What We’re Listening To

A great talent lost too soon. May her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Shabbat Surfing: Vilde Chaya and Vilde Hair

Updated Below

Jewish drug-addict Amy Winehouse has been denied a visa to visit the United States for the purposes of attending the Grammy Awards on February 10. Winehouse is nominated in six categories including Best New Artist for her album “Back to Black” which has sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. Hot on the heels of word that she is planning to record a Hannukah album, we began wondering what was the greater offense that will keep her on the other side of the Atlantic? We asked some other writers, performers and directors for their reactions to this blatant display of anti-Semitism/sensible narcotics control:

Poet E. Ethelber Miller says, “I’m glad she’s banned. I think her listeners are OD-ing.”

Michael Hearst from the alt-lit-rock-post-Klezmer band One Ring Zero demurs, “I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I had never actually heard of Amy Winehouse before now. Thanks to Wikipedia, I just learned that she was kicked out of theater school when she was fourteen years old for piercing her nose.”

Rob Tannenbaum leader of Good For the Jews comments, “If they institute a drug test at the Grammys, it’s gonna be a quick show. And if they decide to keep out all the Jews, it’ll be even quicker. And not remotely funny. Or on budget.”

JTA blogger Daniel Sieradski contrasts Winehouse’s exclusion with that of psychologist and Shoah survivor Andrew Feldmar.

Jonathan Kesselman, director of The Hebrew Hammer is the most outraged, “I am infuriated by Amy’s denial of a visa. I gave Ames 100 quid to bring me back some primo London crack. Clearly, the English HATE Jewish substance abusers. If she were Pete Dougherty, she’d be playing the Hollywood Bowl as we speak. God DO NOT save the queen.”

Updated: Turns out Amaleh got her visa, but will stay on her side of the pond anyway… 

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From a vilde chaya to he of vilde hair. Leon Wieseltier participates in the On Faith series that landed Gandhi’s grandson in hot water last week. Wieseltier’s comments are unlikely to garner the same level of outrage.