Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish?

Dubbing Stereotypes in The Nanny, The Simpsons, and The Sopranos

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Performing Arts, Television, History & Criticism, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Cultural Studies, Popular Culture
Cover of the book Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? by Chiara Francesca Ferrari, University of Texas Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Chiara Francesca Ferrari ISBN: 9780292739550
Publisher: University of Texas Press Publication: January 15, 2011
Imprint: University of Texas Press Language: English
Author: Chiara Francesca Ferrari
ISBN: 9780292739550
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Publication: January 15, 2011
Imprint: University of Texas Press
Language: English

"Since when is Fran Drescher Jewish?" This was Chiara Francesca Ferrari's reaction when she learned that Drescher's character on the television sitcom The Nanny was meant to be a portrayal of a stereotypical Jewish-American princess. Ferrari had only seen the Italian version of the show, in which the protagonist was dubbed into an exotic, eccentric Italian-American nanny. Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? explores this "ventriloquism" as not only a textual and cultural transfer between languages but also as an industrial practice that helps the media industry foster identification among varying audiences around the globe.

At the heart of this study is an in-depth exploration of three shows that moved from global to local, mapping stereotypes from both sides of the Atlantic in the process. Presented in Italy, for example, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is no longer a belligerent, alcoholic Scotsman but instead easily becomes a primitive figure from Sardinia. Ironically, The Sopranos—a show built around Italian-Americans—was carefully re-positioned by Italian TV executives, who erased the word "mafia" and all regional references to Sicily. The result of Ferrari's three case studies is evidence that "otherness" transcends translation, as the stereotypes produced by the American entertainment industry are simply replaced by other stereotypes in foreign markets. As American television studios continue to attempt to increase earnings by licensing their shows abroad, Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? illuminates the significant issues of identity raised by this ever-growing marketplace, along with the intriguing messages that lie in the larger realm of audiovisual cultural exchange.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Since when is Fran Drescher Jewish?" This was Chiara Francesca Ferrari's reaction when she learned that Drescher's character on the television sitcom The Nanny was meant to be a portrayal of a stereotypical Jewish-American princess. Ferrari had only seen the Italian version of the show, in which the protagonist was dubbed into an exotic, eccentric Italian-American nanny. Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? explores this "ventriloquism" as not only a textual and cultural transfer between languages but also as an industrial practice that helps the media industry foster identification among varying audiences around the globe.

At the heart of this study is an in-depth exploration of three shows that moved from global to local, mapping stereotypes from both sides of the Atlantic in the process. Presented in Italy, for example, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is no longer a belligerent, alcoholic Scotsman but instead easily becomes a primitive figure from Sardinia. Ironically, The Sopranos—a show built around Italian-Americans—was carefully re-positioned by Italian TV executives, who erased the word "mafia" and all regional references to Sicily. The result of Ferrari's three case studies is evidence that "otherness" transcends translation, as the stereotypes produced by the American entertainment industry are simply replaced by other stereotypes in foreign markets. As American television studios continue to attempt to increase earnings by licensing their shows abroad, Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? illuminates the significant issues of identity raised by this ever-growing marketplace, along with the intriguing messages that lie in the larger realm of audiovisual cultural exchange.

More books from University of Texas Press

Cover of the book Transforming Modernity by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Handbook of Middle American Indians, Volume 9 by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Negotiating for the Past by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book The Captive Woman's Lament in Greek Tragedy by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Ritual Violence in the Ancient Andes by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Mexico's Recent Economic Growth by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Psycho-Sexual by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Modernism Is the Literature of Celebrity by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Past Climates by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Water in the Middle East by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Haunted Greece and Rome by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Rituals of Respect by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Life in Oil by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book Kuxlejal Politics by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
Cover of the book The Rise of Cable Programming in the United States by Chiara Francesca Ferrari
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy