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New York Comedian Misses the Mark in Trying to Be Bad
Confetti flies around the countdown clock during the first public New Year’s event since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, at Times Square, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 1, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
Jews have often done groundbreaking things in comedy. Mel Brooks famously lampooned Hitler in The Producers, which was more controversial at the time than it is now. Andy Kaufman would do performance art and use alter egos, so that we didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t. To some extent, Nathan Fielder did this with his Nathan For You show.
So I was excited to go to SoHo Playhouse to see a Jewish comedian, named Zach Zucker. Zucker has talked in interviews about attending Jewish summer camps and how he first became addicted to getting laughs by dropping rocks on his feet. In this show, he has a fake persona named Jack Tucker (close enough to his real name), and I had high hopes.
Judging a comedian who is trying to be good, is different than judging a comedian who is trying to be bad. And that’s what Zucker was trying to do. I got the joke, and I laughed once — when he fell down. It was also somewhat amusing to see a guy do odd dancing on roller skates, for what I guess was the opening act. Despite having a quasi New York-Jewish accent and charisma, most of Zucker’s act was not funny or entertaining.
Having plastic guns, sounds of gunshots, and random noises served no purpose. I love the song “American Woman,” but having two seconds of it blasted every five minutes has little to do with good or bad comedy.
I’ve attended hundreds of comedy shows, and it’s true that there are horrible comedians who do nothing other than make sexual jokes; I can appreciate Zucker’s point that many bad comedians get deemed “good” somehow.
But it was not enjoyable to watch the show, and two people walked out. There was absolutely nothing to take from it, but even more importantly, it is clear Zucker has charm, talent, and could be funny if he wanted to be.
I give him credit that he stood outside (it was a bit cold) and shook every single person’s hand, and spoke to people who asked questions. He told the crowd that he’d tried and was unable to get booked with his normal comedy act. And that’s very sad. I would have liked to see that act. I’m pretty sure he would be funny, because you can see the talent he has. It’s quite perplexing.
If you get a thrill from bad comedy trying to be bad, this show is for you.
I have no doubt we will hear more from Zucker, a young man with guts and great talent. He doesn’t show it in this show, but I would bet he will in his next show. I hope he uses his real name and shows his real game. I think he could genuinely have a Netflix special within three years, showing his real talent.
The author is a writer based in New York.
The post New York Comedian Misses the Mark in Trying to Be Bad first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.