S1 E8 of Good Shabbos Nebraska - Like Father Like Clown

This week is a special episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos Morning Talk Show!

We have two very special guests.

Our regularly scheduled guest is my cousin, comedian Sheba Mason, daughter of the legendary Jewish comedian Jackie Mason.

My late grandfather, Rabbi Joseph Maza zt"l, was the older brother of Jackie Mason.  (The original last name, Maza, is a Hebrew acronym for Mi-Zera Aharon Hakohen, meaning of the descendants of the Kohen Aharon.)

Sheba and I first met each other in Florida, where she grew up, over 20 years ago, but lost touch and had not seen each other until we connected on facebook a few years ago.  We met in New York and since then the rest of my family has also become reacquainted with Sheba.  My sister in New York has had her for Shabbos a few times and she was at the recent bris of my nephew.

Sheba is a comedian in New York and also produces and acts in musicals and comedy shows, including the musical dramedy 702 Punchlines and Pregnant - a show based on her mother's relationship with Sheba's father.  

On Good Shabbos Nebraska we are going to look into the parshah which talks about Yosef and his unfortunate and complicated relationship with his family.  Besides the strained relationship with his brothers, the sages in the Talmud consider why Yosef did not reach out to his father once he became prominent in Egypt.

Jackie Mason won an Emmy for his voice over in the season 6 Simpsons Episode, Like Father Like Clown.  In the episode he portrayed Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, father of Bart's hero, Krusty the Klown. Although it is widely thought that the episode was a parody of the famous movie The Jazz Singer, there are some who suspect that the show was somehow a hint to Jackie Mason's own personal story and his relationship with his father.  The themes expressed in that episode, as well as in 702 Punchlines and Pregnant, both relate to this week's parshah. I am really looking forward to learning with Sheba tomorrow.

Our second guest is a surprise guest!  Someone who just happened to be in Omaha for Shabbos and graciously agreed to appear with Sheba on the show.

I can't divulge who it is just yet, but I promise to give a full blog report after Shabbos.  All I can say is that he is very famous, and those who come to shul will be very happy that they did!

So check it out, this and every Shabbos, 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue - Where every Shabbos is a Shabbaton!

A Funny thing happened to Kevin Nealon on the way to Nebraska

Former SNL cast member Kevin Nealon is coming to Omaha in November performing at the Funny Bone Comedy Club.  It so happens, the very same weekend my cousin - Sheba Mason - will also be performing at the Funny Bone!

That same Shabbos Sheba will be my guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's Favorite Shabbos Morning Talk Show!  Sheba is the daughter of comedian Jackie Mason - who is my grandfather's brother.  

About an hour ago Sheba called me from NYC to tell me the most incredible thing.  She was on line at a Starbucks and - of all people - Kevin Nealon got on line behind her!  She turned around and introduced herself and as they waited for their lattes she told him that they are going to be performing at the same club on the same weekend in Omaha, Nebraska!

It turns out Nealon is a big fan of Jackie Mason (he did his Jackie Mason impression for Sheba) and hopefully they will have a chance to get together in Omaha before his show.  Maybe he will even show up at Beth Israel to check out Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's Favorite Shabbos Morning Talk Show!

What a crazy coincidence!

This Shabbos we have America's Rabbi Shmuley Boteach!  It is going to be a great Shabbos.  But then again at Beth Israel every Shabbos is a shabbaton!