Robbie Williams: “I Feel More Jewish Than I Feel Catholic”
David Lange
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Singer Robbie Williams, who is to play in Tel Aviv May 31st this year, was recently interviewed by Israel’s Walla.
And while I already knew he loved Israel and certain Israeli singers, the interview reveals he married a Jew (apparently this is old news), his children are Jewish, and he has considered converting to Judaism.
As a person who shares a house with five Jews, do you know the meaning of the word “chutzpah”?
“Yes, sure, I have chutzpah (in Hebrew – AS). Sure.”
So let me ask you a cheeky question, as a father of four Jewish children, how much Judaism is felt in your home? Is there a Jewish holiday that you particularly like?
“We do Hanukkah (he says the name of the holiday several times, until he manages to pronounce it in impressive Hebrew – AS) and also “Pesach” from time to time. The truth is that I asked to do Hanukkah this year, because we both made atonement for our faith in our religions. I’m a Catholic who distanced myself from religion, and she (his wife Ida – AS) is a Jew who distanced herself from religion – but it’s important for us to have a tribe. It’s important for us to have a sense of belonging.”
So your tribe is Catholic-Jewish?
“Yes totally”.
Cool combination.
“You know, I feel more Jewish than I feel Catholic. I even looked into the possibility of converting.”
Really?!
“Yes, yes, but it just takes too much time, so I decided to simply identify as a Jew.”
Well, it is accepted today to identify as something different from what you were born with.
“That’s exactly what I do.”
And you also probably know what conversion involves… you have to chop off a certain piece from a very specific area of the body.
“Noooo! (Robbie cries out in pain – AS) No no no, I’ll just identify as a Jew.”
This is really the most painless way.
“That’s it, I’m in. But please write ‘Robbie said it with a twinkle in his eye’ because that sentence can easily be taken out of context. I can just imagine the headlines: ‘Robbie Williams identifies as Jewish’. And suddenly I’m Sam Smith. That’s totally fine for for Sam Smith. I identify as a Jew but I also identify as Cristiano Ronaldo.”
If only Roger Waters had known this earlier. He could have saved some ink.
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David Lange
