A Night with Kroll Show’s Oh Hello from Cannabisman on Vimeo.
This is funny. A couple weeks ago, actually on State of the Union night, the 92d Street Y in New York staged the comic duo of John Mulaney and Nick Kroll, the stars of “Oh, Hello,” which is cherished by sophisticates. The show is a generational sendup: the two men in their 30s play George St Geegland and Gil Faizon, two 60-ish Upper West Side divorcees who don’t realize that they don’t really have a clue but are filled with smug old attitudes, often racist, classist, and elitist.
Kroll, who’s Jewish and does Jewish shtik, starts out by saying that the two men have become “very political.” Then at 12:00 he and Mulaney (on the left) mock Alan Dershowitz. They’re telling host Willie Geist of NBC about talks they’ve seen at the 92d Street Y:
Mulaney: We saw the best of “Screaming about Israel.” That was a whole group show.
Kroll: That was a fun series… And seemingly, no end. No end
Mulaney: A bunch of men screaming about Israel. And no compromise.
Kroll: When the Dersh comes through!
Mulaney: He made a rare public appearance. We should probably say who the Dersh is!
Kroll: You all know when I say the Dersh! The Big D. Little Red, whatever you want to call him, he came out and he shouts– he talks at a piece of paper.
Mulaney: He screamed at a piece of paper
Kroll: And the guy is fun, and he’s a nudist, and it’s great.
Mulaney: He goes to Martha’s Vineyard.
Kroll: What a great place.
Later on, Kroll trashes Israel. Questioner asks: Were you ever bar mitzvah’d and what was your Torah portion? Kroll answers at 55:30, again in character as Gil Faizon:
Kroll: I’m a Jewish– I’m so proud of Judaism! I’m so proud to be Jewish! I think the settlements are great! I think it’s such a good idea to stay focused on that, putting our feet down there in that miserable sand and sticking around, not budging on that nightmare! I think that’s a great idea.
Mulaney: Different sects, they’re all great.
Kroll: Oh all of them. All of them. I love all the ones, the ones who look at me disdainfully and make their women ride in the back of buses, I love that. That’s my favorite part. Bringing bags of food on planes– I feel so connected… So I’m so proud.
Do you see how Kroll merges Judaism and Israel? And you say that the anti-Zionists in Europe are anti-Semitic? Lots of folks associate the Jewish establishment with these policies.
PS. 92d Street Y will not have a Palestinian on stage un-“balanced” by a Jew or an Israeli. Talk about racist attitudes.
Thanks to Angela Keaton of antiwar.com (for saving this post from 60-ish cluelessness).
Those two are ‘effectively’ funny.
But the longer I hang around this subject the more I see no way you are going to be able separate out this can of worms….
”Do you see how Kroll merges Judaism and Israel? And you say that the anti-Zionists in Europe are anti-Semitic? Lots of folks associate the Jewish establishment with these policies’.
I’m an old guy, but not on upper west side and don’t watch “sophisticated” TV (or any TV). DIdn’t understand the humor. No sense of humor I guess. Or “had to be there” but wasn’t. Err sump’n.
So — I cannot tell whether the audience at the “Y” understood that this was a send-up (and criticism) of Jewish attitudes or (as it might seem to some) a true expression of valued Jewish attitudes. People laughing at good ole Uncle Shmuel, you know. A little cracked, perhaps, forgetful sometimes, but heart in the right place.
@Phil
There is nothing anti-Semitic with blaming Jews for stuff that Jews institutionally support. It is reasonable to blame Americans for the drone strikes in Pakistan, it is reasonable for Muslims to blame the French for their intervention in Mali; and it is reasonable to blame the Jews for the establishment and maintenance of the settlements. Not holding the Jews responsible for Jewish policy on the excuse that “well some Jews didn’t agree” is denying them agency. For example as an American I’m responsible for the Iraqi occupation even though I didn’t agree with the policy because the collective American agency (our government / military) acted in my collective interest.
Israel does stuff Liberals don’t like. But they can separate out Israel is imperfect from Israel should be destroyed. They same way I can disagree with America on some policy choices without believing that necessitates its destruction. Liberal Jews don’t like Hassidics in New York either, which is different from wanted to see them driven from their homes by terrorism.
Wow… My reaction in diplomatic mode: Not my cuppa tea. My reaction in honest/truthful mode: I thought that was truly awful, unfunny, and like torture to watch.
By the way, the clip that is said to start at 60:00 in the article actually starts at ’bout 55:25.
“(for saving this post from 60-ish cluelessness).”
Thanks. You just made me realize I’m caught in a cross-fire of the stuff.