The Bagel Report Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche

This week, the bagels chat with Rebecca Margolis, author of The Yiddish Supernatural on Screen: Dybbuks, Demons and a Haunted Jewish Past and Yiddish comedy in American film and television. She and the Bagels do a deep dive into the Yiddish language and how it finds its way into TV and film. Later, she answers Erin and Esther's questions about Dybbuks and why they continue to show up in supernatural spaces.  

Only the Bagels know how to connect the Muppets, Broadway and SpermWorld. This episode's journey explores the history of the Muppets, the guest stars at Ben Platt's new Broadway show and the return of one of Esther's faves, Hacks. Esther and Erin also anticipate upcoming camp movies, are moved by Jerry Seinfeld's emotions, and talk documentaries, from SpermWorld to The Jinx. We also create our ultimate Jewish Pride Pop-Culture Playlist. 
Check Out These Links:
Jim Henson Documentary  
Hacks Season 3 on HBO 
Jerry Seinfeld and Bari Weiss 
SpermWorld and the NYT piece that inspired the doc. 
The Jinx and The Jinx PART 2 
 

Erin and Esther are back together, sharing their TV-must-watches as well as what they're looking forward to, Jewy pop culture-wise. Erin talks Netflix is a Joke Fest and especially John Mulaney's limited talk show format, "Everybody's in L.A." Esther downloads her time in Israel and tunes out for Erin's Bridgerton review. Digressions include puns, GenZ phrases, Kveller articles, pop tarts, graduation speakers and more.
 
Check Out These Links:
The Jews Are Coming
Jerry Seinfeld's Commencement Speech at Duke
Unfrosted Trailer 
Everybody's in LA Clip
Dinner with the Parents aka Friday Night Dinner 
Jewish Bridgerton 
Treasure Trailer 
New Adam Brody RomCom on Netflix
 

This week, the Bagels are joined in the virtual studio by Emmy-winning comedian Rob Kutner. He shares his experiences writing on Conan and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as well as how he ghostwrote Marvel's meta-novel, Look Out for the Little Guy. Kutner also updates Erin and Esther on his latest project, God's Gang, a multicultural kid's series about superheroes, unity and peace.
 
Check out these links:
God's Gang: Full Episode
God's Gang Website 
Look Out for the Little Guy Trailer 
More on Rob Kutner!

What a week: Curb Your Enthusiasm ended, Alex Edelman's Just For Us dropped on Max, and We Were The Lucky Ones, Dinner with the Parents, and tons of other shows are keeping TV Jewy. This week Esther and Erin tackle the big questions: who's worse, Larry David or the Seinfeld Four? Why do LD's friends tolerate him? And why wasn't there more of a tribute to Richard Lewis? And to top it all off, Passover's coming...and we've got playlists and parodies and haggadahs, oh my!
Check out these Links!
Curb's Last Day on Set
Dinner with The Parents Trailer 
Lena Dunham Learns She's Jewish 
Can You Feel the Dayen-ergy? Esther's Kenough Passover
Kveller's Passover Parody Contest
Passover Playlist from Mike Boberg of The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati 
And his Purim playlist
Raymond Simonson's Playlist to an Exodus
 

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend audio haggadah
playlist
episode that explains the playlist

 
More Passover pop culture from Esther:
Heroes Haggadah
Schitt's Creek Haggadah

This week, the Bagels were joined by Rabbi Sharon Brous, the founder of IKAR in Los Angeles. Esther and Erin asked questions about Brous' new book, "The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World." The bagels and Brous touched on the value of community in the darkest of times while also finding moments of joy. The Bagels also recapped the Oscars and Rabbi Brous joined in on a pop-culture speed round. 
You can find The Amen Effect at a bookstore --virtual or in-person-- near you.
Check out these links:
Erin's Oscar Coverage
Rabbi Sharon Brous' Ted Talk