Cheeky Blog’s Jewish Obsession Strikes a Funny Bone of Contention

Gabriel Sanders writes:

For regular Gawker readers, Balk’s posts were nothing out of the ordinary — studiously irreverent, rich with Jewish-themed cracks and sheathed in a layer of irony so thick that any and all criticism comes off sounding daft, regardless of how maladroit the offending quip. The pose is one that the site — founded in 2002 and a guilty pleasure for media professionals ever since — has perfected. With its arch takes on everything from behind the scenes maneuverings at The New York Times to Lindsay Lohan’s rap sheet, it at once mires itself in the day’s muck and hovers loftily above it all. For the Jewish observer, the site presents a special sort of enigma, as it is thoroughly preoccupied with Jewish rites and personalities and yet largely oblivious to the rhythms and texture of Jewish life. It is knowing and ignorant; clued in and without a clue.

Brad Greenberg blogs.