Making Trouble: A Tribute to the Great Female Jewish Comedians

 
Here's a film you probably never heard of, but it's probably worth seeing. That is, if you can find it.

Making Trouble covers more than 100 years of theater, film, and television, highlighting the comedy of Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner, and Wendy Wasserstein.

It includes interviews with experts, scholars, and entertainers including actor Martin Short, author Gary Giddins, and LA Times movie critic Kenneth Turan.

The film takes the form of a documentary, presented as a gabfest at Katz's Delicatessen among four current Jewish female comedians, Judy Gold, Jackie Hoffman, Cory Kahaney, and Jessica Kirson. These four reminisce about the veteran comedians' performances and how they shared the gift -- and the burden -- of being funny, being Jewish, and being female.

You won't find the DVD on Amazon or Netflix, but it can be purchased at the Making Trouble website for $24.95. Here is the film's trailer.