Artist Information
Biography
What I Like About Jew is an unorthodox night of songs and comedy hosted by Sean Altman and Rob Tannenbaum, who have been called "Bart Simpsons of the Yeshiva" by Time Out New York, and "the Simon & Garfunkel of ethnic gag songs" by The Boston Globe. The pair scored a national radio hit with "Hanukah with Monica" (deemed "hilarious" by Time Out) and subsequently allowed their unfettered artistic sensibilities to overrun topics like dating ("J-Date"), Bar Mitzvahs ("Today I Am A Man"), circumcision ("Just A Little Off The Top"), Jews for Jesus ("Jews For Jesus"), Kosher-keeping reindeer in Santa's stable ("Reuben The Hook-Nosed Reindeer"), and the story of Passover ("They Tried To Kill Us, We Survived, Let's Eat").
The duo was featured in Time Out's cover story "The New Super Jews," and has been hailed in the New York Times, New Yorker, and Philadelphia Weekly, which said, "Nothing compares to the bawdy borscht-belt comedy of Altman and Tannenbaum, who take Catskills seltzer-bottle humor to a dirty new low, with lyrics that make Lenny Bruce look like a choirboy." Their song "It's Good To Be A Jew At Christmas" was selected for the recently released compilation album "Now That Sounds Kosher!", alongside works from Mel Brooks, Allan Sherman, Tom Lehrer, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Altman and Tannenbaum are sometimes joined by distinguished guest performers; comic Dave Attell, electronica music pioneer Moby, publisher Al Goldstein, Hasidic reggae-rap sensation Matisyahu, and the redoubtable Tammy Faye Starlite are among the many tribesfolk and goyim who have lent their talents to the irreverence
"What I Like About Jew" celebrates modern Jewish life and culture in a manner as unique as its creator-performers (see below.) The engaging, surprising, occasionally shocking and always thought-provoking show has sold out performances at Boston's Ryles Jazz Club and Club Passim, Philadelphia's Tin Angel, Washington D.C.'s Jammin' Java, and New York's Knitting Factory and Joe's Pub and was a hit at the 2005 Montreal International Comedy Festival.
Hosts / Producers:
SEAN ALTMAN has been dubbed "the Anti-Kurt Cobain" by New York Press and "absurdly talented" by the Village Voice. He was named 2004 "Best Male Artist" by the International Acoustic Music Awards. Sean founded and fronted the a cappella group Rockapella and co-composed the "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? " TV theme song. His songs have been featured in the off-Broadway comedies "Connections" and "Minimum Wage," on Vitamin C's platinum Elektra Records debut CD, in numerous TV shows, and on his solo albums. He produces the Jewish acapella group Kol Zimra and is a member of the Loser's Lounge tribute series. www.seanaltman.com
ROB TANNENBAUM earned his first theatrical credit for helping John Leguizamo write "Sexaholix," a Tony-nominated Broadway comedy. The music editor of Blender magazine and a member of the Jewish-owned media elite, Tannenbaum appears frequently on VH1, writes for Playboy and GQ, and is working with Leguizamo on an animated series for the Spike network. Like a pork chop, he's bad to the bone.
Instrumentation
Sean Altman - vocals & guitar
Rob Tannenbaum - vocals
Special guests vary
Discography
"Unorthodox" - debut CD (released April '06)
Official Website
Video
Press
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"Ethnic pride mixed with high camp... If I were a rich man, I'd plunk down the cash to see this show...
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"the Simon & Garfunkel of ethnic gag songs.... Racy and funny and smart and affectionate, something ...
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"Nothing compares to the bawdy borscht-belt comedy of Altman and Tannenbaum, who take Catskills selt...
-
CD review
"Bart Simpsons of the Yeshiva... A roving celebration of Hebraic song and culture"
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"Not since Kinky Friedman has Hebraic-humored folk been as funny and as literate as that of Rob Tann...
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"What I Like About Jew is a subversively funny revue that fearlessly goes exactly where one would th...
-
concert review
"(Altman and Tannenbaum's) self-deprecating humor is chicken soup for the Jewish soul"
-
concert review
"A tongue-in-cheek New Jew revue"
-
concert review
"A free-wheeling comic cabaret with an eclectic parade of Jewish singers"
-
concert review
[+ Show ]
"Intelligent, reflective, funny, self-critical and celebratory all at once. And it sure beats the he...
Setlist
75-90 minute show
Hot Jewish Chicks
Today I Am a Man
Reuben The Hook-Nosed Reindeer
Hanukah With Monica
Jews For Jesus
J-Date
They Tried To Kill Us (We Survived, Let's Eat)
It's Good To Be a Jew at Christmas
and many more...
