Posted on 07/24/2021 6:54:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Jackie Mason, the sometimes-controversial standup comedian who unapologetically embraced Jewish themes and political incorrectness, achieving a national profile through a series of successful one-man shows on Broadway without substantial work in film or television, died Saturday in Manhattan. He was 93.
The New York Times said his death was confirmed by his friend Raoul Felder.
Mason was one of the last of the Borscht Belt comedians, and he married that sensibility to strong views on racial and ethnic politics.
He also recurred on “The Simpsons” as the voice of Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown, winning his second Emmy for his efforts in 1992 and most recently voicing the character in a 2014 episode. He also appeared as himself in a 2007 episode of “30 Rock.”
In the 2004 TV special “Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,” he was ranked No. 63.
The comic received a 1987 special Tony Award for his highly successful solo effort “Jackie Mason’s The World According to Me!,” which ran for 573 performances. (He received an Emmy for writing the show after it aired on television in 1988.)
The one-man Broadway outings that followed included “Jackie Mason: Brand New” in 1990-91, “Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect” in 1994-95, “Love Thy Neighbor” in 1996-97, “Much Ado About Everything” in 1999-2000 and “Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed” in 2005. His final one-man show, “Jackie Mason: The Ultimate Jew,” skipped Broadway.
Variety wrote of “The Ultimate Jew”: “The show is one long jab at the world’s hypocrisy, dusted with one-liners from the ‘take my wife, please’ vaults. Mason can be painfully old-fashioned, like when he tells the millionth joke about expensive restaurants serving small portions, but he doesn’t seem to care. For an aging crowd often ignored by the entertainment industry, the comedian’s refusal to be modern — and his mockery of modern ways — may be a comforting show of solidarity.”
“It’s harder to be amused,” Variety continued, “when Mason turns to minority groups. Inevitably, his barbs are about the foolishness of those who are not like himself and his aging, Jewish fanbase.”
Various recordings of his live performances proved quite successful on television or home video.
He defended his caricature again and again by saying it was his right to be “politically incorrect,” but they certainly did not endear him to minority groups. He denigrated then-New York City Mayor David Dinkins by using a Yiddish defamatory word for an African American — a term he used frequently in his act — generating controversy.
Mason made his feature debut in 1972 as the star of “The Stoolie” and later starred in “Caddyshack II” in 1988. The Washington Post declared that he looked “meek and miserable” in the part and was “upstaged by the gopher puppet.” In 2010 he starred as himself in the film “One Angry Man,” a courtroom dramedy that he also wrote.
He had supporting roles in a few other films, including Steve Martin vehicle “The Jerk” and Mel Brooks’ “The History of the World: Part I.”
On television he starred in the brief sitcom 1989 “Chicken Soup” and hosted 1992’s “The Jackie Mason Show,” which saw panelists address the topics of the day with irreverence in a manner that made the program something of a precursor to Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect,” which premiered the following year. (Comedy Central, which hosted the Maher program, was unhappy, however, when Mason came out with his 1994 one-man show “Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect” and sued the comic, seeking unsuccessfully to force a name change.)
Jacob Moshe Maza was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, but grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He was ordained as a rabbi — there had been many in his family — but ultimately resigned from his post at a synagogue to become a comedian.
He brought an early version of his insult-heavy humor to a Borscht Belt hotel in the mid-’50s, but the audience was not ready for the sort of comedy that Don Rickles would later make more acceptable.
Mason made several appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” during the 1960s, but his relationship with Sullivan soured over Mason possibly having given the finger to Sullivan during one show; Mason sued Sullivan for libel and won, and the publicity helped his career at the time. Over the course of the decade he also appeared repeatedly on “The Joey Bishop Show” and “The Merv Griffin Show,” among others.
He made his Broadway debut in 1969 with the play “A Teaspoon Every Four Hours,” which he co-wrote. It ran in previews for 97 performances but upon opening closed after a single outing.
His career hits its stride with his first solo effort on Broadway, “Jackie Mason’s The World According to Me!,” in 1986.
Mason is survived by his wife, Jyll Rosenfeld, whom he married in 1991, and a daughter.
Me, too. Michael had great guest hosts. As a group, I enjoyed Michael’s guest hosts over Rush’s. (Mark Steyn is ultimate guest host, IMO.)
Of course I’ve heard of Jackie Mason, but have never read or heard the term “Borscht Belt” before. What does it mean?
Godspeed Jackie...you saw things for what they were. Tanchumin.
May he rest in peace. I enjoyed his humor.
Borscht Belt was in the Catskills Mountains in New York State. There were over 500 resorts there that catered mostly to Jewish families. Comedians like Henny Youngman, Milton Berle, Freddie Roman, Shecky Greene, Rodney Dangerfield were considered Borscht Belt comedians.
Resorts in the Catskills.
By the way, there were some gentile comedians like Phyllis Diller and Betty Garrett who came from the circuit.
I read the headline to my wife and her reply was, “ I bet he died laughing. “
RIP, Mr Mason.
.
Ok, thank you for the explanation!
The "Borscht Belt" was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-20th century. Physically, it consisted of a set of large hotels in the Catskill mountains, north- and north-west of New York City.
Grossinger's, The Concord, and Kutcher's are the ones I remember, but there were more.
They catered to mostly Jewish families from New York City. Often the kids would come up to stay at one of the resorts during the week, and Dad would try to join them on the weekends. The more wealthy would spend maybe two or three weeks there. Lots of things for the kids to do, like a summer camp. Lots of things for mom and dad to do too. At night they had what might be called "variety shows," like you'd see on Ed Sullivan or the Jackie Gleason Show, but live.
They also had terrific food. Very high quality, typically all-you-can-eat, but served at your table by waiters who were also from NYC.
I was lucky enough to stay at the Concord for several days during the off-season when I was in high school. It was a wonderful experience I'll never forget. I think the Concord was razed some years ago.
Many famous comedians got their start working the "Borscht Belt." I believe Billy Crystal's movie Mr. Saturday Night is about one such comedian.
The movie Dirty Dancing is a pretty good representation of what a vacation at a Borscht Belt resort was like.
God bless, Jackie--and thanks!
A very sincere person who worked hard for some wonderful public causes. Active right up to the end, too.. here’s his column for this week:
http://jewishworldreview.com/0721/mason072321.php3
Hard humor and still hilariously funny. Hard to do but he did it.
NOOOOO!
He was awesome. I even forgave him for Caddyshack 2.
Thanks for the additional info. Now I am better informed.
I LOVED THIS GUY. He was the Master of telling funny Ethnic jokes! I was lucky enough to volunter at a venue to usher, and I got a Front row seat! I was rolling in the isles, he was hysterical! A life well lived Jackie! Thanks for the laughs! Rest In Peace my friend!
Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and Carl Reiner wrote for Sid Caesar's show early in their career. All four were from the Borscht Belt.
RIP
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