Mijal:
Coming up on Wondering Jews…
Mikey
Every time I meet someone who’s getting into comedy, I’m like, what happened every time divorce, someone died in their family. Something tragic. It’s just it’s such a crazy field to be in stand up comedy.
Noam
Welcome to Wandering Jews with Michael and Noem. I am here solo today. Actually, it’s not solo. I’m with Mikey Greenblatt. Yeah, I thought you were actually saying Michael, as in my Hebrew name.
Mikey
And you and I was interested that you were talking to the third person. It’s Hershel Roney, but a lot of people think Michael to Michal makes more sense. And you’re Mikey. Mikey. I tried like I tried. Well, Michael, if you call me Michael, I’ll think you’re yelling at me because that’s when my dad’s angry. Michael, I know I’m in trouble.
Mikey
And then I tried Mike in college, but it felt like they were stopping short. And I’m like, there’s a little more. There’s one more there. Mike’s, like, a little bit cooler. Mikey’s a little younger. Yeah, but, you know, it’s good. It’s good. So you’re okay, Mikey? Mikey. Mikey, you are a comedian, correct? You’re an Orthodox Jew. I mean, this is part of your brand.
Mikey
That’s who you are. It’s. It’s more than a brand. It’s a lifestyle. I wish it was a brand, because then I could just. Is it an Oriental? Like a I don’t know, it’s just who you are. Yeah. I’m a I’m a shade.
Noam
But how did Orthodox Jewish kid from a modocs, which is monitor Orthodox world in England, new Jersey end up on kill Tony?
Mikey
What does that mean? Just a such a desperate need for attention and validation will really drive you to crazy points. I, I’ve always been an entertainer, you know, like, everyone’s like, there’s always a class clown. Whatever. And then you channel that energy into law and then you die. That’s the typical standard Jewish, you know, route that you take.
Mikey
But I really saw that we’re in such a unique time of Judaism where you could really start exploring new fields, you know, like it used to be the traditional lawyer doctor pipeline. But I’m like, what if what if I could keep my religious identity and also do something very different and, and use it as a vehicle and show my pride through it?
Mikey
And I started out in acting and unfortunately, acting in Orthodox museum was literally impossible. Literally. So many of these like student productions, when you’re starting out acting, it’s not like you’re just throwing on a movie set. You know, you’re doing like student productions, indie films, things like that. They’re all filming on the weekends because that’s when people have day jobs and and working night shifts.
Mikey
So I the amount of times I used to have an agent, and every Saturday she’d be like, all right, you have an audition. I’m like, I keep Chavez. She’s like, can you take this one off? It was this conversation every weekend. Yeah, yeah, maybe just just take this job out off. I’m like, it’s not optional. It’s not like.
Mikey
So I wanted to do something with more meritocracy where I’m in control, where I could sell the tickets, and I found stand up comedy. I tried it like, a few times in 2018. I tried it for a month, and I’m like, this is way too terrifying. It’s way too hard. I’m not doing this.
Mikey
Covid happened, and I believe for every standup comedian, something needs to shift in you that will bring you on stage to try to impress people for an hour. It’s not a natural thing to want to go on stage and try to make people smile for an hour. Maybe you want to, but to actually do it as a whole nother thing, you know?
Mikey
So Covid just went through some dark stuff and I think it really shifted something in me. I moved down to Austin, Texas, where I saw that there was really a burgeoning comedy scene. I went there for a week and I’m like, this is where I want to start. Comedy and Orthodox Jew, then still Orthodox Jew. Now Hashem should bless me.
Mikey
I live next to Franklin’s Barbecue, which is one of the top barbecue spots in the country. Smelt it every day, never went inside. You know what you’re supposed to say when you see that you really want to eat? Says fg you say fg. Actually, we’re teaching so many words. Yeah. This is to you. Yeah. I never heard of this one.
Mikey
I went to Frisch. I don’t know any of these words.
Mikey
What is FC? It just means like, I wish I could have this, I wish I could have this. Oh my God. If you just summed up modern Orthodoxy by the way, it should just be called FG modern or FG. That’s what it should be called. Yeah FC so you went to Austin. So I went to Austin and you wore your camera.
Mikey
This guy. Yeah I wear my yarmulke everywhere. It’s not like I tell people it’s not a prop like it’s not. It’s bad for me. This is who you are. It’s your identity. Absolutely. And, it’s something I’m very passionate about. And as I’ve continued in this career where I’m definitely, at least in the club scene, working, and I’m usually the only person, there’s so many Jews in comedy, there’s no doubt.
Mikey
But I’m most definitely the only person wearing a yarmulke. Out of those people, especially when I’m doing shows around the country and it’s led to so many beautiful conversations. They always start off with questions, which I call slight antisemitism. It’s just it’s just a question about running the banks. It’s just a I just have a question about this terribly anti-Semitic.
Mikey
Can I ask you a question? Is always can I be anti-Semitic? For a moment? I’m like, yeah, sure. Of course. Go ahead. Yeah, yeah, I have permission to be anti-Semitic. But maybe I’m being kind here and generous, but I.
Noam
Mean it in a in an inquisitive, curious sort of way.
Mikey
It truly is. It truly is. And I think that’s where a lot of people get hung up on, like, the people truly, they’ve never met a Jew. They genuinely have these questions. I’ve answered questions a lot of stuff about Israel. And they say, you know, Judaism, isn’t it? Israel. Well, then why are you asking every Jew about Israel?
Mikey
Just saying. A lot of stuff about Israel. Stuff about kosher misunderstandings, about, I don’t know, a classic one of like, rabbi’s blessing. Food makes it kosher. I would just take a rabbi to McDonald’s every time. You don’t think we would pocket rabbi or something? But then there’s other stuff. There’s like Jews running the banks. Okay, where does that come from?
Mikey
And I had to educate myself on on these things, on the history. We’re always the middleman because we couldn’t own land, we couldn’t be in places of government. And to be able to have that effect. And then you talk to that one person who had a different thought about who Jews were, and to have that positive effect on them, and then for them to go back to their community and say, hey, you know what?
Mikey
Actually, I met this Jewish guy. He’s a good guy that could you have such a huge opportunity. And so I’m really blessed. And that’s why I always tell people, even if you’re not religious, where are my game, David? Where star of David out so that you have an opportunity. Not only will it’ll make you a better person. When I see someone struggling up the stairs with like a stroller or whatever, if I’m wearing a hat, I always have emergency omega I throw the Yamaha on.
Mikey
My first instinct should be to help them, I will say, but I’m like, let me struggle for extra. Second, let me get this yarmulke on. I clip in, I help him, I’m helping out with the hey, aren’t we? Hey, look, happy to help. Oh, by the way, I’m Jewish. Yeah, you see my keep? I’m Jewish, I’m Jewish. Anyways, we’re good people.
Mikey
Have a good day.
Noam
I’m going to be condescending for a second, please.
Mikey
Or just like my mom. No.
Noam
Just kidding. I’m not going to let me.
Noam
Let me give a voice from someone in the outside. Why does it matter to you that you’re wearing a kippah to help this person? I mean, why not just help this person? Where is it coming from? Maybe it’s not condescending. It’s the wrong word. Skeptical? Where is it coming from that you feel this need to put on a yarmulke to put on a kippah?
Noam
where did that come from.
Mikey
For some Nysa, you got to publicize the miracle. I think I was very inspired by by what they’re doing, by just being Jewish but not making like that’s just who they are. It’s not that’s just who they are. That’s just part of them. But it comes from whether we want to admit it or not. And I think this is what a lot of Jews post October 7th are feeling.
Mikey
We are different. You can’t shy away from it. We’ve tried shying away from it historically. It doesn’t make a difference. So embrace that differential that you have between people and show them who we are. You know, if you’re if you’re black or Hispanic, you can’t take that part away from you. That’s who you are. And so if you have a chance to do good and whether we want to admit it or not, people look at a person with a keeper and that person with a keeper is doing something badly.
Mikey
They will judge, especially if you’re not in New York, if you’re in somewhere, and that’s the first, and you’re only interaction with the gym, that’s what you place on all Jewish people. So we have this responsibility and a lot of people don’t want to take it on, and I can’t blame them. But if you have that opportunity, especially now, especially with rising anti-Semitism, this is the only way to combat it.
Mikey
It’s not by hiding, it’s by being more proud than ever.
Noam
So I want to get into the anti-Semitism with you, we have touched on is how you deal with negativity, yet on on social media that’s directed at you.
Noam
So you have a big Instagram following and a growing Instagram following. Thank you. And with that, because I’ve actually seen your content on Instagram where you vacillate between your funny content, well, you’ll say la you le monde something right angled something. I don’t even know the bits. Yeah.
Mikey
Those are my best jokes. Just naming just just nouns. Yeah, I’m a killer chair plant. I kill them with those.
Noam
South Hollywood, Florida with your Hollywood, Florida one.
Mikey
I yeah, I go into Shabbat conversation meals like what everyone talks about in different areas.
Noam
Okay. So then that’s like so that’s like one part of your content and some of your standup. And then I’ve also seen your content where you’re really serious, right. Like I’ve seen you walk through the streets of New York City and you’re like, you don’t have your jocular voice on. You have your, my audience. So so that means.
Noam
Yeah, you have a different voice, right? You have a voice that’s serious, that you’re using your platform. So I want to know how you deal with anti-Semitism in the social media sphere.
Mikey
Yeah, well, this will be a hot take. And by the way, I love when they say hot take on Jewish podcast because it’s just things like hot take you shiva tuitions too expensive like hot take like it’s hard to date. I’m like yeah, very hot take. But hot take. Anti-Semitism is a lot worse online. And what I mean by that is, again, like what I was saying before, I see these comments online.
Mikey
First of all, half of them aren’t real people, it’s just bots. Second off, if a person’s commenting like that online, they probably don’t exist. Well, in real life, truly. I mean, if you’re writing without much hate in online, like you’re not a well-adjusted person for the most part, you have a few people that are well adjusted and have these thoughts, and it is what it is, but it just fuels me.
Mikey
I mean, you should use it. It shouldn’t scare you. It should fuel you. Okay. These are anti-Semitic comments. How can I go about day to day just being a better person? But it’s also knowing that you can’t take online seriously. And I think we’ve gotten to a point in Judaism where our online has become a reality, and it’s freaking people out and people are so paranoid.
Mikey
People are always coming up to me. I did a show recently at a comedy club in New York. This lady came up to me afterwards and she’s like, you’re so brave for wearing your yarmulke. And I’m like, I appreciate the sentiment, but that makes me so sad to hear. It should not be a courageous act to be who you are.
Mikey
And when you see these online anti-Semitic, anti-Semitic comics, screw you, screw you. Be more proud than you are. No, no. Unless they’re like, unless I could find like. Unless they’re really fun. But if I get victim card promise to, I’m like, get a new line, guys.
Noam
Right. Um. Transitioning from serious to maybe serious, maybe silly,
Noam
We found an interview where you said, that in order to be in comedy something needs to be a little off.
Mikey
Yeah, that was I said that 20 minutes ago, too. I’m really repeating myself.
Noam
Tell me on this podcast.
Mikey
I’m sorry.
Noam
To hear that. They’re really funny. You guys are. You guys are good at what you do. But I’m wondering, is there is there like, what does that mean to, like you said it a little bit, like you have to be you have to be willing to 60 minutes. People smile.
Mikey
It’s not a natural thing.
Noam
Not a natural thing. It’s. So what would you say about that?
Mikey
Every time I meet someone who’s getting into comedy, I’m like, what happened every time divorce, someone died in their family. Something tragic. It’s just it’s such a crazy field to be in stand up comedy. And until you’re in it, you have no idea how insane you have to be to be in it. You’re you’re putting yourself, they say.
Mikey
Like, I don’t know. The biggest fears is like public speaking and taxes or whatever, something like that or. No, I.
Noam
I know the bit, but.
Mikey
Public speaking and death or whatever, like the biggest fears of life and you’re putting your body into fight or flight mode. So yeah something there’s got to be some dark thing going on there. Some comics say otherwise. Seinfeld is very passionate about. There’s not anything dark, but I do think there needs to be something, something a little off inside that makes you want to do it.
Mikey
But it also every comedian I know, like there’s such genuine people and it’s so refreshing these days.
Noam
But what’s the difference? There’s like a public persona and like a like sometimes you’ll see comedians who are like, so funny on stage and they’re yeah, they’re they’re public. They got a lot going on. And then you talk to them behind the scenes. You don’t seem to have this energy, but to them, just like, I don’t know, walking down the street and they’re like a little bit there could be a little awkward.
Mikey
Yeah. No. Absolutely. Well there’s two things. One, when you’re on stage, you’re putting out so much energy you need to put out exude joy. So it’s exhausting. So you’re kind of retaining that for the for the stage. Another thing is comedians are very high intellect, deep thinkers. You observe the world differently. You process the world differently. What I’m trying to say is like, we’re better than everyone.
Mikey
I don’t know if that’s coming across, but that’s what I want to come across. So we think we think deeper. We process things deeper. And being a comedian, you’re you’re kind of you’re up there. It’s a monologue. You know, I started out in improv, so I’m a lot more back and forth. When you guys come to my standup shows.
Mikey
I’d say 50% of his crowd work, which some comics don’t like, but that’s a big part of my repertoire. I started in Improvizational comedy, so that’s how I’m able to do stuff like this.
Noam
So hard. It’s right. That is wildly hard.
Mikey
Improv stand up.
Noam
It will.
Mikey
Both right.
Noam
Both.
Noam
You’re putting yourself. People often in life don’t want to hear constructive feedback. I’m somebody that helps run a media company, open or media unpack. We make content all the time. YouTube channels, podcasts, curriculum, hundreds of thousands of comments, and we get feedback right away. But you get get feedback in a different sort of way. You get feedback live in your face, right?
Noam
And you have to be willing to eat it right. And if you’re going to eat it, then you’re going to be great. If you’re not willing to eat SHIT, then you’re not going to be great. Yeah.
Mikey
Seinfeld has a great. He says it’s the only job in the world where you’re judged every 10s meaning I make someone laugh. You would think. And if show I made someone laugh, then it resets.
Noam
In the last 10s. Yeah. So when you do that. So how do you make your Parnassus? I didn’t make money.
Mikey
So thank God I went full time about a month ago. And how do I make money? I barely make money. No, no, no. That’s why you sound like every Jewish person that comes up to me after a show that’s just like, great job. How do you make any money from this? Like, I don’t, quite frankly. You do a lot of different things.
Mikey
I’m so fortunate that I have a Jewish community that I get to perform for, that they hire me. Most comedians like Shane Gillis, who’s literally the biggest comic right now outside of maybe.
Noam
Yeah, he was.
Mikey
He’s hilarious.
Noam
Absolutely.
Mikey
He just did Lincoln Field or whatever. Philadelphia just where the Eagles play. It was the biggest comedy show ever.
Noam
How many.
Mikey
People were like 62,000 people. Something like that. Massive.
Noam
He a role model for you know.
Mikey
But I mean I love him I think as Jerry Seinfeld’s my role model. He’s he’s the rabbi of comedy. If you want to understand standup comedy, the structure of standup comedy, the technicalities behind standup comedy, listen to any podcast of his or just listen to his stand up material. He has it down to his science. I mean, he even talks about how some jokes are funnier because they end in a k sound versus an H sound.
Mikey
Like he has it down to the consonants. Wow, he’s so technical with his comedy and it’s beautiful.
Noam
And he doesn’t.
Mikey
Curse and he doesn’t curse. He’s a clean comedian, which in the synagogue circuit that I’m on, that’s a necessity as well. So he’s really.
Noam
Are you also a clean comedian or do you.
Mikey
Yeah. Yeah, I’m a clean comedian. I, I perform nightly at comedy clubs. That’s how you kind of get your reps in. But. And so I guess I could be a little idea there, but I want my material to transfer everywhere, so I stay clean.
Noam
Is that a decision?
Mikey
It’s a business. I when I started out in Austin, Austin comedies, very edgy. My first five minutes I haven’t touched. I mean, it’s disgusting. I can’t say any of the words that I say in five minutes on this podcast, so.
Noam
I won’t ask you about it. I want to ask you about. Yeah, I want to ask you.
Mikey
Yeah. But it’s it’s amazing to, So so Shane Gillis didn’t have his first paycheck, though. He was ten years in. I got my first paycheck a couple years in. Was I good? No, not at all. But the Jewish community wants to support you, and it’s a truly beautiful thing.
Noam
So that’s. I won’t worry too much about that issue. I’ll let.
Mikey
You should be worrying about if I’m making enough money because I worry about it every day.
Noam
Everyone should hire Mikey. I’m in. I’m with you on that. But. But I want to go back to I want to stay on the stand up for a second, and I want to go back to social media with you said you talk about Israel-Palestine or Israeli-Palestinian conflict. How do you think people understand different sides of the issue? I think, do you think there are ways or are you even interested in getting people to see different sides of the issue?
Mikey
It’s a great question. I think that comedy is one of the last things that can actually sway people. When you are picking up your phone and you’re watching another infographic type comment about Israel Palestine, you’ve made up your mind. Nothing is convincing you at this point, especially like if you are, there’s still some people in the middle, but if you’ve already made up your mind, there’s so little that could convince you.
Mikey
Comedy is so incredible because laughter is unity. Laughter can bring people together. It can bring people together, you know, physically, but also in thought. And when I’m on stage talking about these things and I do, I have probably I have a bunch of minutes on, on Israel and I have a bunch of jokes about Israel. My favorite joke that I do is like jokes that break the tension, where I say I family fighting in Israel and then like it divides.
Mikey
And I’m like, not in the IDF, they just don’t like each other. And it’s one of my favorite things because you still don’t know. I’m like, well, you don’t know where I because they do know where I stand. But we could also kind of laugh about it and show that, listen, people are going to be people are going to have opposing views of Israel.
Mikey
But if we could laugh about it and be together in the room, it breaks down these walls, it breaks down these barriers. It makes us human again. And so I don’t get too preachy. I definitely have some jokes that are pretty Zionist, and I love doing them in clubs because it challenges the audience, but also makes them laugh.
Mikey
If you could challenge the audience and make them laugh at the same time, you’ve done something very special.
Noam
And this jokes.
Mikey
Well, I have, I have another joke where I, I point, I pointed my keeper and I’m like, I just did this in Montreal. And it was it was great. And I’m like, I’m like, do you guys know what it’s called? And I’m like, oh, I’m like, yeah, yeah. Although around here you guys seem to be calling it a Free Palestine.
Mikey
It got a huge laugh, but also an acknowledgment. Yeah, we are we are seeing you and we are saying anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is the same thing. And we are. And then I have another joke where I’m like, oh, I’m not a Zionist. I’m whatever you guys are. I’m like, oh, now we’re on the same side. But then I have more, you know, very Zionist jokes.
Mikey
I guess you’ll have to watch it. You’ll have to watch it.
Mikey
And God, you’re never going to get me booked again. If I answer this question, I will never be booked again. Do I challenge them or.
Noam
No? Are they challenged enough? So you kind of, like, play it safe, not play it safe.
Mikey
I when people come to my show, I want them to feel safe. I want them to be like there’s a Jewish person on stage. What got me into comedy is the as a Jews or I grew up Jewish, meaning these. First of all, we should all have actus and I’ll be unified together. And Tisha B’Av just happened and is the reason why the temple was destroyed.
Mikey
But let me tell you. But let me tell you how much I hate these Jews right now. No. No, I’m just kidding. I just thought that would be a good clip. Let me tell you how much I hate Jews. Roll the clip.
Noam
But do you have an issue? The the people that basically said I grew up.
Mikey
They go on.
Noam
Stage.
Mikey
They go on stage. They say I grew up Jewish or as a Jew. And then they say, yeah, here’s why Israel is bad. Here’s why Jews love money. It’s just caricatures. And they don’t even live the Jewish experience. They’re just using it as material that frustrated me into comedy. I’m like, what if you had something, someone doing their Judaism authentically?
Mikey
Not with caricatures, not with stereotypes? It frustrated me, when I’m on comedy lineups, whenever any comedian does any stuff, that Palestine stuff, whatever that I find challenging, I’ll go on stage and address it. You need to have someone speak back.
Noam
Okay, so back to social media for a second.
Mikey
Yeah. Please get off this topic.
Noam
That was tough. I might include this in this. You said that one of the things that you’ve done is you treat hateful Jewish fan mail. Yeah. So did that change the way the media world?
Mikey
Oh, it made it way more fun if we could. I mean, if we could, if we could approach every hate comment as like, let’s dissect this and make fun of it. You know, like the celebrity read mean tweets kind of thing that Jimmy Fallon did for a little bit. Ellie Simon, I don’t know if you’ve seen his Duff Lyle, I think does.
Noam
Some work with us at home, and I’m.
Mikey
Sure he’s a great editor.
Noam
Ellie is absolutely hilarious.
Mikey
Yes.
Noam
He’s a provocative guy.
Mikey
Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Some of the stuff he says is wild, but he he’s so good at satirizing, you know, satirical, making fun of these things in a parody kind of way. And I think that’s the way to do it. Amie Kozak was also a good friend of mine, does impressions and yeah. And these are such good tools, comedy.
Mikey
It’s such a good tool to deal with these comments. Not only that, but now when I post a comment, I’m like, I don’t want to post this. This guy’s going to make fun of me, and you get to see it’s holding up a mirror to these people. If you’re able to hold up a mirror to these people and so them how dumb they look, that’s that’s how you do it.
Noam
But it probably doesn’t change them. But probably it could change people who are looking at it.
Mikey
This comes back to the basis of, I think what I’m trying to put out there is like, we cannot control others, but we could work on ourselves and that’s what we need to do at the end of the day.
Noam
Why do you think cruel?
Mikey
Because there, behind the keyboard, it’s easy. It’s easy. If we talk about we talk behind people’s back all the time because it’s easy. Would we ever say something? That person’s face? No, because we’re cowards. They’re cowards. It’s what they are.
Noam
So is there a solution?
Mikey
The solution is these understanding that these people will not function well in real life, and understanding that I pity when I see I feel bad they have so much hate in their heart. Imagine every day going day to day hating. Yeah, what a way to. What a way to live.
Noam
There’s a Yiddish word. I find it never, never I would use.
Mikey
Oh, interesting. That’s what I just call like college kids that go to Hillel like Naby. But I. I guess that’s a different. Please hire me. Hillhouse. I’m just kidding.
Noam
What does Nabu mean?
Mikey
Neb is like, you’re being a neba. Like, you know.
Noam
Translation.
Mikey
Yeah, yeah. Means the here’s the longer version. Yeah, yeah. He’s like, oh yeah. Like it’s funny because some words you can only describe with like an act like a, like a like, like, hey, you know, like, did you enjoy Shelley? That’s that’s just like your, your breath smells of, like, mayo and tuna. Like it’s kind of naby.
Mikey
It’s not. It’s not very shy view.
Noam
That kind of thing. It’s I would imagine it to be. Yeah. But I meant that could not be the case as well.
Mikey
For sure. No, you could be a CEO of a company, but you’re still holding so much hate in your heart. It’s so hard to function day to day and I just feel bad for them. How do you live like that?
Noam
Okay, so from social media back to real life. Yeah, there’s this dystopian world.
Mikey
Absolutely.
Noam
There’s like it’s there’s a dystopian world, which is the world of social media. It’s something that Michael Goodman, Michael Goodman once said on our Israeli History podcast was, he said, if we heal, our relationship to social media will heal the way we think. If we heal the way we think will heal our relationship to social media. But that means is that social media activates system one thinking which is fast, which is quick, which is immediate, and the way to heal that is that, system to thinking which is slow, which is is which takes your time, which is, which is resting, pausing.
Noam
And then that’s one of the reasons that, you know, if you’re in the shower and all of a sudden you have a great new idea, the reason for that is you actually take a breath and you slow down.
Mikey
Interesting.
Noam
Came up with something. That’s where the greatest creativity happens for when you’re under walk because you’re engaging.
Mikey
Come on, you got to plug Chavez right now. You can’t. Or when you’re keeping Chavez and you’re away from your phone and you’re away from all technology and you’re just with yourself, and that’s when you have good. My best jokes I’ve come up with on Chavez.
Noam
What do you do? Do you write it down?
Mikey
Yeah. I just break Chavez and write it down. No, no, I have my my lovely wife has a much better memory, so I just tell her it, and then she reminds she’s my scribe. She reminds me after Chavez. Yeah, yeah, you got it, baby. That’s the title of my first special, by the way. It’s going to be called.
Noam
So back to reality. Something that you’ve said is that actually in all of your travels, people are a lot kinder. Yeah. Can you say more about that?
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. It’s it’s what I say everything about. And it’s such I’ve just had such beautiful experiences traveling this country. I’ve learned my keeper in Paris and. And not because I’m a hero. Because I get to. It’s so fun. I get to experience these beautiful interactions. Truly.
Noam
Right. Like it’s called bagel, right?
Mikey
Bagel. Well, bagel is. Yes, I get bagel. I’m on the opposite. I get smeared, baby I get it means like I’ll be talking about sports with this person who is Jewish but is an identity. So I don’t know, he’s Jewish. And it’ll be like, oh, you see LeBron got traded to 76. And they’re like, yeah, I had a bar mitzvah.
Mikey
Like almost like like bagels. Tourette’s. Like they just need to tell me they’re Jewish in some weird way. They’re like, yeah, I just went to my dad’s Shiva. I’m like, okay, I just asked you, like, if you wanted coffee, but okay, that’s I get because Jews want to let other Jews know they’re Jewish, which is why I’m like, just wear Star of David.
Mikey
Very easy way to do it without having to do the whole schmear.
Noam
Right. I was just at a Phish show.
Mikey
Nice. Very Jewish of.
Noam
You, I know. And star of David.
Noam
Yeah, that was the move. God bless. Yeah, that was the move. But it’s an articulation of your identity. It’s who you are. I, I.
Mikey
I remember sorry to call you out there. I remember one time in Florida after a show. This was right after the, Bondi Beach attack. I did a show for in the for. And this was right after I was in the airport. This Australian guy comes up to me. He’s like, I just wanted to apologize on behalf of all the Australians.
Mikey
We I, I support Israel. I love you guys and I’m so sorry. Just a random guy in the airport. He saw my kippah and he came up and I cried right there. I mean.
Noam
Wow, that’s.
Mikey
A and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything for any of the fear mongering, anything. If I’m going to have nine positive experiences and then one dirty Jew or someone hits me, truly, it’s it’s a life is not worth living if you have to hide. We’ve done that for too long.
Noam
People are good. In reality, people are kind in reality. You actually find many people support the Jewish world, support the Jewish community. Is that what it is?
Mikey
It’s. It’s ahava. It’s all love. It’s just when you put out love, you receive love. And I love our community. It’s so the more the older I get. And especially comedians are very kind of lone wolf like, you really have to be pushing yourself a lot. You’re not up on stage with the team, anything like that. And you know these comedians at Friday nights, they’re out working the clubs and then they go home and that’s it.
Mikey
Friday nights I’m with hundreds of Jews at synagogue, and I when I get to travel the country and meet other Jewish communities, I’m like, I have a family in every part of the world. And that’s that’s what makes me so hopeful. We just did a show in an American dream, all theater me, I opened for Jacobs, who’s fantastic comedian, and afterwards people were dubbing.
Mikey
Everyone was they were praying. After the show, there was a group of like 40 people just. I’m like, where else? After a comedy show, do you have people praying altogether? And I, I, I just it’s so beautiful and it makes me so happy.
Noam
So even when you make fun of you to do it, in a.
Mikey
Way it comes from love, I think. I think you could punch up, punch down one. It needs to come from an intellectual place. You can’t. I try not to do stereotypes, but I’m smiling when I say it. I love this farting and the Bukhari and the Ashkenazim and the I love them comes from a place of love.
Noam
So and so. People made fun of.
Noam
They see.
Mikey
Oh, no, they hate it. No. Yeah, yeah they know. Yes. The if they understand their in a comedy show, hopefully they understand that it’s coming from you know I want to perform for them. I want to be with them. It’s not coming from any type of hate.
Noam
Let me tell you one thing that’s been out of your posts. Yeah. And I want to do some.
Mikey
Sure. It wasn’t easy to find, but.
Noam
Yeah, we’re going to get there in a second. But before that, my last question is one of two Jewish people amongst a group of 20, let’s say non-Jewish people.
Noam
And I’m in this fellowship and it’s serious. We’re we’re studying the most serious texts, whether it’s Aristotle or Plato or Frederick Douglass, and we’re analyzing them and we’re spending we spent three years of doing this, and we’re talking about leadership and management and challenges of being of paying attention all the things that we’re thinking about in the world today.
Noam
It’s a beautiful opportunity, really incredible experience. I found. I don’t think I’m a particularly funny guy. Maybe I’m not.
Mikey
I think you got a little spark.
Noam
A little spark, maybe. But this is the point. I think they view me as like the funny guy in the room.
Mikey
Interesting.
Noam
And I could be wrong that they view me, that I don’t think I’m that funny, but like, there’s a seriousness in the room and then all of a sudden, like, my intuition takes me and I say a funny comment. It’s not funny, but it’s a comment that comes with a sense of humor. I like the King. Is this like Jewish?
Noam
And they probably. Is this a Jewish thing, like what is going on here that we’re talking about serious things. And I spent years in studying in and studying in university and teaching the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I’m a serious guy. And yet when I’m in a room of all these people and this happens all the time, I’m making wisecracks.
Noam
Yeah, I have like, I’m just like, it’s serious. I’m gonna come at a humorous angle. Why?
Mikey
Yeah.
Noam
What is that? Do you like. Is this a Jewish thing?
Mikey
I think it actually ties into a lot of what we were talking about. A lot of reasons why comedians become comedians and why there are so many Jewish comedians. It’s because there’s less of a chance that they’ll hate the funny guy. Everyone wants to be around the funny guy. If it’s a survival mechanism, it’s how we’ve dealt with trauma.
Mikey
It’s why minorities are some of the funniest comedians that you’ll see. Sorry, sorry to all the white comedians. You guys are good too. But you know, comedy comes from pain. It comes from trauma. It comes from ancestral trauma. There’s no doubt they’ve done studies. Ancestral trauma is it’s like a genetic thing. You could pass it down. And it’s our way of coping with the world.
Mikey
We make jokes. It’s how we do it that’s so.
Noam
I don’t even.
Mikey
Realize you don’t even realize it. But you’re predisposed to be making these jokes to be the funniest person in the room. It’s. It’s in our nature.
Noam
Wow. Okay, so my producer has or maybe I have, I have, I have.
Mikey
Nice. Very well done.
Noam
Yeah, yeah. Negative comments that we pulled from some of your posts. I want to do some Jewish fan mail. Are you ready?
Mikey
Jewish family. Let’s hit it.
Noam
Night. Mason two point.
Mikey
Oh oh. Very good friend of mine. Yeah.
Noam
Maybe his great.
Mikey
Great. Did he spell knight as like a knight in shining armor or, like, day and night?
Noam
You know what? I don’t.
Mikey
Know, really.
Noam
No, I do not. And I.
Mikey
I’m like, you knew all those words, but you don’t know the correct. You don’t know you’re not literate.
Noam
Okay, okay.
Mikey
Got it already.
Noam
Darkness Knight Mason 2.0 says in all caps.
Mikey
Okay, good. So he’s I like when they’re passionate. Let’s just stop there in all caps I like. It’s possible the caps lock was just stuck like broken on his keyboard or whatever. But I already like the passion coming.
Noam
Americans do not want to die for Israeli Zion Nazi account.
Noam
It has five likes.
Mikey
So I think this was on a video I did about going to like AMC movie theaters and joining the popcorn as a Jewish person, so it makes sense that he would comment this. First of all, I’m definitely related to Israel. So he saying America, say that one more time.
Noam
It was very deep. Yeah. America. Americans do not want to die for Israeli Zionist account paid by the IDF.
Mikey
Wow. So I would probably respond to him like I’ve been trying to fix my payment system coming from the IDF because they have not been. I know they’re trying to Venmo me or something, but I haven’t been able to get Ahold of them. But I would love to get paid. Zion Nazi. Is that what he said? Did he put a dash between the Zion and Nazi?
Mikey
Or is just one word? Wow, I like a Zion Aussie. It sounds like something in Star Wars or whatever, you know, like Darth Vader and the Zion Oz’s. That sounds like a good band. I would be part of the Zion Aussies is what I’m trying to say. That sounds appealing. It’s a mix of like, I’d be like beautiful blond hair, blue eyes, but also Zionist.
Noam
You could handle that.
Mikey
Yeah, yeah. Zion Nazis. It sounds like Power Rangers. That’s what it is. It sounds like like the blue and white Power Ranger.
Noam
Seriously offensive.
Noam
You’re like.
Mikey
It’s ridiculous.
Speaker 3
Who the hell? Who is? Who cares?
Noam
Next one I.
Mikey
The my of my art constructions. Okay. My art.
Noam
So Jewish. Maybe ex-soldiers from Assad.
Mikey
It’s curious. What’s curious? I’ll send them a can. I can’t say it a d pic right now. I’ll show them how Jewish I am. It’s curious how Jewish, how Jewish am I? It’s curious. I that’s so kind of them. Like a mossad agent.
Noam
Maybe ex-soldier from Mossad.
Mikey
Thank you, thank you. Are you kidding me? Do you know how complimentary that is? That you? Oh, you look like you were in the Marines. What do you mean? That’s. Thank you.
Noam
Okay. Last one. Okay. I can’t, it’s too many letters. Why is so many letters?
Mikey
That’s how they get you. Because you can’t report them too much to copy and paste.
Noam
Okay.
Noam
MAS.
Mikey
Seaman mascot. Yeah.
Noam
No.
Noam
I was like, is that.
Mikey
My first education?
Noam
Okay, so this person seems c okay, I’m not going to even try. Why? I feel like, you know, ever see Simpsons where they call or.
Noam
They called the bar and he’s.
Mikey
Like, Moe’s. Yeah.
Noam
Yeah, they call Moe’s. And it’s like. And they mess up the name.
Mikey
Yeah, yeah. That’s that’s what this is. Yeah, yeah.
Noam
I was like, don’t say like you’re going to be, you’re you’re going to be the guy from the sentence. Okay. Why is interesting question. The question, just so you know doesn’t end with the question mark but a period okay.
Mikey
Good. So it’s a question statement kind of thing.
Noam
Why has everything got to be about you. Maybe it’s one.
Mikey
There’s more. Oh, God.
Noam
One cause of anti-Semitism. The state of Israel. Tell them to stop. Exclamation point.
Mikey
I should I should tell them to stop. It’s not a bad idea. I know someone that works in the shook that I bargained down for a Yamaoka once. Yeah, yeah, I got, like a small keep off him. He said it was 20 check, but I gave him 18 check. So I feel like he has solid control of the State of Israel, so I’d probably call him.
Mikey
I think his name was Ron. So yeah, I’ll give him a call and I’ll see what I could do. I’m happy to help. Yeah, yeah. One 800 call Ron. Yeah, that’s. He sells Ava Dead Sea products now in the mall. He’s working his way up. He’s an ex Massoud agent also.
Noam
So we’re gonna we’re gonna take to do what’s called a sham to elevate God’s name.
Noam
You take it seriously, you take your comedy seriously. And you also take the unserious things that are said on social media, and you figure out ways to bring light to it, to not allow fear to or or darkness to dispel goodness and light. And I think it’s really cool. I think it’s really cool what you do out there that you have this sort of comedy that is positive, that is kind.
Noam
It’s funny, and that you are also something that loves, loves, loves being part of the Jewish community and representing the Jewish community. So, wow. As a Jewish, you as a Jew, I thank you.
Mikey
Wow. I don’t need to go to therapy tomorrow. Thank you so much. I it was all worth it.
Noam
Saved you a few hundred bucks.
Mikey
Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. And I’m sure I’ll come out to a show.
Noam
Mikey, if anyone wants to find out. Learn more about you and your show. What? Should they go?
Mikey
Yeah. So, first of all, if you have Instagram, follow at Mikey Greenlawn on Instagram. If you’re calling in because you have a flip phone and you’re too religious to watch this on a smartphone, I don’t know, just find me somehow. Mikey greenblatt.com I have all my tour dates on there. Sign up for my mailing list link in my bio of Instagram.
Mikey
And yeah, I run monthly shows here in New York City, so come through.
Noam
Thanks, Mike.
Mikey
Thank you.