Jewish standup comedian Jackie Mason passed away at the age of 93 on Saturday night. Mason was born Yacov Moshe Maza in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1931 to immigrant parents from Belarus.
Mason’s death was reported by The New York Times as told to them by his lawyer Raoul Felder. He died at a hospital in Manhattan on Saturday. No cause of death was given.
Mason was a Tony and Emmy winner famous for his one-man shows on Broadway, and for playing the voice of Rabbi Hyman Krustofski, or Krusty the Clown’s dad, on “The Simpsons.”
The irascible Mason was known for his sharp wit and piercing social commentary, often about the differences between Jews and gentiles, men and women and his own inadequacies. His typical style was amused outrage.
So sad to hear of the passing of Jackie Mason.
One the great comedic voices of the Jewish people.
I’ll always remember him for his work on The Simpsons on the episode “Like Father, Like Clown” (S3E6) playing Krusty’s rabbinic father in a story that mirrored his life.
— D Bash (@DBashIdeas) July 25, 2021
Here’s his Bar Mitzvah Drasha
As you can see from the opening he was clearly raised in a home that valued Torah scholarship.
You can find the whole thing here, published in his father’s sefer:https://t.co/8GlIzj1ycB pic.twitter.com/nshwekXAgP
— D Bash (@DBashIdeas) July 25, 2021
Jackie Mason, 93, Dies; Turned Kvetching Into Comedy Gold https://t.co/VgnHkbFemU
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 25, 2021
Remembering Jackie Mason. This photo was at my birthday dinner two years ago. May his memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/skrE4LStnM
— Avi Kaner (@AviKaner) July 25, 2021
Love and prayers for our friend Jackie. Irreverent, iconoclastic, Funny, smart, and a great American Patriot. He will be missed by so many. God Speed Jackie. Love and prayers to him and his wonderful family. https://t.co/dmRjr4HgzA
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) July 25, 2021
May his memory be a blessing.
Several videos below:
His brother, Rabbi Bernard Maza, was a local Rav in Kew Gardens Hills when I was growing up there. Very chashuv man. He had a learning program for Queens College students that I attended.
I understand that he funded his brothers program, which was directed at Jewish Queens College student.
Today I feel much older than I had felt before.
Latest news informs us that Jackie Mason died
at age 93.
My wife and I wed on June 29 of 1961, and the first
week of our married life was spent at the Nevele Hotel
in the Catskills. It was a wonderful and to us an opulent
place full of young Jewish couples entering their new lives,
just as Bernice and I did. Good Jewish food was served in
huge quantities by Jewish waiters, kids starting out in
life and having the time of their lives.
In addition to dance classes, swimming lessons and tennis,
every night in the the elegant and “sexy” nightclub, we
were entertained by the recently discovered talent who
made their way from the bright lights of Broadway to the
Borsht Belt to try out their material and pick up a few bucks.
One night, we were exposed to a new comic with a rapid-fire
delivery, tinged by a sort-of-Yiddish inflection and a wicked
take on the world around him.
I killed myself laughing!
Jackie Mason was 33!
I never forgot that experience, nor his name.