PODCAST · society
The Bagel Report
by Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche
The Bagel Report is a pop-culture entertainment podcast featuring award-winning culture and entertainment writers Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche. Each episode, these entertainment junkies discuss all things Jewish in the arts & entertainment world while exploring how Jewish identity is portrayed on the big and small screen. Follow us on social @estherk and @ebenmoche and on Twitter and Facebook @TheBagelReport .
Episodes
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We Still Want This (S3) Even if Nobody Else Does
Season 3 of Nobody Wants This is here, which means we're back with Noah, Joanne, Sasha, and Morgan, checking in on Joanne's Intro to Judaism classes and assessing the new season's Jewish representation and authenticity. Our spoiler-free review includes some questions and a wish list for Season 4,...
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Nobody Wants This, But Adam Brody's GQ Interview Went There: Gaza
Let's talk about it. The GQ interview with Adam Brody about his political beliefs- that EVERYONE has an opinion on. The Bagels break down the controversy and question how the Jewish community embraces and rejects Jewish actors who portray Jewish characters. They also wonder who will and won't…
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Don't Say Good Luck to Us Bagels
How is it almost September already?! After some much-needed summer R&R, Esther and Erin make some fall recommendations, even though it's 100 degrees in the valley. Erin makes her case for Amazon's "Sterling Point," Esther does not recommend "Holy Rollers," and both do a deep dive into "Don't Say...
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Let's Go to Camp! Feat. "The Floaters" producer Shai Korman
The Bagels host Shai Korman, one of the producers of the super Jewish summer camp comedy "The Floaters." This movie (and podcast episode) have everything: real camp vibes, Jewish traditions, "Nobody Wants This"'s Jackie Tohn, and camp inside jokes; there's even a substantial Mandalorian and...
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School's Out, Birthday Bummers and Pop-Culture Pods
The Bagels are back to talk end-of-school reflections, social media tribulations, pop culture and podcast recommendations, and - of course - Jewish representation. Esther talked about her Facebook account being "permanently disabled," affecting her connections with nearly 5,000 friends (read the...
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May the 27th...29th Be With You
Since we missed Star Wars Day, Esther and Erin are celebrating this week! Esther gives a short review of "The Mandalorian and Grogu," followed by some Jewish-adjacent notes in "Euphoria" and "The Testaments," and the funny thing that happened when the Bagels met up for "The Devil Wears Prada 2."...
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Frequent Flyer Bagels
Esther and Erin have been quite busy flying here, there, and everywhere the last few months. If they could convert their flight miles into money, they could buy a lifetime supply of bagels...probably! Purim and Passover have come and gone, so it's time to get into what they missed during their...
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Bad Bunny, Good Hangs and Meeting Jason Alexander
Esther and Erin are back----how is it February already!? This week, they reflect on the Super Bowl and note the cultural significance of Bad Bunny's halftime show and the impact of SoCal commercials. Erin also spills the details of how she finally met her TV dad, Jason Alexander, and interviewed...
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Bagels Supreme: Airing Out Our Grievances for a Jewy 2026
It's 2026 and the bagels are using Festivus as a metaphorical sage so they're ready for 2026. Esther and Erin start with what's out, and what's in for Jewish trends in entertainment... Hot rabbis...OUT.....authentic Jewish encounters between celebrities...IN. As awards season begins, the pair...
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BONUS EPISODE: Tsures, Shnook, and Overlapping Dialogue w/ Raphael Bob-Waksberg
"What is this a crossover episode???" Yes, listeners, it is! This week, Esther and Erin are featuring an episode of the Heritage Words podcast, featuring friend of the pod Sarah Benor and Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of Bojack Horseman and Long Story Short. The bagels spoke to RBW earlier this...
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Lighting "31 Candles" for Hanukkah
Writer/director/actor Jonah Feingold joins the bagels this week to talk about his new indie film "31 Candles," which blends a Hallmark Christmas movie with Jewish culture. The movie follows a 30-something New Yorker who becomes a bar mitzvah...only to win over his former camp crush, who is now a...
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What Do Jews Want From Nobody Wants This??
What is Jewish identity in the world of Nobody Wants This, Netflix's breakaway romcom hit about a rabbi and his non-Jewish girlfriend? Joyful? Overly casual and simplistic? Emotionally and spiritually unattainable? Erin and Esther continue talking about Season 2, praising the characters'…
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These Bagels Want Nobody Wants This Season 2
Nobody Wants This, Netflix's Jewy rom-com series, is back for Season 2, and the bagels are here for it. Not only did they binge-watch the show, but they also praised the show's portrayal of Jewish life, the depth of its Jewish female characters, and the show's realistic depiction of Jewish LA....
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Sweet Bagels for a New Year
This week, Esther and Erin are gearing up for the High Holy Days! But before they do, they talk holiday baked goods, particularly challah and bagels. For most of this episode, the bagels are on location, at NYBD Bakery, for a conversation with owners Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri about…
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Long Story Short's Super Jewy Review
This week, Esther and Erin break down some of their favorite moments from Netlflix' super jewy animated series "Long Story Short." The show is created by Bojack Horseman writer and showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg, so you know it will be funny, heartfelt, and real. They don't want to spoil it for...
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Long Story Short...w/ Showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg
This week, Esther and Erin spoke to TV writing genius Raphael Bob-Waksberg, known for shows like BoJack Horseman, Undone and Tuca & Bertie. The bagels chatted him up about his latest project: Long Story Short, an animated comedy about the Schwooper family. Jumping through the years, the series...
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Judas, Joel and the Multitude of Sequels
This week, Esther and Erin discuss the Hollywood Bowl's recent star-studded Jesus Christ Superstar and how, for a show about Jesus... it's pretty Jewish. They explore Billy Joel's Jewish roots in a new HBO Max documentary and Erin shares her true feelings about Mel Gibson's upcoming Passion of…
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Shabbas Bagels
After a total of three screenings of "Bad Shabbos," Erin and Esther break down the movie and praise its Jewish authenticity. They also discuss how the film portrays Jewish mothers in contrast to how Netflix's Emmy-nominated series, "Nobody Wants This," does. On doc watch: Esther recommends "Pee…
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Here's to the Bagels Who Brunch
This week, Esther and Erin took a field trip to Village Well in Culver City because they had a LATTE to talk about! From Andor's series finale to the themes of Reformed and Amy Poehler's new podcast, the bagels break down what they're watching and what they're listening to. Erin, in honor of...
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Breaking Down the Prince of Egypt with Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug
This week, Erin and Esther sit down with Tzivia Schwartz Getzug, a consultant for DreamWorks' iconic animated film The Prince of Egypt. With its star-studded cast, stunning visuals, and unforgettable soundtrack, The Prince of Egypt was a landmark in animated storytelling, and now Tzivia takes us...
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Fires, Films, and Fifty Years of SNL
Esther and Erin reunite to discuss new jobs, the devastating wildfires, and the upcoming awards season. They also review films like indie comedy Bad Shabbos, Marvel sequel Captain America: Brave New World, and Oscar-nominated Holocaust epic The Brutalist. Later, the Bagels celebrate 50 years of...
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Hanukkah Parodies, Golden Globe Noms and the Media at Munich
This week, Esther and Erin are celebrating Hanukkah...and all the award show nominations trickling in. They congratulate "A Real Pain" and the Netflix rom-com favorite "Nobody Wants This" and later break down "September 5," the historical drama about the Munich Olympics massacre and the ABC…
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Pies for Prevention and Breast Cancer Representation w/ Sharsheret
This week, Esther and Erin speak with Jessica Jablon from Sharsheret, an organization supporting Jewish women and families affected by breast and ovarian cancer. They discuss Sharsheret's services, including mental health support, genetic counseling, and the successful "Pies for Prevention"...
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ElphaBagels: Breaking Down "Wicked: Part 1"
This week, Esther and Erin defy gravity and geek out over the movie musical, "Wicked." They analyze the complex relationships between Elphaba and Glinda and themes of outsiderhood and privilege. They do a deep dive into the clever Easter eggs, including potential connections to "Frozen," the...
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Jesse Eisenberg's A Real Pain is Real...ly Great
This week, Esther and Erin break down Jesse Eisenberg's new Jewy film, A Real Pain, and what makes his and Kieran Culkin's performances so captivating. They also dive into the high-stakes thriller September 5th, a gripping retelling of the Munich Olympics Israeli hostage crisis and what it brings...
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Down the Witches Road: Our 5th Bagelversary
Erin and Esther are celebrating the fifth anniversary of this little ol' podcast! After some reflections on all we've lived through since October 2019 (!!), the Bagels move down the Jewish interpretive road, examining "Agatha All Along" — its bar mitzvah episode and other moments and images that...
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Protopian Bagels w/ Alysia Reiner, Shaina Feinberg and Reboot Studios' Noam Dromi
As the Bagels reflect on the Jewish New Year and the anniversary of the Oct. 7th terror attacks in Israel, they are also uplifted thanks to a conversation about Reboot Studios' latest project, "We Should Eat." Written and directed by Shaina Feinberg and developed by Alysia Reiner, the short tells...
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These Bagels Want This Rabbinical Rom-Com
Nobody Wants This? More like somebody wants this! Rabbinic representation gets the Hollywood treatment in the new Netflix romantic comedy series "Nobody Wants This," about atheist podcaster Kristen Bell falling for rabbi Adam Brody. The show's trailer and title set up negative expectations, but…
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Tears, Love, L'Chaim
This week the Bagels discuss the importance of balancing joy and tragedy. They remember the six Israeli hostages killed by Hamas while kvelling over the very Jewish wedding of Ben Platt and Noah Galvin. They also review the trailer for the upcoming Netflix series "Nobody Wants This," featuring...
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Navigating Millennial Jewish Stars w/ Jonathan Branfman
The Bagels are glad to have found Jonathan Branfman, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford and author of the book, Millennial Jewish Stars: Navigating Racial Antisemitism, Masculinity and White Supremacy, to discuss how on-screen portrayals of Jewish people or situations have changed over the...
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Yiddishisms in Pop Culture with Professor Rebecca Margolis,
This week, the bagels chat with Rebecca Margolis, author of The Yiddish Supernatural on Screen: Dybbuks, Demons and a Haunted Jewish Past and Yiddish comedy in American film and television. She and the Bagels do a deep dive into the Yiddish language and how it finds its way into TV and film.…
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Bagels, Broadway, Platt and Pride
Only the Bagels know how to connect the Muppets, Broadway and SpermWorld. This episode's journey explores the history of the Muppets, the guest stars at Ben Platt's new Broadway show and the return of one of Esther's faves, Hacks. Esther and Erin also anticipate upcoming camp movies, are moved by...
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Everybagel's in L.A.
Erin and Esther are back together, sharing their TV-must-watches as well as what they're looking forward to, Jewy pop culture-wise. Erin talks Netflix is a Joke Fest and especially John Mulaney's limited talk show format, "Everybody's in L.A." Esther downloads her time in Israel and tunes out for...
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Comedian Rob Kutner on Ant-Man Memoir and God's Gang
This week, the Bagels are joined in the virtual studio by Emmy-winning comedian Rob Kutner. He shares his experiences writing on Conan and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as well as how he ghostwrote Marvel's meta-novel, Look Out for the Little Guy. Kutner also updates Erin and Esther on his...
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Our Enthusiasm has Been Curbed
What a week: Curb Your Enthusiasm ended, Alex Edelman's Just For Us dropped on Max, and We Were The Lucky Ones, Dinner with the Parents, and tons of other shows are keeping TV Jewy. This week Esther and Erin tackle the big questions: who's worse, Larry David or the Seinfeld Four? Why do LD's...
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Bagels & Brous: Mending Broken Hearts w/ Rabbi Sharon Brous
This week, the Bagels were joined by Rabbi Sharon Brous, the founder of IKAR in Los Angeles. Esther and Erin asked questions about Brous' new book, "The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World." The bagels and Brous touched on the value of community in the darkest of times...
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Dune Discourse and Oscar Prep
This week Erin shares her journey to the 96th Academy Awards and tries to explain all 2 hours and 46 minutes of Dune: Part 2 to Esther. Later, Esther and Erin remember comedian Richard Lewis who passed away last week at the age of 76. Esther recalls his recent Curb Your Enthusiasm cameos and…
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Hollywood's Current Zone of Interest: The Holocaust
Perhaps in honor of January's Holocaust Remembrance Day, or perhaps in anticipation of March's Oscars and May's Yom Hashoah — it's never the wrong time to #NeverForget. This week the Bagels talk about the influx of Holocaust-themed movies and TV shows like The New Look, A Small Light…
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Carbing Our Enthusiasm
Get it? Cause we're bagels...Grab a cup of spite and a dry scone because this week the bagels are talking about the final season of Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm. This episode has everything: guest stars, fan contributions, the Holocaust and Elmo. Let us know what you think of the 12th…
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More in 2024!
It's a new year and that means the return of Erin's favorite joke annually told by Esther. This week, the Bagels talk about the upcoming awards season, and learn more about Maestro "Lenny" as well as how musical conducting is a lens through which to view leadership. Erin and Esther issue a…
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Round and Round: Goodbye 2023
Hallmark finally got Hanukkah right and gifted us with "Round and Round," a charming, delightful movie that imagines the Festival of Lights as a time loop. In addition to this great watch at year's end, the Bagels have a list of other time loop episodes for you to check out and some movies — old...
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Maestro and Menorahs
Esther shares insights from her screening of Maestro, pulling on the Jewish identity threads in the film (and yes, addressing the nose). The bagels also discuss Sarah Silverman's role in the film and her evolving, honest opinions about Jewish representation. Erin recommends Adam Sandler's Leo and...
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Not Just for Us — For Everyone
This week, Erin and Esther celebrate another year of the Bagel Report which has been talking about all things Jewish and pop culture since October 2019! They also recap the mitzvah of Alex Edelman's unabashed Jewish representation and give a shoutout to the new Meg Ryan and David Duchovny movie...
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Alison Peck is SO Invited to Our Podcast
With things still crazy and tragic in Israel and Gaza, we continue to hold the hostages in our minds and our hearts. At the same time, the Bagels allow some space for joy and chat with screenwriter Alison Peck, writer of the Netflix movie "You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah" (produced by…
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Praying for Peace
This is not a normal episode. Erin and Esther process an impossible week while reacting to celebrity prayers for peace.
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Bagels for Break Fast
With the help of IKAR, their spiritual community, Erin and Esther have atoned! Now the Bagels are breaking down their Yom Kippur experience and celebrating the end of the WGA strike. And apparently, Hallmark Christmas Movie season begins in September, so Erin shares some news about the Hanukkah...
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We're Gonna Party Like it's 5784
If we had but one Rosh Hashanah wish...the Bagels would create and "bam-copyright" Hanukkah and Elul advent calendars. The Bagels prepare for the High Holy Days by manifesting wishes for 5784 and recommending movies and shows with themes that match Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Erin makes the…
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You Are SO Invited to This Podcast Episode
Finally, a movie with "bat mitzvah" in the title! What a time to be alive. :) The Adam Sandler-produced film, written by Alison Pick and directed by Sammi Cohen hit Netflix on August 25th and we've been talking about it ever since! Join Erin and Esther for a deep dive: Did you always get called…
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Going for the 'Golda' with Oscar-winning director Guy Nattiv
'Golda' is now in theaters, with a tour de force performance by Helen Mirren as the Israeli Prime Minister, and wonderful supporting performances. We'll talk more about the film's content in future episodes, but in this special short-and-sweet episode, Erin and Esther interviewed the film's...
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One Time, at Theater Camp...
Erin and Esther went to see Theater Camp together and spoiler alert, everything is adorable, especially Molly Gordon and Ben Platt. This week was all about unpacking the film's cinematic influences while reminiscing about our own camp/theater camp experiences at Camp Tamarack and Camp Ramah in…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Bagel Report is a pop-culture entertainment podcast featuring award-winning culture and entertainment writers Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche. Each episode, these entertainment junkies discuss all things Jewish in the arts & entertainment world while exploring how Jewish identity is portrayed on the big and small screen. Follow us on social @estherk and @ebenmoche and on Twitter and Facebook @TheBagelReport .
HOSTED BY
Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Bagel Report have?
The Bagel Report currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Bagel Report about?
The Bagel Report is a pop-culture entertainment podcast featuring award-winning culture and entertainment writers Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche. Each episode, these entertainment junkies discuss all things Jewish in the arts & entertainment world while exploring how Jewish identity is...
How often does The Bagel Report release new episodes?
The Bagel Report has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Bagel Report?
You can listen to The Bagel Report on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Bagel Report?
The Bagel Report is created and hosted by Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche.
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