Cannonball Moment: Ep. 86

This week on Unorthodox, we’re still trying to find those Holocaust centers Sean Spicer was talking about.

Our Jewish guest is filmmaker Ferne Pearlstein, whose latest documentary, The Last Laugh, asks comedians like Mel Brooks and Sarah Silverman whether or not we can joke about the Holocaust. She tells us why she decided to tackle such a taboo topic, how gallows humor can be a survival mechanism, and whether it matters if the joke-teller is Jewish or not. The Last Laugh premieres Monday, April 24 on Independent Lens on PBS.

Our Gentile of the Week is Ashley McKinless, associate editor at America magazine, the Jesuit Review of Faith and Culture. She co-hosts the new podcast Jesuitical, which we lovingly call the Catholic version of Unorthodox. She explains who the Jesuits are, tells us about life as a 20-something practicing Catholic in New York City, and confirms that Liel is the only Leibovitz currently subscribed to America magazine.

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This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Go to Harrys.com and enter code UNORTHODOX at checkout to get a free post shave balm.

This episode is also brought to you by PJ Library, a free book program for families raising Jewish children. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox, and they’ll send you a free picture book each month until your child turns nine.

Music:

"Mikveh Bath" by Golem

"Anti Anti" by Bonaparte

"Frolic" by Luciano Michelini

"Make 'Em Laugh" Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, from the 2012 London Cast Recording of Singin' in the Rain

"Hitler the Vegetarian" by Noam Osband

"Camino Rojo ft. Lulacruza" by The Polish Ambassador

"We Were the People Our Parents Warned Us About" by Jimmy Buffett