| Jackie Mason | |
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| Birth name | Yacov Moshe Maza |
| Born | June 9, 1936 Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States |
| Medium | Stand-up Television Film Books Radio |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | Late 1950s— |
| Genres | Satire/Political satire Observational comedy Improvisational comedy |
| Subject(s) | American politics International relations Current events race relations Antisemitism Jewish culture American culture |
| Spouse | Jyll Rosenfeld (August 14, 1991–present) |
| Notable works and roles | The World According to Me! Hyman Krustofski in "Like Father, Like Clown" and "Today I Am a Clown" |
| Website | jackiemason.com |
| Emmy Awards | |
| Outstanding Voice-Over Performance 1992 The Simpsons - "Like Father, Like Clown" |
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Jackie Mason (born June 9, 1936) is an American stand-up comedian.
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Born Yacov Moshe Maza in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he grew up in New York City on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Mason graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the City College of New York. At age 25, he was ordained a rabbi (as his three brothers and father had been) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[1] Three years later he resigned to become a comedian.
Mason had several one-man comedy stage shows over the years. His first Broadway show was called The World According to Me, which was well-received. Later, he had a show at the John Golden Theatre, called Politically Incorrect, which ran into copyright problems because it was performed at the same time that Bill Maher's TV show Politically Incorrect was on the air. Bill Maher brought a lawsuit against Mason's production, which was dismissed as 'frivolous.' To this day, Mason is able to use this show title, and it is one of his most successful road productions. Between these shows, Mason played the lead in a short-lived television show called Chicken Soup alongside Lynn Redgrave.
In 1992, Mason won an Emmy Award for his voice-over of Rabbi Hyman Krustofski in The Simpsons episode "Like Father, Like Clown",[2] making him the first guest star to win an Emmy for his role.
In a 2005 poll to find the Comedian's Comedian, Mason was voted among the top-50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. He was also ranked #63 in Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.[citation needed]
He completed a full length motion picture One Angry Man for release in 2009.
Mason has been involved in several controversies over the course of his career.
In 1991, Mason was criticized by African-American organizations such as the NAACP when he called New York mayor David Dinkins "a fancy schvartze with a moustache."[3] He later apologized. He was later accused of racism when the American comic Ray Hanania, of Christian Arab Palestinian descent, was removed from opening for him at a Chicago club.[3]
Mason referred to Barack Obama as a "schwarzer" during a performance in New York City on March 12, 2009, later saying "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwarzer' was used," he said. "It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself." Schwarz means "black" in Yiddish and German.[4]
Mason counseled Israeli leaders to consider the total expulsion of Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip.[5] Mason and Felder wrote, “We have paralyzed ourselves by our sickening fear of World Opinion, which is why we find it impossible to face one simple fact: We will never win this war unless we immediately threaten to drive every Arab out of Israel if the killing doesn't stop.”[5] They added:
| “ | We are brain-dead if we accept the idea that we have to guess which Arab is our next killer. We are not obligated to victimize ourselves by letting the Arabs play Russian roulette with Jewish lives. Israelis are constantly asked the same obnoxious question: 'How can you throw the Arabs out? where would they go?' The answer is, if they don't care whom they kill, why are we obligated to care where they go?[5] | ” |
On August 28, 2006, Mason filed a lawsuit against the group Jews for Jesus for using his likeness in a pamphlet.[6] His image was used next to the tag line "Jackie Mason...a Jew for Jesus!?" Mason said in court papers filed in New York:
| “ | While I have the utmost respect for people who practice the Christian faith, the fact is, as everyone knows, I am as Jewish as a matzo ball or kosher salami. | ” |
Mason has claimed that the group was using his image and fame to gain attention and converts. The group responded to the suit by saying, "Shame on him for getting so upset about this."[6] The lawsuit was settled in 2006, with Jews for Jesus apologizing.[7]
Mason co-founded the organization One Jerusalem in response to the Oslo peace agreement. Its stated cause is "Maintaining a united Jerusalem as the un-divided capital of Israel.”[8]
Mason has appeared in over 200 self-written video blog entries on YouTube, in which he gives his opinions on current events and politics.
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Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza on 1938-06-09) is an American stand-up comedian.
   | Official website - Jackie Mason - The Jackie Mason Show |
| | The Simpsons Awards - List of Primetime Cartoon Awards |
| | Metrolife: Jackie Mason - Metrolife: Jackie Mason | Metro.co.uk |
| | Response to Mason Lawsuit - Press Release: Jews for Jesus and Jackie Mason - http://www.jewsforjesus.org/blog/20060825mason/ |
| | To Settle Suit, Jews for Jesus Apologizes to Jackie Mason - The New York Times > Log In |
| | Jackie Mason speaks about gun control on LiveLeak - LiveLeak.com - Jackie Mason on Gun Control |
| | Video Blog on Youtube - YouTube - TheUltimateJew's Channel |
| | Show website - www.jackiemason08.com |
| | Islam is a religion of WHAT? - Islam is a religion of WHAT? |
| | Jackie Mason Vlog 40 "The Democrats And The War" - YouTube - Jackie Mason Vlog 40 "The Democrats And The War" |
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