Joan Juliet Buck | 04/03/2009 11:00 am

Joan Juliet Buck: Who Does Bernard Madoff Remind You Of?

I have been wondering who Bernard Madoff reminds me of. Because, for all his evil deeds, there was something weirdly attractive and reassuring about his demeanor.

I wondered what it was. The flyaway gray hair, the tight line of the mouth — who did he look like? What was this strange, almost historic elegance? Why did his face — dear God! — reassure me? Why did the face of this criminal stranger look so intensely familiar, as if I had seen it every single day?

Oh my God …

Madoff/Dollar Bill © AP/Wikipedia

Read more about: Bernard Madoff, George Washington, Money, Resemblance

107 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Shylock wasn’t a shyster like Madoff. Did you have to continue that tired blood libel?

By Bella Stander on 04/03/2009 6:00 pm

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I am Jewish, and … Shylock has become a term for a person who is disreputable in business dealings. The fact that both Shylock and Madoff were Jewish makes it an obvious analogy. Shakespeare was not anti-Semitic, and neither am I.

By Margo Howard on 04/03/2009 6:28 pm

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Margo, I know that you are not anti-Semitic, but I would disagree about Shakespeare. And, regardless of whether he was or not, "Shylock" is a stereotype used by anti-Semites to demean Jews as greedy and malicious. Particularly in relation to someone who is greedy, malicious and Jewish, I would hesitate to use that conjure up that sort of imagery. Just my two cents. :)

By Rachel F on 04/03/2009 7:23 pm

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greedy, malicious and Jewish,

Um, sounds like Bernie Madoff to me.

By Margo Howard on 04/03/2009 9:27 pm

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Margo, My husband and I agree with you 100%! You go Girl!!! Call it like you see it!

By E Stone on 04/03/2009 10:47 pm

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I agree although the Jewish part seems irrelevant or unnecessary. Or so says my politically correct side. No need to add further to stereotypes. The press seems to be avoiding it. Instead of media calling it a malicious, downright dirty (albeit brilliant) scam perpetuated against innocent people/orgs it gets called a romanticized name "The Ponzi Scheme". Who are they trying to protect here? I swear the first time I heard it I thought they said "Pond’s Eye". LOL At least that would have been more fitting. The middle of the scummiest part of the pond.

I’d love to do a Leno street survey on this one. How many non-Jews have ever heard of Shylock? Is he just an infamous Jew that Jews learn about or was I just totally out to lunch the day he came up in history. Oh Wait! I grew up in a small town in the midwest where Jews essentially don’t exist in history or real life unless you move. Except brief mention of the Holocaust or whatever is current in the news.

By Lym BO on 04/03/2009 11:56 pm

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Actually, anyone who is well versed in Shakespeare, Jewish or not, knows who Shylock is. And I have heard the term used for peopeople who are not Jewish but are still greedy and malicious. It is a term that I have come to realize is fitting for just about anyone that cons, steals or otherwise seeks to gain from others leaving them to misfortune without so much as a care. And that covers various people of any race, religion or crede. It saddens me that people turn every little comment into a stereotype, even when they are not meant that way. I think Margo said nothing offensive and was well within her rights to make the comparision in this case.

By Shannon T on 04/04/2009 8:24 am

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Shannon, Thanks for the education. I really didn’t read much Shakespeare. I did not think Margo’s comment was offensive if that was directed at me. There is always that thin line of what is politically correct. It has seemed to become so strong that even mentioning someone else’s race or religion is cause for hesitation. Let’s turn the tables here. If, say, George W Bush had said it or even Obama. There would be all sorts of comment about how it was anti-semitic… It is was it is, an accurate comparison, but words get misconstrued by those wishing to stir up trouble.

By Lym BO on 04/04/2009 11:32 am

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Agreed. But any dangerous stereotype has someone, somewhere, who fits it; the problem can come with associating someone who fits the stereotype with the stereotype — because certain stereotypes have proved so dangerous to people who *don’t* fit the stereotype, but are perceived to fit it. The Shylock/"evil, greedy Jew" stereotype was lethal to Jews throughout history, which is why I hesitate to tie it to any Jew. Just my opinion. :-)

By Rachel F on 04/04/2009 1:02 pm

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Hi Rachel - I’ll just respond by saying that I believe that Shakespeare’s intention was not to have this one character be the representation of the entirety of the Jews in his time. Shylock was a complex victim - a product of his own flawed human nature as well as the particular prejudice and brutality of his time in history. If people today will hold such a character up as an example to further their own bigotry it really own serves to prove that they are ignorant.

By E . on 04/04/2009 12:21 pm

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If people today will hold such a character up as an example to further their own bigotry it really only serves to prove that they are ignorant.

By E . on 04/04/2009 12:23 pm

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Shylock wanted what was rightfully his, according to a contract that Antonio made with him. Madoff took what was rightfully MINE. There is no comparison and none should be made. Use of "Shylock" in this context perpetuates ignorance and an often-used (and an often-misused, as in this case) canard.

By Sam Mirando on 04/04/2009 7:18 pm

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Yes, it was kind of odd many people did not get this. So jumping on the PC bandwagon, you didn’t know Margo is Jewish (or didn’t bother to think) and apparently never read, or heard, the play. Or maybe did not understand it. Shylock is a perfect analogy, please educate yourselves before you post opinions. There was no anti-Semitic slur at all, by either Shakespeare (if you actually read it) or Margo. it was a spot on literary reference, by a very smart woman.

By Pamela Jenkins on 04/04/2009 3:09 pm

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Writing as a Jew and a victim of the Madoff scam, I draw your attention to the fact that it is far from a perfect analogy. Madoff is a THIEF and Shylock was not a thief and no suggestion is ever made, in "The Merchant of Venice," that he is a thief. The play centers around his trying to get what was rightfully his, according to a contract made with Antonio who defaulted on repayment of the loan that Shylock made to him.

Shylock was a moneylender who made a contract with Antonio. Antonio was unable to repay the money that he borrowed, in full knowledge of and in agreement with a contract that he made with Shylock, and Shylock wanted his money back or, as specified by the contract, his pound of flesh. Shylock wanted what was rightfully his; Madoff took what was rightfully mine.

By Sam Mirando on 04/04/2009 7:15 pm

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Pamela, you’re wrong on both counts. I’ve read (and understood…) the play, and I knew that Margo is Jewish. I never implied or tried to imply that her comment was meant as anti-Semitism. My only caution, as Sam also indicated, was that this grew into a stereotype that was and is still used to paint Jews as greedy, mallicious people "out for a pound of flesh".

By Rachel F on 04/04/2009 8:42 pm