Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., July 16, 2008 Tamuz 13, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:48 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Adam Sandler as Zohan Last update - 16:55 25/05/2008 'Shampoo' meets 'Munich': New Adam Sandler film stars Mossad hit man turned hairdresser By Gilad Halpern Tags: Mideast conflict, Israel  Adam Sandler, the Jewish-American comedy superstar known for over-the-top films aimed at the adolescent boy demographic, has ventured into territory associated with anything but comedy: the Israeli-Arab conflict. You Don't Mess With The Zohan, due to open in the United States on June 6, tells the story of Zohan, a Mossad hit man who is fed up with killing. He fakes his own death and flees to New York to pursue a slightly different line of work - hairstyling. Think "Shampoo" meets "Munich" meets "Happy Gilmore." Having specialized in killing Arabs, Zohan finds, to his amazement, Jews and Arabs living side by side in relative peace. One does not have to be a comedic genius of Sandler's caliber to recognize the potential for new heights of absurdity. Advertisement From the early production stages, Zohan was known in and around Hollywood as "the Israeli movie." Sandler sought to fend off criticism and gain the movie an air of authenticity by casting Israeli and Arab actors, even going so far as opening a casting office in Israel. But as much as Israeli actors were rushing to audition, the response among Arab actors was far from enthusiastic. One possible explanation is that Sandler, who is known as a patron of Jewish causes, is not so popular in the Arab world. "Adam Sandler, in the Arab and Muslim communities, is not having a good reputation," Sayed Badreya, an Egyptian-born actor who plays one of Zohan's adversaries in New York, told The New York Times. "When it came to working with Adam, I was like, 'Eh, well, I don't know.' My prejudice was bigger than me. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hezbollah's pleasure For Israelis, the release of Kuntar is a form of self-inflicted torture. Exchange timeline How the prisoner exchange with Hezbollah will be carried out.   1.   Adam Sandler --Quit Hollywood Now! 16:47  |  Davee 25/05/08   2.   Comedic Genius? 16:50  |  TJ 25/05/08   3.   Davee - the millions of dollars in his bank account disagree 16:59  |  Hannah 25/05/08   4.   Adam Sandler Is Great 17:21  |  Yosemite 25/05/08   5.   Sandler is a funny man, specially his older movies 18:12  |  anti-racist 25/05/08   6.   to Davee 18:38  |  Michael 25/05/08   7.   Adam Sandler is a great guy 19:04  |  Gili 25/05/08   8.   To Hannah 20:02  |  Davee 25/05/08   9.   Arab Actors 20:04  |  Habibi 25/05/08   10.   Actors and their millions 20:21  |  Ted 25/05/08   11.   Davee, your opinion has been noted 00:58  |  Hannah 26/05/08   12.   Habibi, probably the only way they can get work.. 01:00  |  Hannah 26/05/08   13.   #1,2 02:01  |  zohan 26/05/08   14.   #9 Habibi, Arab Actors are busy 03:51  |  fiona 26/05/08   15.   Habibi: A Fatwa, Perhaps? 07:06  |  Tex 26/05/08   16.   Not Sure that I will Mess with the Zohan, but hey...why not! 07:40  |  Ira Piltz 26/05/08   17.   Adam Sandler, gotta Love him! He is a funny guy!!! 15:16  |  Virginia 26/05/08   18.   water boy 17:09  |  Yasir 26/05/08   19.   As a director I worked with many Arab actors 18:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/05/08   20.   fiona, there are plenty arab actors on my show in NY 18:32  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/05/08   21.   Adam Sandlers acting 19:02  |  john williams 26/05/08   22.   My experience working with Arab actors 21:48  |  Yaghoub 26/05/08   23.   Arab actors, Israeli actors 07:14  |  Judy 27/05/08   24.   Adam Sandlers always succkkked AA.... 14:17  |  Tim 02/06/08   25.   MORE AND MORE CHOICES FOR JEWISH ROLES. 14:29  |  petra 21/06/08

Read & React VIDEO: Olmert, Assad dodge unwanted handshake in Paris Responses: 63 Obama camp slams New Yorker cover of him in Muslim garb, wife as terrorist Responses: 190 Ahmadinejad: Direct U.S. talks possible in 'near future' Responses: 112 Cabinet okays Hezbollah prisoner swap, exchange set for Wednesday Responses: 122 Rosner's Domain The new 'Obama advisor' problem: Senator Chuck Hagel Attacking Iran to get the world's attention? U.S. pressures Israel: No bombing of Iran (WTR) Poll: The more religious the Jewish voter, the more pro-McCain More Headlines 02:50 Israel readies for Hezbollah prisoner swap 23:59 Mother of Kuntar victim: How can you pardon him? 23:56 Lebanon declares state holiday marking return of prisoners 22:52 TIMELINE: How the prisoner exchange will be carried out 23:40 Anti-terror unit warns Israelis in Sinai face danger of abduction 02:21 Olmert questioned over never-repaid $75,000 loan from Jewish-American businessman 01:24 Holocaust survivors in need of long-term hospital care strapped for funds 02:26 Joint secular-observant Jewish school system approved 23:37 Talansky: Olmert's lawyers won't break me in cross-questioning 17:07 Bradley Burston/ The pleasure that Hezbollah takes in torture 21:05 Blair nixes Gaza visit in light of Shin Bet warning of attack 20:37 Obama campaign slams New Yorker cover showing him in Muslim garb, wife as terrorist 03:00 TB's secret, hidden in ancient bones 02:02 Justice Dept. seeks to revoke citizenship of man accused of serving in Nazi unit Previous Editions Select Day 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul

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