Draft:Stuart Chaseman

Stuart Chaseman (1970–) is a Chicago–based singer–songwriter, small business owner, and reality television celebrity. Coinciding with his 2023 album release, Secrets, Lies, and Alibis, Chaseman became a standout personality and achieved overnight stardom while appearing on the popular Netflix dating reality show called Jewish Matchmaking.

During the show's premiere, which quickly climbed to the third spot in the United States and other country's rankings, Chaseman captivated audiences with his deadpan humor, musical abilities, and strong opinions on social justice issues. The Chicago Sun–Times refers to Chaseman as the man "who found fame but no love on the Netflix show."

Personal Life

Chaseman was born and raised in Chicago and is the only son of Edward and Helene Chaseman. He graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago. Stuart has lived for many years in the Wicker Park section of Chicago but grew up in the Glenview and Buffalo Grove neighborhoods of suburban Chicago.

Jewish Matchmaking

Stuart Chaseman is known by international audiences from his recurring appearances in the hit reality tv dating series Jewish Matchmaking, part of the Netflix Matchmaking Universe, modeled on the successful series called Indian Matchmaking. Both series look to traditional matchmaking practices in an age of frustration, concerns, or lack of success with dating apps and other modern dating rituals. Netflix hired co–executive producer Dean Slotar to help create Jewish Matchmaking, while being as respectful as possible to the Orthodox Jewish community. The host of the show, Aleeza Ben Shalom, is a career matchmaker who travels the world pairing single Jewish people of all ages and levels of religious observance with the intention of marrying. She has helped some 200 people to wed. Stuart Chaseman first heard about open casting for Netflix's Jewish Matchmaking in the fall of 2021 and sent in his application due to his personal interest in working with a Jewish matchmaker. Season 1 of Jewish Matchmaking was dubbed into five languages with subtitles in 32 languages, reaching a global audience, many of whom were unaware of the diversity of the Jewish people. Season 1 of Jewish Matchmaking premiered on Netflix in their global venue on May 3, 2023, with 8 episodes. It spotlights "a diverse group of Jews who are looking for love in Israel and across the United States" revealing the diversity of Jewish beliefs and experiences looking for love. Chaseman appears at the start of the show's official trailer saying, "What I bring to a relationship is that I'm very handsome, I'm very intelligent, I have a ton of charisma, but by far my greatest quality is my humility." while breaking a smile.

Described as "Smart and Sweet" by Rolling Stone and "oy-meets-girl stories," Jewish Matchmaking offers drama, messiness, and some hilarity, much of which came from Stuart Chaseman's recurring appearances. Viewers and critics were immediately attracted to Chaseman's "charismatic" personae, the Daily Herald headlining that "Chicago's Stuart Chaseman stands out as the star of the Netflix series" noting that he "captivated the audience," nearly stealing the show. As one critic noted "Chaseman could easily give it a crack on the comedy circuit, he's that funny even in normal conversation."

Chaseman's final date on Season 1 of Jewish Matchmaking was with Pamela Schuller, "a New York City-based, comedian, disability advocate and speaker" who openly discusses her life with Tourette's Syndrome and how humor helps her to cope with other disabilities. Chaseman and Schuller seemed like a good pair, as part of his criteria was a good sense of humor, "I don't want to have to explain to her why Curb Your Enthusiasm is funny."

Two cast members became engaged during the first year after Season 1 premiered. Cast member Shaya Rosenberg got engaged at a watch party for the premier of Jewish Matchmaking in 2023. Jerusalem-based Cindy Seni, became engaged in July 2023. Neither found their partners through the show but the coaching from the show's host Aleeza Ben Shalom is aimed at preparing them all to be better at dating and at finding the right person.

Critical reception

The show was received well in entertainment news as well as within the larger media. Viewed within the long history of Jewish matchmaking, critics said it shed light on contemporary dating issues and challenges for people in various Jewish communities, such as Philadelphiaand Sarasota </ref>. The Jewish Matchmaking series emphasizes the diversity of beliefs and politics that represent the diversity of Jewish people around the globe. Real life professional matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom, a sympathetic and supportive host, brought matches together from a wide-ranging cast of Jewish heritage people, themselves with varying religious beliefs and different criteria for their future partner. Jewish communities around the U.S. and elsewhere were represented in their diversity, sympathetically in ways that made this show not just popular but informative and community–building creating a fan–base that has followed them not just in print and social media but in public appearances. The popular blog Jew in the City declared Jewish Matchmaking a "historically positive Jewish representation."

Controversial right–wing commentator Ben Shapiro published the YouTube video "Ben Shapiro REACTS to Jewish Matchmaking" where he criticizes Chaseman for his liberal sentiments in Episode 7, "I am not open–minded politically, they have to be totally tolerant of gay marriage, no racial stuff, pro–choice, any degree of intolerance towards the way other people live their lives and being judgmental is a deal breaker." But then he quips, "Unless they're hot." Joking, of course, he becomes very serious and repeats, "But seriously, that's a deal breaker." – Stuart Chaseman on Jewish Matchmaking episode 7.

Airing at a time of rising anti–Semitism, the Times of Israel noted that the show gave viewers a look at Judaism with a "respect and feel" that was positive, spotlighting non-practicing Jews as well as strictly Orthodox ones spanning networks from Miami, Los Angeles, and Stuart Chaseman's Chicago to the unexpected Wyoming, as well as in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where the population and dating cultures are surprisingly different, the latter being better known for finding a husband and not a player. Viewers gained understanding of the Orthodox world as well as the liberal, secular Jewish world of Chaseman. Some of the other daters followed more formal Orthodox matchmaking traditions than Chaseman's relaxed style and practice.

Not long after the airing of the Netflix series, the first Jewish matchmaking conference YentaCon was held in Philadelphia "for matchmakers and connectors who work with Jewish clients." With the Netflix series in the spotlight, Jewish matchmaking is said to be on the rise in places like Lakewood, New Jersey.

Media

Chaseman "captured fans' hearts" becoming a TikTok sensation where he has been deemed "husband material" and even their "dream man." Insider published a news article about Chaseman on May 13 with the headline "TikTok is thirsting over 'Jewish Matchmaking' star Stuart Chaseman's 'rizz,' and likening him to Pete Davidson". TikTok enthusiasts compared him to Pete Davidson. "in part because of his accent and raspy voice, but also because of his sense of humor and dry delivery."

Stuart Chaseman also appears in several podcasts discussing his Matchmaking appearances and/or his music and singer-songwriter career, including Fascination Street (2017-) and Strangers on the Internet (Irina Manta & Michelle Lange)

Musical releases Chaseman has released two studio albums; Next Exit...Brigadoon in 2010, and Secrets, Lies, and Alibis in 2023, including two singles from the album: "Sins" and "Way Back Home". Stuart's band the Born Again Sinners, were known more locally in the Chicago area until his appearance on the Netflix show brought them national attention and they began touring outside the region.

Described by music critics as "an American Roots Rock artist" he writes and sings original music while also adding his own take, raspy voice, and natural grit on covers, with a mixture of Bob Dylan, Bob Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen vibes. His shows offer the audience "laughter, music and entertainment", according to one music reviewer. But his music also reveals vulnerability and raw emotions, as one review writes, he "dives headfirst into the depths of his past experiences" with his 2023 album "Secrets, Lies, and Alibis", some of which are about failed relationships and feelings of regret. . In this way, his honesty in his search for love with the Jewish Matchmaker bridges his music and strikes a chord with television viewers and music listeners alike.