Not unless they pick on me first…

I spoke with a lady yesterday who was looking to book me for a private event. She asked me tons of questions. Some she asked more than once. It was like that scene in “Menace to Society” when Bill Duke was trying to trip up Caine during the police interrogation…“You bought the bottle of beer at…” But the thing that really blew me was when she asked me if I “pick on Jews in my act?”

“Not unless they pick on me first.”

She didn’t think my response was funny. But I was truly offended and trying my best to make light of it. What, in any of the tape on my site, on Youtube, or in my press kit would cause her to ask if I was anti-semitic? Is there some great animus between 30-year old Black women and Jews that I’m just not plugged into? I grew up in Jersey. I heart Jewish people. They gave us bagels with cream cheese and lox, and Barbara Streisand and Jerry Seinfeld… and two days off of school in the fall for Lord knows what…

Maybe it’s the fact that stand-up is such a personal thing that I feel like someone’s opinion of my comedy is inextricably linked to their opinion of me as a person… but it pains me to have to ‘sell’ my act. For me, it’s like trying to convince someone that I’m a good person. And I don’t feel like I should have to do that for anyone. At all. Ever.

My attitude about booking private shows is always — watch all the clips on my site or in my media packet. If you like that, multiply it by 40 minutes and that’s what you’re gonna get. I dunno. I’m just venting. Probably something I need to learn to let slide.

Out.