As a seasoned gamer with a deep-rooted love for TV shows that resonate with my cultural identity, I find the findings of this USC Annenberg study incredibly disheartening. Growing up, I cherished characters like George Costanza from Seinfeld and Morty Goldman from The Simpsons, who were proudly Jewish and didn’t shy away from their heritage.
Despite the growing trend in Hollywood to celebrate diverse cultural identities, a recent study by the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project suggests that Jewish characters on television are often portrayed as concealing or downplaying their Jewish heritage.
As a passionate admirer, I can confirm that a research project, backed by the Jewish Institute for Television and Cinema Hollywood Bureau, validated the existence of “Jewface” in the entertainment industry. The study revealed an unfortunate reality where only about half of Jewish characters are portrayed by Jewish actors. Moreover, it was disheartening to learn that female Jewish actors face a 21% lower chance of being cast as their Jewish counterparts compared to male actors. This disparity in representation is a concern that needs attention and change.
This study, unique in its focus on Jewish representation since 1999, was conducted before the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, which led to a shocking 60% surge in antisemitic hate crimes. However, it’s important to note that during the study’s timeframe, there was still an uptick in incidents of antisemitism. The research examined 108 Jewish characters across 49 episodes from 15 TV series that aired between 2021 and 2022.
In the lineup, you’ll find shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “Big Mouth”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “The Goldbergs”, “The Good Fight”, and “And Just Like That”.
According to a recent study, only about one out of every five fictional Jewish characters explicitly acknowledge their Jewish identity. If we exclude those in professions traditionally associated with Judaism such as rabbis and funeral directors, that percentage drops to roughly 13%.
The research delved into how the Orthodox community is represented on screen, revealing that about 50% of Orthodox characters are presented with a critical and alienating stance, while approximately 20% exhibit a generally frosty personality and seem unhappy with their lives.
Approximately one-third of the times when Orthodox Jews are mentioned, they aren’t physically there – instead, others are discussing them from their perspective rather than allowing them to voice their own opinions.
In my perspective, this study unveiled a pattern among Jews subtly distancing themselves from their heritage. Interestingly, around 31% of these characters chose to adopt other cultures instead, as seen in movies like ‘Double Holiday’ and ‘Holiday Date’, where Jewish characters often find themselves immersed in Christmas traditions to sustain relationships.
The representation on TV of Jewish characters was primarily limited to those who appeared white or Ashkenazi, with little to no diversity in terms of Jews of color (Mizrahi), LGBTQ individuals, or others identifying as Jewish.
The study revealed that certain stereotypes about Jews, such as Shylock from Shakespeare’s time (the money-grubbing Jew, the timid man, and the controlling Jewish mother), persist to this day.
Approximately 2% of the Jewish characters depicted were haggling over small expenses such as a dollar’s worth of Ferris wheel tickets, whereas 5% were shown engaging in violent actions, and 7% were presented in an overall unfavorable light.
To encourage a wider range and deeper portrayals of Jewish-American characters, the research suggests highlighting their lesser-known narratives; avoiding stereotypes that link Jews to wealth or influence; and amplifying expressions of Jewish pride and happiness.
It suggests giving Orthodox individuals the chance to express themselves authentically, and portraying Orthodox Jews as neighbors who live nearby.
Read the full study here.
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2024-12-10 23:54