One sexy Jew

Paul Rudd, the 52-year-old Jewish movie star whose original family name was Rudnitsky, has been named People magazine’s “sexiest man alive” for 2021. “There are so many people that should get this before me,” he humbly told the mag. Previous Jewish (or Jew-ish) sexy men in the People winner’s circle include David Beckham, Harrison Ford and Adam Levine.

In more Rudd news, he has a new movie out. Yes, “Ghostbusters” has risen from the dead (again) with the new film “Ghostbusters; Afterlife.” The original 1984 film and the first sequel in 1989, both co-written by and starring Harold Ramis, were directed by Ivan Reitman; his son, Jason Reitman, took the helm for “Afterlife,” which premiered in New York City on Nov. 15. Reitman the younger told the Hollywood Reporter he made the film for his father and for Ramis’ family; Harold died in 2014 at age 69.

‘Fleishman’: It’s about a Jew

Can you think of a more Jewish book title than “Fleishman is in Trouble”? Well, the 2019 novel by journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner is getting even more Jewish. The TV adaptation will star Jesse Eisenberg and Lizzy Caplan, as the title character and the narrating character respectively. “This is a book about a Jew in New York,” Brodesser-Akner told Kveller in 2019.

Reality can be messy

Being on TV can’t solve everything. Batsheva Haart, daughter of fashion executive Julia Haart, whose splashy reality show “My Unorthodox Life” was a hit on Netflix, has separated from her husband Ben Weinstein. The two were married at 19 after a traditional yeshivish courtship, but both followed Julia out of their Monsey world and into a glittering, and decidedly less observant, Manhattan life. Just in time for season two?

King is crowned — again

Carole King, 71, has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame … again. Thirty years ago, she got in as a songwriter (she co-wrote “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “The Loco-Motion,” for example), but now she’s there as a performer as well, in recognition of her incredible solo career, including her hit album from 1971, “Tapestry.” “It was amazing. I mean, just to feel the love,” she told Rolling Stone backstage at the ceremony.

‘Who the hell’ is Mel Brooks?

Vulture has excerpted part of an upcoming autobiography by Mel Brooks, 95, in which he talks about the late Anne Bancroft, his wife. The first time he saw her was at a rehearsal for a cabaret-style show. Brooks was blown away from the first moment, he said. “When the song was over, I leapt to my feet, applauded madly and shouted, ‘Anne Bancroft! I love you!’” he wrote. “She laughed and shouted back, ‘Who the hell are you?’”