Lena Dunham catches heat for ‘Dog or Jewish Boyfriend’ essay
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, March 27, 2015, 1:02 PM
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Lena Dunham is in the doghouse with the Anti-Defamation League over her latest New Yorker essay.
The ADL has taken a shot at the “Girls” creator over her latest attempt at highbrow humor comparing her dog with her Jewish boyfriend, calling the piece “tasteless” for playing “with offensive stereotypes about Jews.”
In the essay, from the magazine’s March 30 issue, the 28-year-ancient writes, “Do the following statements refer to (a) my dog or (b) my Jewish boyfriend?”
“He doesn’t tip. And he never brings his wallet anywhere,” she writes in one hint.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Dunham and her boyfriend, Jack Antonoff. The actress and writer was catching flak for a New Yorker essay comparing her dog and her Jewish boyfriend.
lenadunham via Instagram
Dunham with her dog in an Instagram photo.
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Somewhere else, she reveals she feels the essay’s subject is “judgmental about the food I serve him.”
“This is because he comes from a culture in which mothers focus every ounce of their attention on their offspring and don’t acknowledge their own need for independence as women,” she writes.
“They are sucked dry by their children, who ultimately leave them as soon as they find suitable mates.”
In a response Friday, Abraham Foxman, head of the Anti-Defamation League, called Dunham out for trotting out several shopworn Jewish stereotypes and said the ADL was “surprised” the magazine chose to print it.
“Some will certainly find offensive Lena Dunham’s stereotypes about low-cost Jews offensive. Others will take issue with the very thought of comparing a dog and a Jewish boyfriend,” Foxman wrote.
“The piece is particularly troubling because it evokes memories of the ‘No Jews or Dogs Allowed signs from our own early history in this country, and also because, in a much more sinister way, many in the Muslim world today hatefully refer to Jews as ‘dogs’,” Foxman said.
The piece was also causing some rancor on Twitter, where some accused her of being anti-Semitic.
“Disgusted by your ‘quiz’ comparing dogs and your Jewish boyfriend. Not amusing. Not ironic. Anti-Semitic!” one wrote.
Dunham, whose mother is Jewish, is currently dating Jack Antonoff, of the band Fun.
The Day after day News reached out to her rep for note.
