Laughing Our ‘Kishkas’ Off at CBT Comedy Night
Comedian Mark Schiff performed an uproarious comedy routine and then took audience questions. Former Congregation Beth Tefillah president Jimmy Baron also delighted as the warm-up act.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Comedian Mark Schiff appeared for Comedy Night at Congregation Beth Tefillah on Oct. 4 following a dessert reception in the sukkah at the Atlanta Jewish Academy.
Pre-show, Schiff mingled with the guests wearing a backpack and colorful kippah. The Los Angeles-based Schiff is and has been the opening act for Jerry Seinfeld for the past 25 years, in addition to multiple appearances on Johnny Carson and other top-tier talk shows.
As told to the AJT, he has a special connection to Atlanta as his daughter married into a Dunwoody family. Schiff, who appeared at the Atlanta Punchline 35 years ago, said, “I am a Zaydie to two of the most wonderful grandkids and my machuthim, Atlantan Steve Strauss, makes 150 pizzas a week for the community here, and that’s no joke!”
Local doyenne Miriam Levitas said, “I saw Mark perform here decades ago, and he came over for Shabbat dinner. My father and I were comedy fans and thought him to be in the style of Myron Cohen.”
Moving inside the AJA auditorium, local treasure, former president of CBT, actor, DJ, and now realtor, Jimmy Baron warmed up the crowd.
“Welcome to Club Beth Tefillah, where we don’t have to wear a mask and sit 50 feet away…meeting in the sukkah first was fun, but I was worried it might fall down, just like housing in LA. And coming off of Yom Kippur, did you ever wonder why we have the ‘appeal’ for donations then? Why not Purim where people are drinking and are not starving?”
Baron, who could have done an hour set himself, continued about donating to “Shteiblers, who really know how to raise money, but I stopped short of sponsoring a rabbi to make a flight just so he could earn Platinum status.”
Schiff took the stage and bemoaned Atlanta traffic to the point of him selling leftover lulav and etrogs to shake and direct the cars. Schiff gave his all as he did a full set about his personal life, storied career, with new- and old-fashioned Jewish humor — most of which hit home as relatable. Some of the set was physical comedy a la Sebastian Maniscalco, the newest rage.
Schiff said, “I just like the feeling of being Jewish and standing in line at a bagel place and listening to the guy in line on the cell phone asking his wife what to order.”
In a smooth delivery, Schiff segued into hilarious scenarios like shopping at the Dollar Store, IKEA, and Costco, most of which were on the edge of believable.
He said, “I shop at Costco for the free food samples. I see a guy with cases of Drano and toilet paper. Like what is he eating?” He then rolled into his shtick about buying one’s own coffin, which they do indeed sell at Costco. “Is that an impulse buy? Shall I keep it in the garage? Or wait and get it at IKEA and put it together myself?”
An unusual experience was meeting Bob Dylan and inviting him over to his small NYC apartment. “Dylan actually shows up at my house with 60 people. “Schiff did a good intonating Dylan slurring murmur imitation, capturing Dylan’s nasally ehhh whine.
Schiff has tremendous admiration for Jerry Seinfeld with whom he travels for performances on the latter’s private plane…even to Israel. He revels over Seinfeld’s craft as a comedian, working on finding just the right word — maybe taking six months to a year…writing notes wildly on a legal pad…and his generosity. Schiff now drives a classic Mercedes that Jerry gifted him, but only after Schiff asked him to fix the radio first. On a touching note, Schiff spent time with Rodney Dangerfield, his inspiration for going into comedy, at his death bed reciting the “Shema.”
Post-set, Schiff sat down with Baron and took questions from the audience. A mensch of a guy and a winning event for CBT.
Schiff will appear at the Book Festival of the MJCCA on Nov. 15 promoting his new book, “Why Not: Lessons on Comedy, Courage, and Chutzpah.”
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