Photographed by: Jennifer Bleyer
Welcome to the third issue of Heeb. In the year since we’ve launched, many readers have written to tell us how cool we are. Others have slapped us for “trying to be cool.” In all honesty, “coolness” is not something we’re after—but we know it when we see it, and we definitely saw it at the shoot for our first issue’s fashion spread. Nancy rounded up a bunch of friends to play the rollicking, debaucherous guests at a traditional wedding. She cast Jonathan Neuman, music editor Josh’s younger brother, in a starring role as the groom. Jonathan had leukemia, but his hair had just grown back enough from his latest round of chemo for him to model for us. The shoot was at a gaudy banquet hall in Queens. Everyone drank Manischewitz, danced to Hava Nagila, and hoisted each other up on chairs. Jonathan—decked out in a dweeby suit and yarmulke—had a blast, flirting with the ladies and hamming it up for the cameras. It was a pleasure to work with him then and an even greater pleasure over the next year to get to know him. He was a prodigious musician and the sweetest kid—a true rock n’ roller and a mensch. He was adorable and thoughtful, but most of all, he was innately cool, cool by being utterly good to himself and to others, and of knowing the importance of fun. His coolness had nothing to do with ego or image, and everything to do with being absolutely, genuinely, unreservedly real. This issue is dedicated to Jonathan, who died last summer at age 22. He was a part of this magazine and a part of our lives, and he reminded us what being cool is really about.
Jennifer
You can listen to Jonathan’s music at www.johnnyphysical.com
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