„7-eetee observing their mannerisms and materi- al. On the same day he graduated from Queens College in New York, he did his first standup act at Manhattan's Catch a Rising Star open-mike night — and froze, muttering a few jokes, then leav- ing the stage. He later performed standup — free, at times — just to perfect his act. To make ends meet, he took a variety of odd jobs, including selling light bulbs over the phone and peddling fake jewelry on the street. His comedy work paid off. He even- tually guested on Late Night with David Letterman and the Tonight show, and did some network and cable specials. One of his early jokes was about a detergent commercial in which a woman brags that she can remove bloodstains. He noted: "If you have a T-shirt with bloodstains, maybe laun- dry is not your problem." Although he was doing well in New York, Seinfeld felt he wasn't getting ahead quickly enough, so he moved to Los Angeles — writing comedy, landing some bit TV roles and developing such trademark lines as: "If I'm the best man, why is she marrying him?" In 1988, he teamed up with writer Larry David to formulate the TV show, often dubbed "a show about nothing." But, writes Epstein, with its humor ema- nating from conversations rather than situations, it was "really a complex guide to the deepest needs of the American mind." Jewish Sensibility As author Epstein points out, the success of the award-winning Seinfeld came from the grafting of the sweet, funny and clean-humored real-life Seinfeld to the selfish and self-absorbed TV Seinfeld and his friends: George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Kramer (Michael Richards). They cheated, lied and used each other for their own ends, but remained lovable characters. Seinfeld was the only person on the show (other than his parents) who was identified as being Jewish — despite the overwhelmingly "Jewish sensibility" of the program. In one episode, Jerry admits he's Jewish to a priest in a confessional, where he's gone to complain about a dentist who converted to Judaism just for the jokes. He's not offended by the dentist as a Jew, he tells the priest, but as a comedian. "The emotionally distant Jerry, the depressive George, the self-centered Elaine and the perpetually failing Kramer seemed like odd characters," Epstein relates, "but the relationship .114:Wer among the characters went right back to Jack Benny. He let his audience laugh at him, and, in doing so, they laughed at those parts of themselves they recognized and probably felt guilty about. "The young audiences that watched Seinfeld got the same kind of emotional release. The Jerry character, like Benny, was the straight man." Whereas the average TV sitcom script is 50 pages long, Seinfeld's were about 70. "The excess of language betrayed a nervousness, a distinctly urban and dis- tinctly Jewish approach to dealing with anxiety," Epstein points out. Paul Kohn's La Difference tai & Ban q uet Great for Events Up To 100 People • Full Service Bar • Elegant Dining Room • Professional Staff Can We Talk? As a youngster, Epstein, 55, always watched Jewish comedians and followed their careers, gathering books and video- tapes with their material. It took him three years to research and write The Haunted Smile. He interviewed 70 people for the book, including some of the top Jewish comics in the business, as well as relatives of deceased comedians. Fanny Brice, George Jessel, Eddie Cantor, Groucho Marx, Jack Benny, George Burns, Milton Berle, Mort Sahl, Woody Allen, Jackie Mason, Rodney Dangerfield, Roseanne, Joan Rivers, Andy Kaufman and others are analyzed. Although Milton Berle, 93, was too ill to talk, Epstein spoke with Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Shecky Greene, Shelly Berman, Soupy Sales, Abe Vigoda, David Brenner, Norm Crosby and oth- ers — but not Seinfeld. "Jerry is among the ilk of young comedians who declines to be inter- viewed," said Epstein. "Paul Reiser and Adam Sandler are two others who wouldn't talk." On the other hand, young Jeff Ross, who has become popular on recent TV roasts, spent a great deal of time with Epstein. "Great stars of the past gave me a lot of their time," said Epstein. "Shecky at first told me he only had a minute to talk — then spent 45 minutes on the phone, doing practically his entire Las Vegas routine, including fantastic imita- tions. "Hackett made my wife laugh for two minutes before I even got on the phone. I laughed so hard at Crosby I could hardly take notes." Epstein recounts the jokes, routines and anecdotes that have captivated audi- ences for more than a century and turned Jewish comedy into an American idiom. Rich in Jewish history in general, not just Jewish comedy histom the book offers a deep and subtle understanding YADDA on page 81 ereeze fierkir For information call: Quality Kosher Catering (248) 352-7758 7295 ORCHARD LAKE RD. • WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 7k lat.__ KOMANO FS CARRY OUT & CATERING We've Moved Across the Street! 4139 Orchard Lake Rd, Orchard Lake Next to Sweet Dreams New Lation I IESSCO SQUARE Orchard Lake Rd Customer Nppreciation Coupon 15% off Old Location I (248) 681-6000 We accept all major credit cards • Carry-out & Delivery Catering Anytime • Open 7 days a week. your next order Pick up only - Expires 10/31/01 Maximum Discount $10 - JN1 a • Baby Lamb Shish Kabob • Lamb Chops Shish Kafta • Shish Tawook • Deboned Chicken • Potato Chop • Chicken Cream Chop• White Fish (American & Chaldean-Style) Call us for all your catering needs 20%0FF ALL CATERING!! Parties of 20 people or more Middle-Eastern Dining 29222 Orchard Lake Road, S. of 13 Mile Farmington Hills (248) 855-1122 Fax (248) 865-6001 www.food.com/desertsands LUNCH OR DINNER ENTREE DINE IN OR CARRYOUT 7 • With Coupori - DAYS A WEEK! Expires 10-31-01 LUNCH SPECIALS 3 951 4.951 5 95 Dail We Serve Cocktails le Wine • 9/28 2001 73