arts & life >> review Bad Jews They make for good entertainment at JET. JET presents Bad Jews through June 14 in the Aaron DeRoy Theatre at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. $41- $48 with discounts for seniors, students and groups. (248) 788- 2900; jettheatre.org . Celebrity Jews Nate Bloom Special to the Jewish News ENTOURAGE REDUX Entourage, the HBO show that ended in 2011, returns as a feature film (opening Wed., June 3). The series ended with super-agent Ari Gold (played by Jeremy Piven, 49) becoming a studio head. The movie has Ari risking his career by greenlighting Piven a big-budget film star- ring Vincent Chase (Adrian 60 May 28 • 2015 Ronelle Grier I Contributing Writer B ad Jews makes good entertainment, specifi- cally in Joshua Harmon's knife-sharp comedy, performed by a talented ensemble cast under the skillful direction of JET Executive Director Christopher Bremer. After watching the four talented actors sling hilarious barbs for the better part of an intermission-less 100 minutes, it is easy to understand why the New York Times deemed Bad Jews "the best comedy of the season:' The story revolves around three cousins who are reluctantly thrown together following the funeral of their grandfather, "Poppy," a Holocaust survivor and the family patriarch. As the play begins, Daphna (Meredith Deighton) and her first cousin Jonah (Emilio Rodriguez) have returned from the funeral and are preparing to settle in for the night in Jonah's New York apart- ment. Daphna, who has changed her name from Diana, is a self- proclaimed "real Jew," as she is only too happy to explain to any- Grenier), his biggest for- mer client. The whole TV cast is in the film, including Emmanuelle Chriqui, 37, as Sloan (the girlfriend of Chase's business manager, Eric, was pregnant when the series ended); Scott Caan, 38, as Scott Lavin, a ruth- less actor's agent; and Martin Landau, 86, as Bob Ryan, a former top producer who still has irons in the fire. The TV series was noted for cameos of real celebs playing themselves. The movie has a carload of cam- eos, including Bob Saget, 59, Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban, 57, and supermodel Emily Ratajkowski, 23. Entourage was created and largely written by Doug Ellin, 47, and he wrote and directed the movie. A little checking one willing to listen, and even to those who would rather not. She is rail- Lee ing against Jonah's Bad Jews at JET brother, Liam, who has missed the funeral, presumably somewhat vapid Melody (Katie because of a mishap involving his Galazka) in tow, Daphna's ire is iPhone and a ski lift in Aspen, further fueled. When she learns where he and his "shiksa" girl- Liam already has the Chai in his friend Melody have been vaca- possession and plans to give it tioning. to Melody as part of a marriage Daphna's ranting is not con- proposal, the fireworks begin in earnest. Daphna and Liam fined to her cousin's questionable absence; she decries the extrava- are well-matched in the dirty- gance of Jonah's studio apart- fighting department; both are ment, which has a bathroom merciless as they pinpoint each window view of the Hudson other's weaknesses and attempt River and was purchased for to draw blood. Jonah and Melody Jonah and Liam by their inexcus- eventually get drawn into the ably indulgent parents. No sooner fray, despite their best efforts to is Daphna finished with one remain neutral. tirade than she jumps to another: The actors are superlative. a manically delivered justification Deighton, with her unruly mass of frizzy hair, is an exaggerated for why she should be the one to inherit Poppy's Chai pendant, an version of that obnoxious person heirloom he preserved through we know but wish we didn't. Her his time in the concentration drawn-out "whatevers" and ani- camps by hiding it under his mated facial expressions serve to tongue. punctuate her tiresome tirades. When Liam (Mitchell A. While the verbal (and eventu- Koory) arrives with blonde and ally, physical) sparring evokes reveals that while Ellin says he grew up celebrating just a couple of Jewish holidays, he is now actively speaking before Jewish and pro-Israel groups around the country. I give Ellin props for creating perhaps the only 'all-Jewish" power couple on TV — Ari Gold and his wife, Melissa (played by Perrey Reeves, who isn't Jewish, but does a great job of depicting a woman with a "Jewish per- sona" without being a stereo- type or just an appendage of her hard-charging husband). SMALL SCREEN Aquarius stars David Duchovny, 51, as Sam Hodiak, a Los Angeles police sergeant looking for a missing teen early in 1968. He is aided by an undercover officer (Gary Damon) who dresses like a hippie. Unknown to both of them, their investigation will lead them to Charles Manson (a year or so before Manson became infamous worldwide). Aquarius can be viewed on TV (premieres 9 p.m. Thursday, May 28, and shows weekly at the same time on NBC) or watch the entire 13-episode first season at NBC.com starting on May 29. Now filming: American Crime Story will focus on one true-crime drama each season (a spin-off of the FX series American Horror Story, which has a new storyline each season). Up first is the 1994 O.J. Simpson arrest and murder trial. The O.J. trial was, in many ways, the first reality show, so it's fitting the reigning family of reality TV, much laughter, there is a more serious side to this story, with its universal messages about fami- lies, tradition and how we honor those who came before us. One of the most touching moments comes when the cousins stop fighting long enough to remi- nisce hysterically about a family dinner at a Japanese restaurant where their "Jewish digestive tracts" caused everyone to spend more time in the restrooms than at the table. The studio apartment, crammed with sofa beds, air mattress and the guests' respec- tive belongings, was created by Scenic and Lighting Designer and Technical Director Daniel C. Walker, with props and set deco- ration by Diane E. Ulseth. Mary Copenhagen's costumes enhanced the characters' personalities, and Matt Lira provided the sound design. ❑ the Kardashians, were promi- nent in the O.J. saga. The late Robert Kardashian was a great friend of Simpson, and he briefly legally represented him after his arrest. He's playedby David Schwimmer, 48, of Friends fame. Robert's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian Jenner, is played by Southfield native Selma Blair, 42. The big- gest real-life Jewish par- • ticipants in Blair the Simpson trial, defense attorney Robert Shapiro, now 72, and prosecutor Marcia Clark, now 61, are played, respectively, by John Travolta and Sarah Paulson. ❑