Latest news with #MerchantOfVenice
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Joseph Fiennes seen on set for first time as he takes on role of England legend
Shakespeare In Love actor Joseph Fiennes plays former England manager Gareth Southgate in the upcoming four-part miniseries, Dear England Shakespeare In Love actor Joseph Fiennes looked unbelievable as he transformed into former England boss Gareth Southgate for the new mini series, Dear England. The 55-year-old BAFTA winner was pictured on the set of the upcoming BBC adaptation of James Graham's play. Joseph, who is playing Gareth in the four-part series, kept a low profile as he rocked a black polo shirt, a navy jacket and a dark green baseball cap. The Merchant Of Venice star grew out his hair to better transform into the football star. Dear England, which focuses on football manager Gareth, explores the pressures of elite sport and the role of the national men's football team in the national psyche. The original play, which is being made into a four-part series, explores how Southgate helped to change notions of masculinity on the England team. Joseph also starred in the play, which opened in 2023 at the National Theatre in London. The title of the play came from the letter Gareth wrote to England fans during the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. Dear England won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2024, with Will Close winning an award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for his portrayal of Harry Kane. The play's synopsis reads: "The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can't England's men win at their own game? "With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land." Gareth stood down in the summer after eight years in charge as England manager and his services to the game earned him a knighthood in the New Year 's Honours list. The star said earlier this year: 'After stepping down as England manager following eight very special years, I've been reflecting on what I have lived through and what comes next. 'Coaching top players and playing against some of the best teams in the world pushed me to operate at the highest level in football. 'Rather than write a memoir of those times I decided to share my experiences in a different way, through the lens of leadership which I hope will provide lessons for anyone who wants to discover their own authentic leadership style.'
Fox News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump defends use of ‘shylock' term at rally amid antisemitism claims
President Donald Trump has defended his use of the term "shylock" at a rally this week, saying he was unaware it is considered antisemitic by some people. Trump used the term in his speech in Iowa on Thursday, shortly after his signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by Congress earlier in the day. Shylock is the name of the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor. Over time, the name came to be used more broadly to refer to a loan shark or greedy moneylender. Today, it can be considered an antisemitic slur, particularly when used in reference to Jewish people. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, shylocks and bad people," Trump said, while referring to the bill's elimination of estate taxes and borrowing burdens. The term did not provoke any reaction from the crowd, but his remark quickly blew up online, and he later defended using it when a reporter said it is widely considered an antiemetic phrase. "No I've never heard it that way," Trump responded. "To me, a shylock is somebody that's a moneylender at high rates. I've never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I've never heard that." The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which works to combat antisemitism, said the term evokes "a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous." "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible," the ADL wrote in a statement Friday. "It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." Rep. Jerry Nadler, D- N.Y., who is Jewish, agreed and ripped Trump for using the term. "The term 'Shylock' is one of the most recognizable antisemitic slurs in the English language," Nadler wrote on X. "It's a centuries-old trope that has fueled discrimination, hatred and violence against Jews for generations. I condemn Donald Trump's dangerous use of this blatantly antisemitic slur and his long history of trafficking in antisemitic tropes." Nadler went on to say that Trump has exploited the rise of antisemitism to suppress free speech and that he isn't serious about tackling the problem. Conservative political commentator John Podhoretz, who is also Jewish, shot back at Nadler. "I condemn your endorsement of an anti-Semitic mayoral candidate which you did because you are a pusillanimous coward," Podhoretz wrote, in reference to Nadler endorsing Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. "At best Trump said Shylock the same week he destroyed Iran's nuclear program. What have you ever done for the Jews, Jerry?" Trump has made tackling antisemitism — particularly on college campuses and through immigration enforcement — a top priority in his campaign. He signed an executive order in January mandating that all federal agencies identify and apply tools to address antisemitic harassment and violence in higher education. His administration has also launched investigations into universities including Harvard, Columbia, and UC Berkeley over allegations of antisemitism and has threatened to pull federal funding if they fail to act. His daughter Ivanka converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2009 and is married to Jared Kushner, who is also Jewish. Democrat Joe Biden, while vice president, said in 2014 that he had made a "poor choice" of words a day after he used the term in remarks to a legal aid group.
Reuters
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Trump criticized for using antisemitic 'Shylock' to describe bankers
WASHINGTON, July 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump drew criticism for using the antisemitic term "Shylock" to describe some bankers during remarks on his signature tax-cut and spending legislation that just passed Congress. "Think of that: No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker - and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,' he said during remarks in Iowa late on Thursday. Shylock is an unscrupulous Jewish money lender in Shakespeare's 16th century play "The Merchant of Venice" and the term, shorthand for loan shark, has long been considered offensive. "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous," the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement. "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible." U.S. Representative Dan Goldman of New York, a Jewish Democrat, said, "This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing." Asked about his use of the term on his return to Washington, Trump said he did not know its connotations. "No, I've never heard it that way. To be Shylock is somebody that, say, a money lender at high rates," he told reporters on Air Force One. "I've never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I've never heard that."
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Pleads Ignorance After Using Antisemitic Slur at His Rally
Donald Trump has defended using an antisemitic slur during a speech, claiming he had 'never heard' it used as an attack on Jewish people before. Trump was asked about his use of the term 'Shylocks'–a reference to the Jewish moneylender in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, who famously demands a 'pound of flesh' from another character who cannot repay a loan—after he spoke Thursday at a rally celebrating the 250th anniversary of America's independence in Des Moines, Iowa. 'No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,' Trump told the crowd while praising his 'Big Beautiful' spending bill, which the House passed Thursday. Speaking to reporters after disembarking from Air Force One in Maryland, Trump claimed his use of the word differs from the meaning the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) describes as a 'centuries-old antisemitic trope' that plays on negative stereotypes about Jewish people and money. The antisemitism watchdog called the trope 'extremely offensive and dangerous.' 'The meaning of Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates,' Trump said, according to The Washington Post. 'You view it differently. I've never heard that.' Trump received widespread condemnation for his remarks, with the ADL calling the president's casual use of the term 'troubling and irresponsible.' 'It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country,' an ADL spokesperson told Newsweek. 'Words from our leaders matter, and we expect more from the president of the United States.' Rep. Daniel Goldman of New York, who is Jewish, posted on X that the president's comments were 'blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing.' This is not the first time Trump has been accused of pushing anti-Jewish tropes. In September 2024, during a 'Fighting Anti-Semitism in America' event in Washington, D.C., Trump suggested Jewish people 'would have a lot to do' with him potentially losing the last election, a comment accused of scapegoating Jews. During his first term, Trump also said Jews who vote for Democrats are guilty of 'great disloyalty'—a phrase reminiscent of the antisemitic trope that Jewish people are more loyal to Israel than to their own country. In 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden also faced criticism for using the word 'Shylocks' to describe exploitative moneylenders. Biden later apologized, calling it a 'poor choice of words.' The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump says he had ‘never heard' Shylock as an anti-semitic term after using it at rally
President Donald Trump said early Friday that he wasn't aware that some people view the word 'Shylock' as antisemitic after using the term during a rally to decry amoral money lenders. 'I've never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates,' Trump told reporters after getting off Air Force One. 'I've never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. I've never heard that.' Trump was arriving back in Washington after an event in Iowa marking the kick-off to nationwide celebrations marking the country's 250th anniversary next year. In his speech, he used the word when touting aspects of the major domestic policy bill that had been approved by Congress a few hours earlier. 'Think of that: no death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowings from in some cases a fine banker. And in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,' he said during his event in Des Moines. 'They took away a lot of, a lot of family. They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite.' The name 'Shylock' derives from the name of the antagonist in William Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice.' Shylock, a Jew, was a ruthless moneylender in the play, and he's remembered for demanding a 'pound of flesh' from the merchant Antonio if he failed to repay a loan. The Anti-Defamation League condemned Trump's use of the word Friday morning. 'The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible,' the organization wrote in a statement on X. 'It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States.' Then-Vice President Joe Biden apologized for using the word in 2014 after the ADL's national director at the time issued a mild rebuke of his use of the word, saying Biden 'should have been more careful.' Biden made the reference in a speech while recalling anecdotes from his son's experience serving in Iraq and meeting members of the military who were in need of legal help because of problems back at home. 'I mean these Shylocks who took advantage of, um, these women and men while overseas,' he said. Some Democrats were quick to criticize Trump's use of the word on Thursday. 'This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing,' Rep. Daniel Goldman of New York wrote on social media. 'Anyone who truly opposes antisemitism calls it out wherever it occurs — on both extremes — as I do.' Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said on social media: 'Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it's deeply dangerous.'
