FILED UNDER: Movie News

Is This 'Zohan' and NBA Spot Insulting?

This one struck me as a bit on the side of, 'hmmmm'

Watching the NBA Playoffs tonight this new TV Spot for both the NBA Playoffs and Adam Sandler's You Don't Mess With the Zohan came on and it struck me as rather insulting considering it isn't funny for starters, which means it is just making fun of foreigners (in this case Israelis since that's what Sandler's character is in the film).

Since I am just your average white boy I have no idea how this would be portrayed by those it portrays, but I can't imagine it would be appreciated. I actually wouldn't have thought to even write this up had I not seen Cinematical's piece yesterday ("Hollywood's Accent Problem, Revisited") pointing out not only Zohan, but also Mike Meyers' The Love Guru and even Cate Blanchett in Indy 4.

Personally I don't have a problem with Blanchett's role only in terms that her character isn't using the accent as a punchline whereas that is exactly what Meyers and Sandler are doing, and this video, I felt, takes it over the edge. Maybe I would feel different if it had actually been funny. Unfortunately, it's just stupid, and, I think, insulting.

For those unfamiliar, here is an example of what it is spoofing.

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