Culture, Identity

Borat + Marc Levin's Protocols = Kike Like Me

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Are you a Jew? Don’t ask Jamie Kastner. The question annoys the Canadian documentarymaker. He gets asked it a lot.
So Kastner shot “Kike Like Me,” a road movie bowing at Toronto’s Hot Docs documentary festival on April 24. In the film, Kastner answers a hypothetical “yes” when asked whether he’s Jewish, followed by an equally terse “Why do you want to know?” to gauge how friend and foe reacts.
“I saw theatrical possibility from seeing how Jewish identity plays out in so-called civilized cultures where we’ve gotten over all ‘that,'” Kastner explains.
The results are revealing. Kastner underwent a shotgun bar mitzvah from proselytizing Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn asking passersby “Are you Jewish?”; got turfed from Pat Buchanan’s living room after asking why the TV pundit attacks Neocons for being Jewish; debated Israeli-born Gilad Atzmon, a self-described “devoted opponent of Israel and of Zionism,” in London; and partied with Amsterdam soccer hooligans proudly calling themselves “Joden” (Jews).
The film’s title is a play on “Black Like Me,” John Howard Griffin’s classic 1961 book about a white reporter dying his skin black to experience bigotry first-hand.

Oh, and apparently Shabot 6000 creator Ben Baruch is in it.
Full story.

10 thoughts on “Borat + Marc Levin's Protocols = Kike Like Me

  1. What struck me about this film was the idea that it is becoming increasingly popular to slam Isreal as a way to defend the “poor Palestinians”, but I fear what is really going on is people looking for a way to attack Jews. It’s not PC to be outwardly Anti-Semetic (though we saw plenty of that in the film too) but if we speak out against Isreal, we can speak out against Jews but disguise it as political. We need more self identity, acceptance and tolerance in this world – now more than ever. I have never understood what the world hates about Jews but it is something that runs deep and to watch it building again is scary.

  2. I was quite offended by this documentary with such an obvious disregard for a people who were almost wiped off the face of the earth. My Jewishness is a result of my parents struggle. My story has taught me that to be a person of Jewish heritage is to be a strong personality with no fear of the antisemitism that is displayed in this awful “comedy”.
    The constant spitting in the eyes of all survivors of the camps were painful. This documentary was sadistic. As more and more of that generation passes away, FOR SOME REASON, SUDDENLY PEOPLE WANT TO LAUGH AT THE HORROR! What is truly sad is that this obnoxious man thinks its ok to create a comedy about such a topic!
    Why is it that the more time that passes, the more people forget just what happened. It is one of the most offensive films I’ve ever viewed.
    I am also surprised at the use of the word “kike”!
    Would this country put up with the word “spick” or “nigger”? Whats next, a comedy about the slaves?
    IT SEEMS THAT THIS FOOL CREATED THIS OFFENSIVE PIECE-CAN’T EVEN FACE THE THING THAT HE’S MAKING FUN OF! OF COURSE HE CAN’T LOOK AT THE OVENS-THAT WOULDN’T BE SO FUNNY WOULD IT?
    Face facts, there is no excuse for this type of comedy in a world that doesn’t need another excuse to hate.
    I am saddened by this awful and sarcastic film.
    Jewish people AND ANYONE WITH A MEMORY OF HISTORY AT ALL SHOULD HAVE A RANCID FEELING AS THEY SEE THIS LOUSEY JOKE UNFOLD!
    Yes, I guess history has taught us nothing if we accept this.

  3. I just saw the film and am still processing whether or not I liked it. I thought it sad that the only view of observant Judaism was done in the guise of a messianic organization. Indeed, after wrapping tefillin “phailakteries” (Rabeinu Tam?) we heard the end of the phrase/prayer specific to that group:
    “Long live our teacher, our rabbi, the king messiah forever”
    Pretty scary huh? Maybe the director can portray a Judaism that is a little more mainstream and exclusively Jewish.
    DG

  4. I thought it was brilliant! I don’t know anyone nor have I ever known anyone who hates Jews merely b/c they are Jewish. I have never seen prejudice toward a person b/c they were Jewish. And I know lots of different people. It seems to me that the only people who have problems either way are Jews and Muslims as shown in his doc. I have friends who sometimes feel or see prejudice whether they are black, Christian, Jewish or whatever that I usually somehow miss. Maybe I am just not looking for it and maybe they expect it.

  5. My mother and I (both Jewish) were so offended after watching this documentary last night that I’m shocked this got through the process of getting on television. Kike is one of the most offensive words you can say in regards to a jewish person, so why the fuck would you name the title of a documentary that’s about the life of jewish people? and you say your playing on the “Black Like Me” program, so if that’s the case, why didn’t you name it “Jewish Like Me” or something along those lines. Is that program named “Nigger Like Me”? fuck no. so why in the world is this named “Kike Like Me”? stupid ass ignorant racist fuck…..unreal…..unfucking real…

  6. I thought that this would be an interesting film, but I found Kastner to only be a Roger Moore wanabe. He was often offensive to his interviewees and he failed to obtain knowledge about those he was attacking. He made repeated snide remarks that often had no point. For example, he yelps while at a Berlin holocaust memorial “Why don’t they just go visit a concentration camp if they want to know about the holocaust.” At the movie’s end, he goes to a camp, but there he mocks the camp and those making the visit. He wonders why the camp remains and he has no clue that he was wondering in Berlin why people don’t visit the camps!! Finally, he makes a big point of being offended by people who ask him if he is a Jew, but asks numerous people that same question and grunts at times when they respond “No.” This guy needs therapy, not a movie.

  7. The film is a good one, not great but by no means bad. Susanne for you to represent the film as a comedy tells me you likely haven’t seen it and are more offended by the title more than anything in it. Tony as well I suspect you haven’t seen it.

  8. Once you get past the slightly shocking title, I fail to see how this film was offensive. It didn’t really treat anything in an insensitive way, it was just quirky and darkly comic at times. It was definitely an interesting and fairly unique documentary, for Jews and non-Jews alike.

  9. I just saw this film on Australian television and was very disappointed. As some of the previous posts have pointed out the film seemed to have no point, was not thought provoking or constructive and only succeeded in being unfunny and offensive. The host only interviewed people in the hope of creating friction and soliciting the answers he was expecting. I learned nothing from this film and it didn’t inform me or challenge my perception of anti-semitism. The film was billed as satirical in the television guide so I was expecting something as witty and hilarious as Australian comedian John Safran. If people are interested in a guy who uses his wit to challenge perceptions of race and religion (and other stuff too) check him out. (Im not a friend or anything, he is actually an extremely successful comedian/tv personality in Australia with a few different tv series and radio programs).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.