Kid’s entertainer: No political career

Yuval Hamebulbal denies reports that he accepted an offer from the Calacala Party to be third on its Knesset list.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
YUVAL HAMEBULBAL poses with Daniel Goldstein 370 (photo credit: Courtesy Benny Goldstein)
YUVAL HAMEBULBAL poses with Daniel Goldstein 370
(photo credit: Courtesy Benny Goldstein)
When it comes to Israeli politics, even the wisest of people have emerged confused.
So it came as no surprise Wednesday that the same day it was reported that he decided to enter politics, Israel’s top children’s entertainer, Yuval Hamebulbal (Yuval The Confused), emphatically denied any Knesset run.
The entertainer, whose real name is Yuval Shem-Tov, reportedly accepted an offer from the Calcala Party on Tuesday to be third on its Knesset list behind American-raised brothers Daniel and Benny Goldstein.
The Goldsteins said that at first he was reluctant, and told them that he did not know anything about politics and his only expertise was making children happy and creating balloon animals. But they said he agreed to run after they told him he could pass laws limiting class sizes and selling unhealthy food.
After reports that he had decided to enter politics were splashed across Hebrew tabloids, Shem-Tov got calls telling him that a huge advertising campaign featuring him had to be canceled because it would be illegal election propaganda.
Several of his shows were also canceled because of reports he became a politician.
Shem-Tov called the Goldsteins Wednesday morning and told them his lawyer would not let him run for Knesset. The Goldsteins, who were at the Knesset to submit their party’s list, drove to Tel Aviv to try to persuade Shem-Tov but his mind was made up.
“After half a day, he had enough of politics,” Benny Goldstein said. “It’s too bad. He was an asset. The kids would have taken their mothers to vote for him.”
An exasperated Shem-Tov told Channel 10’s Guy Pines that the Goldsteins had used him for publicity and took a picture with him that they said would just be a memento. He said he was surprised to see the picture in the newspapers.
“The reports were fictitious and false,” Shem- Tov said.
The Goldsteins were still looking for a new celebrity ahead of Thursday night’s deadline for lists to be submitted to the Central Elections Committee. To that end, they held talks with reality stars, supermodels, and a rap star.