Meshuggana and Spice

It’s hard to say when public opinion on yentas corroded, but it could be traced to the ´70s. That’s when Frank Zappa crooned about vicious Jewish-American princesses with titanic tits and sand-blasted zits. Yep, these oft-maligned J.A.P.s were called boisterous, arrogant, and materialistic – hell, it was enough to make...

By Phillip Valys

December 20, 2007

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It’s hard to say when public opinion on yentas corroded, but it could be traced to the ´70s. That’s when Frank Zappa crooned about vicious Jewish-American princesses with titanic tits and sand-blasted zits. Yep, these oft-maligned J.A.P.s were called boisterous, arrogant, and materialistic – hell, it was enough to make any gal schvitz uncontrollably! Thankfully, the opposite is true for The Jewish Princesses of Comedy. Since debuting off-Broadway last April, this quartet of fiercely sassy comediennes has dwindled to three; now, New York import Jessica Kirson, Cory Kahaney, and local comic Joyce Kaye hold court tonight at 6 p.m. inside the opulent Spiegeltent at Collins Park (2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach).

Yes, the arbiters of all that can be kvetched and oy gevalted wisecrack everything from the doomed romance of Hitler and Eva Braun, the horrors of weight gain and sickness, to (no surprise) dating the dreaded gentiles. The irreverent J.A.P.s also pay homage to Jewish comedy forebears like Belle Barth, Jean Carroll, and Totie Fields by screening black-and-white archival footage in between routines. Best of all, the trio’s stand-up serves to quash the “princess” stereotype – by embracing it, that is (ah, let the healing begin). Tickets cost $30. Call 954-462-0222, or visit www.browardcenter.org.
Fri., Dec. 21, 2007

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