Before there was “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” there was a long history of Jewish female comedians, standing up and speaking out. Although stand-up comedy is often described as a ‘boy’s club,’ the truth is that there have always been influential women on the scene. Alongside Jewish male comics like Groucho Marx, Lenny Bruce, Jack Benny, and Jerry Seinfeld, there were pioneering Jewish female stand-ups like Jean Carroll, Joan Rivers, Totie Fields, and Sarah Silverman, offering their inimitable insights on the experience of being a Jew – and a woman – in the United States. From tackling double standards to deflating stereotypes like the “Jewish American Princess,” Jewish female stand-up comedians have made major contributions to the way that American audiences have seen Jewish women – and the way that Jewish women have seen themselves.
10–10:30 a.m. Light breakfast and coffee served
10:30 a.m.–noon Lecture
Registration required. No walk-ins.
This lecture is part of the Morning Coffee & Conversation Lecture Series