Lawrence (Laurie) Baron, now retired, served as the Nasatir Professor of Modern Jewish History at San Diego State University. He served from 1988 to 2006 as director of SDSU’s Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies. He was the founder in 1995 of the Western Jewish Studies Association.
He writes two satire columns for San Diego Jewish World: “Humoring the Headlines” under his byline, and “Hounding the Headlines,” under the byline of his dog Elona.
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Books to his credit, available on Amazon, include:
Projecting the Holocaust into the Present: The Changing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust Cinema
The Modern Jewish Experience in World Cinema
The eclectic anarchism of Erich Muhsam (Men & movements in the history & philosophy of anarchism)
His most recent articles are:
“Making Room for the Jews: The House I Live In (1945),” AJS Perspectives, Summer 2023, 86-88.
“The Revolt of Job: Salvaging the Lost World of Rural Hungarian Hasidim,” Journal of Jewish Identities, 16:1-2 (January/July 2023), 181-198.
“Persistent Parallels, Resistant Particularities: Holocaust Analogies and Avoidance in Armenian Genocide Centennial Cinema, in Armenian and Jewish Experience between Expulsion and Destruction, ed. Sarah M. Ross and Regina Randhofer (Berlin: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2021), 267-296.
“The Pioneering American Jewish Women Directors from Elaine May to Claudia Weill,” Jews and Gender (Studies in Jewish Civilization), ed. Leonard Greenspoon (W. Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2021), 217-243.
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Before launching a trade war with Canada, Donald Trump drafted a speech justifying it. After my spies in the Oval Office were fired by DOGE, they leaked his statement to me. (Laurie Baron)
Satire: Our Enemy Canada Read More »
International, Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAThe news emanating from Washington has been disconcerting. Although Americans narrowly elected Donald Trump, he has biologically merged with his far wealthier twin to emerge as Donelon Trusk. Trusk plans to rename the country the Uninformed Supporters of Authoritarianism. Here’s some news items about his latest efforts to accomplish this goal. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Dispatches from DC (Donelon’s Czardom) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAThis year making Oscar predictions is difficult for several reasons. Oscar prognosticators originally thought that Emilia Perez was the frontrunner in many of the 13 categories for which it was nominated. Then past Islamophobic and racist social media posts by it its transgender lead Karla Sofía Gascón surfaced undermining its Oscar chances. [Laurie Baron]
Oscar Predictions 2025 Read More »
California, International, Israel, Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USACut, the bloated budget, cut it everywhere.
Cut essential services that don’t help billionaires. … [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Cut (Melody: Puff the Magic Dragon Chorus) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USASeeking the Nobel Peace Prize that eluded him during his first term, Donald Trump hopes to end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. When his term is over [if it is ever over] he plans to produce a reality show called The Mediator in which he’ll resolve disputes utilizing his unique approach to making deals. Here’s what the pilot for The Mediator might look like. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: The Mediator Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAYou say you love the constitution.
You should know Article 2 isn’t absolute.
Check and balance dissolution.
You should know Article One isn’t moot. … (Laurie Baron)
Satire: Unconstitutional (Melody: Revolution) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAGiven his priorities of avoiding foreign wars and troop deployments abroad, Donald Trump surprised the world when he announced that the United States will “take over” Gaza, relocate its Palestinian residents in Egypt and Jordan, and oversee but not pay for its reconstruction. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Marketable American Gaza Annexation (MAGA) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAIt has been one week since Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. There are rumors that he wanted to rename it the Golf of America since he owns three golf courses in Florida and the new name was intended to increase business. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: The Name Game Read More »
International, Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Watching Sallah Shabati at the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival at the Lawrence Familiy JCC — accompanied by Professor Laurie Baron’s insightful historical context — left me reflecting deeply not only on the film’s satirical brilliance but also on how it portrays Mizrahi immigrants, particularly those from Yemen. [Shahar Masori]
‘Sallah Shabati’: A Story of Satire, Stereotypes, and My Family’s Reality Read More »
Israel, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Shahar Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Although Vice President J.D. Vance recently assured an interviewer that Trump would decide to pardon the 1/6 rioters on a case-to-case basis, Trump pardoned all of them, even those convicted of assaulting Capitol police. The Pride Boys and Oath Keepers immediately disbanded and reconstituted themselves as the Stormtroopers under
Satire: Trump’s First Three Days Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAShameless lackies of the Prez.
Repeating all the things he says.
To procure financial favors
For the loyalty he savors.
The man, whom they once had hated
Must be sated
With acts of their compliance. … {Laurie Baron]
Satire: Acts of Compliance (Melody: The Sound of Silence) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USADonald Trump is livid over Biden being chosen to deliver the eulogy at Carter’s funeral instead of him. He claims the selection was rigged. After all, Trump is not only the president elect but also the only legitimately elected president for the past four years. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Trump’s Eulogy for Jimmy Carter Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USASan Diego University President’s ecumenical statement expressing sympathy for the loss of life on 10/7 and the ensuing war in Gaza was condemned as “hateful and divisive” by the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, I composed an innocuous template for such presidential statements in the future. [Laurie Baron]
A Satiric Review of 2024 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USALast week President Biden signed legislation designating the bald eagle the national bird of the United States. Intent on undoing everything President Biden has done, Trump plans to rescind this legislation and pick a national bird that better symbolizes his vision for America. He also doesn’t like the bald eagle because it obviously hasn’t figured out that it can cover baldness with a comb-over. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Flipping the National Bird Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA