New English Review

The Jewish Voice

Substack

Although I oppose boycotts in principle, I’ve nevertheless been driven to consider launching one of my own.

I will no longer rent a film that stars an actor or an actress who has signed a petition or delivered an unexpected shout-out at their award ceremony that condemned Israel for committing an alleged “genocide.” Quite frankly, I hereby denounce all Hollywood stars who have lip-synched a version of “Heil Hitler” by extemporaneously calling out: “Free Palestine.”

This happened the other night at the Emmy Awards ceremony. Hannah Einbinder of the HBO comedy series “Hacks” ended her acceptance speech for outstanding supporting actress by slamming Israel, stating it was her “obligation” to do so. She wasn’t the only one, but she clearly used her bully pulpit to do so.

I hope others consider joining this pitiful token action of mine. Imagine how much more time we might all have for reading, writing, cooking and gardening; time to engage in dinner conversations and, dare I write it, more time for helping others.

Before I “name names,” let me ask: How many of these celebrity, pro-Palestine, anti-Israel signatories and self-appointed orators have majored in Middle Eastern studies, Israel studies, Arab studies, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, the history of religion or world history? How many film stars have gotten advanced degrees—a master’s or doctorate—in any of these areas?

The answer: Not one that I can find so far.

According to a 2025 Times Higher Education report, apparently most Oscar- and Emmy-winning celebrity actors and actresses have mainly studied theater arts, the history of art, fine arts, English literature, the English and French languages, music, photography, etc.

Many Oscar winners dropped out midway through college (the amazing actresses Olivia Colman, Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, Helen Hunt, for example).

Some male actors and actresses whose work I’ve admired did not attend college at all: (Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Benigni or Emma Stone).

All have condemned Israel and called for the “freeing” of “Palestine.”

Only some film stars have attended elite universities, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, the University of Cambridge and Columbia University. Just as well. They would probably have been even more heavily brainwashed. Many such celebrities attended a branch of the University of California or a California community college.

One conclusion: These audience-anointed Olympians are not at all educated in the very areas they publicly proclaim as their principled positions. We cheer them on essentially for displaying their profound ignorance, groupthink, herd behavior and all-around ignorance.

There is a rather grave problem with all this. Since these stars command unrivaled bully pulpits, their failure to even note in passing other ongoing atrocities deserves criticism, not praise. The repeated gang-rapes of women in the Congo (the repeated rapes of women everywhere, anywhere). The nonstop persecution of Christians by Muslims in Africa and in the Middle East. The very long war of aggression launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. The relentless and dangerous Islamification of Europe. The ongoing human-rights atrocities in Iran, China, Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Turkey and Haiti, just for starters.

In La La Land, it’s as if there is only one conflict in the world worth mentioning, and that has anything to do with Israel. And in mesmerized, hypnotized Audienceland, we encourage this rank but glittering display of antisemitic bias. Yes, anti-Zionism is the new antisemitism.

We, the people, should really think hard about who our celebrities are and what virtues we most admire. Knowledge or ignorance? Cowardice or courage? Independent thinking or tribal thinking?

I am an avid fan of The Outlander (I love time travel and costume dramas), and when I read that its hunk of a star, Sam Heughan, had signed an anti-Israel letter, I wondered whether I’d have the strength to refuse to watch the next season. Heughan later apologized, saying that he’d thought he had signed something about “peace,” and not against Israel. He condemned Hamas for its terrorist attacks and atrocities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Sam: Lang may yer lum reek (“May you live long and prosper”)!