arts & life
Editor's Picks
ART NEWS
"The unifying core of
my work stems from
encountering the world
Lynne
as it unfolds," says
Konstantin New York filmmaker
Jem Cohen. "Whether
Arts & Life the project is long- or
Editor
short-term, moving
image or still photog-
raphy, single pictures,
multiple projections,
or an installation, it is
through close observa-
tion, careful listening,
and an embrace of
chance that I estab-
lish the bedrock. ...
Regardless of the tools
and the form, the proj-
ect is ... life drawing:'
In "Jem Cohen: Life
Drawing," a multi-
format, dual-gallery
photography and video
installation at the
University of Michigan
Museum of Art through Nov.
29, the artist's work organically
unites. (734) 764-0395;
umich.edu.
HOME AGAIN
Although the J. Geils Band
live in Boston, they've always
considered Detroit their second
home, recording two of their
three live albums here. The band,
including singer Peter Wolf (a
former fast-talking DJ born Peter
Blankenfield in the Bronx), bass-
ist Danny Klein, keyboardist
(and former fan) Seth Justman
and harmonica player "Magic"
Dick Salwitz (born Salkovitz),
were often called the "the Jewish
Rolling Stones:' Welcome the
band home Friday, Sept. 11, at
the DTE Energy Music Theatre in
Clarkston. $29.50-$99.50.
(800) 745-3000; palacenet.com .
ON THE STAGE
Following a successful sum-
mer run in Pinckney, Always
a Bridesmaid heads to West
Bloomfield's Two Muses Theatre
(inside Barnes & Noble) Sept.
11-27. A contemporary comedy
about four Southern friends-for-
life prove that careers, waistlines
and sometimes even marriages
may disappear, but real friends
last a lifetime. $18-$20. (248)
850-9919; twomusestheatre.org .
Celebrity Jews
Nate Bloom
Special to the
Jewish News
GIBSON GAFFES
Things haven't gone well for Mel
Gibson since his 2006 anti-Semit-
ic tirade at a police officer, and
he is only now directing his first
film since then. On top of this,
the films he's acted in since 2006
have flopped and he got more
bad publicity in 2010 when tapes
of his phone conversations with
his former girlfriend, laced with
racist and misogynist language,
were released.
Gibson is now in Australia
directing a film about the true
story of an American conscien-
tious objector who served as a
medic during WWII and got
the Medal of Honor. Maybe as a
mini-olive branch to Jews, Mel
cast Andrew Garfield, 32,
(Spider-Man) in the lead role.
The film's casting and subject
matter got Gibson some good
press, but then the "nasty ol'
Mel" emerged on Aug. 22, when
he showed up outside a Sydney
52
September 3 • 2015
Gibson
Esmail and Rossum
Rappaport
DOWN TO EARTH
Head to Ann Arbor for the
HomeGrown Festival, a grass-
roots event showcasing the best
of our region's locally grown food,
drink (like cherry-lime soda,
shown, and treats from Pilar's
Tamales, Zingerman's Roadhouse,
Earthen Jar and more), music
(Dragon Wagon, Rhyta Musik),
kids' events and fun. 6 p.m.-10
p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the
Ann Arbor Farmers' Market.
Homegrownfestival.org .
❑
Carly Chaikin (Suburga-
tory), 25, plays Darlene, a main
member of the hack group and
the handsome Ben Rappaport,
29, has a big recurring role as
011ie, an employee at Alderson's
firm and the boyfriend of Ange-
la, Elliot's oldest friend. Darlene,
by the way, is not the hacker's
group's token female — half the
group are women, including one
who is a devout Muslim. Mean-
while, Alderson's security firm
boss is gay and asks him about
"coming out:'
MIGHT BE THE FIRST
theater hosting an Israeli film
festival. Reports say that he prob-
ably was in the area to attend a
non-Israeli film in a neighboring
theater — but a throng of Aussie
Jews were there to hear him be
rude to a polite female print
reporter and be obscenely rude
to a woman photographer. His
24-year-old girlfriend apologized
to both — "I'm sorry," she said.
"He's a bit sick at the moment:'
HEADS UP ON
A SLEEPER
Mr. Robot premiered in June
on the USA Network and ended
its nine-episode season on Aug.
26. As I write this, USA has
posted all nine episodes on its
website for binge viewing and
maybe they will remain there
for some time. Otherwise, try to
catch up elsewhere (On-Demand
services, etc). The series was
a "sleeper hit" that doubled its
ratings as word-of-mouth got
out that it is not only the best
depiction of hackers made-
to-date — but a remarkably
diverse series in terms of casting
and characters. The creator is
Sam Esmail, whose parents are
Egyptian Muslims who settled
in the States. Esmail attended
a Chanukah celebration at the
White House last year with
his girlfriend, actress Emmy
Rossum, 28. The star character,
Elliot Alderson, is a security
engineer working for a cyber-
security firm. The leader of an
anarchist hack group recruits the
mentally troubled Alderson into
his group. Alderson is played by
Rami Malek, whose parents are
Egyptian Coptic Christians who
also settled in America.
Haven't seen this factoid
anywhere else: If Vermont Sen.
Bernie Sanders, 73, wins the
New Hampshire presidential
primary (or any other), he'll be
the first Jew to win a major-par-
ty presidential primary. Milton
Shapp, the late governor of
Pennsylvania, failed to even win
his home state primary when
he ran in 1976. In 2004, Sen.
Joseph Lieberman, now 73,
dropped out of the race after
losing the New Hampshire
primary.
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