Posted on 08/28/2002 6:32:10 AM PDT by RCW2001
JOE BIESK, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
©2002 Associated Press
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/08/28/national0439EDT0473.DTL
(08-28) 01:39 PDT CHICAGO (AP) --
A comedian scheduled to open for Jewish comic Jackie Mason was told hours before the show he couldn't perform because he is Palestinian, Mason's manager said.
Ray Hanania was supposed to open for Mason on Tuesday night at Zanie's comedy club in Chicago, but the club phoned him a few hours before to tell him his act was canceled.
Mason has been an outspoken member of the Jewish community. His manager cited recent Israeli-Palestinian violence and delayed peace talks in explaining the decision.
"It's not exactly like he's just an Arab-American. This guy's a Palestinian," said Jyll Rosenfeld, Mason's manager. "Jackie does not feel comfortable having a Palestinian open for him. Right now it's a very sensitive thing, it's just not a good idea."
Mason, who has appeared on Broadway and in films such as "Caddyshack II" and "The Jerk," is an ardent supporter of Israel and has received at least one award from the Israeli government.
"Nothing personal against this fellow," Rosenfeld said. "Jackie doesn't even know him."
But members of Chicago's Arab-American community did take it personally.
As the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks approaches, Americans should be doing more to unite, said Ali Alarabi, president of the United Arab American League.
"I'm outraged," Alarabi said. "It is an act of hate and racism against Palestinians, and we demand an apology."
Rosenfeld said the issue is more about avoiding an uncomfortable situation.
"Don't turn this into a racist issue, because it's not," Rosenfeld said. "We just felt this is not a good idea at this time."
Hanania, 49, said he has been a comedian for less than a year and has about 20 performances under his belt. He started performing after Sept. 11 in an effort to lighten the situation and bring people together, he said.
"I'm upset because I deserve to be on stage and it was a big break for me," Hanania said.
Zanie's General Manager Linda Moses said Hanania's inexperience contributed to the cancellation. She said Hanania was replaced by a comic who has opened for Mason several times in the past.
"It's just the fact that he is an unknown," Moses said. "(Mason) is just not comfortable with having an unknown act. It's understandable."
In cases like this, the club must defer to Mason's wishes, Moses said.
Hanania, a Vietnam War veteran and former reporter, said he believes the decision should be based on how funny and entertaining he is. He said that if the decision was simply that he is a "lousy comedian," then he would be satisfied.
©2002 Associated Press
A Palestinian comedian.. Hummmmm. very interesting. Don't see many of those now a day.
Isn't Mason Jewish?
Oh yeah ... they're quick on the up take on these slights, but we're still waiting for their community outrage a year later!
I can almost hear Jackie now, "Hokay, so he's a lousy comedian".
Exactly, plus Palestinian comics have a reputation for bombing.
My guess is there's a couple of reasons that Mason canceled Hanania.
I recall from my media days in Chicago that Hanania is a slimy liberal, ex-reporter for the Sun Times who fashioned himself as a media consultant to various Cook County politicos. I don't have time to do a Google search on it now, but I recall that there was a scandal involving him and a relationship with convicted former official Miriam Santos.
I don't imagine that story is highlighted in his resume.
Another person wanting to reap the benefits of America and a free society, yet refusing to be identified as a member of this country.
Where in the article does it say anything about skin color? It seems to me this guy supports a specific political agenda which endorses terror attacks against civilians. That goes under the "content of character." Why does he identify as a Palestinian (killer of Jews) to a Jewish audience? An Arab-American nobody would have a problem with.
I'm confused. What "race" are Arabs? Last time I checked they are Semetic Caucasian, just as Sephardic Jews. So how can any act of a member of one race toward a member of the same race be considered "racism"?
Certainly not. I think we all understand it's purely racial.
So that's all right, then.
From Ray Hanania
http://www.hanania.com/edsaid82202.html
It's a lot like the Israeli propaganda line that explained the failure of the peace process; "Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered the "best ever" deal to Yasir Arafat and Arafat rejected it."
It was the best deal the Israelis ever offered. But it still stunk and was unfair and incomplete.
To the hapless, suffering average Palestinian, Edward Said and his coterie of admirers seem to be the "best ever" leaders they could have.
But, they are still crumbs. And the Palestinians deserve better.
These failures anchor the Palestinian tragedy in place and drag it down to the depths of hopelessness.
Hey. At least Edward Said still has a choir to sing his praises, and ADC has a television talk show microphone it can hug.
(Ray Hanania is a Palestinian American journalist and writer, and the only Arab American who authors a weekly column on Middle East affairs for a major American daily newspaper. His columns are archived at www.hanania.com.)
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