This January 28th, you're invited to join us
at the NFL's "Nations in Rhythm Detroit" Celebration
at the Detroit Opera House.

tSf-f

Albert
Brooks
delivering

Etv4,A,4.

at.

stand-up

star in a new sitcom,
That Darn Jew.
While Brooks has
never been "Jewish" in
his films, there certainly
has always been a
Jewish comic sensibility
about his films. On the
one had, he agrees.
"Listen, it's me,' he says.
"It's who I am. A lot of
Jews for the size of the
population' are in come-
dy"
Brooks was raised in
Los Angeles in a home
he describes as "more
Conservative than
Reform." He was a bar
mitzvah. "Is that some
sort of dividing line?" he
asks.
"Perhaps my biggest
Jewish memory is that my father died
when I was 12, and I remember after
school for what seemed like a year
instead of playing I would ride my bicy-
cle over to the temple to sit with the old
Jewish men and say Kaddish."
At no time did Brooks have any con-
cerns about the fact that it was a Jewish
filmmaker who made this film. "I
mean, what are my choices',' he asked
rhetorically. "I am Jewish. No one else is
going to make this film. There has been
no post 9-11 comedy made if you really
think about it.
"I'll tell you something. At the end of

les, belly laughs and other responses
one associates with the humor
genre.
Any and all expectations evaporate
in the first 10 minutes, when Brooks
presents a ludicrous premise in the
most tepid manner imaginable.
With his career temporarily stalled
and no gigs in the offing, Brooks
accepts a State Department assign-
ment to go to India and Pakistan and
write a 500-page report on what
makes Muslims laugh. Brooks is as
suitable for the job as any comedian,
except for one small problem. Based
on the evidence here, it's clear he no
longer has a grasp of what's funny
to Americans. So how is he going to
figure out what generates guffaws in
a foreign country?
He's assisted by a pair of colorless
State Department operatives and an
enthusiastic translator-stenographer
he hires in Delhi, India. None is given

(part of JET's "Campaign STOP HATE" initiative)

Tickets are $10-$15, and are going fast for this
special one-night performance, and are available
by calling TicketMasters at (248) 645-6666.

the Dubai screening, one of the sheiks
who came to the screening told me
that the film can help bridge cultural
differences. It's not going to bring
Israel and the Palestinians to the peace
table — but it's better than
nothing." II

Looking for Comedy in the
Muslim World opens Friday,
Jan. 20, at the
Birmingham 8 Theatre.

an interesting personality quirk or a
juicy line of dialogue, let alone a
memorable scene.
Brooks can't be accused, though,
of shortchanging his supporting cast
while hogging the best lines. There
aren't any best lines, and only a few
decent ones.
The plot, such as it is, turns on
Brooks' realization that man-on-the-
street interviews are an inefficient
way to conduct research. So Brooks
decides to put on his own show, per-
forming an assortment of jokes, rid-
dles, improvisation and ventrilo-
quism. He'll discover what gets
laughs, and he'll have ample materi-
al to fill out his report.
The comedy concert goes on and
on, comprising the movie's center-
piece. Fans of Brooks' stand-up
shouldn't take that as a selling point,
for the act is so unrelentingly
tedious that it sinks the film. II

CO-PRODUCED BY

CHALDEAN AMERICAN
LADIESN'tHARITY

IMIS lit ItilMt mum Celebration

DETROIT OPERA HOUSE

1526 Bfoalw,: 7, Jet of (513) 951-3.500

8:00pm, Saturday, January 28, 2006

'Nations in Rhythm Detroit" is an amazing celebration of diversity,
music, dance and theatre. Experience the exuberance of African drum and dance,
the passions of Flamenco, the rich history of Scottish/Irish music and dance,
the energy of Greek and Middle Eastern rhythm and dance, and the
deep symbolism of both Eastern Indian and Native American dance
to form a human kaleidoscope of life and joy,
Tickets are $10, 512, and $15, available through the Detroit Opera House
and all Tieketrnaster outlets: (248) 645-6666. Contact arty of the participating
organizations for more details and information or visit www.calconline.org .

Poster design, by Ram

Shamoun, thenewcerktury.com

January 19 =. 2006

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