WHY is it that so many comic actors, comedy writers and directors are Jewish? And why does a lot of comedy sound Jewish although it’s not necessarily meant to be?
Douglas Sills, who is playing the lead role of Gomez in The Addams Family, playing through July 1 at the DCPA Buell Theater, has a theory.
“Growing up in a Jewish home, you often hear irony and sarcasm as basic condiments of conversation, and so many writers have inculcated this into their comedy.”
Sills, a stage, screen and television actor, with a varied list of credits from Shakespeare to musical comedy, says he’s enjoying the role of Gomez.
SAN FRANCISCO — For a gap-toothed, dim-witted dork, Alfred E. Neuman sure influenced a lot of people. Everyone from “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening to film critic Roger Ebert credit Mad magazine with having a tremendous impact on their careers. Monty Python member Terry Gilliam called the irreverent monthly “the Bible for me and my whole generation.”
Mad is turning 60 this year, and San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum is paying homage with a retrospective. On display through mid-Sep...
NEW YORK — Tom Peled has a goal: Live strong for the Jewish world.
The Israeli is finding inspiration in biking champion Lance Armstrong’s cancer awareness organization as he prepares for a 3,000-mile bike trek across the US to raise money for his own Bike for the Fight to support cancer research in Israel.
The trip, beginning Aug. 1 in Los Angeles, will take him to many communities. He anticipates arriving in New York three months later, having spent Shabbat in host communities.
Peled co...
TEANECK, NJ — As the minutes on the clock tick away, the chefs run about their kitchens furiously trying to complete their Taj Mahal-themed desserts.
“What have I got for you now?” booms the thickly accented master pastry chef Ron Ben-Israel as he overlooks the chefs’ workstations. “Another mandatory ingredient — tahini paste!”
This is “Sweet Genius,” the hit Food Network show that recently began its second season.
Chefs compete to earn the coveted title, win $10,000 and imp...