The Jewish Chronicle is a Bunch of Bull

I've really tried to refrain myself from trash-talking London critics. Actually, I've been lucky enough to not have to worry about that, since I've had pretty good reviews. But I can't hold myself back today. So, if this post pisses my rabbi off, I'm sorry, but I'm emotionally fueled right now---and Judaism would want me to express that!

I picked up "The Jewish Chronicle" today. It's a weekly publication that goes all around the country. It's a nice paper, well put together and has good stories. I've been picking one up every week to see when my review would be printed. Turns out it was today! Yay! Well, sort of. You can't read the review online, so I'll (forcefully) re-type it below:

JORDY PORDY

* *

by John Nathan

Jordan Herskowitz was born and raised in Texas and spent a good deal of his late teens as Bruno the bull, the mascot for a baseball team. It allows for a neat metaphor about identity for his rights-of-passage autobiographical solo show.

But there is scant detail here about why being a Jew in the lone star state is a big or difficult deal.

He needs to strip away the conventional teen angst stuff about himself and write more about his family--who he entertainingly performs--and his brother, who lived and tragically died with cystic fibrosis. And he needs to do it quickly before he takes his show to Edinburgh.

So, there it is. Look, it's not a terrible review. It's just frustrating to get a review like that when I'm putting myself on the line night after night performing such a personal show. The original POINT of the show was to be a self-identity piece, and the things that I share from my teenage years were formative in becoming the person I am today. And did I say that being Jewish in Texas was a BIG deal? No, I said Texas was BIG. And that it took me awhile to connect to my religion. Just happened that I was in Texas.

But, as my friend Chris always says, it's fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. One bad review won't ruin me. But to celebrate the publication, feel free to post some bad-mouthing comment to jump-start your fun weekend!

Even this Jewish bull dog is confused with the review.