It pains me to even broach this subject, but it's all anyone is talking about. (Well, besides how boring Jason Binn's engagement party was. Everyone's talking about that.)

So yes: New Republic writer Gregg Easterbrook said something noxious about how the Jews should know better than to make a violent movie like Kill Bill. Then everyone jumped on him. Then he got fired by ESPN.com. Now all his friends are running to his defense, saying he's no anti-Semite. Their defense? He had a stupid day.

Shit, I have stupid days four times a week, but they don't involve me saying that the Jews running Hollywood didn't learn anything from the Holocaust.

This Easterbrook story couldn't be more boring, involving as it does A) a New Republic writer who isn't accused of fabricating stories and B) a New Republic writer who works for ESPN.com. There's just no film deal here, kids.

His "point" about the Jews, well, he's clearly offbase on that one. He should have said that the Jews should know better than to make a bad movie like Kill Bill. But why does everyone freak out when someone is shockingly revealed to be a racist and demand they apologize?

Try this: would you rather find out that Gregg Easterbrook is stupid and hates Jews over drinks at your monthly literary sex parties, or would you rather find out from the confines of his column, so that your valet and waitstaff never have to be exposed to his nastiness? Exactly my point. Let the racists and asspeople speak their "minds," or else we'll never know who to avoid at Michael's and Pastis.
Blogosmear [Slate]