Q:
What is your opinion of The Reader’s Digest and the Jewish Press?
A:
The Reader’s Digest, you have to know, is cunningly put together. There isn’t one single issue that doesn’t have one tear-jerking article. There has to be some sad story to draw you in. So there’s one article that will make you shed tears. And there’s always one article to tickle your יצר הרע. It’s there just to incite your יצר הרע! Always! It’s always put together that way. It’s become already so routine that before you open it up, you already know what to expect. And all of these magazines are the same thing. They know what they have to write about in order to have you keep coming back for more.
Other than that, there may be various things that may or may not be of interest or value. But I’m not interested in praising them. Whenever they get a chance to ridicule Orthodox Judaism, they do that. And like all the other periodicals, if they would close down, I wouldn’t mourn for them.
And the Jewish Press? I’ll charitably pass over the subject tonight. Next question.
TAPE # 46
