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Though American audiences haven't become as consumed by You Don't Mess With the Zohan as they have Adam Sandler movies in the past, it's coming up big in a surprising location: Israel.

Despite Sandler's over-the-top portrayal as a former Israeli Mossad agent who becomes a New York hairdresser, crowds have been been packing houses since the movie opened there last Wednesday.

The frank sexual presence of the character, coupled with bad clothes, disco interruptions, lots of jokes about the eternal war between Jews and Palestinians, and gags about the many uses of hummus have not turned off the usually picky Israeli movie fans. In fact, it's just the opposite. "I wasn't insulted at all. It was funny. Exaggerated, but funny," said Guy Ben-Yaacov, 23. "Besides, I know a few guys like Zohan."

However, just as in this country, Zohan is facing some critical scorn. Film critic Amir Kaminer, has his share of problems with the movie while acknowledging that Zohan is the most prominent Isreali character out of Hollywood since Paul Newman in Exodus.

Accurately portraying the film as "vulgar and stupid," Kaminer insisted, "We're not all about eating hummus, killing Arabs and fornicating. We do other things as well."

That's true. They also disco!