Wednesday, September 29, 2010

YES, EVEN WORSE THAN THE CLEOBOT: There are characters on tv whom one loves-to-hate, but then there are those who are solely worthy of hate -- not merely of the "I disagree with the choices this character makes" level but rather "this character's loathsome presence on the show, even as a foil for the protagonists, strongly detracts from my ability to enjoy the show."

And at that level, as many commented last night, is Glee's Jacob Ben-Israel, the creepy nerdy blogger with an Isro. Straight out of the pages of Der Stürmer, he seems to represent every possible negative stereotype of Jews one can ask a character to embody without any redeeming features. This sexually obsessed, sweaty, manipulative stalker is just not fun to watch, and the sooner they can drop him down the Rosalind Shays Memorial Elevator or boot his ass to Mandyville, the better.  Is there a worse character on tv?

32 comments:

  1. Methinks the Bonin doth protest too much.  :)

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  2. I get the annoyance, but clearly he's not going anywhere--the character's a useful tool as an audience surrogate, though it's odd how much the writers seem to be using him to express contempt for their audience.  And as for someone more loathsome?  Pretty much everyone on Boardwalk Empire.  At least Jacob hasn't killed anyone--yet.

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  3. Genevieve9:37 AM

    The only good thing from having Jacob there, ever, was Britney's comment on his hair last night, "It's like a Jewish cloud."
    Now that she's said that, there will be nothing good ever from having him there, and the sooner he falls down that shaft (love your references), the better.  My loathing for any scene with him in it is growing.

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  4. Personally, I think Peter Griffin from Family Guy is THE ABSOLUTE WORST, MOST LOATHSOME character on television.  I cringe whenever he opens his mouth, and find myself wanting to do bodily harm to a CARTOON CHARACTER.

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  5. Carmichael Harold10:43 AM

    If his scene at the Toxic production number in the gym was ludicrous and fundamentally offputting, but it was the only one he was ever in, Dayenu.
    If he was just a recurring character that continually represented many negative Jewish stereotypes, but was otherwise realistic, Dayenu.
    If he just represented so many negative stereotype of bloggers/critics, but was otherwise fully formed and served the story, Dayenu.
    If he operated as simply a one-dimensional writers' crutch to move along the plot, but was funny or had some emotional resonance (like Sue's sister), Dayenu. (actually, if he is a Jewish stereotype, a blogger stereotype and a writers' crutch, does that make him three dimensional?)
    If his grating put-on voice and untethered-to-reality actions were headache and nausea inducing, but he rarely featured in a scene, Dayenu.
    For each of these reasons, please, Oh Ryan Murphy, send him down the Rosalind Shays Memorial Elevator, or place him under the Dr. Robert Romano Helicoptor of Death.

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  6. Carmichael Harold10:45 AM

    <span>If his scene at the Toxic production number in the gym was ludicrous and fundamentally offputting, but it was the only one he was ever in, Dayenu.  
    If he was just a recurring character that continually represented many negative Jewish stereotypes, but was otherwise realistic, Dayenu.  
    If he just represented so many negative stereotype of bloggers/critics, but was otherwise fully formed and served the story, Dayenu.  
    If he operated as simply a one-dimensional writers' crutch to move along the plot, but was funny or had some emotional resonance (like Sue's sister), Dayenu. (actually, if he is a Jewish stereotype, a blogger stereotype and a writers' crutch, does that make him three dimensional?)  
    If his grating put-on voice and untethered-to-reality actions were headache and nausea inducing, but he rarely featured in a scene, Dayenu.  
    Each of these reasons on their own, Oh Ryan Murphy, would justify you sending him down the Rosalind Shays Memorial Elevator, or place him under the Dr. Robert Romano Helicoptor of Death.</span>

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  7. isaac_spaceman10:53 AM

    I'm not fond of the Jacob character as anything other than a surrogate for the media (as currently written, it's weird how Glee wants to have it both ways, celebrating a voluntary mild geekdom but viciously savaging the real thing).  But he's not even the worst character on Glee.  Schue upstages his kids by taking the lead in a sexually suggestive song-and-dance, rouining the production in the process?  Ask yourself whether the show would improve more without the two or three minutes of screen time it gives Jacob or by distributing the fifteen or twenty minutes it wastes on Schue and his sanctimony, self-aggrandizement, creepy romantic choices, and self-inflicted problems. 

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  8. isaac_spaceman10:54 AM

    You want him Bobbed?

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  9. isaac_spaceman10:55 AM

    Or Chuck Cunninghammed? 

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  10. isaac_spaceman10:57 AM

    Sent to babysit Boxy?

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  11.  Is there a worse character on tv?

    Nancy Grace?

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  12. Pirate Cookie11:26 AM

    Agreed.  Were his antics supposed to be funny?  They were truly cringe-worthy/ridiculous.  The sex-riot?  ?????  Outstanding performance by Heather Morris aside, last night's episode was Glee...eew. 

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  13. Sadly, looks like we're going to get more like this one.  Biggest Glee episode ever without an Idol leadin.

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  14. gretchen11:42 AM

    I have the same problem with the show.  The Glee kids are the "losers" at school, but the show insists on routinely cutting to actual outsiders -- Jacob, and the girl he was standing next to in the bleachers during the pep rally -- and mocking them relentlessly.  Not cool, Glee.  If this were a better show, they'd give those kids -- the not conventionally attractive, real losers -- their own musical voice. 

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  15. isaac_spaceman11:48 AM

    Ratings come from expected quality, not actual quality.  People didn't go "I need to watch Glee -- I heard that there is a revolting Jewish character and an unlikeable lead who butchers Britney's most famous song and no plot to speak of."  I think they went, "hey, Britney's going to be on Glee." 

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  16. I can only assume that at some point Mr. Schuster's going to have sex with a student - let's say, Santana - and we will be encouraged to root for him nonetheless.

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  17. You know what I couldn't stand? Schue's attacking attitude towards Brittany when she was accusing Beiste of sexual abuse.  Not exactly the protective way in which one should treat a teenager in such circumstances.

    Also, he shouldn't have sung with the kids.

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  18. Marsha1:10 PM

    And I LIKED Maggie Doyle. Please, please send Jacob to Mandyville. Now.

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  19. isaac_spaceman1:22 PM

    @Adlai -- and then he'll jump out of bed and rap "Candy Shop" while wearing an argyle sweater vest.  It will be so cool. 

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  20. I would have minded the attitude much more if it were even marginally unclear (ven to someone without the knowledge that we as viewers had) that Brittany wasn't fabricating at Sue's request.  And yes, Will Schuster needs some lectures on boundaries.

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  21. bella wilfer2:29 PM

    Completely agree with Gretchen - how can the Glee kids (all attractive, albeit some due to ethnicity, sexuality, or disability considered off-norm for the blonde Cheerio stereotype these high schoolers supposedly see as ideal) be the losers in a school where crazy blogger Jacob and the (clearly made up/wardrobed to be hideous) fat girl next to him exist?  

    Emma should stick with John Stamos.  He seems a bit odd, yes, but WAY less odd than Schue stealing the show from his kids in a student pep rally performance.  Creepy.

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  22. bill.2:34 PM

    others worth mentioning:

    Ross & Rachel
    Gumby
    Every character ever on Three's Company
    Jerry and Miller Helper

    nonfictional characters: Jay Leno, Joe Morgan, Tim McCarver

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  23. Watts3:58 PM

    Is there such a thing as a mercy trip to Mandyville?  Because Joy Bryant's character on Parenthood isn't awful, but seems so useless.  Either DO something with the character or disappear her.

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  24. gretchen4:14 PM

    I haven't seen the last episode, but YES.  This.  She's gotta go.

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  25. Genevieve6:04 PM

    I would settle for him going where Rosanne's oldest daughter and Samantha's first husband went, if they replaced him with a less loathsome version.

    But I'd be happy for Hawkeye to Colonel Flagg him.

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  26. Genevieve6:46 PM

    I think she's about to get offered a very long tour, based on her performance in the month-long European tour, and she'll leave Jabbar with her mom with Crosby visiting a lot.

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  27. Assuming this isn't restricted to shows we'd otherwise enjoy, what about every single character on Two and a Half Men?

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  28. RandomRanter9:36 AM

    Actually, I hate Stewie. Not a huge Peter fan either, but Stewie is invariably the one that has me changing the channel. 

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  29. Jennifer1:56 PM

    And even stranger: Jacob considers himself ABOVE the Glee kids on the social scale. Uh, why?

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  30. Jennifer1:57 PM

    Since I finally got around to seeing this episode... I didn't particularly like the character before this, but DEAR LORD WAS HE HIDEOUS IN THIS EPISODE. I nearly threw up at the chair. Gross, gross, gross. Yeah, I vote we dump him in a PortaPotty or dumpster already now.

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  31. Yes, Stewie is quite unlikable, too.  Actually, I don't find any character (save Chris) particularly likable.  My husband loves this show, so I have to fall asleep to reruns on Cartoon Network.  BLEH.

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