Mason, Jackie (b. 1931), comedian. Mason has enjoyed more success on Broadway than any other stand‐up comic, triumphing in no less than six popular one‐man shows that he both wrote and performed. He was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the son of a rabbi, and followed in his father's footsteps until he turned to stand‐up comedy in clubs in the 1950s. Among his successful one‐man shows were The World According to Me (1986), Politically Incorrect (1994), Love Thy Neighbor (1996), Much Ado About Everything (1999), and Prune Danish (2002).
Jackie Mason
| American Theater Guide: Jackie Mason |
| Quotes By: Jackie Mason |
Quotes:
"Eighty percent of married men cheat in America. The rest cheat in Europe."
"I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something."
"By these things examine thyself. By whose rules am I acting; in whose name; in whose strength; in whose glory? What faith, humility, self-denial, and love of God and to man have there been in all my actions?"
"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."
| Artist: Jackie Mason |
- Active: '80s, '90s
- Genres: Comedy
- Instrument: Main Performer, Performer, Liner Notes
- Representative Albums: "The World According to Me," "Brand New," "Much Ado About Everything"
Biography
The prototypical borscht belt comedian, Jackie Mason deftly blended self-deprecating humility with abrasive arrogance to acutely dissect the differences between Jewish and Gentile culture. After finding initial success in the 1960s as a frequent guest of The Ed Sullivan Show, he spent the next two decades in obscurity, blackballed by the showbiz powers-that-be, before re-emerging even more successful than before at the close of the 1980s.Mason was born Jacob Maza on June 9, 1934, in Sheboygan, WI. The son of a rabbi, he soon moved with his family to New York's Lower East Side, where he spent his formative years studying to follow in his father's footsteps. After his ordainment, Mason spent three years as a rabbi in Latrobe, PA; after earning a warm reception for the Saturday morning sermons that he sprinkled with a variety of jokes and humorous asides, he decided to pursue a career as a professional comedian, adopting his stage name after an appearance on the old Barry Gray radio show.
After finding success on the club circuit, Mason graduated to a string of television performances, ignoring advice from the William Morris Agency to take elocution lessons in order to lose his heavy Jewish accent; he was a particular favorite of Ed Sullivan, and appeared on his variety show countless times. In 1962 Mason issued his debut LP, I'm the Greatest Comedian in the World, Only Nobody Knows It Yet, quickly followed by I Want to Leave You with the Words of a Great Comedian. Many found his broad cultural examinations controversial, while even other Jews felt his self-effacing style bordered on anti-Semitism; combined with his difficult, raucous off-stage behavior, Mason saw support for his act dwindle, and spent the next 20-odd years effectively ostracized, his career restricted to tiny clubs and small film performances.
Against all odds, in 1987 Mason found backing for a planned one-man show; soon The World According to Me! debuted on Broadway to great acclaim -- critics applauded him as a savage satirist, and his performance ultimately won an Tony. His career resurrected, Mason went on to star in the short-lived sitcom Chicken Soup before returning to Broadway in 1991 with Brand New. Subsequent stage shows included Politically Incorrect, Love Thy Neighbor, Much Ado About Everything, and Prune Danish. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
| Discography: Jackie Mason |
| Wikipedia: Jackie Mason |
| Jackie Mason | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Birth name | Yacov Moshe Maza |
| Born | June 9, 1936 Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States |
| Medium | Stand-up Television Film Books Radio |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | Late 1950s— |
| Genres | Satire/Political satire Observational comedy Improvisational comedy |
| Subject(s) | American politics International relations Current events race relations Antisemitism Jewish culture American culture |
| Spouse | Jyll Rosenfeld (August 14, 1991–present) |
| Notable works and roles | The World According to Me! Hyman Krustofski in "Like Father, Like Clown" and "Today I Am a Clown" |
| Website | jackiemason.com |
| Emmy Awards | |
| Outstanding Voice-Over Performance 1992 The Simpsons - "Like Father, Like Clown" |
|
Jackie Mason (born June 9, 1936) is an American stand-up comedian.
Contents |
Early life
Born Yacov Moshe Maza in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he grew up in New York City on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Mason graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the City College of New York. At age 25, he was ordained a rabbi (as his three brothers and father had been) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[1] Three years later he resigned to become a comedian.
Comedy career
Mason had several one-man comedy stage shows over the years. His first Broadway show was called The World According to Me, which was well-received. Later, he had a show at the John Golden Theatre, called Politically Incorrect, which ran into copyright problems because it was performed at the same time that Bill Maher's TV show Politically Incorrect was on the air. Bill Maher brought a lawsuit against Mason's production, which was dismissed as 'frivolous.' To this day, Mason is able to use this show title, and it is one of his most successful road productions. Between these shows, Mason played the lead in a short-lived television show called Chicken Soup alongside Lynn Redgrave.
In 1992, Mason won an Emmy Award for his voice-over of Rabbi Hyman Krustofski in The Simpsons episode "Like Father, Like Clown",[2] making him the first guest star to win an Emmy for his role.
In a 2005 poll to find the Comedian's Comedian, Mason was voted among the top-50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. He was also ranked #63 in Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.[citation needed]
He completed a full length motion picture One Angry Man for release in 2009.
Controversy
Mason has been involved in several controversies over the course of his career.
Allegations of racism
In 1991, Mason was criticized by African-American organizations such as the NAACP when he called New York mayor David Dinkins "a fancy schvartze with a moustache."[3] He later apologized. He was later accused of racism when the American comic Ray Hanania, of Christian Arab Palestinian descent, was removed from opening for him at a Chicago club.[3]
Mason referred to Barack Obama as a "schwartzer" during a performance in New York City on March 12, 2009, later saying "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartzer' was used," he said. "It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself." Schwartz means "black" in Yiddish.[4]
Statements on Arabs in Israel
Mason counseled Israeli leaders to consider the total expulsion of Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip.[5] Mason and Felder wrote, “We have paralyzed ourselves by our sickening fear of World Opinion, which is why we find it impossible to face one simple fact: We will never win this war unless we immediately threaten to drive every Arab out of Israel if the killing doesn't stop.”[5] They added:
| “ | We are brain-dead if we accept the idea that we have to guess which Arab is our next killer. We are not obligated to victimize ourselves by letting the Arabs play Russian roulette with Jewish lives. Israelis are constantly asked the same obnoxious question: 'How can you throw the Arabs out? where would they go?' The answer is, if they don't care whom they kill, why are we obligated to care where they go?[5] | ” |
Jews for Jesus lawsuit
On August 28, 2006, Mason filed a lawsuit against the group Jews for Jesus for using his likeness in a pamphlet.[6] His image was used next to the tag line "Jackie Mason...a Jew for Jesus!?" Mason said in court papers filed in New York:
| “ | While I have the utmost respect for people who practice the Christian faith, the fact is, as everyone knows, I am as Jewish as a matzo ball or kosher salami. | ” |
Mason has claimed that the group was using his image and fame to gain attention and converts. The group responded to the suit by saying, "Shame on him for getting so upset about this."[6] The lawsuit was settled in 2006, with Jews for Jesus apologizing.[7]
One Jerusalem
Mason co-founded the organization One Jerusalem in response to the Oslo peace agreement. Its stated cause is "Maintaining a united Jerusalem as the un-divided capital of Israel.”[8]
Works
Selected TV, film and radio roles
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1961-1968) frequent guest appearances
The Stoolie (1972) - Roger Pitman- Sleeper (1973) - Voice of robot tailor (uncredited)
- The Jerk (1979) - Harry Hartounian
- History of the World: Part I (1981) - Jew #2
- Caddyshack II (1988) - Jack Hartounian
- Chicken Soup (1989) - Jackie Fisher
- The Simpsons
- Episode "Like Father, Like Clown" (1991) - Rabbi Hyman Krustofski
- Episode "Today I Am a Clown" (2003) - Rabbi Hyman Krustofski
- The Fairly OddParents episode "Beddy Bye/The Grass Is Greener" (2003) - Harvey Sandman a.k.a The Sandman, a.k.a The Mattress King
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Quandary Phase (2005) - The East River Lifeform
- 30 Rock episode The Collection (2007) - Himself (small guest appearance)
- The Drinky Crow Show episode "Aspire" (2009) - Mort Cooper
Television specials
- Jackie Mason's The World According to Me! (1988)
- An Audience with Jackie Mason (1990)
- Jackie Mason on Campus (1992)
- Jackie Mason at the London Palladium (1996)
- Jackie Mason: A Night at the Opera (2002)
Discography
- I'm the Greatest Comedian in the World, Only Nobody Knows it Yet! (1962)
- I Want to Leave You with the Words of a Great Comedian (1963)
- The World According to Me! (1987)
- Brand New (1991)
- Politically Incorrect
- In Israel
- Live at the London Palladium (1997)
- All New! Much Ado About Everything (2003)
- Prune Danish
- The Unholy Tour
- Freshly Squeezed
- The Ultimate Jew (2008)
One-man shows
- Jackie Mason's the World According to Me! (1986–1988)
- Jackie Mason: Brand New (1990–1991)
- Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect (1994–1995)
- Love Thy Neighbor (1996–1997)
- Much Ado About Everything (1999–2000)
- Jackie Mason: Prune Danish (2002–2003)
- Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed (2005–2006)
- Jackie Mason: The Ultimate Jew (2008)
Video blogging
Mason has appeared in over 200 self-written video blog entries on YouTube, in which he gives his opinions on current events and politics.
References
- ^ Chris Bergeron (2008-09-20). "Frankie Valli, Jackie Mason to perform in Worcester". Daily News Transcript. http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/arts/x689528666/Frankie-Valli-Jackie-Mason-to-perform-in-Worcester. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Basile, Nancy. (2006) The Simpsons Awards, About.com, Accessed 29 August 2006.
- ^ a b Metrolife: Jackie Mason Metro. June 13, 2006.
- ^ http://www.popeater.com/movies/article/jackie-mason-racism-charges/383621
- ^ a b c Mason, Jackie and Raoul Felder. "Time to Threaten Arabs with Mass Eviction." The Jewish Press. January 29, 2003.
- ^ a b "Oy! Jackie Mason sues Jews for Jesus." MSNBC. August 25, 2006.
- ^ Anemona Hartcollis (2006-12-06). "To Settle Suit, Jews for Jesus Apologizes to Jackie Mason". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/05/nyregion/05mason.html. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ "About Us." One Jerusalem.
External links
- Official website
- Show website
- Jackie Mason at the Internet Movie Database
- Radio Interview on Air America
- Interview (Jackie Mason interview starts at 55:18), Mark Levin Talk Radio Show, 27 June 2008
- Jackie Mason speaks about gun control on LiveLeak
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 | American Theater Guide. The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Quotes By. Copyright © 2008 QuotationsBook.com. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Jackie Mason on Campus (1996 Comedy Film)
- Jackie Mason: In Israel (Comedy Film)
- Jackie Mason: The World According to Me (Theater Film)
- Jackie Mason at the National Press Club (1996 Comedy Film)
- Jackie Mason: A Night At the Opera (Comedy Film)
- Jackie Mason: An Equal Opportunity Offender (1995 Comedy Film)
- The Stoolie (1972 Crime Film)
- Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed (Theater Film)
- The Simpsons: Like Father, Like Clown (1991 Comedy Film)
- Belly Dancing: Total Workout (2005 Film)
- Sylvia Bennett (Vocal Music Artist, '70s-'90s)
- Mom and Pop Variety Shop (1998 Album by George Bettinger)
- John Byner (Actor, Comedy/Children's/Family)
- The Jerk (1979 Comedy Film)
