H EADLINES
NEWSBRIEFS Actor Charles Grodin Dies at 86
DEADPAN JEWISH COMIC ACTOR Charles
Grodin, who starred in fi lms including “Th e
Heartbreak Kid” and the children’s movie
“Beethoven,” died May 17 at his home in Connecticut,
JTA reported. He was 86.

Grodin was raised in an Orthodox Jewish house-
hold in Pittsburgh but became less observant in his
adult years.

“In Hebrew school,” he told J. the Jewish News of
Northern California in 2004, “we’d recite the Hebrew
written on a blackboard. I annoyed the rabbi so much
he threw me out of class.”
He began his career with supporting roles in fi lms
including “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Catch-22,” then
had a lead role in “Th e Heartbreak Kid” as a Jewish
sporting goods salesman who falls for a college girl.

Grodin later featured in several other major
comedies, including “Heaven Can Wait,” “Seems Like
Old Times,” “Midnight Run” and “Beethoven.”
Grodin won an Emmy in 1978 for co-writing the
“Paul Simon Special” variety show.

Born Marvin Aufrichtig to Jewish parents in
Brooklyn, he was one of basketball’s most prominent
broadcasters, but he also was a national voice for the
NFL and NHL.

Albert called the Olympic gold medal game for the
original basketball Dream Team in 1992 and NCAA
tournament games, boxing and tennis. He was the
sports anchor on New York’s WNBC-TV from 1975
to 1987.

In 1993, he was inducted into the National Jewish
Sports Hall of Fame.

NBC fi red Albert in 1997 aft er he faced sexual assault
charges. Th e network rehired him two years later aft er
he received a 12-month suspended prison sentence.

Suspect in 1980 Paris Synagogue Bombing
That Killed Four, Injured 40 to Stand Trial
A Canadian academic suspected of bombing a Paris
synagogue in 1980 will stand trial, JTA reported.

On May 19, the Cour de Cassation — France’s
highest court — upheld the appeal by prosecutors
against the 2018 release of Hassan Diab, a Lebanon
native who became a Canadian citizen in 1993.

Diab was extradited to France from Canada in 2014
Broadcaster Marv Albert to Retire
Jewish sportscaster Marv Albert, who turns 80 next in connection with the Rue Copernic bombing that
month, announced May 16 that he will retire aft er the killed four people and injured 40, but was released
because of evidence that he was in Beirut at the time.

NBA playoff s conclude, JTA reported.

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Diab has denied being connection to the attack —
which was tied to the Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine terrorist group.

Th e Cour de Cassation said the evidence leading
to Diab’s release isn’t suffi cient for dropping the case
against him “and can be taken into account in a trial.”
A court date wasn’t set.

Pakistani Offi cial Repeats Antisemitic Tropes
During a May 20 segment on CNN about the Israel-
Gaza violence, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi echoed a pair of antisemitic
tropes, JTA reported.

Qureshi said Israel is losing “the media war” in
its battle against Hamas, “despite their connections.”
Anchor Bianna Golodryga, who is Jewish,
responded with “What are their connections?”
Qureshi laughed, then said “Deep pockets.”
Golodryga asked what he meant, which prompted
Qureshi to say, “Well, they’re very infl uential people,
they control media.”
“I would call that an antisemitic remark,”
Golodryga responded.

During a seven-minute exchange, Quereshi
described Israel’s actions against Hamas as “genocide,”
“war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing.” ●
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
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MAY 27, 2021
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