By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
Mockumentary Series; ‘Hillbillies’ & Black Folks Find Their Man in Cincinnati
A regular reader of this column contacted me late in 2024 and told me about the premiere of two new NBC programs: “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” (Feb. 2025) and “St. Denis Medical” (Nov. 2024).
This reader told me years ago that JUSTIN SPITZER, now 47, is Jewish, and she told me that Spitzer’s wife, JENNA BANS, is Jewish, too. Banns created “Grosse Pointe.” I’ll say more about her in a future column.
Bans and Spitzer are TV comedy series writers, TV series creators and producers. Spitzer is best known as the creator of “Superstore,” an NBC comedy hit (2014–2021), and the creator of “St. Denis.” He also wrote 8 episodes of “The Office,” a hit CBS series.
Spitzer also created “American Auto,” an NBC sitcom set in Detroit. It ran for two seasons (2022–2003). Reviews were pretty good, but it just didn’t get the audience NBC wanted.
I did write about the “Superstore Jewish connections” when it began (Spitzer, and series star BEN FELDMAN). I should have wrote more about it — every season it got better reviews, and more viewers.
I didn’t write about “St. Denis” because it had no Jewish actors and, frankly, it didn’t amuse me. It is a mockumentary series — the St. Denis characters talk to an invisible documentary filmmaker.
You probably know that “The Office” was a funny mockumentary series and there are a number of very funny mockumentary films. I loved “Spinal Tap” (ROB REINER, director, writer, actor) and “Best in Show” (CHRISTOPHER GUEST, director, writer, actor).
“St. Denis” was not nearly as funny, I thought, as my ‘faves’ listed above. Then I recently looked at “St. Denis” audience comments. About half of the viewers think it’s really funny, and almost all say the acting is good.
I have come to realize that reasonable minds can differ about “St. Denis.” It’s now in its second season and it’s possible it can get better, like “Superstore.”
I also noticed that there are very few sit-coms now on ABC, NBC and CBS. NBC’s sitcoms are “St. Denis,” “Stumble,” “Happy’s Place” and “The Paper” (ran first on Peacock). “Happy’s Place” is the only one that’s not a mockumentary.
I join the many critics who say that the mockumentary is a pretty “burnt-out” plot gimmick — and, oy, they have to be really funny to be fresh.
I looked up “Stumble,” which premiered on Nov. 7. This mockumentary focuses on a female cheerleader coach who tries to turn some inexperienced junior college cheerleaders into champions.
“Stumble,” I learned, was co-created by JEFF ASTROF, 59, and his sister, LIZ ASTROF. He’s a rare thing: an observant Orthodox Jew who has written comedies for TV since 1992!
Liz has a lot of credits, too, (writing, producing). Liz isn’t Orthodox. She wrote an interesting story, online, about going to his home for Rosh Hashanah and meeting many of her brother’s Orthodox friends.
Anyway, ‘just Google’ Jeff Astrof and you’ll find many references to awards he got from Jewish organizations — and his work with Jewish organizations. Yes, his wife is Jewish and they have two children.
About two weeks ago, I stumbled on a new PBS documentary online. It is entitled “King of Them All: The Story of King Records.” I loved this documentary.
I found out this documentary played for one day in October on PBS stations. You can watch it on the PBS website or the PBS app. It’s free now. If you are not a PBS member, watch it now! (PBS memberships are $5 a month).
I didn’t know there was a major rock, soul and country record company in Cincinnati. It was called King Records. The founder and president was SYD NATHAN (1904–1968). He was a high school dropout who worked many jobs before he almost accidentally got into the record business (explained in film).
Nathan once said he wasn’t famous in — or loved in Cincinnati — because he was a Jew who signed up “hillbilly” white musicians (country or bluegrass now) and black people. I gather Nathan wasn’t an exploiter. He didn’t steal his artists’ money. His biggest stars — soul/funk music king James Brown and Hank Ballard — the inventor of the twist dance — were pallbearers at his funeral.
Nathan was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1987 and into (2007) the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
One thing made me laugh: In 1962, James Brown hired guys who recorded a live concert in Harlem and he planned to release it on King Records. Problem was, the recording didn’t capture the audience’s loud vocal reactions. King’s engineers recorded a very noisy sock-rock hop in a “Cincy” suburb — a Jewish teen event — and they took that sound and put it on the Harlem record. It was a huge hit.
