Yohay Sponder Wraps Tour with Atlanta Show
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Yohay Sponder Wraps Tour with Atlanta Show

On Sept. 28, Sponder recreated some of his social media bits alongside some newer material at the Atlanta Jewish Academy.

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.

Yohay Sponder is known for his audience interaction and talked about his large Star of David necklace // Photo Credit: Cheryl Dorchinsky 
Yohay Sponder is known for his audience interaction and talked about his large Star of David necklace // Photo Credit: Cheryl Dorchinsky 

Social media sensation Yohay Sponder appeared before a double-decked, packed house at the Atlanta Jewish Academy on Saturday night, Sept. 28. Combining his loyal Israeli fans with newer Americans, Sponder started the program almost 30 minutes late and stated that Atlanta was the last stop of his month-long tour … but “maybe Philly was his favorite show.”

First off, security was on high alert. A huge dog guarded the front entrance as men with earpieces and walkie-talkie devices watched with eagle eyes. An hour before show time, the lobby was open for ticket holders to mingle. Several fans came from neighboring states like Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina in anticipation of who might sit too close to the stage and get “picked on” by the comedian. Later in the show, Sponder pointed out the non-Jews and queried, “How does it feel to be a minority — the goyim of the show?” with his traditional “You Jew You?”

Sam Kaufman (front row) and wife, Julia, who came in from Key West, met local friends, Alan and Karen Dobkin (back row).

Although warm and natural, some of Sponder’s routines and subtleties were not so well understood by the Southern audience. Other bits about the superiority of Jews landed well. He said, “It’s hard to figure out, you hate us … we keep inventing better medicine to save your life so you can live longer to hate us more … Why do they hate us … what did we do? G-d chose us. We believe that G-d believes we are better than you.”

Hard to follow, but we get the gist. His most motivational moment was in explaining the importance of staying alive, “so we can win to tell the story … even if for one more day.”

A new scene featured some dark humor about the recent death of Sponder’s father and how he was asked to identify the body. In a genuine moment, he admitted that many might not find the topic funny, but that’s how he deals with dark things. He also noted that his beard was related to still being in mourning.

Another funny scene involved Yohay recovering in a military hospital with his also wounded (non-Jewish) Druze compatriot, who was nodding in and out of consciousness, as a rabbi came in and laid tefillin regularly. When the Druze soldier wakes up, he asks where the guy was who comes to check his blood pressure (think wrapped black straps). Sponder also said he had a PhD in PTSD or somehow blended the two. Mumbling is part of the fun and part of the problem missing some language.

Jonathan and Sue Schare and Abe and Gail Schuster came from Birmingham to have some laughs.

Some routines with the “f” word, tales of passing gas, penis jokes, and some sexually explicit ways to describe the “sex” act when determining the gender of the child were blush-able moments, and a little passé.

One hysterical scene with more physical comedy was when Sponder explained colonization … “How such a small country like Israel could even be accused of that, with British folks acting so ‘uppity’ about needing slaves to make cotton for their seat cushions, and sugar cubes for their tea. All the while he is vigorously rowing a boat across oceans to colonize.”

Sponder ponders, “If we are the colonizers, why does everyone speak English and not Hebrew? Either it’s about being indigenous or colonizers, pick one. We got both.”

Winding down, Yohay took questions from the audience. What did he think of VP Harris? “Kamila sounds like an Arab name. She hates Jews? She married one.”

Another language bit was about Israeli claims of overlapping Hebrew/English words … “banana,” “pajamas,” then something about “kangaroos” being a nest for pockets.

Trevor and Stacey Horwitz admire Sponder’s ability to do improv.

Earlier in the pre-function hour, fan David Blaker, who drove in from Charlotte, was excited about hearing Sponder’s bemoaning, “Never again, Hamas isn’t the first to want to destroy us, look at the Germans, how many never again’s?”

Sam Kaufman, Key West Vice Mayor and City Commissioner, reasoned, “Sponder helps us understand contemporary realities, by making them funny, and feeling OK about the current situation.”

Trevor Horwitz got to know Sponder on Instagram, “I think his improv is hysterical and I just like seeing him run with it.”

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