Ferris Bueller Is Back

This post first appeared as “Ferris Bueller Returns in Superbowl Ad” on The Shmooze blog at the Forward.

Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in 1986.

Life moves pretty fast: It seems like just yesterday that Ferris Bueller was taking the day off. But, believe it or not, that was already 26 years ago. And now the righteous dude is back, but it’s not clear yet what he is up to this time.

A teaser video released on Thursday indicates that Matthew Broderick, now 49, will be reprising his role as Bueller in a Superbowl ad. What product will he be hocking? It’s impossible to tell from the very short snippet shown. All we see is a middle-aged Bueller/Broderick, looking bleary-eyed and wearing a white terrycloth robe, opening the curtains on a window. His one line, “How can I handle work on a day like today?” brings back memories, but isn’t too revealing.

Click here to read more.

©2012 Renee Ghert-Zand. All rights reserved.

Demi Moore Drops Gloria Steinem Role

This post first appeared on The Shmooze blog at the Forward.

Demi Moore has been having a rough time lately.

First came the announcement of her split with husband Ashton Kutcher. Then, earlier this week, she checked into rehab to overcome her exhaustion and alleged addictions to nitrous oxide and Red Bull. Now word is that we can no longer expect to see her playing feminist icon Gloria Steinem on the big screen.

Click here to read more.

© 2012 Renee Ghert-Zand. All rights reserved.

Dr. Laffa Cures Homesickness For Israeli Comfort Food

This restaurant review was first published as “Dr. Laffa Brings Iraqi Bread to Toronto” on The Jew and the Carrot blog at the Forward.

Fuad Haba at the taboon

Septuagenarian Fuad Haba was a long way from his birthplace of Iraq and his family’s famous bakery on Agrippas Street in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda market as he made laffa bread in a taboon oven in suburban Toronto. But neither he nor the customers at the new Dr. Laffa restaurant, where the retiree is hard at work, seemed to be deterred by the freezing weather on a recent wintery night.

Fuad was in Toronto helping his son Sasi and Sasi’s business partner Yoram Gabay with their new venture, which brings the tastes, smells and atmosphere of the shuk to an unsuspecting location tucked inside a business park northwest of the city’s main Jewish neighborhoods along the Bathurst Street corridor. The kosher restaurant offers all the typical Israeli (meat) comfort foods, but it is the delicious, fresh laffa — a full foot in diameter — that is its biggest draw.

Click here to read more.

© 2012 Renee Ghert-Zand. All rights reserved.