I read this at one point during the crazy Sandra Bullock coverage yesterday, but I honestly thought it was a joke. It was just too perfect… not only did Sandra “win” whatever public relations war was going on by showing up on the cover of People Magazine with her beautiful, adopted, African-American child, she also held a Jewish bris for baby Louis. It’s just so perfect – you’re America’s sweetheart, and the world finds out you’re married to a neo-Nazi motherf-cker who likes doing nasty things to neo-Nazi skanks, and now everyone wonders if Sandra has secretly been a racist, anti-Semitic bigot all along, and then she comes out and is all “Check out my African-America baby, we had the mohel do the bris.” Problem solved! We love you, Sandy!
And I’m being totally serious! In more excerpts from People’s cover story, Sandra talks about having the bris – which is the traditional Jewish ceremony for circumcision – and how it was performed by a mohel, which is the Hebrew name for the Jewish dude who performs the circumcision. Here’s what she said:
“A friend of ours helped arrange for a bris at the house, because we couldn’t go [to a hospital for the procedure]. The mohel [a person trained in the practice] came to us. You have never seen adults more panicked about what was about to happen to their son, but the celebration and the amount of love we felt and the pride in the little man whom we love so, so much became the greatest moment I have ever had in my life.”
[From People Mag via HuffPo]
Mazel tov! I’m so in love with Sandra right now, I can barely stand it. If that wasn’t enough, Sandra also told People, regarding all of the neo-Nazi stuff, including the photo of Jesse James wearing a Nazi hat: “The photo shocked me and made me sad. This is not the man I married. This was stupid, this was ignorant. Racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, anything Nazi and a boatload of other things have no place in my life… and the man I married felt the same.” Sandra Bullock for President!
Additionally, MSNBC had a few more choice quotes from the interview:
The baby, whose name is Louis (pronounced Lew-ee) Bardo Bullock, was born in New Orleans. Bullock told PEOPLE she chose that name because she heard Louis Armstrong’s song “What A Wonderful World” playing in her head when she first saw him.
Bullock said she was blind-sided by the news of James’ infidelity and, while feeling “sad and scared,” is filing for divorce and is finalizing Louis’ adoption as a “single parent.”
Bullock and James reportedly began the adoption process 4 years ago after James’ daughter, Sunny, suggested they adopt a baby. The couple found out they had been matched with Louis in January, just as awards season was beginning.
Bullock told PEOPLE she didn’t want the baby pulled into “the awards season energy” and after she brought him home she kept virtually all visitors out of her home, including stylists and make-up artists working with her for the awards.
“I did not want him brought into a world that would not have been too sincere to him as I wanted,” Bullock told PEOPLE. “I wanted to be alone with him as long as I could then we had to tell his story.”
As for James’ infidelity, Bullock tells People that she had no idea until the day she got the call. Her next step after finding out about the news, was to pack a bag and get herself and Louis out of her house “before the vultures descend.”
“I really don’t know how our paths will intersect in the future, but that father I have known Jesse to be … is one that I hope Louis can experience one day, no matter how Jesse and I go on with our lives.”
Bullock had been involved in parenting James’ three kids from previous marriages, and told People that she couldn’t imagine her life without them, and the plan is for them to co-parent.
[From MSNBC]
Sigh… this really is how you bounce back from emotional devastation. Sandy could teach a master class in crisis management. She could also teach a class called: “I’m a classy bitch, so f-ck you very much”. Because that seems to be what she’s saying to the world in general, even though she’s now watching her language because of the baby.
People cover courtesy of People online. Additional photo Sandy on February 28, 2010. Credit: INFphoto.com.
This is kinda unreal. Really. Truly.
Is Sandy Jewish? Unless she is Jewish, a bris is a meaningless act.
I. Love. Sandra. Bullock. Period. She is my new hero.
That is all.
aaaw so perfect, only in hollywierd
THe article also talked about how she had taken a local New Orleans school under her wing with renovations, band uniforms,even setting up a scholarship.
Unless Sandra had the magical power of foretelling the future, that she did all this seems more the actions of an altruistic person, and not ultimate PR savvy.
But let the cynics come out and play the race card, the anti-semetic card, etc…
This adoption was originally a joint venture between her and Jesse and she is trying to distance herself from the wonderful husband she knew so well. I don’t think she wants to piss off that birth mother right now and the People puff piece and disgusting and opportunistic choice to put that innocent baby on the cover is -one- way to calm the situation. She wants this adoption to go through w/o a hitch. That’s why Jesse is so adamant that America’s Sweetheart is just that. ICK.
Unless she is Jewish, the bris seems like damage control/stunt. Unless she is Jewish, why wouldn’t he be circumcised in a hospital, like other gentile baby boys?
I would suggest the lady is secretly jewish and not anglo at all. Even with name like Bullock. This sort of thing is a common trait for jewish people to do.
Surreptition through disguise.
I often resort to such things my self. Although am anglo-celt genetics often will disguise my past by saying am of jewish heritage because this can be very advantageous with many people and certain areas of society.
And helps me out a little.
Only prob is cant really do it with skin type.
If this were one of her movies I would give it 2 popcorn bags. (Out of a possible 5)
Is it possible the baby’s birth parents are Jewish? I know nothing about adoption between Jewish families/ gentile familes, but perhaps it was a stipulation by his birth parents?
Awww, am very happy for Sandra that she has a new baby to bring her happiness and concentrate her energy on
But I do think this was a very well managed PR stunt, but who could blame her
Go Sandra!
The reason they didn’t want to do the circumcision in the hospital was because they were trying to keep news of the baby’s existence a secret. That’s why it made more sense to have someone who could do this in her home.
Why does the bris have to be “a meaningless act” if she is not Jewish? If it meant something special to them, then it is no longer meaningless.
We are all only as separate as we believe ourselves to be.
she’s not jewish and it comes off like a mendacious PR stunt
A growing number of “gentiles” are hiring mohels to do the job. And most will do it for their regular fee, regardless of religious affiliation. Considering how many docs completely screw up circumcision and cause pain and even dysfunction later in life, it seems like a good idea to me to have an expert do the job right.
Umm I’m pretty sure her mother was a German Jew, but i could be wrong. Further more why would she go to a hospital to have the procedure done if they were trying to keep the adoption under wraps? And how is this PR stunt if she did all of this PRIOR to her husband’s infidelity and nazi saluting nonsense came out in the press. Some of you aren’t thinking. And even if she is not jewish, does that mean she or anyone else for that matter can’t have a bris? Serious question because i’m not educated on the subject.
All of this makes me question whether Jesse *really* is the White Supremicist/Neo Nazi he has been made to seem.
If he really subscribed to white supremacy beliefs, why would he agree to adopt and raise a black child as his own?
If he was a Neo Nazi, why would he agree to the Jewish bris ceremony?
It is one thing to hide these supposed beliefs and traits from your partner and best friend, but to embrace (and love as he claimed in his statement yesterday)a child which represents everything that you supposedly hate just seems strange/far-fetched…perhaps sociopathic?
So many questions.
Mind.Boggled.
Really? She had me until the circumcision. She could have taken the baby to a pedi urologist.
I seriously doubt the circumcision was a PR stunt. It doesn’t mention when it happened and I doubt it was recently. Notice she uses the word “we,” as in her and Jesse were involved. It sounds to me like the circumcision happened prior to the cheating scandal when they were still together. So how would that be a PR stunt? Also, she clearly said she couldn’t have it done in the hospital because of privacy issues. How else would you have a circumcision done if not performed in a hospital? A mohel would be the obvious choice, regardless of religion. They are a professional and you would certainly want a professional doing something like that.
Sounds like P.R. overkill. I mean I hope she’s happy but all his Nazi stuff and now all the Jewish ceremonial??? They do circumcision outside of hospitals all the time, in doctor’s offices.
like a lot of posters I’m wondering if Sandra is Jewish and if not why she had a Bris? admittedly I’m from Europe where non-Jewish circumcision is unheard of, it pretty much only happens if it’s medically necessary. I’m guess she had a Mohel perform the procedure because it’s something they do exclusively?
LolaBella: I’ve asked mayself EXACTLY those same questions. It implies they were “disconnected” as a couple on so many level. Each or both spouse was self-absorbed to the point of not really kwowing the other. That may be Jesse woke up and took a good hard look in the mirror and said “This isn’t for me, how do I get out” and went on to do a few stupid things to force HER to make the decision. Some people cannot end it themselves and create situations to that end. Or Sandra, did some serious self-analysis in that short period of time and decided to move on. She quickly made a decison to choose a road and is going down it. Who knows? They say you do not truly know a person until you live with them – with celebrity lifestyle how do they find the time to really know anyone? Even regular folks have a challenge KNOWING their significant other and even their own kids once they past early adolescence.
But if circumcism is the goal, call it a circumcism, even if it’s performed by a mohel.
Calling the ceremony a bris has very particular religious connotations.
Oenix, well said
didn’t know she was Jewish.
Anyway I just wonder how her and JJ are going to work out the co-parenting thing. And Sunny’s porn star Mom will be getting out of prison sometime soon I think.
Thanks to Seinfeld, I know how to pronounce Mohel!
I second what Bonfire Beach said.
Even is she isn’t Jewish maybe she respects what the Bris means and wanted to incorporate that and bring it into her home. What’s the problem???? Jewish, Catholic, Muslim…gimme a break. Or simply what Beach said, for privacy purposes. Either way…
Do whatever feels right for you no matter the religion.
She could be Jewish. Her grandmother’s last name was Meyer, from Germany.
For the PR to keep spinning her way, Sandra needs to explain this sudden Jewishness or we’re all going to keep wondering, WTF?
I love Sandra Bullock…always have…but this is a little Mommy Dearest
Those who truely run Hollywood will be throughly pleased. Well played Sandra!
This whole thing sounds a little too perfect.
Sandra Bullock marries JJ = SB is in love = JJ has mistresses = photos of JJ who supposedly is a racist, Nazi and bigot come out = SB supposedly does not know JJ’s past = public outcry = Sandra questioned on her knowledge about JJ (is SB one too?)= SB divorce = photo with black baby and baby has a Jewish bris = public happy = PR stunt completed.
This entire PR promotion was probably talked about by Sandra and Jesse before she even moved out. This was discussed and JJ is not surprised. He could care less. He knows that Sandra’s public image is more important than his. He has his loyal customers and he is still a millionaire. JJ could care less what the public thinks. SB cares what the public thinks because that is her meal ticket.
It is funny though, every time she talks she says “WE”. WE are going to tell his story; WE will be there for Louis, WE, WE, WE. They are still together and he will be in this baby’s life and she will
co-parent his kids. Once the commotion calms down, JJ will have a so-called awakening and Sandra will miraculously forgive JJ and publically invite him in her life and all will be well. The divorce filing was just a PR stunt.
And since every media outlet or comment is saying, Sandy well played, good public move Sandy or great idea Sandy, this has got phoniness written all over it.
G: @ 8.22am What sort of racist bull is this?
‘This sort of thing is a common trait for jewish people to do’.
Your whole input smacks of racism but that took the prize.
I know 100’s of Jews. I am Jewish. I know of ONE who changed there name by deed. I know of a few more who were forced BY LAW to change there names to gain access to USA and UK during 1st World War (my mothers family were renamed Hyman by some incredibly cruel immigration officer). I know a few more who ‘abbreviated’ their names when seeking refugee status during World War 2 for obvious reasons.
So where is it ‘common’?
Totally agree with Taya. Countdown until reconciliation. For the children of course. Don’t buy she didn’t know his Nazi ways. She “never” saw memorabilia in his office?? This all seems so contrived. I think her PR went too far but people will eat this up as long as you say it’s for the children. If it’s not, why go public with a family ritual? Also think Louis wasn’t introduced because she was promoting Blind Side.
The reading comprehension skills of some of these commenters is concerning.
She did not have it done in a ped’s office or the hospital BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT GOING TO LEAVE HER HOME WITH THE BABY.
A mohel is the only person who will come to your home!
Seriously? She had me until the bris.
She’s NOT JEWISH! Why would she have a bris?
Most gentiles have their sons circumcised to match their fathers, not because of any religious belief. This is ridiculous. What’s next, a photo op of the baby’s first Ramadan?
Seems like a PR stunt. Cute baby. Perhaps the baby’s birth parents are Jewish? I know there are some African Jews out there. Especially in Ethiopia.
It’s obvious she just wanted the baby circumcised and it was the only way to keep the situation private. I do believe that at some point she and Jesse will make peace and probably go back together. Who knows they may have had an agreement to have an open relationship. I don’t think she is that squeaky clean either.
Sandra has officially become a douchebag!
Pure publicity stunt, black child, Jewish ceremony, debuting the baby on the cover of People???????????? The worst PR stunt EVER. I HATE her now.
I had a mohel do my son’s circumcision. It’s apparently next to impossible to find someone to do a circumcision if you don’t already have a Pediatrician lined up. And seriously, take the baby to a Pediatric Urologist?! For a circumcision? That’s overkill. That is what they want you to do though if you can’t get a Ped to do it. When I eventually took my son to the Ped, he said that mohel’s prob do more circumcisions than they do.
Bris is not just another word for circumcision. It’s a sacred Jewish rite inducting a child into the ‘religion of his fathers’, a lot like baptism is for Christians. Why would SB induct a baby into a religion she doesn’t believe in?
Louis’ adoption isn’t even final yet. How can SB, who isn’t his natural or adoptive parent, authorize elective surgery?
She shouldn’t have possession of him at all until he’s legally hers. Why has this adoption taken 4 months anyway?
Her story is full of holes.
I adore her! “All The Best” to you and your beautiful son!
Well Sandra was correct about the vultures which include all of us that continue to read gossip about people we only know through the media. The story about the Brangelina twins possibly having Down Syndrome and now Bullock’s remarks about the vultures has put me over the edge. I am no longer going to read, or write to, celebrity gossip. Especially when it comes to famous people having to protect their children because the papparazi and gossip rags are willing to profit by hounding them and printing lies. I don’t want to be associated with this anymore. Goodbye to all of you. Most of you are very nice people and I have enjoyed reading the threads. For the most part Celebitchy conducts itself with class. Have a good life everyone.
Her P.R. agent deserves a huge bonus for quick thinking. SB continues to be as awesome as always. Can she please get an Oscar for grace under pressure?
Don’t know why this makes you love her so much. Seems just this side of bizarre to me for her to have a bris for her baby unless she’s Jewish. I don’t know whether she is or not, though.
Just because her husband heinously cheated on her does not automatically make her Mother Theresa.
Super cute kid!
I agree that “bris” has a definite religious connotation beyond mere circumcision. If she just wanted the mohel to do the circumcision for whatever reason, then that’s what it should be called, circumcision. Maybe it’s just sloppy reporting by People.
I was on Sandy’s side until all of this but now…I don’t know. It just screams of horribly contrived P.R stunt.
She’s pulled out the big guns; black baby and Jewish ceremony to distance herself as much as possible from JJ and any backlash. With his love of all things Nazi, I can’t believe she talked about including JJ in Louis’ life. What a stupid thing to say. I just don’t trust her now, I mean, she’s using this kid to keep herself clean and that’s just not on. I can’t believe you approve of this, Kaiser.
I have a question. Wouldn’t the baby be circumcised after he was born? Would it be the adoptive parents choice? I think this is all very suspicious. I wonder if the adoption even happened when she said it did.
I have never heard about Sandra being Jewish. She could have had a doctor come to her house.
I can’t believe Sandra never saw any of the Nazi stuff. That is completely unbelievable to me. If Sandra is Jewish, it makes the Nazi stuff even more disgusting.
After reading about the need for good PR for celebrities/athletes and the amount of money at stake in these people’s line of business, I wonder about story I read.
Okay, seriously, for people talking about her “not being jewish” and therefore the bris is “meaningless” — if you READ the article, they state plainly that they had a mohel come to their house because they could not go to the hospital. IN OTHER WORDS: a bris was performed in-house because bringing the baby out of the house IN FRONT OF ALL THE CAMERAS was not what they wanted. That’s how I read it.
It seems I owe Sandra an apology, for stating here that I thought she also had Nazi affiliations – Sandy I apologize!
1. Maybe one or both of the child’s parents is Jewish and a Bris was a part of the adoption deal.
2. Remember two-thirds of the world Jews are non-White.
3. Maybe Sandy, now having a baby/heir decided to honor her ancestors and raise him in their Jewish faith.
4. Maybe Sandy is a witch and knew this was all going to happens so to protect herself she started th adoption of a Black baby four years ago, or maybe she is a time traveler.
circumcision is not a good practice, and unless there is a cultural need should be avoided.
yes, i’m calling a pr stunt as well.
and i can’t imagine a woman that bright not knowing what her husband is really like.
another advantage to cutting the kid is to get more distance between her and the creepy jesse.
you don’t think she ever heard him say anti-semetic things?
yah this just seems WAY too convenient. brought him home in january but he is 3.5 months old? its may already. I dont understand this at all. and I think it would be fairly easy for her to complete an adoption in a short amount of time.
“Maybe Sandy is a witch and knew this was all going to happens so to protect herself she started th adoption of a Black baby four years ago, or maybe she is a time traveler. ”
gypsy, thanks for the laugh! i vote time traveler. in any case, i doubt this is all PR, but i’m sure some of it is spin control; that’s what all famous people do. do we know for a fact that sandy isn’t jewish, or 1/2 jewish? maybe she converted at some point in her life – lots of people do. that’s something she might not talk about in interviews.
she looks happy with that adorable baby and that’s really all that matters. I hope they have a great life together as a family! GO SANDY!!
So many Cynics…
I think Sandra is truly handling this with Class and don’t believe anything about Louis has anything to do with P.R.
She started the adoption process 4 years ago. They finally received notification that they would be getting a baby boy in January. He was born and her and Jesse became his parents. They wanted to keep the entire thing private, to the point they hired a Mohel. Who knows when this happened, maybe days after he was brought home. And, of course it would be “we” as her and Jesse were still on the same team at the time.
The Blind Side is out on DVD…as far as I’m concerned it is past time to promote this movie – time to move on to the next one. And, as far as being up for an Oscar…it is obvious that she didn’t adopt a baby to earn one (Who Does That Anyway?) as she started the process long before.
Jesse is a Con man and he wanted to be sure that Sandra didn’t find out who he really is, but the jig is up.
I applaud Sandra for handling her situation with such Dignity.
like her character in ‘practical magic’, sandy really is magical!
awe-some broad!
out – transworld adoption
(*cough,angelina,cough*)
in – AMER-I-CAN-children-in-need-adoption!
(go, sandy, go!)
🙂
keep him away from the awards show energy?? She di dnot say this? what the?? And having a Bris for an African American baby obviously NOT Jewish is so selfish. Sandra be sure and subject this child to all your views and how you want him to be – goddness forbid you let him make his own decisions about religion – pathetic!
Kim, parents do have a right to make decisions about their children’s religion when the kids are young, whether the children are natural or adopted. If fact, most established religions expect them to. Judaism says all Jewish boys should have a bris when they are eight days old and Catholicism says all Catholic infants should be baptized. When they grow up then they can make their own decisions. My son was baptized Catholic and he hasn’t been to mass since he left prep school.
Caddiebelle, Wondering and Boby the K: right on! To all of you. I agree a 100%
Want to know why Sandra had a bris? Because of the reaction seen in here about “OMG” “WTF” “RACIST” “LET HIM MAKE HIS OWN RELIGIOUS CHOICES”!!!!!1!!!!!eleventy!!
Seriously?
She wanted her privacy. Taking an infant to have a surgical procedure done would be nearly impossible to keep secret. Hospitals here don’t know how to STFU about their patients – especially celebrity patients – and the last thing she wanted (obviously) was a media circus over her newborn when she was still trying to adjust to his arrival herself.
A bris is a religious ceremony, but it doesn’t require one’s adherence into the faith of Judaism, and as a mohel performs circumcisions to the requirements of his faith, having him come over and circumcise their son without him following religious procedure would be wrong.
Good for her, and shame on anyone who thinks that there is something insidious in this.
My sister is not jewish, nor is her husband. They had a bris for all 3 sons out of respect for his jewish grandmother. My understanding is this religion is determined by the maternal blood line only, (as is the case w/ my brother-in-law yet he whole heartedly rejects the religion … a whole other story). Regardless, my nephews are not jewish according to their shicksa s/p? mother & the mohel himself who was only too happy to get the paying gig. Point being there are endless possibilitiies to this matter. The real issue is whether he’s healthy & everyone’s happy. Mazel tov 🙂
just two things.
1. jesse james would have done anything to keep sleeping with random whores and have the spending money to do what he wanted. i don’t know if the man is a racist or not (i THINK he is, but i don’t KNOW), but he is definitely golddigging scum.
2. to say that sandra bullock adopting an african-american child is some sort of publicity stunt is repugnant. she adopted a needy child FROM AMERICA, something that is much more needed and far more difficult to do. it’s a wonderful example, that more people should follow. i’m even more proud of her for adopting baby louis. she knew when she took him home that they would get side eye looks for the rest of their lives when they walk around together. it’s a huge challenge to be able to raise a child not of your race. i really doubt she would take on such a massive life step for the sake of the damn tabloids.
if the highlight of Sandra’s life was watching her new son’s penis getting mutilated, I can only imagine what life with Jesse must have been like.
call it what you want; Bris, Circumcision, whatever. it’s a medically completely unnecessary procedure done for cosmetic purposes mainly, which really should be left up to the indivial as a consenting party in the matter over their own bodies. it’s just as primitive and insensitive as circumcising these poor female infants in third world countries which is so frowned upon by all Westerners. What is the difference really? Cutting more skin, less skin, foreskin, labial skin? it’s a hypocritical outdated practice in my opinion.
Having been witness to in-hospital circumcisions and having participated in two brit for my boys, I totally understand and sympathize with Ms. Bullock’s choice.
A skilled mohel doing the procedure in the home not only performs the deed faster, cleaner, and with far less pain and trauma inflicted on the child, but provides a spiritual context in which to view the deed and reminds the participants of their grave responsibility for the care and support of the infant.
It would be nice to think of Ms Bullock as one of the tribe, but even if not, it certainly reflects well on her understanding of the arguments for and against circumcision.
As to how it plays in the press…who knows? Given the content of this thread, clearly if she’d wanted to avoid controversy, nothing would have been said.
G: Many bris are performed in the home (didn’t you ever watch Seinfeld?). And can I ask, what is the advantage of pretending to be Jewish? That’s such a discriminating remark.
By the way, for those that were wondering why she did a bris if she is not Jewish, maybe the baby is. Sandra said she wanted to keep him connected to his roots. Maybe that’s part of his family heritage. My cousin adopted an Ethiopian Jewish baby and has raised him to know his heritage. Being Jewish is more than just a religion. There is a history of heritage and tradition as well as discrimination and survival.
No matter how much Jews are made fun of, they are the nicest and most accepting people. Do you see them picketing against gays? Nope – that’s the Christian church. I’m not here for a battle of religion, but just to point out “to each their own,” and who gives a crap what she’s doing with her baby as long as she believes in what she’s doing.
Hevanu Shalom Alehem. Peace.
So Sandra Bullock adopted a black baby and had a Jewish bris for the child just for public relations control according to some posters? I will believe that if in a few months there is a cover story on People with Sandra crying about how the adoption “did not go through” Until that happens I will continue to believe she is adopting this child out of love and not for any other reason
Circumcision is wrong. Most of the world does not do it.
She had no right to have her son circumcised.
aw, that is so sad sandra mutilated her son’s penis. 🙁 she is not even jewish and her heritage is simply anglo-german, not jewish.
Okay,well why did she have to do a circumcision at all?
Honestly,it’s ridiculous and unecessary…but of course I am supposed to be PC and respectful towards someone’s ‘religous tradition’.
If she is not jewish,then what a bunch of crap about hiring someone to come in who is…there is no medical reason to be circumcised in this day and age.
Yes,thousands of years ago,when infections were rampant due to sanitation,lifestyle and access to care,made infections more common,circumcison may have been prudent.
but today? ridiculous procedure and why does this make ‘Sandy’ America’s sweetheart,anyway?
Whoopie ding dong-she has a boatload of money and wanted to keep her child’s privacy guarded. Makes sense;doesn’t make her a saint.
This ‘Sandy love fest’ is getting oooooooooold…………….