ADL slams Lena Dunham's 'Jewish boyfriend or dog' quiz
Jewish group says 'Girls' writer and star's 'tasteless' New Yorker piece plays with offensive stereotypes about Jews.
In the quiz, Dunham ruminates on whether she should keep her Jewish boyfriend or give him up for her dog, noting that he "doesn’t tip," "never brings his wallet anywhere" and "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."
"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 added that the Jewish group doubts Dunham had any intention of evoking such comparisons.
"While we understand that humor is its own special brand of expression and always try to give leeway to comedians, we wish that she had chosen another, less insensitive way to publicly reflect on her boyfriend’s virtues and vices. We are surprised that the New Yorker chose to print it."
