Jump to content

Eretz Nehederet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eretz Nehederet
Eretz Nehederet studio
ארץ נהדרת
GenreSatire comedy
Sketch comedy
Created byMuli Segev
David Lifshitz
Asaf Shalmon
Country of originIsrael
Original languageHebrew
No. of seasons20
No. of episodes357
Production
Production locationHerzliya Studios
Running time49 minutes
Production companyKeshet Broadcasting
Original release
NetworkChannel 2 (Keshet) (2003–2017)
Keshet 12 (2017–)
Release2 November 2003 (2003-11-02) –
present

Eretz Nehederet (Hebrew: ארץ נהדרת; lit. 'Wonderful Country') is an Israeli prime-time television satirical sketch comedy show, that premiered on Keshet's Channel 2 in 2003. It features satirical references to current affairs of the past week through parodies of the people involved, as well as the thoughts of recurring characters. The program's concept is inspired by Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show and others. The program is one of the most watched and influential shows on Israeli TV.[1][2] It is also one of the longest-running scripted shows in Israeli television to date, running for 20 seasons as of 2022. Beginning with Season 15, the program is aired on Keshet 12, in HDTV.

It was first filmed in Tel Aviv, and in later seasons, was filmed in the neighboring Herzliya.

The show features a regular cast of comedians and actors, including Tal Friedman (11 first seasons), Eyal Kitzis (the Jon Stewart-type host), Alma Zak, Orna Banai (6 first seasons), Shani Cohen (season 5 and on), Asi Cohen, Eli Finish, Mariano Edelman, Yuval Semo, Roey Bar-Natan, Eran Zarachovitch, Yaron Berlad, Maor Cohen and Dov Navon (4 first seasons). During the third season, Asi Cohen started playing small roles on the show, and by the beginning of the fourth season (fall 2006), Cohen became a regular member.

Eretz Nehederet won the Israeli Television Academy's "Best Entertainment Program" in 2004 and again in 2006, and attracts millions of viewers every season. In a May 2008 poll, web surfers selected all the Season 5 Eretz Nehederet actors from into the top 60 Israeli comedians list. The top 7 spots were all taken by Eretz Nehederet, as well as #9 and #20.[3]

In 2010, Erez Nehederet produced a satire feature film called Zohi Sdom (lit. 'This is Sodom').

Characteristics

[edit]

The show includes satirical and humorous commentary on the events of the week preceding the episode, mainly through parodies, sketches, jokes, and satirical takes on the week's headlines. The show's format mimics a news television edition, where the sketches and various segments blend in as articles, interviews, and live reports seamlessly integrated within the "edition". In this manner, the program satirizes many of the characteristics of television culture itself and the broader mass media culture. It also lampoons the situations and figures that generate headlines and, in a broader sense, Israeli reality as a whole.

The show gained a high rating from the very beginning. Its creator and chief editor is Keshet's Content Director, Muli Segev. The program was given its name by Dana Modan, Segev's partner at the time, from a line in Yehoram Gaon's song "Shalom Lach Eretz Nehederet" (Segev recalls that Modan was inspired by the phrase "We have a wonderful country," which Benjamin Netanyahu used in an election campaign against Shimon Peres).[4][5]

Eretz Nehederet first aired on November 2, 2003. The first season was broadcast on Friday evenings. Its basic format, relying on a team of actors and comedians, and combining satirical and comedic content proved itself and gained success. The Israeli entertainment program drew inspiration from the American shows Saturday Night Live and other programs like The Daily Show. The show has become one of the longest-running television programs in Israel, with 20 seasons produced as of 2022.

Format

[edit]

"Eretz Nehederet" is structured like a satirical news edition, featuring politicians, public figures, celebrities, and fictional characters as guests every week. The host of the show, Eyal Kitzis, is presented as the sole serious figure who openly anticipates meaningful responses from his guests, often serving as the mediator and "the straight man" for most of the jokes. Additionally, Kitzis interviews the foreign correspondents, who appear intermittently throughout the program (until mid-season 11 when he was replaced by Sharon Taycker). At the end of each episode, Kitzis bids farewell to the viewers with the recurring phrase, "And don't forget, we have a wonderful country".

The show's team consists of regular participants who sometimes change between seasons, and is occasionally strengthened by guest appearances by other well-known artists from various fields. The actors portray a wide range of diverse and ever-changing characters that form the essence of the program. These characters are often caricatures of figures in Israeli politics, public figures, and familiar media personalities, presented in a satirical and exaggerated manner. Some of the portrayed characters are entirely fictional, representing stereotypes and common phenomena in Israeli society. In later seasons, the show introduced various sketches created by emerging comedians who were not part of the regular team and were not directly involved in current events. These sketches often began as viral videos on YouTube and other online platforms.

The show's structure, apart from special episodes and selected segments, remains consistent with minor changes between each season:

  • Main Sketch: An in-studio sketch that opens the show, often characterized by extreme and provocative elements.
  • Main Panel: Eyal Kitzis interviews studio guests from the week's political agenda.
  • Headlines Satire: A collection of satirical news headlines. Starting from the 11th season, Alma Zack presented the headlines alongside Kitzis for a while. In the 13th season, the headlines became a separate segment called "Additional Headlines" airing on Fridays. In the 14th season, this segment returned with a different format.
  • Secondary Panel: Eyal Kitzis interviews guests from the fields of culture, entertainment, and sports.
  • Additional Headlines Segments.
  • Field Reporting: Segments addressing common phenomena in Israeli society.
  • External Productions: Mini-shows hosted and produced by various individuals, both well-known and newcomers.
  • Recurring Sketches: A series of sketches critiquing an Israeli group or phenomenon, airing throughout the season.

Recurring parodies

[edit]

Characters

[edit]

Following is a list of characters shown in Eretz Nehederet, both parodied real-life persons, and entirely fictional characters.

Characters Actor Type
Baba Luba (Russian supermarket worker) Tal Friedman Fictional
Hizki (Tour guide) Tal Friedman Fictional
Mahmoud Abu Tir Tal Friedman Parody of Muhammad Abu Tir
Ariel Sharon Tal Friedman Real-life
Vladimir Putin Tal Friedman Real-life
Ehud Barak Tal Friedman Real-life
Ehud Olmert Tal Friedman Real-life
Haim Yavin Tal Friedman Real-life
Assi Dayan Tal Friedman Real-life
Uri Zohar Tal Friedman Real-life
Shosh Atari Tal Friedman Real-life
Adele Tal Friedman Real-life
Modern Talking Eli Finish (Thomas Anders), Tal Friedman (Dieter Bohlen) Real-life
Barack Obama Eli Finish Real-life
Bashar al-Assad Eli Finish Real-life
Shimon Peres Eli Finish Real-life
Moshe Katsav Eli Finish Real-life
Eli Yishai Eli Finish Real-life
Yigal Amir Eli Finish Real-life
Aviv Geffen Eli Finish Real-life
Yuval "The Confused" Eli Finish Real-life
Avi "Yossi" Mazaliko (Sderot resident) Eli Finish Fictional
Giovanni Rosso Eli Finish Real-life
Yair Lapid Eli Finish (formerly Mariano Edelman) Real-life
Oded Menashe Eli Finish Real-life
Eyal Berkovic Mariano Edelman Real-life
Itzik Zohar Mariano Edelman Real-life
Diego Maradona Mariano Edelman Real-life
Muammar Gaddafi Mariano Edelman Real-life
Benjamin Netanyahu Mariano Edelman Real-life
Shaul Mofaz Mariano Edelman Real-life
Amir Peretz Mariano Edelman Real-life
Condoleezza Rice Mariano Edelman Real-life
Margalit Tzan'ani Mariano Edelman Real-life
Pnina Rosenblum Mariano Edelman Real-life
Dora the Explorer Mariano Edelman Cartoon character
Hillary Clinton Alma Zack Real-life
Yonit Levi Alma Zack Real-life
Galit Gutmann Alma Zack Real-life
Hanny Nahmias Alma Zack Real-life
Tzipi Shavit Alma Zack Real-life
Tzipi Livni Alma Zack (formerly Orna Banai) Real-life
Limor Livnat Orna Banai Real-life
Ruhama Avraham Orna Banai Real-life
Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes Orna Banai Real-life
Raymond Abukasis Orna Banai Real-life
Sigal Azrieli Orna Banai Parody of Inbal Gavrieli
Dafna Dekel Orna Banai Real-life
Avigdor Lieberman Asi Cohen Real-life
Gabi Ashkenazi Asi Cohen Real-life
Tal Brody Asi Cohen Real-life
Avi Nimni Asi Cohen Real-life
Mohammad Bakri Asi Cohen Real-life
Uri Geller Asi Cohen Real-life
Dedi Dadon Asi Cohen Fictional
Guy Zohar Asi Cohen Real-life
Mooki Asi Cohen Real-life
Yonah Shamir Yuval Semo Parody of Yitzhak Shamir
On Perlin (Olmert's PR advisor) Yuval Semo Fictional
Miri Regev Yuval Semo Real-life
Hassan Nasrallah Yuval Semo Real-life
Mosh Ben Ari Yuval Semo Real-life
Meni Mamtera Yuval Semo Real-life
George W. Bush Maor Cohen Real-life
Arik Einstein Maor Cohen Real-life
Zohar Argov Maor Cohen Real-life
Mosko Alkalai Maor Cohen Real-life
Gilad Tarhan Maor Cohen Parody of Gilad Erdan (to the style of The Mask)
Sofa Landver Shani Cohen Real-life
Dorit Beinisch Shani Cohen Real-life
Anastassia Michaeli Shani Cohen Real-life
Tzipi Livni Shani Cohen Real-life
Limor Livnat Shani Cohen Real-life
Eden Harel Shani Cohen Real-life
Michal HaKtana Shani Cohen Real-life
Miriam Feirberg Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Gidi Gov Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Danny Danon Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Gideon Sa'ar Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Ariel Atias Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Amir Fryszer Guttman Roey Bar Natan Real-life
Bamba's Baby Yaron Barlad Cartoon Character
Netta Barzilai Tom Yaar Real-life
Benny Gantz Lior Ashkenazi (formerly Roey Bar Natan) Real-life
Yoni Rechter Lior Ashkenazi Real-life
Courteney Cox Liat Har Lev Real-life
Anna Zak Liat Har Lev Real-life
Tuvia Tzafir Yaniv Biton Real-life
Yehuda Levi Yaniv Biton Real-life

Notable sketches

[edit]
Angry Birds Peace Treaty shot. A moment before the talks break badly.

In May 2010, a sketch played off tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and American President Barack Obama, with Netanyahu trying to smooth over differences as they meet in the White House. A series of accidents caused Netanyahu to set the American flag on fire, stomp on it, and then torch a copy of Obama's proposed Middle East peace plan.[1]

In November 2010, the group used the video game characters Angry Birds in a mock up peace treaty sketch. The skit satirized recent failed Israeli-Palestinian peace attempts. The video quickly went viral across the world. It received favorable coverage from a variety of independent blogs such as Digital Trends,[6] Hot Air,[7] and Intomobile,[8] as well as from online news media agencies such as The Christian Science Monitor,[9] Haaretz,[10] The Guardian,[11] and MSNBC.[12]

In May 2016, the group created the "ISIS at the Eurovision" sketch.[13]

In 2023, the group produced several viral sketches titled Eretz Nilhemet ("A Warring Country") in the wake of ongoing Israel-Hamas war.[14] The sketches mocked BBC's reporting of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion,[15][16] antisemitism at American universities[17] and the UN Women investigation of sexual violence during the October 7th massacre.[18] Another sketch featuring American comedian Michael Rapaport satirised the 2023 United States Congress hearing on antisemitism.[19] On 13 December 2023 a single "Gaza's sky is black but Qatar is always sunny" was released. The lyrics and video clip are portraying Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashaal and Mousa Abu Marzook as billionaires who live in prosperity in Qatar.

Reactions

[edit]

In a speech on March 21, 2013, President Barack Obama quipped that "any drama between me and my friend, Bibi, over the years was just a plot to create material for Eretz Nehederet. [...] That's the only thing that was going on. We just wanted to make sure the writers had good material."[20]

Canadian journalist and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell discussed the show on his podcast Revisionist History in an episode on satire. Gladwell discusses his own sadness at how American comedians like Tina Fey use satire to mock but never wish to have their point get across, and cites Eretz Nehederet as a key example of political satire done right.[21]

In November 2023, the Eretz Nehederet sketch "Welcome to Columbia Untisemity", commenting on US pro-Palestinian protests at universities amid the Israel–Hamas war, became a viral video on social media, garnering over 11 million views within 24 hours. The sketch featured student characters using the acronym "LGBTQH", with the "H" standing for "Hamas".[22][23] The sketch was praised by some pro-Israel commentators,[24] but also faced criticism for its usage of both anti-LGBT and anti-Arab stereotypes.[25][26][27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Flower, Kevin (19 May 2010). "Israeli TV show attacks taboos with humor". CNN.
  2. ^ "Israeli TV award winners announced". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  3. ^ Barne'a, Or; Shiloni, Smadar (2008-05-07). "Asi Cohen the Funniest in Israel, Again" (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  4. ^ בוקר, רן (2014-01-24). "מה לעזאזל זה כלבוטק?". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  5. ^ "דברים שכדאי לדעת על ארץ נהדרת". mako. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  6. ^ Van Camp, Jeffrey (November 23, 2010). "Israeli Angry Birds satire goes viral". Digital Trends. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  7. ^ "Breakthrough: Peace talks begin to settle bitter longstanding conflict". Hot Air. November 25, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  8. ^ "The Angry Birds Peace Treaty didn't turn out so well". intomobile.com]. November 23, 2010. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  9. ^ Shaer, Matthew (November 29, 2010). "Angry Birds bound for Xbox, PlayStation". Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  10. ^ "Israeli satire show goes viral with Angry Bird take on peace talks". Haaretz. November 22, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  11. ^ Stewart, Keith (November 23, 2010). "Angry Birds Treaty brings casual gaming into the world of satire". The Guardian. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  12. ^ Popkin, Helen A.S. (November 22, 2010). "'Angry Birds' fail to negotiate peace treaty". MSNBC. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  13. ^ "Israeli Satire of ISIS Performing at Eurovision Song Contest Explodes on Social Media (VIDEO)". Algemeiner. 15 May 2016.
  14. ^ Brink, Yaron Ten (2023-12-13). "הם קוסמים: הלוואי שהמציאות הייתה שפויה כמו "ארץ נהדרת"". הם קוסמים: הלוואי שהמציאות הייתה שפויה כמו "ארץ נהדרת" | טיים אאוט (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  15. ^ Strimpel, Zoe (2023-10-29). "The BBC has become a global laughing stock, but the joke isn't funny". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  16. ^ McGrath, Ciaran (2023-10-27). "BBC mocked by Israeli comedians over reporting of Gaza hospital bombing". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  17. ^ *"Israel's "SNL" takes aim at American college campuses". CBS News. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  18. ^
  19. ^ Kornick, Lindsay (2023-12-12). "Comedian Michael Rapaport stars in Israeli 'Harry Potter' parody of college presidents' antisemitism testimony". Fox News. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  20. ^ Remarks of President Barack Obama To the People of Israel
  21. ^ Gladwell, Malcolm (17 August 2016). "The Satire Paradox". Revisionist History, S1 Ep10.
  22. ^ "Israeli show's satirizing of US student support for Hamas goes viral". Times of Israel. 2023-11-06.
  23. ^ Lyons, Emmett (2023-11-10). "Israel's "SNL" takes aim at American college campuses". CBS News.
  24. ^ Klein, Zvika (2024-05-17). "Editor's Notes: Satire is the best tool against campus hypocrisy". The Jerusalem Post.
  25. ^ Mitchell, Schuyler (2024-04-30). "Pinkwashing the Timeline". The Baffler.
  26. ^ Lloyd, Sophie (2024-01-09). "'Stranger Things' Boycott Calls Grow Over Noah Schnapp". Newsweek.
  27. ^ Lecourbe, Mathias (2023-11-08). "Israël diffuse un sketch homophobe pour discréditer les LGBT solidaires de Gaza". Revolution Permanente (in French).
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eretz_Nehederet&oldid=1255209228"