Ed Rendell Drops His Own Jewish Deli Political Ad

Ed Rendell in a new pro-Kamala Harris ad shot at Hymie’s Deli

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Ed Rendell Stars in Response to Controversial Hymie’s Ad

Election season is almost over, but the battle for the soul of Hymie’s Delicatessen has not yet been settled.

Last week, Victor explained how the Main Line eatery had courted controversy by allowing a commercial for the Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund to be shot there. There were no Hymie’s signs or staff in the ad, but people who know the place could tell. “Oy vey,” says the lead actress. “You know Trump I never cared for, but at least he’ll keep us safe.”

This week, a new commercial obviously shot at the very same deli has arrived, this one brought to you by the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth. In it, former mayor/governor Ed Rendell, former Republican State Rep Lita Cohen, former Montco Republican Committee chair Ken Davis and Silvi Specter, granddaughter of Arlen, shake their heads at the previous commercial for its use of Jewish stereotypes, before asserting that even longtime Republicans are voting for Harris. The acting is just okay, but the sandwiches look amazing.

Watch This Space (X)

Elon Musk did not come to Philly today for the “emergency hearing” over his plan give millions of dollars away to voters in swing states, but he “won” anyway. DA Larry Krasner’s lawsuit is currently “paused” and will likely be settled in a federal court. So the situation remains up in the air and Musk is still out there handing out (literally) big checks.

Here’s a somewhat related headline from the Wall Street Journal: “Trump Says He Is Unaware of Musk’s Contact With Putin.” Not cool. Get a group chat going you guys.

Requiem For That Trump Statue Gone Too Soon

A reader in Philly has flagged another mysterious new monument that has magically appeared in a public park to “honor” Trump.

It looks a lot like the ones popping up in DC.

Titled “In Honor Of A Lifetime Of Sexual Assault,” it features Trump’s “grab em by the pu**y” comment. pic.twitter.com/tvEvaLMVoX

— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) October 30, 2024

Didn’t we almost have it all?

Just yesterday, Philadelphia was temporarily host to one of those satirical, not-pro-Trump statues that have been popping up around the country. Clandestinely installed in front of the Park Towne Place Apartments at 22nd and the Parkway, the piece depicted the former president perving on a statue of a naked woman called Maja by Gerhard Marcks.

First of all, props on the mystery artist for choosing a location both prominent and obscure. Google Trends only has two peaks for the phrase “Maja Park” — the day it was unveiled in 2021, and yesterday when Creeping Trump showed up. (What? The statue needed a name.)

Oh, Creeping Trump. For a piece of public art, it was funny, dark and a bit subversive, its intentions made clear by the plaque at its base which honored the former president’s “Lifetime of Sexual Assault.”

A similar statue by the same artist(s) popped up in Portland, Oregon recently, as well as some snazzier more interpretive pieces in DC: Poop on Pelosi’s Desk, commemorating the January 6th insurrection attempt, and Neo Nazi Tiki Torch, referencing the 2017 Neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville that Trump said had “some very fine people on both sides.”

Sadly, just a few hours after it materialized, Creeping Trump was toppled by city workers and hauled away to parts unknown.

Okay, fine. The mystery artist did not have the proper permission slips to place the statue there. And true, its humor and politics are not for everybody. But tearing that thing down was a no-fun buzzkill schoolmarm move. It was a free statue! And we only let it stand for what, six hours maximum? Dumb.

Think how long Lumbering Rizzo was allowed to remain standing long past this city’s general tolerance for it.

How about we make a rule: Next time somebody gives us a cool statue we leave it up long enough for us to get our social media shots in.

P.S. Whoever’s out there inserting Mayor Parker’s likeness into those Harris-Walz billboards should really knock it off. You’re making our mayor look vain and attention-seeking! JK.

elevating “making it about you” into an art form pic.twitter.com/U7p2HQWTMk

— Dom’s Wins (@_vectorist) October 27, 2024

Man Sees Real Actual Witch in Philadelphia

It’s Halloween, and you know what that means. Costumes and candy and decorations. I said you know what it means. But hey, wanna hear a real-life horror story set in Philadelphia? The podcast Radio Rental* recently included just such a piece. Listen below, but you might wanna skip ahead about five minutes.

* Hosted by actor Rainn Wilson as “Terry Carnation,” Radio Rental is a frequently fun podcast that collects supposedly true tales of suspense and near-death (and also just stories of people having eerie feelings and then noping out, leaving readers a kind of wishing the narrators had been at least attacked by a monster a little bit). Several things about Radio Rental make no sense, like what do radios have to do with it? Why does the premise involve the host digging around for VHS tapes when this is an audio-only format? A lot of times I skip right to the stories, but I do feel bad about it so it’s OK.

By The Numbers

5 p.m.:  In a stunning misuse of the planet’s dwindling natural resources, Philadelphians can have M&M’s delivered to their houses for free tonight.

9,000:  Members of the AFSCME District Council 33 union that just voted to authorize a strike for “higher wages, better benefits and relaxed residency protocols.” Workers rallied around City Hall yesterday.

11/12  That’s when People magazine’s next Sexiest issue comes out, and hey, those Kelce Boys snagged the prestigious Sexiest Podcasters title.

Taylor Swift:  I know! It’s not a number! But it is my prediction for who will headline the rumored Election Day Eve concert on the Parkway. I’m not basing this on anything. I have no insider knowledge. I just think it would be cool. And she doesn’t have any concerts booked that day. Plus, she loves us. And oh god, I just remembered Hillary Clinton and Jon Bon Jovi on Independence Mall, on EDE, 2016. Oh, and the Art Museum just announced it’ll be closed on Monday for “security purposes,” and who requires more security than Tay?

Local Talent

Bygone Philly band Moped has recently been adding its brief but stellar discography to the streaming sites. Jangly, catchy, and endearingly upbeat, the indie pop trio was a fixture in clubs like the Khyber and the North Star from 1993 to 1997, after which its members went on to make music in The Jane Anchor, Sonny Sixkiller, The Bigger Lovers and, most recently, The Bret Tobias Set. There’s nothing much dated about Moped’s sound, and fans of Waxahatchee and/or Momma should check them out. Where have you gone, Kara Lafty?