Comedians find humor in different places, and while Mel Brooks mocked Adolf Hitler in “The Producers” Sarah Silverman has taken aim in a way few have thought of in “Someone You Love,” her comedy special on Max. “Is there a more Jewish sounding book than Hitler’s actual book?” she asks. “Should I call this special ‘My Struggle?” She notes that if she did, and if it was viewed in Germany, “some people who would but it would be in for a really big surprise.”
Silverman stayed at a hotel where a sign by the swimming pool said anyone who had diarrhea in the last 14 days weren’t allowed to use it. “It’s like the pool is saying, ‘no Jews allowed,” she observed, then asks a Jewish audience member “Have you ever gone 14 days with zero diarrhea? That would be absurd. That would considered a miracle in our religion, right? I mean, what’s the big miracle, Hanukkah? You know what that miracle is? A lamp worked. Longer than expected. This blows that out of the water. We light this candle to celebrate Kim Martin Epstein, who despite only having enough Imodium A.D. for two nights, lasted 14 nights…”
“I don’t know why people hate Jews so much,” she says. “You know, I get a little. So much? There’s barely any of us. Jews make up 1/5th of 1% of the world. If you round down there are zero of us. (Expletive) Relax. Jews, will not replace you Tyler. We can barely replace ourselves.”
Even technology is showing signs of antisemitism, she jokes. She asks Siri how many Jews there were in the world. The response? “Too many.”
Silverman reminds the audience that her sister is a rabbi and she commonly includes a number of jokes related to Judaism. The only real miss is a song that was taped after her set that appears at the end. While it’s cool she hired a choir, the subject of the song is too simple and a person of her talent can too far better. Perhaps next time she can make a song mocking antisemites.
She notes that Jews often opt not to buy German cars due to the Holocaust. “I just bought a German car, but only because they’re so good,” she says. “You know, plus I feel like all the original Nazis are dead. Sure there are new Nazis but, you know, they don’t know how to make a car.”
The special gets his title from the comic posting the idea of going to a stranger and telling them “Someone You Love” who has passed away told them something the person had done is not their fault, which could hopefully unburden them of some guilt.
Humor is definitely needed in the times we live in, and Silverman’s special provides some laughs but is a bit too short. I’m sure she has another 30 minutes of solid material. I can’t believe there wasn’t a single joke about George Santos! Nothing about former President Donald trump or President Joe Biden? Maybe she’s saving it for her next special.
