6 Degrees (no Bacon): Jewish celebrity roundup

Italians rip Gordon-Levitt

NEW YORK (JTA)—Apparently lots and lots of sex isn’t the most potentially offensive thing about Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s latest film, “Don Jon.”

The Italian American One Voice Coalition has accused the Jewish actor-director of promoting “racist stereotypes” in the movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Here we go again with the same shop-worn, racist stereotypes of Italian Americans in movies,” said organization founder Emanuele “Manny” Alfano. “It never ends. Levitt, himself the son of proud parents who once founded the Jewish Progressive Alliance and fought for social justice causes, should be ashamed of himself for the negative portrayal of Italians and Jews in his movie.”

In “Don Jon,” Gordon-Levitt plays Jon Martello, a “Jersey Shore”-esque porn addict who falls for a Jewish (and also very Jersey-fied) chick named Barbara Sugarman, played by Scarlett Johansson, who really is Jewish.

As no specific scenes were cited and we haven’t seen the film ourselves, at this time we at 6NoBacon will abstain from weighing in. But we’re guessing it probably can’t be much worse stereotype-wise than the upcoming Jewish rom-com “Jewtopia,” right?

Ivanka Trump walking to synagogue (we’re pretty sure)

A photo taken last week of “Apprentice” judge Ivanka Trump wearing a “skirted power suit” and a hat was deconstructed by the Daily Mail, in a piece about her maternity style. Guesses were made as to where Trump, who is eight months pregnant, was headed as she walked the streets of Manhattan with hubbie Jared Kushner and their 2-year-old daughter, Arabella Rose.

“The trio looked off for an important lunch or perhaps a meeting with her father, Donald Trump, who is known for dressing up daily in grey suits and pink ties,” the story said.

Perhaps, but we have another theory: The glam fam was shul-bound!

We don’t have confirmation, but the evidence is strong. It was Shemini Atzeret, so it seems highly likely the Upper East Side dwellers were going to Kehilath Jeshurun on East 85th Street, where Trump converted prior to the couple’s wedding. Plus, it isn’t the first time the Trump-Kushners have been photographed on their way to synagogue.

If we’re correct, surely Trump’s hat, which the Daily Mail called a “ ‘60s era fashion statement that looks like something Holly Golightly would have worn,” is not merely a fashion statement but a hair-covering device, too. Funny—we pegged her as a doily wearer.

Drake’s new gig: Reinventing the Raptors

The NBA’s Toronto Raptors are gearing up for a makeover from none other than Drake, the city’s very own Jewish rap sensation.

We know, you’re probably wondering if you can infuse cool into a losing team with a tougher, redder Barney for a mascot. But according to the Toronto Star, the execs behind it all are modeling the rebranding on another very successful rapper-basketball joint venture: Jay-Z and the Brooklyn Nets.

“Hip hop’s cool uncle took an (incredibly tiny) ownership position in exchange for polishing the shield,” the Toronto Star says of Jay-Z. “He didn’t have to do much. Switch from Yankees to Nets ball-caps. Show up to a few games. Whisper in the ears of a few guys who grew up on The Blueprint. The result is an almost instant contender, the sort of marquee brand future hall of famers want to be associated with.”

Now it’s Drake’s turn. The self-described “Raptors fan to the death” will launch a team-based clothing line and consult on the redesign of the Raptors image for the 20th anniversary of the franchise in the 2014-2015 season.

The hope is that Toronto, which will host the 2016 NBA All-Star game, will soon become a go-to city for the league’s players. And that Drake does something with that dinosaur.

Sebastian Thoen’s slur on French TV

Jews in France are riled up over an inflammatory comment made by Sebastian Thoen, a humorist on French TV, earlier this month, The Algemeiner reports.

On the prime-time “Le Grand Journal” show, Thoen was introducing the popular Jewish comedian Elie Semoun, who was promoting his new book.

“You never embarked into communitarianism [...] You could have also appeared in the streets selling jeans and diamonds from the back of a car saying ‘Israel is always right, f*** Palestine woualala... but you did not... One can be Jewish and not be completely disgusting. No offense to some!” Thoen said, according to a translation provided to the Algemeiner.

Was something lost in translation, or was the “joke” really as horrifying as it sounds?

French speakers can watch and see for themselves. We’ll take the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions’ word for it, though, and chalk this one up to an example of the “trivialization of anti-Semitism.”

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