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  • http://www.milkbarmag.com/2017/04/07/jewish-ish-2/

Jewish-ish

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07. Apr, 2017

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After sell-out shows at the Melbourne Fringe Festival and Perth’s Fringe World Festival, Michael Shafar is one of the crowd favourites at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with his hit debut show Jewish-ish. Milk Bar Mag was lucky enough to catch up with the hilarious and ‘endearingly awkward’ comic about his career highlights thus far.

What can people expect from your upcoming show Jewish-ish? 
It’s a show about growing up culturally Jewish, but not being religious in any way. It’s really a show about the religious and career expectations that come with that upbringing.
 
Are there any particular comedians you grew up admiring?
I grew up watching Seinfeld (obviously), so that’s probably been a big influence on my comedy. Nowadays, I mostly admire the other comedians that I gig with every night for the way they work and develop their ideas. Comics like Sam Taunton, Alex Ward and Joseph Green are all debuting great solo shows at the festival this year.
 
You’ve been quoted as ‘endearingly awkward’, do you agree with that statement? Do you think you’re a generally awkward person?
I think that’s a fair description. A lot of my comedy is about my awkward responses to bizarre things that people say to me. Once a guy tried to relate to me when I told him I was Jewish so he said: “Oh, so you must hate Hitler, right?” A lot of my comedy is just me being confused at things.
 
In 2016, you represented Australia in Laugh Factory’s Funniest Person in the World Competition, what was it like going head-to-head with other Australian comics like Celia Pacquola? 
It was really amazing just to be asked to be in the competition. I didn’t really feel like it was a competition at all to be honest, I was just stoked to be there at all. I’ve been watching Celia’s comedy shows for years and last year I made my whole family go watch her at the Comedy Theatre, so it was a buzz just to be in the same competition as her.
 
You also have a stint on Channel 10’s The Project. Can you elaborate on the stories you write for the show? Is it an opportunity to express your comedic creativity or are you restricted to flexing only the journalistic side of things? 
It’s a really great job, I get to work with a great bunch of writers and also get to work with the panelists on some segments as well. It’s definitely a great opportunity to be creative, though obviously there are restrictions about what jokes you can make at 6:30pm on national TV. Stand up is definitely a lot more free, there are essentially no restrictions on stand up.
Jewish-ish 
Trades Hall, till Sunday, 23 April 2017
comedyfestival.com.au
 

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