Howard Gordon of Homeland: What’s the deal omitting Israel?

As the Jewish Journal’s Danielle Berrin so aptly pointed out in her Hollywood Jew blog on the ” title=”my last blog” target=”_blank”>my last blog.

You mentioned many of your collaborators—but what about the most important one?—Gideon Raff—who created “Hatufim” (“Prisoners of War”), the Israeli television drama that inspired “Homeland.” This omission is disturbing on several levels. First of all, it is disrespectful of the creative process not to credit the innovator of the seed show and, might I add, an executive producer. Second, this would have been a perfect opportunity to showcase Israel’s contributions to Hollywood. It’s not your job to be an Israel spokesperson—your job is to make good TV—but come on? It wouldn’t have hurt.

Were you afraid of mentioning the “bad word” “Israel” to a crowd likely consisting mostly of Hollywood liberals who erroneously view Israel as an oppressive “Occupier”? Were you afraid of making it glaringly public that this show wasn’t your original idea? Or did you just forget, the way Claire Danes forgot to mention her mother when she won the Golden Globe in 1995 for her work on “My So Called Life.”

I’d like to give you the benefit of the doubt. It would be nice if you could explain yourself at your talk at