Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza; yi, יעקב משה מזא; June 9, 1928 – July 24, 2021) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. His 1986 one-man show ''The World According to Me!'' won a Special Tony Award, an

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newsp ...

, an

Ace Award The CableACE Award (earlier known as the ACE Awards; ACE was an acronym for "Award for Cable Excellence") is a defunct award that was given by what was then the National Cable Television Association from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in Ame ...

, an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

, and earned a

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nomination. Later, his 1988 special ''Jackie Mason on Broadway'' won another Emmy Award (for outstanding writing) and another Ace Award, and his 1991

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...

of Rabbi Hyman Krustofski in ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'' episode "

Like Father, Like Clown "Like Father, Like Clown" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 24, 1991. In the episode, Krusty the Clown reve ...

" won Mason a third Emmy Award. He wrote and performed six one-man shows on Broadway. Known for his delivery and voice, as well as his use of

innuendo An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...

and pun, Mason's often culturally grounded humor was described as irreverent and sometimes politically incorrect.Zeke Jarvis (2015)
Make 'em Laugh! American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries: American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries
''Make 'em Laugh! American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries]Norman H. Finkelstein (2010)
''Jewish Comedy Stars: Classic to Cutting Edge''
/ref> A critic for '' Time (magazine), Time'' magazine wrote that, throughout his career, Mason spoke to audiences: "... with the

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

locutions of an immigrant who just completed a course in English. By mail."

Early life

Jackie Mason was born Yacov Moshe Maza on June 9, 1928 (according to the 1940 NYC census), in Sheboygan,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, the fourth and last son (and only son born in the United States) in a family of six children of strict

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Jewish theology, Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Or ...

.Karen Heller (January 8, 1987)
"A Really Big Broadway Show; Jackie Mason`s Hit Buries Ed Sullivan Flap"
''The Chicago Tribune'' Mason came from a long line of

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

s, which included his father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather, and his great-great grandfather. His father Eli Maza and his mother, Belle (Gitlin), were born in

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative stat ...

, and immigrated to the U.S. in the 1920s with the rest of Mason's family; his father died in 1959.Robert Wiener (October 12, 2006)
"One Jew Talking: Jackie Mason heads to Newark"
'' New Jersey Jewish News'' A Jewish refugee organization helped his father find a position in Sheboygan, as it needed a rabbi.Jackie Mason, Ira Berkow (1991)
''How to Talk Jewish'',
Macmillan When Mason was five years old, his family moved to the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Traditionally an im ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

in New York City, largely so that he and his siblings could pursue a

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy a ...

education, where he grew up on Henry Street,

Rutgers Street Essex Street is a north-south street on the Lower East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. North of Houston Street, the street becomes Avenue A, which goes north to 14th Street. South of Canal Street it becomes Rutgers Street, the ...

, and Norfolk Street.Ken Gross (February 23, 1987)
"Too Much of a Ham to Remain a Rabbi, Broadway's Jackie Mason is Now the Toast of the Town"
''People''· Page 359
''Los Angeles Times'', August 13, 1978 There, his parents and their friends all spoke

. As a teenager, Mason worked as a busboy at resorts in the Borscht Belt in New York's

Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...

. He recalled: "Twenty minutes, at the Pearl Lake Hotel. I broke all the dishes. They made me a lifeguard. 'But I can't swim', I told the owner. 'Don't tell the guests', he says." In 1953 Mason graduated with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

degree in his double major of English and sociology from the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...

. At age 18 he became a cantor, and at age 25 he received '' semikhah'' from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and was ordained a

(as his three brothers, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had been). He led congregations in Weldon, North Carolina, and at Beth Israel Congregation in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He said that in

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of wor ...

, "I started telling more and more jokes, and after a while, a lot of

gentile Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym fo ...

s would come to the congregation just to hear the

sermons A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts ...

." Three years later, after his father died, he resigned from his job as a rabbi in a synagogue to become a comedian because, he said, "Somebody in the family had to make a living.""All About ... Jackie Mason"
Jackie Mason; The Official Site, Retrieved July 14, 2014

Career

Early years

Mason wrote most of his own material. A sampling of his humor is his commentary on doctors: "That's a great profession, a doctor. Where else can you ask a woman to get undressed and then send the bill to her husband?" And his commentary on what is important in life: "Money is not important. Love is important. Fortunately, I love money."Lawrence J. Epstein (2008)
''The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America''
/ref> As well as his ruminations on pleasing people: "You can't please everyone. I have a girlfriend. I think she's the most wonderful person in the world. That's to me. But to my wife ..."Aubrey J. Sher
''The Stand-Up Comedy Festival: Send In The Clowns''
/ref> And on trust: "My grandfather always said that I shouldn't watch my money. That I should watch my health. So while I was watching my health, someone stole my money. It was my grandfather." And on fidelity: "Eighty percent of married men cheat in America. The rest cheat in Europe." He was a comedian at the Fieldston Hotel in

Swan Lake, New York Swan Lake (formerly Stevensville) is a hamlet (and census designated place) in the town of Liberty in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The community is located along New York State Route 55, south-southwest of Liberty, located at the ea ...

, in the summer of 1955. Mason was let go because his act was considered too far ahead of its time. The patrons had not been exposed to a comic who seemed to be ridiculing them. A few years later, Don Rickles came along, but at that point audiences had become open to this type of humor throughout the Borscht Belt. He adopted his

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

after appearing on the Barry Gray radio show.Jackie Mason – Biography
''Billboard'' He performed at New York City nightclubs (where he was earning as much as $10,000 ($ in current dollar terms) a week), and on '' The Steve Allen Show'', his first national TV appearance, in 1962, and the '' Tonight Show'' with Steve Allen, as well as on '' The Perry Como Show'', '' The Dean Martin Show'', and ''The Garry Moore Show''. The William Morris Agency advised him in 1962 to take elocution lessons so that he could shed his heavy Yiddish accent, but he refused. Mason made several appearances as a guest on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'' during the 1960s. He claimed to have been on the episode which featured the American television debut of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

, although research does not bear this fact out. Mason revealed during his appearance on the BBC show '' Desert Island Discs'', in March 2012, that at the time he did not think much of the group, referring to them as "four kids in search of a voice who needed haircuts". In 1962 he came out with his initial

LP record The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; an ...

, a best-seller entitled ''I'm the Greatest Comedian in the World, Only Nobody Knows It Yet'', followed by ''I Want to Leave You with the Words of a Great Comedian''. In the ''Desert Island Discs'' interview, he also related how

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

and a group of others once came to his show in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...

and Sinatra started heckling his act. Mason made uncomplimentary comments to Sinatra until he "and his whole group" left. When asked whether he thought it was naïve to do that, given Sinatra's connections with "the Mob", Mason said, "No, I said to myself...what could they do me?" He went on to describe how shots were later fired into his room which cracked all the windows. The police did not pursue an investigation.

"Middle finger" incident (1964)

On October 18, 1964, in an appearance on ''

'', Mason allegedly gave host Ed Sullivan the

finger A finger is a limb of the body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of most of the Tetrapods, so also with humans and other primates. Most land vertebrates have five fingers ( Pentadactyly). Chamber ...

on air. Footage of the incident shows Mason in the middle of doing his stand-up comedy act and then looking toward Sullivan, who had placed himself directly behind the camera, commenting that Sullivan was signaling him. Sullivan was reportedly letting Mason know (by holding up two fingers) that he had only two minutes left, and to cut his act short, as the program was about to cut away due to having been partly pre-empted by an impromptu speech by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Lyndon B. Johnson that the show carried. Mason began working his own fingers into his act to make fun of the situation and pointed toward Sullivan with an index finger, a thumb, but not, as Sullivan mistakenly believed, his middle finger. Sullivan was infuriated by this, and banned Mason from future appearances on the show, canceling Mason's six-appearance contract worth $45,000 (). Mason denied knowingly giving Sullivan the middle finger; he later said that he had not heard of the middle finger gesture at that time. To clear his name, Mason filed a

libel Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defi ...

suit on the grounds that Sullivan had defamed him at the

New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...

. That court dismissed most of Mason's complaint. Both Mason and Sullivan appealed to the

New York Supreme Court Appellate Division The Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court of the State of New York are the intermediate appellate courts in New York State. There are four Appellate Divisions, one in each of the state's four Judicial Departments (e.g., the full title of the ...

(which reinstated three additional causes of action against Sullivan) in June 1966.Barry Avrich (2016)
''Moguls, Monsters, and Madmen: An Uncensored Life in Show Business''
/ref> Mason was nevertheless banned from the show for a period of time. Sullivan asserted that Mason was unpredictable and could not be trusted. Because of Sullivan's influence, he was branded as unreliable, volatile, and obscene, and he failed to get substantial television work for the next two decades. Mason was given a single comeback appearance on Sullivan's television program two years later, and Sullivan publicly apologized to him, but the damage was done. At that time, Mason opened his monologue by saying, "It is a great thrill ... and a fantastic opportunity to see me in person again." Mason later appeared on the show five times: April 23, 1967; February 25, 1968; November 24, 1968; July 22, 1969; and August 31, 1969. Mason later said: "It took twenty years to overcome what happened in one minute".

1965–1985

In 1969, Mason made his Broadway theater debut as Jewish widower Nat Weiss in the comedy play ''

A Teaspoon Every Four Hours ''A Teaspoon Every Four Hours'' is a comedy play written by Jackie Mason and Mike Mortman which was produced on Broadway in 1969. The play set a Broadway record by having 97 previews before its official opening. After its official opening, ''A ...

'', which he wrote with Mike Mortman. It held the Broadway record of 97 previews and closed after its official opening performance (a preview record succeeded by '' Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'' with its 182 previews prior to opening). He also appeared in the films '' The Jerk'' (1979) and '' History of the World, Part I'' (1981).Joseph A. Comm (2015)
''Legendary Locals of Latrobe'',
Arcadia voice of the aardvark in pink pantherPublishing

1986–2011

In 1986, Mason made a triumphant return to Broadway in the two-year run of ''The World According to Me!'' which ran for 367 performances in its first run and 203 performances in its second run at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, his first of several one-man theatrical shows.Dan Dietz (2016)
''The Complete Book of 1990s Broadway Musicals''
/ref> It was well received both by critics and the public; Frank Rich, the sometimes harsh reviewer of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', wrote: "So sue me ... Mason was very, very funny". It won a Special Tony Award, an

, an

, and a

nomination.''Comic Genius: Portraits of Funny People''
2015.Romi Oliverio (September 21, 2009)
"Jackie Mason's One-Man Show, 'No Holds Barred', To Play Los Angeles' Wadsworth Theatre"
''Broadway World'' His special ''Jackie Mason on Broadway'' won an Emmy Award for outstanding writing and an Ace Award. Mason starred in the movie '' Caddyshack II'' (1988), where his character had the same surname, Hartounian, as his character in ''The Jerk''. In 1990 and 1991, Mason again was on Broadway, this time with his successful two-act show ''Brand New'', which ran for 216 performances at the

Neil Simon Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...

, and won him his second Outer Critics Circle Award."Jackie Mason,"
''Playbill'' Critic Clive Barnes of the ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

'' praised the "brilliant" comic and his "totally new from top to '' tuchis''" humor. Critic

Mel Gussow Melvyn Hayes "Mel" Gussow (; December 19, 1933 – April 29, 2005) was an American theater critic, movie critic, and author who wrote for '' The New York Times'' for 35 years. Biography Gussow was born in New York City and grew up in Rockville ...

of ''The New York Times'' remarked on the "exact meeting" between performance and material in which Mason engaged in a comic attack on everyone, including himself, cutting them all down to size. In 1992, Mason won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his

of Rabbi Hyman Krustofski in ''

'' episode "

",Basile, Nancy. (2006
"The Simpsons Awards"
, Accessed August 29, 2006. making him the first guest star to win an Emmy for his role. Mason also appeared in ''The Simpsons'' episodes "

Today I Am a Clown "Today I Am a Clown" is the sixth episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 7, 2003. The episode focuses on Krusty's relig ...

", "

Once Upon a Time in Springfield "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" is the tenth episode of the twenty-first season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 10, 2010. It was promoted as the ...

", " The Ten-Per-Cent Solution", "

At Long Last Leave "At Long Last Leave" is the fourteenth episode of the twenty-third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 500th episode overall of the series. In the episode, the Simpsons discover that the inhabitants of Spr ...

", and "

Clown in the Dumps "Clown in the Dumps" is the twenty-sixth season premiere of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and the 553rd episode of the series overall. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on September 28, 2014, with t ...

"; the last episode focuses upon Rabbi Krustofski's death and its effects on his son, Krusty the Clown. The character would appear three more times in fantasy sequences/flashbacks in "

The Nightmare After Krustmas "The Nightmare After Krustmas" is the tenth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 606th episode of the series overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on December 11, 2016. P ...

", "

Flanders' Ladder "Flanders' Ladder" is the twenty-first and final episode of the twenty-ninth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 639th episode of the series overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on May 20, 2018. Th ...

" and "

Woo-Hoo Dunnit? "Woo-Hoo Dunnit?" is the twenty-second and penultimate episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 661st episode overall. The episode was directed by Steven Dean Moore and written by Brian ...

which was his final appearance in the series and final acting performance before his death in 2021." Jackie Mason (26780366916) (cropped)

One of his Broadway shows, his two-act ''Politically Incorrect'' (1994–95) ran for 347 performances at Broadway's

John Golden Theater The John Golden Theatre, formerly the Theatre Masque and Masque Theater, is a Broadway theater at 252 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the Golden Theatre was d ...

. Critic John Simon of ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

'' wrote: "His method is hyperbole and '' reductio ad absurdum'', but always informed by bitter reason. His irony is a spotlight illuminating our absurdities; his zingers are scalpels laying bare the sickness under the skin. There is a unifying thrust, a focus, a structure: an attack on both liberal hypocrisy and conservative apathy, and on the climate of political correctness that makes it impossible to attack anyone but

WASP A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...

s. ... Mason is a true satirist in the mold of ...

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...

. ... " It was performed during the same period that

Bill Maher William Maher (; born January 20, 1956) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is known for the HBO political talk show '' Real Time with Bill Maher'' (2003–present) and the similar ...

's late-night, half-hour political TV talk show '' Politically Incorrect'' was on the air. Maher brought a lawsuit against Mason's production, which was dismissed as frivolous. Mason was 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 interfaith

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

called '' Chicken Soup'' alongside Lynn Redgrave. Mason also put on the Broadway one-man shows ''Love thy Neighbor'' (1996–97) which ran for 225 performances at the Booth Theatre (critic Lawrence Van Gelder of ''The New York Times'' described Mason's routines as "roaringly funny"), ''Much Ado About Everything'' (1999–2000) which was nominated for a

Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Family Show is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976 ...

for its run in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

) and ran for 183 performances at the John Golden Theatre (in this effort Van Gelder described Mason as "convulsing audiences"), ''Prune Danish'' (2002; nominated for a

Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event The Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event was awarded from 2001 to 2009 to live theatrical productions that were not plays or musicals. The category was created after the 2000 controversy of '' Contact'' winning Best Musical; the show used ...

), ''Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed'' (2005; for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance), and ''The Ultimate Jew'' (2008). In a 2005 poll to find the Comedian's Comedian, Mason was voted #43 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". He holds the record for the longest-running one-man show in Broadway history and the longest-running stand-up show in the history of London's West End. His full-length courtroom dramedy motion picture '' One Angry Man'' was released in 2010 throughout the US and Canada. Mason's most recent film ''Jackie Goldberg: Private Dick'' (2011) was a direct-to-DVD production, released by FilmWorks Entertainment.

Political views

A longtime Democrat, Mason was a registered Republican by 2007. He had spoken out in defense of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

. Mason was an admirer of Rabbi Meir Kahane. He openly endorsed Kahane's plan to pay Israeli Arabs unwilling to accept Israeli sovereignty to emigrate. He also served as the honored speaker at a fundraising event for a

founded by Kahane. In January 2001, Mason co-founded the organization One Jerusalem in response to the Oslo peace agreement. Its stated cause is "Maintaining a united

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

as the un-divided capital of Israel.""About Us."
One Jerusalem.

Controversies

In 1991, Mason was criticized by African-American organizations including the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&n ...

, when he called New York City mayor David Dinkins "a fancy '' shvartze'' with a moustache"; Mason later apologized. In 2009, Mason referred to

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

as a ''shvartze'' during one of his stand-up routines, which prompted members of the audience to walk out. In 2003, Mason co-wrote an article that advised Israeli leaders to threaten the expulsion of Palestinians from Israel, the

West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

, and

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...

.Mason, Jackie, and Raoul Felder. "Time to Threaten Arabs with Mass Eviction." '' The Jewish Press''. January 29, 2003. Mason and

Raoul Felder Raoul Lionel Felder (born in Brooklyn, New York, May 13, 1944) is an American divorce lawyer and matrimonial attorney. Felder has written eight books and has published numerous articles related to matrimonial law, politics and social issues. Felde ...

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." On 2006, Mason filed a lawsuit against the group Jews for Jesus for using his likeness in a pamphlet."Oy! Jackie Mason sues Jews for Jesus"
Today.com. August 25, 2006. His image was used next to the tagline "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 Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

faith, the fact is, as everyone knows, I am as Jewish as a Matzah ball or

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...

salami Salami ( ) is a cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for up to 45 ...

." Mason asserted 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." The lawsuit was settled in 2006, with Jews for Jesus apologizing. In 2012, Mason said that a friend at the time, Kaoru Suzuki-McMullen, attacked him while leaving his apartment on West 57th Street in

. Suzuki-McMullen said she was attacked by Mason, but she was arrested. Both sides agreed to drop the matter and all charges were dropped against Suzuki-McMullen.

Personal life

On August 14, 1991, Mason married his then-37-year-old manager Jyll Rosenfeld. Sheba Mason, born in 1985, is the daughter of Jackie Mason. She is also a comedian.

Death

Mason died on July 24, 2021, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in

after being hospitalized for over two weeks. Many celebrities and other notable figures mourned Mason's death. Gilbert Gottfried called him "one of the best."

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...

personality Sean Hannity remarked that he was "irreverent, iconoclastic, funny, smart and a great American patriot." Actor

Henry Winkler Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE (born October 30, 1945), is an American actor, comedian, author, executive producer, and director. After rising to fame as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the American television series '' Happy Days'', Winkler has ...

tweeted that Mason put on "truly one of the funniest shows I have ever seen .. ever .. thank you Jackie and now you get to make heaven laugh."

Works

Selected TV, film and radio roles

Source: *''

'' (1961–1968) – frequent guest appearances *'' It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' – gas station attendant *'' Sleeper'' (1973) – Voice of robot tailor (uncredited) *'' The Stoolie'' (1974) – Roger Pitman * '' The Jerk'' (1979) – Harry Hartounian * '' History of the World, Part I'' (1981) – Jew #1 * '' Caddyshack II'' (1988) – Jack Hartounian * '' Chicken Soup'' (1989) – Jackie Fisher * ''

'' – Rabbi Hyman Krustofski in ten episodes: ** "

" (1991) ** "

" (2003) ** "

" (2009) ** "

Treehouse of Horror XXII "Treehouse of Horror XXII" is the third episode of the twenty-third season and the twenty-second Halloween episode of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October ...

" (2011) ** " The Ten-Per-Cent Solution" (2011) ** "

" (2012) ** "

" (2014) ** "

" (2016) ** "

" (2018) ** "

" (2019) ** When Nelson Met Lisa (2022) * '' The Fairly OddParents'' episode " Beddy Bye/The Grass Is Greener" (2003) – Harvey Sandman a.k.a. The Sandman, a.k.a. The Mattress King * '' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' – The Quandary Phase (2005) – The East River Creature * ''The Jackie Mason Show'' (2005–11) – Host (originally aired on CN8: The Comcast Network; repeats currently airing on JLTV) * ''

30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', tak ...

'' episode " The Collection" (2007) – himself (small guest appearance) * ''

The Drinky Crow Show ''The Drinky Crow Show'' is an American adult computer-animated cel-shaded animated television series created by Eric Kaplan and Tony Millionaire, based on the latter's comic strip '' Maakies''. The pilot episode aired on Adult Swim on May 13, 2 ...

'' episode "Aspire" (2009) – Mort Cooper * '' One Angry Man'' (2010) – Jackie Mason * ''Jackie Goldberg: Private Dick/ Goldberg – P.I. '' (2011) – Jackie Goldberg * '' Answer Me This!'' Episode 206 (2012) – Jackie Mason * '' Graham Norton BBC Radio 2 Show'' (2012) – Jackie Mason * ''When Comedy Went to School'' (2013) – Jackie Mason

Television specials

*''Jackie Mason On Location'' (1978) *''Jackie Mason's The World According to Me!'' (1988) *''An Audience with Jackie Mason'' (1990) *''Jackie Mason on Campus'' (1992) *''Jackie Mason at the London Palladium'' (1996) *''Jackie Mason: A Night at the Opera'' (2002)

One-man shows

*''Jackie Mason's The World According to Me!'' (1986–1988) *''Jackie Mason: Brand New'' (1990–1991) *''Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect'' (1994–1995) *''Love Thy Neighbor'' (1996–1997) *''Much Ado About Everything'' (1999–2000) *''Jackie Mason: Prune Danish'' (2002–2003) *''Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed'' (2005–2006) *''Jackie Mason: The Ultimate Jew'' (2008) *''Jackie Mason: Fearless'' (2012)

Books

* Jackie Mason. ''Jackie Mason's America''. Carol Publishing Group, 1983. *Jackie Mason. ''Jackie, Oy!: The Frank, Outrageously Funny Autobiography of Jackie Mason''. Robson, 1988. * Jackie Mason, Ira Berkow. ''How to Talk Jewish''. Macmillan, 1991. * Jackie Mason and Raoul Lionel Felder. ''Schmucks!: Our Favorite Fakes, Frauds, Lowlifes, Liars, the Armed and the Dangerous, and Good Guys Gone Bad''. Harper Collins, 2009.

Video blogging

Mason appeared in over 200 self-written video blog entries on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

, in which he gave his opinions on current events and politics. He also experimented with podcasting, and in February 2012 appeared on the cult British podcast '' Answer Me This!'', to promote his West End stand-up show, ''Fearless''.

Legacy

Mason received a special Tony Award in 1987 for ''The World According to Me!''. Mason won an

for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program for his 1988 HBO special ''The World According to Me!'' (also known as ''Jackie Mason on Broadway''). He also won a 1992 Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his role as Rabbi Krustofsky on ''

'', shared with five of the show's regular cast members. In DePatie-Freleng Enterprises' animated cartoon series ''

The Ant and the Aardvark ''The Ant and the Aardvark'' is a series of 17 theatrical short cartoons produced at DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, originally released by United Artists and currently distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1969 to 1971. Plot The cartoon se ...

'', the Aardvark's voice was performed by John Byner as an imitation of Mason.

References

External links

* *
Official website
archived at the

Wayback Machine The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...

1987 KCRW Radio interview with Bob Claster

2007 interview (transcription)
on Air America Radio * *
The Jewish World According to Jackie Mason
March 2020 ''

Jewish News The ''Jewish News'' is a free weekly newspaper, established in 1997, that serves the Jewish communities of Greater London – specifically Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Essex. In 2002, it won the '' Press Gazette'' free newspaper of the year. In ...

'' article
Jackie Mason
at

Find a Grave Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present fi ...

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