Amusing Jews

Atheists United Studios

An interview show celebrating Jewish contributors and contributions to American popular culture co-hosted by Jonathan Friedmann and Joey Angel-Field.

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176 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes176

Newest first

Dec 11, 2023 · 25 min
Ep. 31: Movies, Myths, and Mental Health – with filmmaker Mastaneh Moghadam
Mastaneh Moghadam is a filmmaker, licensed clinical social worker, and executive director of the non-profit Cross Cultural Expressions. She wrote and directed the film The Djinn in the Pen (2020) and wrote the screenplay for Wake Up Sleeping Beauty...
Dec 4, 2023 · 27 min
Ep. 30: Jewish Food Society – with program director Amanda Dell
Amanda Dell is program director of the Jewish Food Society, a non-profit organization that works to preserve, celebrate, and revitalize Jewish culinary heritage from around the world. She also hosts the Jewish Food Society’s podcast, Schmaltzy....
Nov 27, 2023 · 18 min
Ep. 29: Underground Comix, Wonder Woman, and Comics Herstory – with cartoonist Trina Robbins
Trina Robbins is a pioneer underground cartoonist and comics herstorian who has been writing comics, graphic novels, and books for nearly half a century. She was the first woman artist to draw a Wonder Woman comic, created the teenage superheroine Go...
Nov 20, 2023 · 22 min
Ep. 28: The Origins of 420 – with originator Steve Capper
In 1971, Steve Capper was one of five wisecracking friends called the Waldos who originated the term 420 at San Rafael High School in Marin County, California. He now runs the website, 420waldos.com, documenting the history and cultural influence of...
Nov 13, 2023 · 22 min
Ep. 27: Nightdive Studios, Classic Video Games, and Jewish History – with director of business development Larry Kuperman
Larry Kuperman is director of business development at Nightdive Studios, which acquires, updates, and re-releases classic video games for modern platforms. Previously, he was business development manager at GameStop, where he acquired new PC game...
Nov 6, 2023 · 22 min
Ep. 26: Celebrity Gossip, Pop Culture, and Public Speaking - with communication strategist Sabba Rahbar
Sabba Rahbar is a public speaking coach, communication strategist, and founder of Speak with Confidence. Before that, she was a celebrity gossip blogger and editor-in-chief at Socialite Life, managed content and social media for the food website...
Oct 30, 2023 · 20 min
Yiddish Horror Halloween Special
Elizabeth Schwartz is the author of The Sweet Fragrance of Life and Other Horror Stories. She’s also the vocalist of the klezmer group Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi, the subject of a Romanian documentary film, Searching for Schwartz, and co-creator of...
Oct 23, 2023 · 24 min
Ep. 25: Laemmle Theatres, Cinema, and Culture – with president Greg Laemmle
Greg Laemmle is president of Laemmle Theatres, a family-owned and operated art house theater chain that has operated in Los Angeles County since 1938. He’s the subject of the 2022 documentary, Only in Theaters, and is one of the few exhibitors with...
Oct 16, 2023 · 21 min
Ep. 24: Documentary Filmmaking – with Maggie Rawling Smith
Maggie Rawling Smith is a writer, filmmaker, and activist. She directed the documentary Tucson Salvage, co-written with her husband Brian Jabas Smith, co-adapted Brian’s collection of short stories into the Amazon Prime series Spent Saints, and...
Oct 9, 2023 · 40 min
Ep. 23: Troma, Toxic Avenger, and Independent Filmmaking – with director Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman is a director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and co-founder of Troma Entertainment. Lloyd has directed numerous feature films for Troma, such as The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., and Tromeo and Juliet....
Oct 2, 2023 · 21 min
Ep. 22: Journalism, History, and the Cost of Free Land – with journalist Rebecca Clarren
Rebecca Clarren is an award-winning journalist who’s been writing about the rural American West for more than twenty years. Her articles have appeared in Mother Jones, High Country News, The Nation, and Salon.com. She has also authored a novel,...
Sep 18, 2023 · 19 min
Ep. 21: The Jewish Deli, Comics, and Culture – with illustrator Ben Nadler
Ben Nadler is an illustrator, writer, and comics artist. His books include Heretics!: The Wondrous (and Dangerous) Beginnings of Modern Philosophy, The White Snake, and, most recently, The Jewish Deli: An Illustrated Guide to the Chosen Food....
Sep 4, 2023 · 44 min
Ep. 20: Character Acting, Groundhog Day, and the Search for Meaning – with actor Stephen Tobolowsky
Actor and writer Stephen Tobolowsky is known for playing insurance agent Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, Commissioner Hugo Jarry on the HBO series Deadwood, Principal Earl Ball on the ABC series The Goldbergs, and a whole lot more. He also has a...
Aug 21, 2023 · 22 min
Ep. 19: Travel, History, and Jewish Life Television – with TV host Brad Pomerance
Brad Pomerance hosts the travel show Air, Land & Sea and the genealogy series Generations, both on the cable network Jewish Life Television (JLTV). Brad also hosts Uncovered in the Archives, which he developed for PBS-affiliate KVCR in Southern...
Aug 7, 2023 · 25 min
Ep. 18: Toys, Stamps, and Jewish Identity – with collector Paul Golin
Paul Golin is executive director of the Society for Humanistic Judaism and previously served as associate executive director of Big Tent Judaism/Jewish Outreach Institute. He was recently profiled on the American Philatelic Society website, and can be...
Jul 31, 2023 · 28 min
Is Barbie Jewish?
Helene Siegel is a Los Angeles food writer who runs the Pastry Sessions blog. She’s the author of 40 cookbooks, including the Totally Cookbook series and Pure Chocolate. In the early 90s, Helene produced a series of Barbie books for 8- to 12-year-old...
Jul 24, 2023 · 26 min
Ep. 17: Microsoft, Soundscape, and Sound Design – with sound artist Matthew Bennett
Matthew Bennett is a composer, ethnomusicologist, sound artist, and founder of the design firm, Acoustic Ecology. Matthew created and directed the Sound & Sensory Design Program at Microsoft, where he made micro-musical compositions that are heard...
Jul 10, 2023 · 25 min
Ep. 16: I Lost on Jeopardy! – with contestant Jennie Bunde
Jennie Bunde, a native of Galesburg, Illinois, was a contestant on Jeopardy! in March of 2022. A lifelong trivia enthusiast, Jennie holds master’s degrees in biology and rabbinic studies. She shares an insider’s perspective on the show and tips for...
Jul 3, 2023 · 33 min
Writers Guild of America Strike
As the WGA strike of 2023 continues, we chat with legendary screenwriter Michael Elias, an award-winning writer, actor, and director who has written film, television, theatre, and fiction. You may know Michael as the co-screenwriter of The Frisco Kid,...
Jun 26, 2023 · 46 min
Ep. 15: Pop Culture, Comic-Con, and Nostalgia – with writer Mathew Klickstein
Mathew Klickstein is a writer, filmmaker, playwright, arts therapist, and pop culture historian whose writings have appeared in Wired, the New York Daily News, and Splitsider. He co-authored Springfield Confidential with Simpsons writer Mike Reiss,...