What happens when most, or at least some, of Jewish comedians marry gentile wives?
Richard Vos is a Jewish-comedian. Some would say that he is a Jewishcomedian. It is hard to separate one aspect of his persona from the other.
He was in town last week at a local comedy club, McGooby’s, on Harford Road.
Vos is a funny, keen observer of life with decades of experience being on the road.
He second wife is Bonnie McFarlane. Jon Stewart, another Semitic commentator also married outside of the faith.
Of course, there are more. Many more.
It is hard to imagine these two, and other comics, without the cultural/religious/racial prism of Judaism.
Presently, there seems to be an epidemic of stand-ups. Like weeds, they are everywhere. Each time one retires to a cubicle or a steady paycheck, several more take his place.
Thus, the law of large numbers determines that Jews do not dominate the industry, like they once did.
Of course there was a time that Jewish influence extended far beyond the borscht belt and funny routines to studio control. Hollywood was like Miami Beach or an Israeli kibbutz.
What do you mean minority group?
But now, Jewish angst is being diluted by intermarriage, assimilation and refocus.
Instead of Lenny Bruce, the Marx Brothers and Stooges Three, America is entertained by the likes of overpaid late night hosts, who fight, fume and hit on staffers. The humor is snarky, sometimes mean, but usually safe.
Judaism is similar to the question in the poem: The Blind Men and the Elephant.
Each man sightlessly gropes for a different part of the pachyderm’s body and then likens the animal to something else.
For it is so very much like a wall, rope or fan.
Thus Judaism is a religion for some, or their culture and for others, an ethnic identity. Many embrace all aspects.
But in terms of comedy and Semitic angst. As long as the old guard is losing their roots, all that is left is……….
The likes of Carrot Top.
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