm an Italian Jew. I'll bust a cap in your ass, then check your pockets for change." Yeah, Heeb, way to stick it to Mel for promoting Jewish stereotypes. And besides not telling that good of a narrative story, the pictures seem to be shocking for shock-value's sake. There're naked ladies everywhere. What is this trying to say? Is it mocking Mel's version by imbuing it with sexuality? Is it trying to say that Jewish girls can be sex objects too? Is it just trying to sell a couple extra issues? I'm really not sure.

I know I probably sound uptight. Sorta like in that article I posted about the Chanukah party with Triumph the Insult Comedy Dog, how the "older generation" would get offended and leave, telling the younger people not to do anything that would "bring shame to the community." Maybe you should call me Maude, but I can't help feeling that way. I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was in a non-Jewish magazine, but when a magazine is tying the idea of Jewish identity with the idea of being really sexually free or promiscuous, it seems wrong. As does the idea of Jews publishing pictures of other naked Jews; it seems like exploitation. (Even though if it were in a magazine not specifically connected to Judaism, I would think otherwise.)

My real problem with the magazine is its self-conscious tone. So many of its articles seem to be coming from a place of "I'm Jewish, but.........." I'm Jewish, but I'm still good at sports; I'm Jewish, but I can be sexy and desirable; I'm Jewish, but I can still be cool! It's taking this defensive stance, talking to some Christian audience that isn't really there. It's basically saying to them "I'm Jewish, but really, I can be just like you!" And the underlying assumption is that Judaism is seen as worn out and for an older generation. Heeb is trying too prove that you can be edgy and be Jewish. And the fact that its trying so hard is unappealing.

As for the name itself, I guess there are two sides to the whole "making ethnic slurs your own" debate. If you adopt those terms as your own, do you strip them of any insulting power they used to have over you? Is it demeaning? Are you actually using a term that Jews have called each other in the past (apparently during the Ellis Island days Jews would call each other kykes)? Is it better to try to foster acceptance and work to make these words (and the sentiments attached to them) disappear from society? I prefer the latter.

And the magazine's failure to question the sport society's labeling Jewish athletes by "mother", "father", or "convert," and instead just confirming that someone was a "full-blooded Yid" was appalling.

To be a little more balanced, here are some things I do like about Heeb...

The article "Fault Lines, Political Shifts Among Activists in San Fransisco and Beyond" discussed the problem faced by many Jews on the political left who feel alienated by the anti-Semitic stances taken my many progressives today, but who also don't want to jump in with the Right. I can relate.

David Cross (he's Jewish?!) did a great music review in which he totally trashed almost every CD. Way to not just give them free ad space.

Actually, my favorite part of the magazine is the ads. They actually are a lot more daring and edgy than ads I've seen in other mags. And you would never expect it from the sources. For example, the Streit's matzos ad with an African-American holding a piece going "Damn! That's a big ass cracker!" or the Village Temple ad with a picture of a Torah and the phrase "It should be illegal to roll something this good." Very creative and funny.