Symptomatic of an era in which disingenuousness rules at the highest level, it often seems that, when most people laud “diversity,” what they really long for is people of different sexes and ethnicities who think just like them.
Not for Jackie Mason the faux “political incorrectness” of glib late-night television. The rabbi-turned-standup-comedian has enjoyed a successful Native American summer as an acerbic observer of social and political mores, dissecting what Tom Wolfe calls “the petty little hypocrisies of our time” with laser-like precision, startling honesty, and masterful timing. Insightful, often brilliant and nearly always hilarious, his humor celebrates real-world diversity–the quirks that make people different yet universal and oddly endearing.
At this stage of his career, Mason usually plays large houses, but the 2 1/2-week stand he opened Tuesday night at Zanies in Vernon Hills was designed to try out some new material in a smaller venue before opening his new show next January in London. And, though not as linear and airtight as his finely honed Broadway and Chicago shows of recent years, most comedians should have a work in progress that offers as many big laughs.
Mason was in great form from the moment he stepped onstage, wincing at the bright lights– “What is this, a new form of anti-Semitism?”–and offered some new twists on favorite motifs such as Gentiles and Jews, as well as new material from Bill Gates to the East Hamptons vs. the Catskills, and gays’ demands to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “You can’t have two homosexuals get together today without a parade,” complained Mason. “But do they ever invite Jewish butchers to their parade?”
Skewering the recent tobacco legislation with glee, Mason asked why we shouldn’t be able to sue windows’ manufacturers if you jump out of them. He also neatly filleted private cigar clubs–“You pay $3,000 to get cancer in an hour; that’s some exclusive cancer”–and Viagra took a big hit too. “They sold fifty billion bottles in a week but no one knows anyone who bought it.”
But most inspired was a brilliant riff on what a scam first-class airline tickets are, with Mason’s sense of physical comedy making a hilarious two-minute ballet out of envious coach passengers filing past first-class.
Mason’s inimitable delivery is half the show, so take the drive to see one of the most inspired comedians of the day.
It’s a much better deal than first-class.
Skip Griparis opened the show with some funny, dead-on musical impressions, as well as presenting the only chance one is likely to have in this life to see Kermit the Frog play a guitar.
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Jackie Mason will appear through Aug. 8 at Zanies, 230 Hawthorn Village Commons, Vernon Hills. Call 847-549-6030.
