Q&A With Heeb’s Josh Neuman

Josh Neuman is the publisher of Heeb magazine, which offers an irreverent and often satirical take on the intersection of American Jewish life and popular culture. He talks here about the rumors that Heeb is folding, what sort of Jews you find in Hollywood and why he once dressed Roseanne Barr as Hitler.

Jewish Journal: Earlier this month, Gawker reported that Heeb was on “deathwatch” and the blogosphere became awash in rumors that Heeb was closing. Rumors you’ve only sort of denied.
Josh Neuman: It’s been hard for a long time. Everyone [at Heeb] feels like we’ve been on the deathwatch for seven years.

JJ: So why is it being reported now?
JN: Literally, some intern I yelled at for not putting enough sugar in my latte called Gawker and said that they heard Heeb is going out of business. It’s not a bad wager to bet against an independent lifestyle magazine that targets a fraction of 2 percent of the American population and devotes their energy to producing a high-quality glossy. That being said, it’s been a particularly good month for us otherwise.

JJ: We last caught up with Heeb when you were launching your West Coast presence with The Hollywood Issue. Now you’re gearing up for a