Comedy Classic: Jackie Mason at the London Royal Opera

In 2003 Jackie Mason performed his one-man show Night at the Opera before a sold out audience at London's Royal Opera House. He was the first comedian in the 271 year old history of the opera house to have that honor.

Mason got his start in the Catskills at the Fieldston Hotel in Swan Lake, New York in the summer of 1955. He was let go because his act was considered too far ahead of its time. The patrons had never been exposed to a comic who seemed to be ridiculing them. A few years later, Don Rickles came along, but by then audiences had become open to this type of humor throughout the borscht belt.

Mason reminisces about the old days in the Catskills in his featured role in the new documentary, When Comedy Went to School. The 78 minute long film narrated by comedian Robert Klein makes its debut next Wednesday, July 31 at the JCC and at the IFC Center, both in Manhattan.

In the video below, he does his familiar shtick about differences between Jews and Gentiles, from what they say during show intermissions to how they relate to doctors.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)