Published: 11 May 2020
Last updated: 5 March 2024
HOW DID A 1950s divorced housewife become a famous New York comedian, always dressed in stunning outfits and never sweating or swearing except for some very blue jokes?
The answer to this and other essential questions about the smash US comedy series The Amazing Mrs Maisel were just some of the entertaining fare in an online conversation featuring Australian comedian Jackie Loeb, hosted by The Jewish Independent and Emanuel Synagogue.
Loeb, who got up at 2.30am from her home in Los Angeles, had the audience of some 150 people laughing and squirming at the same time on Sunday night as she fielded questions from The Jewish Independent director Alexandra Tselios, about the reasons behind the series’ extraordinary success.
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Loeb took the audience on a madcap journey around Jews and comedy, Jews and food, women and stand-up comedy, 1950s sexual values, and family fights.
In response to several famous scenes from the series, Loeb stressed the importance of not holding back in comedy.
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This was the key to Midge Maisel’s success, and also the guiding principle of all comedians, she said – and then proceeded to demonstrate her theory with a series of outrageous accents and self-deprecating jokes aimed at most aspects of Jewish culture and identity.
All in all, an unforgettable performance.
