Accusations of hate were no laughing matter for Jackie
Jewish Telegraph, June 2003
COMEDIAN Jackie Mason says he does not have one bone of hate in his body.
Mason, who is performing three shows in the UK next month, was at the centre of a storm last year when a Palestinian comedian accused him of racism.
But Mason says the story was a ‘‘complete fabrication’’.
Trouble flared when Mason was due to perform with Ray Hanania — but told him his
performance had been cancelled just three hours before showtime.
‘‘I hired him knowing he was a Palestinian,’’ Mason told me from New York. ‘‘It was a phony story in the papers; they invented it.
‘‘I have nothing against Palestinians. The problem arose when some Jews found articles Hanania had written against Israel.
‘‘They were outraged and threatened to destroy the theatre, so the club fired him.
‘‘It’s irrelevant whether he is Jewish or Palestinian. The papers turned me into an ogre.
‘‘You will never find a word of hate against Palestinians from me. When a Palestinian kid is killed, it breaks my heart as much as when a Jewish kid is killed.’’
Mason is bringing his latest stand-up show, A Night At The Opera, to Manchester’s Opera House on July 12, Leeds’ Grand Theatre on July 13 and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on July 15.
‘‘I have a great time in the UK,’’ Mason said. ‘‘I love coming to Britain — it means I’m going to make a few dollars.
‘‘Manchester is such a friendly town; so warm — more than London. Mancunians are not concerned with who you are; they remind me of New Yorkers.’’
His show includes his views on the Roadmap to peace, the French and why George Bush can’t speak English.
‘‘I’m hopeful the Roadmap will alter people’s behaviour,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think the rest of the world will stand still while nothing happens.
‘‘Bush is determined to make it work. He’s a determined guy — he can start a war before he says hello.’’
Jackie is currently rehearsing for a new Broadway musical which opens in November.
Laughing Room Only is written by comedian-songwriter Dennis Blair, based on a concept by writer Digby Wolfe with music by Doug Katsaros.
‘‘It’s good to reinvent yourself,’’ he said.
‘‘It creates a new level of curiosity, otherwise your career goes downhill.’’
One side of Mason that is rarely publicised is his fight for the rights of black people and women.
‘‘People don’t see the other side of me because I can’t make a living from crusade,’’ he said. ‘‘I grew up poverty stricken so making a living is important to me.’’
