# Jonathan Kesselman

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{{short description|American screenwriter}}

{{Infobox person
| name          = Jonathan Kesselman
| image         = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [brackets](/source/brackets) -->
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = 
| birth_name    = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date    = {{Birth year and age|1974}}
| birth_place   = [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles)
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) -->
| death_place   = 
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = {{flatlist|
*Film director
*screenwriter}}
| years_active  = 2001-present
| known_for     = 
| credits       = ''[The Hebrew Hammer](/source/The_Hebrew_Hammer_(film))''
| alma_mater    = [University of Colorado Boulder](/source/University_of_Colorado_Boulder)<br>[University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California)
| URL           = 
}}
'''Jonathan Kesselman''' (born 1974)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hebrew Hammer |url=https://franklin.library.upenn.edu/catalog/FRANKLIN_9950977993503681 |website=Penn Libraries |accessdate=17 April 2019}}</ref> is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, who first gained notice as the writer and director of ''[The Hebrew Hammer](/source/The_Hebrew_Hammer_(film))'' (2003).

==Early life==
Kesselman grew up in the [San Fernando Valley](/source/San_Fernando_Valley) in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last1=Pappu |first1=Sridhar |title=A Man Goes on a Journey |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/03/fashion/mens-style/journey-self-discovery.html |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=New York Times |date=2 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="mnn">{{cite news |last1=Gunther |first1=Shea |title=Jonathan Kesselman: Filmmaker, writer, observer of life |url=https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/jonathan-kesselman-filmmaker-writer-observer-of-life |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Mother Nature Network |date=15 July 2011}}</ref> He graduated from the [University of Colorado Boulder](/source/University_of_Colorado_Boulder) with a degree in psychology, and then spent a few years working as an information systems consultant.<ref name="mnn"/><ref name="cjn">{{cite news |last1=Pfefferman |first1=Naomi |title='One mean Heeb' in first 'Jewsploitation' film |url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/one-mean-heeb-in-first-jewsploitation-film/article_ccc4840f-6800-56b7-91bc-8e6c9bacd3f2.html |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Cleveland Jewish News |date=4 December 2003}}</ref> He studied film at the [University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts](/source/University_of_Southern_California_School_of_Cinematic_Arts), graduating in 2001 with a master's degree in film production.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="mnn"/><ref name="filmmaker">{{cite news |title=Shabbat Shalom |url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/winter2003/features/shabbat_shalom.php |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=Filmmaker Magazine |date=Winter 2003}}</ref>

==Career==
===''The Hebrew Hammer''===
While at USC, Kesselman wrote and directed a short film version of ''The Hebrew Hammer'',<ref name="filmmaker"/> which screened at the 2000 [Austin Film Festival](/source/Austin_Film_Festival).<ref name="cjn"/><ref name="observer">{{cite news |title=Shalom, Motherfuckers |url=https://observer.com/2002/05/shalom-motherfuckers/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=New York Observer |date=27 May 2002}}</ref> In 2001, ContentFilm offered to finance a feature film version, with [Edward R. Pressman](/source/Edward_R._Pressman) and John Schmidt on board as executive producers.<ref name="cjn"/><ref name="observer"/>

Kesselman wrote and directed ''[The Hebrew Hammer](/source/The_Hebrew_Hammer_(film))'', a "Jewxploitation" send-up of [Blaxploitation](/source/Blaxploitation) and superhero films, starring [Adam Goldberg](/source/Adam_Goldberg) as Mordechai Jefferson Carver, an Orthodox Jew on a quest to save Hanukkah from Santa Claus's evil son. It also stars [Andy Dick](/source/Andy_Dick), [Mario Van Peebles](/source/Mario_Van_Peebles), [Nora Dunn](/source/Nora_Dunn), [Peter Coyote](/source/Peter_Coyote), and [Judy Greer](/source/Judy_Greer),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=A.O. |title=When Hanukkah Is in Jeopardy, A Jewish Superman Gets the Call |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/19/movies/film-review-when-hanukkah-is-in-jeopardy-a-jewish-superman-gets-the-call.html |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=New York Times |date=19 December 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Heyman |first1=Marshall |title=Hanukkah's Crafty Days and Crazy Nights |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323277504578189743565335474 |accessdate=17 April 2019 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=19 December 2012}}</ref> and has a cameo from [Melvin Van Peebles](/source/Melvin_Van_Peebles) reprising his role as Sweetback from ''[Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song](/source/Sweet_Sweetback's_Baadasssss_Song)'' (1971).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rooney |first1=David |title=The Hebrew Hammer |url=https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/the-hebrew-hammer-1200543810/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=Variety |date=28 January 2003}}</ref> It premiered at the [2003 Sundance Film Festival](/source/2003_Sundance_Film_Festival),<ref name="filmmaker"/> had its television premiere on [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central) on December 8, 2003,<ref name="cjn"/> and opened theatrically on December 19, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Michael |title=He's big, he's bad, he's the Hebrew Hammer |url=https://www.jweekly.com/2003/12/05/he-s-big-he-s-bad-he-s-the-hebrew-hammer/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=JWeekly |date=5 December 2003}}</ref> It aired exclusively on Comedy Central for five years after its theatrical release,<ref name="thr">{{cite news |last1=Zakarin |first1=Jordan |title=The Hebrew Hammer Returns to Fight Hitler -- and Americans' 'Cuddly Racism' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hebrew-hammer-returns-fight-hitler-408957 |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=Hollywood Reporter |date=7 January 2013}}</ref> and is generally considered to be a cult film.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Klein |first1=Amy |title="The Hebrew Hammer": The baddest Jew in the whole damn town! |url=https://www.salon.com/2012/12/07/the_hebrew_hammer_the_baddest_jew_in_the_whole_damn_town/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |work=Salon |date=8 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Thurm |first1=Eric |title=The Hebrew Hammer makes Christmastime safe for Jews from New York to Tel Aviv |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-hebrew-hammer-makes-christmastime-safe-for-jews-fro-1798275066 |access-date=17 April 2019 |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=17 December 2014}}</ref>

In 2005, Kesselman and Goldberg started discussing a sequel to ''The Hebrew Hammer'', and Kesselman wrote the first draft of the script.<ref name="cultured">{{cite news |last1=Solzman |first1=Danielle |title=JONATHAN KESSELMAN TALKS THE HEBREW HAMMER VS. HITLER |url=https://culturedvultures.com/jonathan-kesselman-talks-hebrew-hammer-vs-hitler/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Cultured Vultures |date=7 November 2017}}</ref> In 2013, Kesselman and Goldberg first announced the sequel publicly.<ref name="thr"/> In ''The Hebrew Hammer vs. Hitler'', the Hebrew Hammer comes out of retirement to combat racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism after an infomercial star becomes president of the US.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lawrence |first1=Derek |title=Adam Goldberg launches crowdfunding effort for Hebrew Hammer sequel |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/10/16/adam-goldberg-hebrew-hammer-sequel-crowdfunding/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=16 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Erbland |first1=Kate |title='Hebrew Hammer' Sequel: Adam Goldberg Wants to 'Make America Kosher Again' |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/10/hebrew-hammer-sequel-adam-goldberg-crowdfunding-campaign-1201888125/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Indiewire |date=17 October 2017}}</ref>

===''Jimmy Vestvood''===
Kesselman directed the 2016 political satire ''[Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero](/source/Jimmy_Vestvood%3A_Amerikan_Hero)'', written by [Maz Jobrani](/source/Maz_Jobrani) and Amir Ohebsion, and starring Jobrani as an Iranian traffic cop who moves from Tehran to Los Angeles to become a private investigator.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kompanek |first1=Christopher |title='Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero' aims for sharp satire and misses |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/jimmy-vestvood-amerikan-hero-aims-for-sharp-satire-and-misses/2016/05/12/081343b4-13a1-11e6-81b4-581a5c4c42df_story.html |accessdate=17 April 2019 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=12 May 2016}}</ref> It premiered at the 2014 [Austin Film Festival](/source/Austin_Film_Festival),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baumgarten |first1=Marjorie |title=Austin Film Festival: Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2014-10-26/austin-film-festival-jimmy-vestvood-amerikan-hero/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Austin Chronicle |date=26 October 2014}}</ref> where it won the Comedy Vanguard Jury Award<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Kimberley |title=AFF Announces Award Winners |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2014-10-26/aff-announces-award-winners/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Austin Chronicle |date=26 October 2014}}</ref> and the Audience Award for Comedy Vanguard Feature.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baumgarten |first1=Marjorie |title=AFF Announces Audience Awards |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2014-11-04/aff-announces-audience-awards/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Austin Chronicle |date=4 November 2014}}</ref> It was released in theaters on May 13, 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Busch |first1=Anita |title=Maz Jobrani's Political Satire 'Jimmy Vestvood' To Bow In May |url=https://deadline.com/2016/03/maz-jobrani-political-satire-jimmy-vestvood-amerikan-hero-1201727632/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=29 March 2016}}</ref>

===Other===
Kesselman directed the 2013 TV pilot ''Grow'', a comedy about a Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensary starring [Jamie Hector](/source/Jamie_Hector) and [Dale Dickey](/source/Dale_Dickey).<ref name="mnn"/> He wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the 2009-10 man on the street show ''On the Streets with Jonathan Kesselman'' on the [Mother Nature Network](/source/Mother_Nature_Network) website.<ref name="mnn"/> He directed second unit for the 2016 war film ''[Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk](/source/Billy_Lynn's_Long_Halftime_Walk_(film))'', directed by [Ang Lee](/source/Ang_Lee).<ref name="cultured"/> He taught the seminar Writing Comedy for Film and Television at [Yale University](/source/Yale_University),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wessel |first1=Nora |title=Alumni TV writers on strike find outlet |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2007/12/03/alumni-tv-writers-on-strike-find-outlet/ |accessdate=17 April 2019 |publisher=Yale News |date=3 December 2007}}</ref> and wrote the five-part series ''Writing in My Father's Footsteps'', published in ''[The Forward](/source/The_Forward)'' in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jonathan Kesselman |url=https://forward.com/author/jonathan-kesselman/ |website=The Forward |accessdate=17 April 2019}}</ref> It won second place in the Nefesh B'Nefesh category of the [Simon Rockower Award](/source/Simon_Rockower_Award)s.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 29th Annual Simon Rockower Award Winners |url=https://www.ajpa.org/page/2010RockowerAwards |website=AJPA |accessdate=17 April 2019}}</ref>

Kesselman was the showrunner on the six-episode 2020 sketch comedy series ''Gander'', written by [Rob Kutner](/source/Rob_Kutner) and featuring [Adam Goldberg](/source/Adam_Goldberg), [Lewis Black](/source/Lewis_Black), [Jay Mohr](/source/Jay_Mohr), [Oscar Nunez](/source/Oscar_Nunez), and [Rachel Dratch](/source/Rachel_Dratch).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Solzman |first1=Danielle |title=Rob Kutner, Jonathan Kesselman talk Gander |url=http://www.solzyatthemovies.com/2020/09/27/rob-kutner-jonathan-kesselman-talk-gander/ |accessdate=5 October 2020 |publisher=Solzy at the Movies |date=27 September 2020}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Feature films===
{| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" |Year
! scope="col" |Title
! scope="col" |Credited as
! scope="col" |Notes
|-
| 2003
| ''[The Hebrew Hammer](/source/The_Hebrew_Hammer_(film))''
| Writer and director
| 
|-
| 2016
| ''[Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero](/source/Jimmy_Vestvood%3A_Amerikan_Hero)''
| Director
| 
|-
| 2016
| ''[Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk](/source/Billy_Lynn's_Long_Halftime_Walk_(film))''
| 2nd unit director
| Directed by [Ang Lee](/source/Ang_Lee)
|}

==References==
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags, these references will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|1165576}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kesselman, Jonathan}}
Category:1974 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century American Jews
Category:Jewish American screenwriters
Category:Film directors from Los Angeles
Category:Screenwriters from California
Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni
Category:University of Colorado Boulder alumni

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jonathan Kesselman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Kesselman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Kesselman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.