"Sid Luckman was great. He was probably the greatest Jewish football player ever."

February 22, 2009 1:55 PM

Obsessed with Jews is a hilariously delightful documentary short about Jewish memorabilia collector, Neil Keller. Keller speaks effusively about Jews in basketball ("Ossie Schechtman, great story. Ossie Schechtman scored the first basket in NBA history.") and Jews in hockey ("The first Jew in hockey was Samuel Rothschild."), although contrary to the Chanukah Song, Keller provides a letter where Rod Carew explains he's not Jewish. The documentary is by Jeff Krulik, that mensch responsible for Heavy Metal Parking Lot. For more Jeff Krulik documentary shorts and a great article on Krulik's days in cable access TV, check the multimedia article here. (Click through the pages. It's worth it!)
posted by jonp72 (24 comments total)

I saw a sceening of this hosted by metafilter's own doctorschlock, and attended also by the director. A friend won the doorprize--a Gene Simmons action figure, autographed by Krulik. That was cool.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:19 PM on February 22, 2009

The "Jews In Entertainment" section does not mention these fine mensches. Otherwise, great post.
posted by jonmc at 2:23 PM on February 22, 2009

Let's get this out of the way now:

You know who else collected Jews? Hitler.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:45 PM on February 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

That Rod Carew bio got me all misty. The extended outcome of a doctor going to the back of a train to deliver a baby.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:45 PM on February 22, 2009

I love it. "You can get a bucket of chicken, and it had a player on the chicken lid."
posted by exogenous at 2:55 PM on February 22, 2009

Am I the only person who at first read this as, "hilariously delightful documentary about short Jewish memorabilia collector, Neil Keller"?
posted by Navelgazer at 2:58 PM on February 22, 2009

"Would you like something to read?" asks the stewardess.

"Do you have anything light?"

"How about this leaflet, 'Famous Jewish Sports Legends?'"
posted by gman at 3:05 PM on February 22, 2009 [2 favorites]

gman, you beat me by mere seconds!
posted by zardoz at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2009

I feel like I beat you to it by 23 minutes. ;-)
posted by gman at 3:41 PM on February 22, 2009

I object to the omission of my cousin Eddie Gottlieb from the Jewish basketball piece.

Few have blazed as many basketball trails as did Eddie Gottlieb, “the Mogul” of the NBA for its first 30 years. As organizer of and player for the South Philadelphia Hebrew Association (SPHAs) teams in the 1920s, he helped introduce Philadelphia to the sport called basketball. Then, along with a few other broad-minded sports promoters, he organized the Basketball Association of America, the league that later became the NBA.

There's a new book on him that my aunt keeps insisting is good.
posted by grobstein at 3:53 PM on February 22, 2009

This seems like a natural extension of the classic habit of going through lists of people and picking out the mishpocheh. My parents did this with my school list... which was funny in general, and in particular because I went to Episcopalian school.
posted by charmcityblues at 4:14 PM on February 22, 2009

What, no Superman?
posted by Artw at 4:59 PM on February 22, 2009

I object to the omission of my cousin Eddie Gottlieb from the Jewish basketball piece.

Fortunately, Neil Keller's own list of Jews in basketball from his website includes your cousin.
posted by jonp72 at 5:10 PM on February 22, 2009

Jews seem to really like talking about Jews and Jewishness.
posted by nightchrome at 5:16 PM on February 22, 2009

Jews seem to really like talking about Jews and Jewishness.

You should meet some Americans sometime!
posted by Artw at 5:21 PM on February 22, 2009 [3 favorites]

Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax...
posted by porn in the woods at 5:25 PM on February 22, 2009 [3 favorites]

Jews seem to really like talking about Jews and Jewishness.

...and money. We also like to talk about money.
posted by gman at 6:18 PM on February 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've been living with a Jew for 20 years and some. I don't think she's one of the ones who secretly rule the world though. Or if she is, she's hiding the money!
posted by jamstigator at 6:41 PM on February 22, 2009

I have to say they've been doing a shit job of the whole international banking thing of late.
posted by Artw at 6:50 PM on February 22, 2009

Give Madoff credit where credit is due.
posted by gman at 6:56 PM on February 22, 2009

Jews seem to really like talking about Jews and Jewishness.

Unlike Christians, who are well known for keeping their religion to themselves?
posted by lullaby at 7:59 PM on February 22, 2009 [4 favorites]

Obsessed with juice?
posted by bwg at 9:42 PM on February 22, 2009

The juice are responsible.
posted by grobstein at 10:10 PM on February 22, 2009

Hilarious... thanks for posting this.
posted by ph00dz at 6:32 AM on February 23, 2009