“In an early episode of The Simpsons, Krusty the Clown is invited to dinner and says grace in Hebrew. “He’s talking funny talk,” says Homer. Lisa points out that Krusty is Jewish. Homer is incredulous. “A Jewish entertainer? Get out of here!” The whole programme turns out to be a strange meditation on the history of Jewish entertainers in the US. Bart and Lisa are trying to reunite Krusty (real name Hershel Krustofsky) with his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, who disowned Krusty when he gave up the rabbinate to become a clown. “A musician or a jazz singer, this I could forgive,” the rabbi tells his son. “But a clown!” This parody of The Jazz Singer is given a further twist because Rabbi Krustofsky is played by comedian Jackie Mason, who himself trained to be a rabbi. The history of Jewish entertainers in America, from The Jazz Singer to The Simpsons, is examined at New York’s Jewish Museum.” Read More >>>
