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Sarah Silverman, let’s not use the word ‘Jewface’

JL;DR SUMMARY Sarah Silverman discusses the nuances and implications of non-Jewish actors playing Jewish roles, challenging the term "Jewface" as a comparison to blackface due to the disparate historical contexts and impacts. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish IdentityJewish RepresentationHollywoodSarah SilvermanWhite PrivilegeJewfaceCultural SensitivityAuthenticityCasting ControversiesBlackface Comparison

Places mentioned

Hollywood, California, United States
"we continue to be a people fortunate enough to have our stories represented in Hollywood and thats more important than the Jewishness of the representative."
United Kingdom
"Still and especially when it comes to opportunities for Jewish actresses its uncomfortable to see Ruth Bader Ginsburg portrayed by a Christian Brit or to read profiles in which Rachel Sennott professes that her Catholic culture and Jewish culture are close enough for Shiva Baby work."

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Cairo Item ID 70928
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-12-21 05:31:11 UTC
Curated 2025-12-21 08:30:57 UTC