Jesters of Different Faiths Use Laughs to Bridge the Divide

May 31, 2008

Author: Marek Fuchs

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/us/31religion.html?_r=1&em&ex=1212379200&en=93d9f037fa917cc8&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

The Jewish comedian began with a routine about raising adolescents. “There was a reason Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac at 12 and not 13,” he said. “At 13, it wouldn’t have been a sacrifice.”

A half hour later, the Muslim comedian took the stage, raising his hands so the Jew could pat him down for weapons. He then urged the Muslims and Jews in the theater, adversaries on the world stage, to cheer their commonalities: “C’mon,” he exhorted, “let’s give it up for lunar calendaring.”

The evangelical Christian comedian also did a half-hour set, observing that though his children’s school teaches abstinence, it also gives out condoms. “That,” he said, “is like a department store saying ‘No shoplifting, but just in case, here’s a trench coat.’ ”