The woke Jewish comedy album you’ve been waiting for is here.

Nato Green is a comedian from San Francisco, and The Whiteness Album is his second release. His first album, from 2012, deals with a a lot of similar, political material, but if you can still remember that far back, you’ll know it was a very, very different time.

And what sort of politics is that? Well, The Whiteness Album tackles gentrification, white supremacy, class revolutions, Bernie Sanders, Black Lives Matter, homelessness, immigration, Donald Trump, climate change, Nazi punching, and splitting chores with one’s spouse. If this sounds like a lot to tackle in less than an hour, you hardly notice when listening to the album. Green is non-threatening, even soothing at times. His talent is operating within the world of “punch-up” comedy, attacking those in power with teeth, but never letting vitriol get in the way of a good punchline. What could be preachy is instead a smart, but not alienating outlet for frustration with the world today.

And what’s really notable about Green’s comedy is his relationship to his Jewishness. Many Jewish comedians today only invoke their identity as self-deprecation, and punchlines about anti-Semitism are usually in the past tense. Green is here to remind us that Jews are still a marginalized group, but manages to do so with nuance.

For example, Green settles the matter once and for all: Are Jews white? He gives arguments for and against, and ultimately sums up: “Too white for the police, not white enough for the Klan.”

Jewishness comes up organically throughout Green’s comedy, because it’s part of his way of interacting in the world that’s both familiar and refreshing to hear articulated. He even laments that the left claims to advocate for oppressed groups, but that Jews are often an afterthought at best.

“They sort of work their way down the list,” says Green. “They sort of get to the bottom and say, ‘Stand up for the oppression of people with nut allergies! And people who are bad at parallel parking! And Jews, I guess.'”

Is this an album to play for a conservative relative to convince them that Black Lives Matter isn’t a racist concept? Perhaps not, but it’s likely a great album to play when you get home from a protest outside Trump Tower.

So if you want a comedy album that mentions Andrea Dworkin, the candombe dances of Uruguay, and polyamory without seeming completely pretentious, The Whiteness Album is for you. And yes, it’s on Spotify. Check it out.

Photo courtesy Nato Green

The post ‘The Whiteness Album’ Is Funny, Smart, and Very Political appeared first on Jewcy.

Amy Schumer has announced that her next standup special will premiere on Netflix on March 7 (this reporter’s birthday, if you must know). This news is easy to miss, since it comes on the heels of a zillion other things she’s done lately.

Yes, Amy Schumer is many things, but idle is not one of them. Schumer had a roller coaster of 2016 (didn’t we all, Amy). She had a world tour. She faced controversy. She continued her TV show. It can be hard to keep track of what she’s even up to these days. So, we took some highlights of her 2016 (Seriously, we can’t possibly cover everything), and upcoming few months, so that we can easily see what’s been good for the actor, and what were her missteps.

Here we go:

Bad: In January, allegations of plagiarism surface against Schumer.

Good: In March, Schumer leaves a $1000 tip for her bartender when she sees Hamilton on Broadway.

Good: Schumer got to see Hamilton on Broadway.

Bad: In August, Schumer remains silent for an uncomfortably long time when one of her show’s writers makes some really offensive jokes on Twitter.

Good: The same month, Schumer’s memoir, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo comes out.

Bad: In October Schumer makes a Lemonade parody video, which many find offensive in its approach to the album’s social justice themes.  Her Medium post in response is a non-apology, which does not help matters.

Good: In November, Schumer celebrates one year with her boyfriend, Ben Hanisch. Is it gross to call him “dreamy?”

Good: In December, Schumer buys back the farm her family once owned and then lost when her family took a hit financially when she was a child.

(Probably) Good: Schumer is going to attend the Women’s March protesting the presidential inauguration next week.

(Maybe) Good: Schumer’s Netflix special, filmed in November 2016, debuts in March.

YOU DECIDE: Schumer’s film Snatched, co-starring Goldie Hawn, comes out in May.

We leave you with the trailer for Snatched, so that you may draw your own conclusions about the film you have not yet seen:

The post A Year in the Life of Amy Schumer appeared first on Jewcy.

I can’t believe it’s already been five months since I took on Jewcy.  More than that, I can’t believe I’ve only written about Stephen Sondheim twice.

But it’s about time we celebrate Jewcy‘s nerdy return in person: We’re having a party.

Tu B’Av is upon us, from the evening of August 18th to August 19th. If it doesn’t ring a bell, it’s the Jewish romance holiday, when single women would wear white and go out into the vineyards of Jerusalem to dance and attract a spouse.

That’s not what we’re doing. But if you’re in the Brooklyn area, come join us Thursday, August 18th, from 8-10 p.m. as we explore what it is to be Jewish and in love. A group of talented storytellers and comedians will share their tales of love lost, found, and everything in between.

(Get it? Short performances in bites? Love bites? Also, sometimes love is awful? Also a “love bite” is slang for a hickey? Thanks, we’re real proud of that one over here.)

Feel free to wear white as is holiday custom. Or wear black. You do you.

This event is for everyone, regardless of relationship status, not another awful Jewish singles’ event (but if you do find someone, Jewcy is totally taking credit).

Admission is FREE, with a 2-drink minimum.

The venue is Halyards bar, 406 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11215.

If you have any questions at all, please email Gabriela@Jewcy.com.

You can find the event on Facebook HERE.

Image credit: Wikimedia

The post Jewcy Relaunch Event: Loves Bites! appeared first on Jewcy.