Sometimes tradition is best served with a side of fries.
A new documentary short about a group of California senior citizens who hold their weekly Shabbat dinner at a local Wendy's is a mother-daughter-granddaughter collaboration.
The first-time director Rachel Myers' "Wendy's Shabbat" is about her 88-year-old grandmother Roberta Mahler's search for community after her husband's death.
"I didn't know how she was going to be on camera and it turns out she was sassy and comedic," said Myers in an interview Friday with Cheddar.
Mahler's dinners typically drew about 20 people from her Palm Desert, Calif., neighborhood. Myers said the film is striking a chord with audiences around the country, and is even inspiring some to hold similar gatherings at local restaurants.
"I think that the reason the movie has resonated is because often seniors are not seen on camera in this way, " said Myers. "The seniors in our films are finding the possibility and opportunity in the everyday."
Mahler said the tradition is still "going strong," thanks in part to its convenience.
"You go there, have whatever you want, walk out, no mess, no kitchen to worry about or clean up, it's great," she said.
No, the fast-food offerings are not in line with Kosher guidelines, but Myers said her family is not religiously observant.
For her directorial debut, Myers teamed up with her mother, who served as producer on the film, making the project a three-generation family affair.
"It's been really delightful to discover this other side of my mother and grandmother and have this connection," Myers said about making the documentary.
"Wendy's Shabbat" was scheduled to have its New York debut at the TriBeCa Film Festival on Saturday, April 21.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-unorthodox-tradition-of-wendys-shabbat).
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
While Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, it's also a time to reflect on how they can be better heard and supported.
Black Americans are still fighting for voting rights, facing more severe impacts from COVID-19, and experiencing gaps in workforce representation and pay. Alexandra Schrecengost, hybrid work expert and CEO of "Virtual With Us" and "Culture With Us,' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Premio Lo Nuestro 2022 is kicking off awards season this month with its 34th show. The star-studded event will include performances from Pitbull, Luis Fonsi — and even Sting with his new Spanish-language single "Por Su Amor." Ignacio Meyer, the vice president of music and non-scripted entertainment, Univision, joined Cheddar News to talk about the music award show details. "We’ve actually still got plenty of surprises that were going to be announcing," Meyer said. "We're not done announcing the star power just yet." Singer Camilo leads with 10 nominations going into the event.
Black spending power reached a record $1.6 Trillion in a 2021 report from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. Ayesha Selden, certified financial planner, breaks down why real estate is the key to closing the racial wealth gap and how Black Americans are using social media to improve financial literacy. "If we look at home ownership as being a primary driver of wealth, when you look at the equity that Americans have in their homes, that equity can be used to buy additional assets like other rental properties. That equity can be used to educate our children," Selden said, noting that lower rates of home ownership meant Black Americans tend to incur more debt on average for their student loans.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, discusses the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today; Kendall Becker, fashion editor and trend forecaster, forecasts the hottest trends of 2022, and what will be left in 2021; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Going Circular.'
Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today.
A new survey from Etoro suggests that talking crypto might actually help Americans on the dating scene find love...or at least land another date. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be more interested in going on a second date with a person that pays the bill in Bitcoin. Callie Cox, Etoro's U.S. investment analyst, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
