Jewish New Media Fellow Spotlight: Caroline Hawthorne

It is my sincerest pleasure to introduce one of our Jewish New Media Fellows! Her name is Caroline Hawthorne, and she is one hilarious young woman.

I’ll back up for a second. What is a Jewish New Media Fellow? Beginning in the summer of 2022, PJFM teamed up with Tribe 12 to start a Jewish New Media Fellowship. Three applicants, all sharing a love of creative digital media content, were selected under the tutelage of both organizations and Elaine Lindy, PJFM’s Presenting Sponsor. Each Fellow crafted together an original, virtual initiative with a Jewish angle to engage peers (publicly) through social media. The essential goal of the fellowship was to select one type or a collection of new media platforms – such as YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, etc. – and come up with their own content for not just PJFM and Tribe 12’s viewers but ALL viewers who are as obsessed with new media as I am, at least.

New media, as you may take it, has become a part of everyday life. Obviously, we’ve had versions of it, like Instagram and YouTube, for quite a while now, but being stuck at home during lockdown was a catalyst for the emergence of new and up-and-coming digital content creators. They’re everywhere now. Individuals from around the globe are becoming celebrities by simply taking their phone and recording their own content.

Caroline Hawthorne, in my opinion, has become a celebrity herself. A graduate of Oklahoma City University for acting and Los Angeles County High School of the Arts for classical voice, she is a multi-disciplinary artist, her work ranging from singing to composing to stand-up. Caroline’s solo musical comedy, The Slutty Virgin, premiered at the Playground Solo Festival in San Francisco. She was a Steel City Arts Foundation Resident for comedy and the company composer for the 24 Hour Play Nationals in New York in 2022. She was also an apprentice at Commonweal Theatre Company where she acted in The Fox and Peter and the Starcatcher. Actually, Caroline worked with PJFM before back in 2020, in collaboration with Roxie Roz Burlesque for her musical comedy piece, The Ben Shapiro Song.

For the Fellowship, Caroline is using her naturally comic sense of humor to create Babushka and Billie, a scripted TikTok and YouTube series starring herself in two roles. The plot follows Billie, a young woman has no choice but to live with her eccentric, Jewish grandmother, Babushka, after getting kicked out of grad school. Together, they start an online baking series, causing Babushka to bond with her granddaughter, and Billie to connect with her Judaism. Funny, kooky, and heartwarming, Babushka and Billie is the story of connecting through a generational divide.

And that’s not all Caroline is doing! Every other week, Caroline reviews the 50 Greatest Jewish Movies of all time, according to film critic Kathryn Bernheimer on PJFM’s own TikTok. Movies are judged on quality, as well as Jewishness (rated in matzah balls, of course).

Stay tuned for the latest on Babushka and Billie. And if you haven’t already, follow us on TikTok! Trust me when I say that Caroline does not disappoint.

Check out my interview with her below.

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So Caroline, tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do?

I am a New Media Fellow for Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media. Currently, I run the PhillyJFM TikTok channel, where I am reviewing the top 50 Jewish movies of all time, according to film critic Kathryn Bernheimer, who is the founder of the Boulder Jewish Film Festival.

What has it been like being a part of the Jewish New Media Fellowship?

I’ve really loved it. It’s been a blast to run the TikTok page, and it’s been powerful to see people connecting with the reviews. When you share your opinions on art, it creates a space for people to share their own experiences. A video comment section is now a discussion board for the future of Jewish creation. People need community more than ever, and the channel provides that.

Tell us a little bit about your project.

Aside from my reviews, I am creating a web series called Babushka and Billie. It’s primarily a comedy about a young woman who has to move in with her eccentric, Diet-Coke obsessed Jewish grandmother. Together, they start an online baking series, which helps Babushka connect with her granddaughter, and Billie connect with her Judaism.

How important do you think new media is in everyday life?

New media has progressed from just email. It is now a tool for art, business, and connection. In the same way we study old theatre and films, we will one day study Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Historians will one day look through Tumblr, and it will be used to evaluate what the 2000s represented. That’s beautiful and terrifying.

Is there a digital content creator who you’re a big fan of at the moment?

There are two TikTokers I stop for. @anakrutch creates these incredible drawings with these utterly heartbreaking stories. And then there’s @craftwytch, who makes ice cream. These are the two sides of my personality.

Totally non-Fellowship related question: what’s your favorite movie?

A fun fact about me: I worked at a movie theatre one summer (RIP Arclight). We had to wear a nametag with our favorite movie, and I put Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises on mine. (I am aware it is a pretentious answer, but it’s the best film going experience I’ve ever had.)

Follow PJFM’s TikTok channel HERE for Caroline’s exclusive content and upcoming series, BABUSHKA and BILLIE.

By Matthew Bussy, Program Director of PJFM