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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Jeff Ross's ‘Take A Banana For The Ride' shows the roastmaster has a heart
NEW YORK — Who knew the roastmaster general was such a softie? But in fact, a juicy sentimental blob is what the decidedly disarming 'Take a Banana For the Ride' reveals the comedian Jeff Ross to be. Reaching a certain age, and living through the inevitable losses that result, can do that to you. So can a cancer scare. Ross made bank going after (among many others) Roseanne Barr, William Shatner, Justin Bieber and even Donald Trump (that one is worth rewatching) on his vicious Comedy Central roasts and former NHL star Tom Brady's seemingly intense reaction to one of Ross' jokes on a 2024 Netflix special went viral. Unsurprising then, that most of the audience at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre clearly was expecting some version of Robert Smigel's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to make an appearance and offer some bespoke insults for those in the premium seats. Go after me, some of them palpably begged. They got some of what they came for when Ross walked through the house (followed by a camera) near the conclusion of his 90-minute solo show and hurled improvised barbs as he walked. But that felt mostly like an obligation to fulfill expectations. Ross's heart seemed far more in telling the many men in his audience, a gender balance very unusual on today's Broadway, that they should be sure to get a colonoscopy. That sentiment was part of a deeply personal show that actually was far closer to Billy Crystal's '700 Sundays' than Jackie Mason's 'Politically Incorrect,' although it did have something in common with the title of that late comic's 'The World According to Me.' And since Ross has a fiddler and a pianist on stage, he also throws in a bit of Mel Brooks with a lively comic ditty called 'Don't (Expletive) with the Jews.' Droll. But the core of this show is Ross paying tribute to his extended family, a group of eccentric Jewish caterers in New Jersey who worked their butts off for decades to collectively semi-raise him while offering up the baked meats for four thousand weddings and no shortage of Jewish funerals, either. Ross clearly has come to realize that his improv chops, which are formidable, were leavened while carving prime rib at Newark's Clinton Manor Catering, where the waitresses were Scottish and Irish, a Russian dude made the fruit salads, a Hungarian guy the Jell-O molds and ball-busting Haitian guys ran the kitchen and stomped all over the boss' son. The catering hall also was where his dad nightly put on the tuxedo and the charm and made every New Jersey bride feel like they were at the wedding of the century. Even if he had drug-related issues of his own. That father died when Ross was just 19. Ross' mother was already long dead and, at that point, his grandfather took over, even living with him after Ross finished college. All of the above, plus Ross' living sister, are gently roasted in the show, but also palpably loved. Even Ross' pooch makes an appearance, howling for supper. Ross, who is 59, clearly has come to see that he did not achieve anything alone. And, I'll wager, he has decided that he does not want his creative legacy entirely to be made up of insulting others, lucrative as that surely has been. That's fair enough, even if some of his younger Comedy Central fans will think that their hero has gone all mushy: Who trots out their dog out every night on Broadway? That's not a fair assessment of the show, though, which is directed by Stephen Kessler and actually is far more complex and better written than I think many will anticipate. Ross gets away with such a surfeit of sentiment precisely because of his naturally caustic inclinations; the jokes are sharp enough and the laughs are hard and plentiful enough that all of the schmaltz feels not just charming but well-earned. Very few comics are self-aware enough to paint accurate and honest pictures of themselves. Ross shows he can. Who knew? In the end, you're left feeling that Ross had developed some deep internal need to humanize himself, and if charting how his success did not come without struggle and sorrow was one of his aims, he pulls that off. Shows for regular middle-class folks, and this is one of those, are vital to the future of Broadway and in a business where producers know women buy most of the tickets and program accordingly, it's not a bad thing to also have an attraction that targets regular dudes. 'It's been a dream of mine to perform 90 feet from Port Authority,' Ross says when he first comes out on the Nederlander's stage. That's a very skillful and very funny but it's a joke. The more honest line comes toward the end when Ross says, in essence and unsure whether to look up or down, 'I'm on Broadway, mom and dad, so I must have done something right.' That they're not around to see it, just as they were not around for any of Ross' career-making roasts, is clearly how his show came to be. Good for its creator. You can roast on now, Mr. Ross.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The new pope is from Chicago and folks don't know how to act
CHICAGO — If you haven't heard, a new pope was chosen. Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago and raised in South Holland, was selected on Thursday as the 267th pope. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV and becomes the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Well, Chicagoans have just about lost their minds over the news. Who is Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV? Shortly after the introduction of the new pope was made, the internet went completely feral. Photoshopped and AI-generated photos of the pope, in a very Chicago-like scenero, have exploded across all social media platforms. You don't have to try to hard to find them, but let us help you. Here's a video of the pope being introduced for the first time, the only way he should be — to the tune of the Chicago Bulls intro song. 'A new Pope from Chicago needs a true Chicago introduction…,' the 'X' post says. It's safe to say Pope Leo XIV has officially been dubbed 'Da Pope' by Chicagoans. Robert Smigel, the creator behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, posted a side-by-side image on 'X' of Saturday Night Live's 'Superfans' and our new pope with a caption that reads, 'DAAAA POPE.' Chicago staple OBVIOUS SHIRTS also released a Chicago-themed Pope collection Thursday afternoon, headlined by T-shirts paying homage to the city's favorite sports team—the Chicago Bears. One meme of the pope called for the Chicago Cubs to 'Extend Kyle Tucker.' This comes amid controversy of the internet figuring out whether Pope Leo is a Cubs or White Sox fan. His brother, John, did confirm to WGN News that he is in fact a Sox fan. An image joked that our new pope should have no problem getting around Italy since he's seen a map of the country on Chicago pizza boxes for his entire life. Another image of a Chicago deep dish pizza with the caption,'New pope serving the body of Christ at mass.' The beloved Chicago fast-food chain, Portillo's, has even came out with an Italian Beef sandwich named in honor of the pope, called 'The Leo.' The restaurant says the sandwich is a 'divinely seasoned Italian Beef, baptized in gravy.' Long story short, the internet is insane — and we are here for it! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Nikki Glaser admits she considers ‘death threats' and being ‘detained' before making political jokes now
Comedian Nikki Glaser has admitted that she thinks twice before including any political humor in her sets out of fear of getting doxxed, detained, or receiving death threats. The 40-year-old stand-up comic, whose well-received Golden Globes hosting debut thrust her into the spotlight, was in attendance at the 2025 Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at The Kennedy Center in honor of Conan O'Brien on Sunday. O'Brien, 61, was named the latest recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Comedy Award in mid-January, nearly three weeks before President Donald Trump controversially upended the Kennedy Center by ousting the longtime president and the board chairman. Addressing the 'elephant in the room' on the red carpet, per Deadline, Glaser predicted the evening would largely focus on honoring O'Brien; however, she assumed there would likely be a few 'rebellious' figures brave enough to crack jokes about the circumstances. She added that now, she's particularly careful about the political humor she injects into her comedy routines, especially jokes aimed at Trump. 'Like, you just are scared that you're gonna get doxxed and death threats or who knows where this leads, like, detained. Honestly that's not even like a joke. It's like a real fear,' Glaser said. 'So it's unfortunate that that's true, but I'm not gonna lie and say I don't think about that sometimes and go, 'Oh, god. Can I just say, I hope they all know, I can be up on the gallows and say I was just joking. I'm a comedian.' I hope that that's a defense,' she quipped. During the event, several comedians zeroed in on the tension. Actor Robert Smigel, who performed his Triumph the Insult Comic Dog puppet routine, teased the audience, saying: 'Thank you all for coming, and shame on you for being here.' Meanwhile, John Mulaney retorted: 'It's an honor to be here at the Kennedy Center or, as it will be known next week, the Roy Cohn Pavilion for Big, Strong Men Who Love Cats,'' in reference to Trump's late mentor, political fixer Roy Cohn, and the president's recent remarks that he'd like to see the divisive Cats musical open at the Kennedy Center. O'Brien himself alluded to Trump during his acceptance speech. 'First and foremost, Twain hated bullies,' the former late-night host said. 'He punched up, not down. And he deeply, deeply empathized with the weak.' In January, Trump ousted the Kennedy Center's leadership, filled the board of trustees with his supporters, and announced he had been unanimously elected the board's chair. 'The Kennedy Center learned the hard way that if you go woke, you will go broke,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement at the time. 'President Trump and the members of his newly-appointed board are devoted to rebuilding the Kennedy Center into a thriving and highly respected institution where all Americans, and visitors from around the world, can enjoy the arts with respect to America's great history and traditions.' As a result of Trump's takeover, several celebrities, including Insecure creator and star Issa Rae, singer-songwriter Ben Folds, and screenwriter-producer Shonda Rhimes, severed their ties with the Kennedy Center.
