The Christian Science Monitor reports that at least one Italian is p.o.’d about the way his people are portrayed in Dreamworks’ latest kiddie flick, Shark Tale, which features Robert De Niro as a mafioso shark. Lawrence Auriana, president of the New York-based Columbus Citizens Foundation, calls out Golden Jew Steven Spielberg for ethnic stereotyping, saying he should know better. Dreamworks says it stands by its product as good, clean family entertainment (which we plan to confirm this weekend while in the company of small children who share our love of talking fish and Junior Mints.)
We Jews get our hackles raised pretty often about ethnic stereotypes in the movies (is an aggro shark the same as killing Jesus?) but our bottom line is that if a joke’s funny, we laugh. Even at the Jewish ones.
Yo, Yenta!
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Um, if I remember correctly, that De Niro guy may have played Italian mafioso-type guys before. Sounds like Auriana is trying to make a name for himself…or make a push for a job at a bitchfest, whistle-blowing organization that people have actually heard of (like the ACLU).
Two words: Mel Brooks! Some people need to liven up, Mel’s been doing that shtick forever. Why dont they protest the Simpsons, they’re Sterotype heaven.