Lawrence (Laurie) Baron, now retired, served as the Nasatir Professor of Modern Jewish History at San Diego State University. He served from 1988 to 2006 as director of SDSU’s Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies. He was the founder in 1995 of the Western Jewish Studies Association.
He writes two satire columns for San Diego Jewish World: “Humoring the Headlines” under his byline, and “Hounding the Headlines,” under the byline of his dog Elona.
Books to his credit, available on Amazon, include:
Projecting the Holocaust into the Present: The Changing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust Cinema
The Modern Jewish Experience in World Cinema
The eclectic anarchism of Erich Muhsam (Men & movements in the history & philosophy of anarchism)
His most recent articles are:
“Making Room for the Jews: The House I Live In (1945),” AJS Perspectives, Summer 2023, 86-88.
“The Revolt of Job: Salvaging the Lost World of Rural Hungarian Hasidim,” Journal of Jewish Identities, 16:1-2 (January/July 2023), 181-198.
“Persistent Parallels, Resistant Particularities: Holocaust Analogies and Avoidance in Armenian Genocide Centennial Cinema, in Armenian and Jewish Experience between Expulsion and Destruction, ed. Sarah M. Ross and Regina Randhofer (Berlin: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2021), 267-296.
“The Pioneering American Jewish Women Directors from Elaine May to Claudia Weill,” Jews and Gender (Studies in Jewish Civilization), ed. Leonard Greenspoon (W. Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2021), 217-243.
By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―President Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union Address on Tuesday. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will give the Republican response to the speech. Mike Lee will follow her with the Tea Party response to the Address. Finally, Rand Paul will follow him with a speech representing his idiosyncratic perspective. If […]
Humoring the headlines: January 27, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-The Russian police have alerted spectators at the Sochi Olympics to be on the outlook for several “Black Widow Terrorists, women from Dagestan whose husbands were killed by Russian anti-terrorist squads. There are posters throughout the Olympic venues informing spectators how to identify these women: If you meet a woman on
Humoring the headlines: January 24, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-The Vatican announced that 384 priests were defrocked between 2011 and 2012 for sexual abuse of children. The children whom they abused will have a chance confront their molesters in the new reality show “Meet the Frockers.” * French President Francois Hollande has been caught on camera having an affair with
Humoring the headlines: January 20, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-Many department stores are holding special sales this weekend in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Somewhere in heaven, Martin Luther King is looking down and asking, “Was it worth the cost of sacrificing my life so American shoppers can save a few bucks to celebrate my birthday?” Overhearing Martin, Jesus
Humoring the headlines: January 17, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―A chemical used to clean coal has polluted the drinking water in West Virginia. The company responsible for the spill encouraged coal miners to use the water for baths and showers to remove the coal dust clinging to their skin. Natural gas companies exploited the crisis to tout the benefits of
Humoring the Headlines: January 13, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―New Jersey Governor Chris Christie apologized for one of his aides ordering the closure of the George Washington Bridge’s entrance and exit lanes to and from Fort Lee, New Jersey, as a political reprisal either against the city’s Democratic mayor or the state’s Democratic Senate. Although Christie hopes to weather the
Humoring the Headlines: January 10, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Jahi McMath’s parents won their law suit to transfer their daughter from the hospital that declared her brain dead and planned to terminate her life-support systems to another hospital which has agreed to keep her alive. The McMaths are confident their insurance will cover the additional expenses because it is no
Humoring the Headlines: January 6, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO–Since I love most Coen brothers’ movies, I looked forward to seeing Inside Llewyn Davis. The film’s theme, the folk music revival at the beginning of the 1960s, heightened my anticipation. I fondly recalled my weekly L trips to the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago for guitar lessons
The Wandering Review: ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ Read More »
Lawrence BaronBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford announced he will run for reelection. He pledges to top his first term by getting addicted to heroin, changing the name of the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Toronto Hashish Consumers, aka as the THCs, and promoting the city as a great place to eat out.
Humoring the Headlines, January 3, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―The Affordable Health Care Act mandates that vending machines indicate the number of calories next to each of its products. Since research indicates that many people ignore such information, Health and Human Services is considering posting a photograph of Chris Christie on the containers for high caloric snacks and sodas. *
Humoring the headlines: December 31, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron NORTH POLE― Unbeknownst to the public, this Christmas was Santa’s last. The rotund elderly man realizes he can no longer compete with modern technology and world capitalism. He is eager to slow down and collect Social Security and Medicare. The reindeer and sleigh are quaint, but way too slow and small compared
Humoring the Headlines: December 27, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Al Qaeda issued an apology for attacking a hospital in Yemen which it erroneously thought was the country’s defense ministry. Its spokesman explained that under the organization’s Osama Care policy, it guarantees medical treatment to anyone who manages to survive bombings carried out by its members. * Hackers compromised the credit
Humoring the headlines: December 23, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―President Obama appointed the American delegation to the Winter Olympics. To protest Russia’s laws against homosexuals, he included the openly gay tennis champion Billie Jean King and two-time women’s hockey medalist Caitlin Cahow in its ranks. To add insult to injury, he has recruited the Village People to sing “YMCA” instead
Humoring the Headlines: December 20, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―A federal judge declared that the NSA’s big data surveillance program is unconstitutional. In the holiday spirit, the judge issued his ruling as a Christmas jingle sung to the tune of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” You better not phone. You better not tweet. Even when you’re alone
Humoring the Headlines: December 16, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire