CINXE.COM

<!doctype html> <html class="no-js" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow"> <meta name="description" content="Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, ..."> <meta property="og:title" content="Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother" and Other semi-Related Topics - PR.com"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <meta property="og:description" content="Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, ..."> <meta property="og:site_name" content="PR.com"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.pr.com/images/PRcom-Logo-OG.jpg"> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@PRcom"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother" and Other semi-Related Topics - PR.com"> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, ..."> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="PR.com Articles" href="/rss/articles.xml"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.pr.com/article/1035" /> <title>Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother" and Other semi-Related Topics - PR.com</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://static.pr.com/assets/styles.0dee9bbaff07d657b6e3.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://static.pr.com/assets/article-item.0dee9bbaff07d657b6e3.css" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","articleBody":"Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been \r\n fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, \r\n Jewish mother has been a focal point of her stand up act; and to mixed \r\n reactions. Some people have accused her of playing up cultural stereotypes \r\n and lampooning her own people. She says she is simply presenting an accurate \r\n portrayal of her mother and doing so in a loving way. Never squeamish \r\n about expressing her opinions, she is quick to bring up many a comment \r\n that has ruffled social and political feathers throughout her career. \r\n \r\nAfter years of impersonating her mother on stage and contemplating \r\n her own role as a Jewish mother, she decided to embark on a project that \r\n would change her life forever. She and playwright Kate Moira Ryan set \r\n out on a five year journey, where they toured the United States interviewing \r\n over fifty Jewish women of varying backgrounds. The purpose: to find out \r\n if there is, in fact, a stereotypical prototype of a Jewish mother and \r\n what that means to her own existence as a modern, single and gay Jewish \r\n mother. \r\nAfter interviewing fifty women from different Jewish denominations, \r\n backgrounds and walks of life, Judy found these women to be as strikingly \r\n similar as they were colorfully different and unique. Each woman had her \r\n own story to tell, while at the same time demonstrating the warmth, caring, \r\n and closeness to their children that Judy has experienced with her own \r\n mother since childhood. Judy found herself to be humbled, enriched and \r\n inspired by these women's stories. Along with her writing partner Kate \r\n Moira Ryan, they developed these interviews into a humorous and poignant \r\n One-Woman Show that is getting rave reviews and selling out theatres. \r\n Our conversation took some interesting and bold detours, and that's fine \r\n with me. \r\nPR.com (Allison Kugel): It was incredible to see 25 \r\n Questions for a Jewish Mother. I saw it a few days ago...\r\nJudy Gold: Oh, did you see it?! I'm so glad when people \r\n actually see the show. The guy from the [New Jersey] Star Ledger... \r\n he was like \"So you wrote that song From a Distance? I'm like \r\n \"No. That was Julie Gold. Have a fantastic day and enjoy your \r\n research.\"\r\nPR.com: Well I saw the show last week. I'm Jewish \r\n and I brought a friend who isn't Jewish and he was laughing. He really \r\n enjoyed it, but for me it wasn't just a show, it was an experience too.\r\nJudy Gold: Right, it was a journey.\r\nPR.com: Yeah. I called up my mother the next day and \r\n said, \"You have to go see this show. It's not just a show. It's an \r\n experience.\"\r\nJudy Gold: That's so sweet! It's been through the roof after \r\n the New York Times came out with that review.\r\nPR.com: I was going to ask you about that. You got \r\n a glowing review!\r\nJudy Gold: Have you ever read a review like that?\r\nPR.com: No. When I was doing research on you, I was \r\n Googling your name...\r\nJudy Gold: And you found out that I called the President \r\n a living, breathing piece of shit... (She's referring to a comment \r\n that she made at a fundraiser for Howard Dean which resulted in the White \r\n House declaring her a Homeland Security Risk. Are they f****** kidding??)\r\nPR.com: Well I don't see anything wrong with you stating \r\n your opinion.\r\nJudy Gold: Alright, thank you.\r\nPR.com: In the show, were you trying to create something \r\n that would be an emotional experience for other Jewish people?\r\nJudy Gold: It wasn't even about other Jewish people. What \r\n we wanted to do was pretty much tell a story and I wanted it not to be \r\n stand up [comedy]. I wanted it to be its own thing. It's a play. Before \r\n I go on stage, I really get excited to tell this story. It's a journey \r\n and I wanted to be honest. I wanted to show how these women affected my \r\n life and I wanted to pay as much respect to these women as I possibly \r\n could, especially with the Holocaust survivors.\r\nPR.com: Throughout the years, and I've seen you performing \r\n in clubs over the years, you've always incorporated your mother into your \r\n act. Did that come from a place of appreciation for her or did it come \r\n from a place of conflict and pain?\r\nJudy Gold: I think it's a combination of love, conflict \r\n and pain. I have the best job in the world. Someone said to me, \r\n \"You get to go on stage and vent.\" I think my mother had a very \r\n unique view of the world, as did my father and I grew up in this household... \r\n I just felt out of place. I'm in this suburban [neighborhood] and this \r\n is the way life's supposed to be and I'm like, \"If this is life, \r\n I'm outta here! I am not living here baby!\" Knowing that my \r\n mother grew up in Manhattan and had dreams... also, I was 6 ft tall \r\n when I was thirteen, so I couldn't fit in, in any way shape or form.\r\nPR.com: Well kid's can be obnoxious...\r\nJudy Gold: Oh horrible! And they're worse in New Jersey \r\n for some reason. People are always like, \"Isn't it hard to bring \r\n your kids up in the city?\" My mother grew up across the street from \r\n [where I live now] and she said, \"It would have been easier to bring \r\n you kids up in the city,\" because if you're a freak, there's a group \r\n of freaks just like you waiting to be your friend,\" you know?\r\nPR.com: Why do you think that the Jewish media and \r\n the media in general, have come down on you so much for perpetuating the \r\n Jewish stereotype?\r\nJudy Gold: It's come from a lot of different places. I was \r\n doing a function and this woman came up to me and said, \"When are \r\n you going to stop?!\" And my manager did get calls when I did the \r\n Anne Frank joke on The Tonight Show. I'm thinking to myself, here I am. \r\n I go all over this country to places where they've never seen a Jew and \r\n say \"Here I am! I'm a Jew!\" And these people are sitting in \r\n judgment of me. I understand where it comes from...\r\nPR.com: But why is it ok for Keenen Ivory Wayans to \r\n make fun of black culture, or for Larry David or Richard Lewis to make \r\n fun of being Jewish?\r\nJudy Gold: I don't know. It's really odd to me because, \r\n first of all, I'm not exaggerating. These are things that my mother does \r\n say to me. And by the way, I'm usually home on a Friday night with my \r\n kids, saying prayers over the challah [bread] and the wine. I've been \r\n to Alabama and been a Jew. I've been called a kike in Georgia, you know?\r\nPR.com: Do these people find any common ground with \r\n you and enjoy the show, or do they sit there dumbfounded?\r\nJudy Gold: Yes, I've found with being gay and being Jewish. \r\n Then they'll say, \"Oh, I like her!\"\r\nPR.com: At the beginning of the show they don't know \r\n what to make of you and by the end of the show, they like you.\r\nJudy Gold: Right.\r\nPR.com: Then you've essentially done your job.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly. So these people were saying that I was \r\n promoting this stereotype, when I was actually just doing my mother. And \r\n then they're coming up to me saying, \"You shouldn't do this, you \r\n shouldn't say this...\" You're right, these [other comedians] can \r\n make fun of it and it's very funny. What is it about women that makes \r\n it so, you know, \"don't go there?\" So I was like, ok you think \r\n I make fun of the [Jewish] stereotype? I'm going to go out there and find \r\n it. I'm going to go see. Initially we just went out to find out if there \r\n really was the stereotype. What happened was these women just started \r\n blowing me away.\r\nPR.com: They blew you away how?\r\nJudy Gold: The ultra Orthodox really blew me away. There \r\n was one woman, her kid went to Yeshiva and her son was disabled and there \r\n was no room for him. They didn't have the facilities at the Yeshiva. She \r\n went back to school and got her Master's Degree in special education and \r\n opened up a Yeshiva for special needs children. \r\nPR.com: Wow!\r\nJudy Gold: I mean, just pro-active. I'm thinking I'm going \r\n in here and they're going be like, \"I get up and I make breakfast, \r\n and then I go shopping...\"\r\nPR.com: \"And then I go to lunch...\"\r\nJudy Gold: It was...I'm a judge, I'm a lawyer, I'm a \r\n school teacher, I'm a librarian...just blew me away!\r\nPR.com: And one thing you said that they all have \r\n in common is that they all speak to their kids...\r\nJudy Gold: ...every day. I'm thinking I'm the only one \r\n who talks to my mother every day.\r\nPR.com: My parents call me two or three times a day \r\n and I always feel weird if I don't speak to them for a day.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly. It's such a bond.\r\nPR.com: How did you team up with playwright, Kate \r\n Moira Ryan (Judy's co-writer of 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother)?\r\nJudy Gold: I'm friends with her. For years I've been saying \r\n I've got to get off the road. I love doing stand up more then anything \r\n in the whole world but I couldn't take the traveling and I don't want \r\n to be away from my kids. I've always wanted to do a one person show but \r\n I never wanted it to be my act, augmented by a band. I told Kate this \r\n whole story and she said let's go out and start interviewing women and \r\n we'll see what happens. \r\nPR.com: Why 25 questions for each woman?\r\nJudy Gold: We had a list of more then 50 and we would sit \r\n there with a list. We would always start with, \"What makes a Jewish \r\n mother different from a non-Jewish mother?\" Easy, general questions. \r\n As we got to know the women, we'd get more specific and we'd be like, \r\n \"Oh ask #19 or ask #23!!\" We ended up asking them 25 questions \r\n each. It just ended up that way. Not all the same questions. Kate is a \r\n playwright and she loves European history. She's spent a lot of time in \r\n Europe and whenever we would have a Holocaust survivor or an immigrant, \r\n it was very logistic with her. It was so great having another person come \r\n from a completely different place. So I felt it was more thorough. \r\nPR.com: Did you each interview different women and \r\n then you exchanged notes?\r\nJudy Gold: No, we were always together.\r\nPR.com: It's not like Jewish people are blanketing \r\n the middle of the United States. Did you stick to large cities?\r\nJudy Gold: Initially we went with a group of women and \r\n we would ask them, \"Who should we go to next?\" We would ask \r\n people, \"Do you know anyone who would be interested in this project?\" \r\n Then when we traveled, I would call the local synagogues. I'd call my \r\n mother and say, \"Do we have any relatives [here]?\" Kate found \r\n someone in Utah. We went to Reno and we met with some people and then \r\n they would tell other people. We went to Vegas, California, Florida...\r\nPR.com: You interviewed over 50 women?\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, I'm pretty sure. \r\nPR.com: And you chose to showcase a handful of women \r\n in the show...\r\nJudy Gold: 12 women.\r\nPR.com: What made you choose those 12 women to impersonate \r\n and tell their stories in the show?\r\nJudy Gold: It fit into my journey. It was \"how can \r\n I move this story along?\" Kate Moira Ryan actually put the structure \r\n together. And she also transcribed every interview.\r\nPR.com: I can relate to that! After doing all of these \r\n interviews, is there such a thing as a stereotypical Jewish mother?\r\nJudy Gold: There are affectations, such as, what you \r\n see or what you hear. \"Are you hungry? Do you need to eat?\" \r\n (She slips back into her own Jewish mother's inflection)\r\nPR.com: Very concerned. Is that a good thing or a \r\n bad thing?\r\nJudy Gold: I think it's a great thing. How can you say it's \r\n a bad thing? Look what the Jewish people have been through and we're still \r\n here! So, obviously we're doing something right. When you started talking \r\n to them about their lives, things came out that you couldn't imagine. \r\n They were just so open and ready to talk about their lives. Husbands and \r\n friends were like, \"I can't believe she told you about this. We never \r\n talk about that.\" They didn't feel threatened or judged. And I thought \r\n they were pretty special, these women.\r\nPR.com: They knew you had the best intentions and \r\n there's also a certain freedom in opening up to someone you don't know \r\n very well.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly, and we said if you don't want to answer \r\n something, don't answer it. There was one woman who was the WASP-iest \r\n Jewish woman you've ever seen and she was apparently the only Jew in her \r\n country club growing up. A very assimilated and very wealthy family. She \r\n ends up marrying a Jew and they end up having kids. Her daughter comes \r\n home from school one day and says that she wants to be bat mitzvahed, \r\n and she wants to go to Hebrew school. She ended up getting bat mitzvahed \r\n and it was the first time the family had ever been to [temple]. Her daughter \r\n started singing her haftorah and everyone in the family burst into tears. \r\n She said she saw her daughter up there reading her haftorah and thought, \r\n \"How did my kid lead us on this journey?\" Now they go to the \r\n High Holiday services. She said she feels something when she goes in there \r\n now. It's pretty intense.\r\nPR.com: You were quoted as saying that being a practicing \r\n Jew and a Lesbian and a mom with an unconventional career, that you felt \r\n it was somewhat of a struggle?\r\nJudy Gold: Well, I like all of these traditions. I want \r\n to pass down what my grandmother taught me and what my parents taught \r\n me. I love being a Jew, but it's like... where do I fit in? I love \r\n going to shul, but going to shul growing up, it's like a) you're not gay \r\n and b) you're a woman, so you're not carrying the Torah around...\r\nPR.com: I grew up in a Reform [Jewish] household and \r\n I'm a fourth generation American.\r\nJudy Gold: I'm fourth generation too, pretty amazing, huh? \r\n \r\nPR.com: My parents had ties to European relatives. \r\n I don't. So I never experienced that firsthand. But, the very first time \r\n I had to go to an Orthodox Temple, I have to be honest, I was offended \r\n when I was asked to sit in the back and I walked out into the lobby and \r\n I didn't want to participate and I didn't want to sit there.\r\nJudy Gold: It's not like they put the women in a nice area...\r\nPR.com: It doesn't matter. I couldn't get past the \r\n fact that we have to sit in the back. Judaism is my culture. When somebody \r\n asks me what I am, I say I'm Jewish. But as far as the religion, I just \r\n don't see how some of these things fit into my life.\r\nJudy Gold: But some of them do fit, and I was like, how \r\n do I reconcile that? And there's a place for everyone. I think that's \r\n the greatest thing about Judaism. It's all about questioning and re-interpreting. \r\n And there are other people out there like me who want to be Jews and want \r\n to sit with their husbands or fathers [in temple], and that's why I find \r\n the last woman (impersonated in her show) so profound. She hits \r\n on every topic that we discussed; acceptance, a family secret, being mad \r\n at God, not agreeing with what your friends say...no matter what you \r\n subscribe to or how religious you are, life hands you shit that you don't \r\n expect.\r\nPR.com: The Jewish religion is something where you're \r\n supposed to question and read...\r\nJudy Gold: I think that's why there are so many Jewish comics. \r\n We see things in so many different ways.\r\nPR.com: But thank god for that. There are some religions \r\n where you're told \"this is the way it is...\"\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly! I don't need some guy in a white hat \r\n telling me you can't have an abortion and I've just decided that gay people \r\n can't...\r\nPR.com: You can't be gay, you can't have an abortion \r\n if you need to, you can't get a divorce... and it's caused profound \r\n guilt in people...\r\nJudy Gold: And self hatred.\r\nPR.com: So as much as Jewish people talk about how \r\n we're all neurotic and that we have Jewish guilt, I don't think it's anywhere \r\n near what Catholic people experience.\r\nJudy Gold: And we also have outlets. We love the arts... \r\n the thing is, we have a culture. We are more then a religion.\r\nPR.com: Why did you choose to premiere your show at \r\n the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal before bringing it to \r\n New York?\r\nJudy Gold: Jodie Lieberman who runs the Just for Laughs \r\n Festival, she saw a reading of it and we had been trying to get it \r\n into festivals for a while. She saw it and she said, \"Oh my God, \r\n I have to bring this to Montreal.\" We got the most amazing reviews \r\n and Ars Nova (the Ars Nova Theatre in New York), they loved it \r\n and now it's a sold out hit, standing room... it's incredible.\r\nPR.com: And the reviews don't hurt. Dude, that review \r\n was outrageous (in the New York Times)!\r\nJudy Gold: Well we got the reviews in Montreal and they \r\n were stellar too.\r\nPR.com: Let me ask you this. I didn't know if I was \r\n going to ask you, but I will. When you were growing up and you were in \r\n adolescence, how did you process the realization within yourself that \r\n you were gay? Then how did that translate into you sharing that information \r\n with friends and family?\r\nJudy Gold: Well, I knew, but especially at that time, you \r\n fight it. You're an abomination, and there's no role model...I didn't \r\n talk about it. I didn't deal with it at all. And then in college, it was \r\n funny. I met a group of friends and all of a sudden, junior year, all \r\n of us were like, \"Umm...by the way, I'm gay.\"\r\nPR.com: All of you?\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, pretty much, this whole small group. \r\n And we all kind of came out together. And I never told my family. I told \r\n my sister first and then someone slipped in front of my mother. But my \r\n mother said she already knew. We got interviewed for Nightline \r\n a while ago, and she said, \"Well, I knew when she was very young \r\n because every night she would go over to the neighbor's house because \r\n they had crayons and she wanted to play, and every time she went over \r\n there, she had to where a necktie!\" Then she said that when she would \r\n come to visit she would notice that there was one bedroom that had two \r\n alarm clocks and one bedroom that had no alarm clock. So I was like, \"Mom, \r\n you should have been a spy!\"\r\nPR.com: I think this is so important because I feel \r\n that the more public figures are just open about it, not making a ceremony \r\n out of it, but just talk openly about it just the way anybody would talk \r\n about their relationship...\r\nJudy Gold: My relationship was just like anybody else's...\r\nPR.com: It takes away the stigma, it makes it more \r\n like, ok you're this and I'm that and we're all just living our lives. \r\n It's a real problem with gay teenagers feeling depressed and alone...\r\nJudy Gold: Most suicides are from gay teens...\r\nPR.com: But the more that people in the public eye \r\n are open about it and just live their lives, it will make other people \r\n feel like they can just be themselves and live their lives openly and \r\n honestly.\r\nJudy Gold: It's just a part of who I am. It's not who \r\n I am. And I'm a Jew before I'm anything else.\r\nPR.com: Your mom came to see your show during previews.\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, very emotional...\r\nPR.com: Was her reaction a positive one?\r\nJudy Gold: She loved it but then she said it was very, very \r\n sad for me. I warned her. There was a lot of stuff [in the show] that \r\n we hadn't talked about, and how one thing can effect generation after \r\n generation. She is seeing how her actions affected her child. I think \r\n that that was really hard for her. The profound effect she had on me. \r\n \r\nPR.com: Did she think it was an accurate portrayal \r\n of her? Because we never see ourselves as others see us?\r\nJudy Gold: I don't think anyone ever sees themselves as \r\n other people see them. But she's so used to me imitating her.\r\nPR.com: Your show is a one woman show, which is essentially, \r\n one very long monologue which is 70 minutes of material. As somebody who \r\n doesn't do what you do, it's fascinating to me. How do you memorize every \r\n piece of material, every inflection, and every nuance from beginning to \r\n end? \r\nJudy Gold: It's so organic to me and I know the story so \r\n well. It just flows out of me. \r\nPR.com: The answering machine at the beginning of \r\n the show is my favorite thing of all time! (A voicemail message from \r\n Judy's mother that she plays at the top of her show)\r\nJudy Gold: Thank you and it's real. People always ask \r\n me [that]. And I'll never forget when I played it for my mother. My father \r\n had died and we were at my brother's in Arizona and I taped it. I said, \r\n \"Mom, you gotta listen to this and I brought the tape of her, and \r\n we were peeing in our pants. And I said, I'm playing this onstage.\r\nPR.com: Are you taking the show to any other cities \r\n after New York?\r\nJudy Gold: We want to, yeah. And I keep getting emails...can \r\n you bring it here? Can you bring it there? I think I'm going to be doing \r\n the show for a very long time and I'm very happy about it. I think it \r\n has a profound affect on people. People thank me... mothers, kids, gay \r\n men... \r\nPR.com: Are you still doing At the Multiplex with \r\n Judy Gold for HBO? \r\nJudy Gold: Yes.\r\nPR.com: When does it air? Because I always just catch \r\n it randomly...\r\nJudy Gold: They show it in between movies.\r\nPR.com: Has performing in a one woman show changed \r\n your perspective on the direction you'd like your career to take?\r\nJudy Gold: I'd like to do more acting and I love live performance, \r\n so hopefully it will bring me some jobs that I've always wanted.\r\nPR.com: Are you looking to take the show to Broadway?\r\nJudy Gold: Yes.\r\nPR.com: That's the first thing that came to my mind \r\n when I saw it.\r\nJudy Gold: Oh, yeah.\r\n25 Questions for a Jewish Mother is currently \r\n playing at the Ars Nova Theatre at 511 West 54th Street (west of 10th \r\n Ave.) New York, NY. To purchase tickets, SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or www.SmartTix.com. \r\n All tickets are $25.00, Running Time: 70 minutes, no intermission.","wordCount":3987,"author":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Allison Kugel","jobTitle":"Senior Editor"},"abstract":"Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been \r\n fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, \r\n Jewish mother has been a focal point of her stand up act; and to mixed \r\n reactions. Some people have accused her of playing up cultural...","dateCreated":"2006-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","dateModified":"2006-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","datePublished":"2006-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","headline":"Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: \"25 Questions for a Jewish Mother\" and Other...","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"PR.com","logo":"https:\/\/www.pr.com\/images\/logo_white_150x150.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.pr.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PRcom"},"text":"Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: \"25 Questions for a Jewish Mother\" and Other semi-Related Topics Allison Kugel, Senior Editor Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been \r\n fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, \r\n Jewish mother has been a focal point of her stand up act; and to mixed \r\n reactions. Some people have accused her of playing up cultural stereotypes \r\n and lampooning her own people. She says she is simply presenting an accurate \r\n portrayal of her mother and doing so in a loving way. Never squeamish \r\n about expressing her opinions, she is quick to bring up many a comment \r\n that has ruffled social and political feathers throughout her career. \r\n \r\nAfter years of impersonating her mother on stage and contemplating \r\n her own role as a Jewish mother, she decided to embark on a project that \r\n would change her life forever. She and playwright Kate Moira Ryan set \r\n out on a five year journey, where they toured the United States interviewing \r\n over fifty Jewish women of varying backgrounds. The purpose: to find out \r\n if there is, in fact, a stereotypical prototype of a Jewish mother and \r\n what that means to her own existence as a modern, single and gay Jewish \r\n mother. \r\nAfter interviewing fifty women from different Jewish denominations, \r\n backgrounds and walks of life, Judy found these women to be as strikingly \r\n similar as they were colorfully different and unique. Each woman had her \r\n own story to tell, while at the same time demonstrating the warmth, caring, \r\n and closeness to their children that Judy has experienced with her own \r\n mother since childhood. Judy found herself to be humbled, enriched and \r\n inspired by these women's stories. Along with her writing partner Kate \r\n Moira Ryan, they developed these interviews into a humorous and poignant \r\n One-Woman Show that is getting rave reviews and selling out theatres. \r\n Our conversation took some interesting and bold detours, and that's fine \r\n with me. \r\nPR.com (Allison Kugel): It was incredible to see 25 \r\n Questions for a Jewish Mother. I saw it a few days ago...\r\nJudy Gold: Oh, did you see it?! I'm so glad when people \r\n actually see the show. The guy from the [New Jersey] Star Ledger... \r\n he was like \"So you wrote that song From a Distance? I'm like \r\n \"No. That was Julie Gold. Have a fantastic day and enjoy your \r\n research.\"\r\nPR.com: Well I saw the show last week. I'm Jewish \r\n and I brought a friend who isn't Jewish and he was laughing. He really \r\n enjoyed it, but for me it wasn't just a show, it was an experience too.\r\nJudy Gold: Right, it was a journey.\r\nPR.com: Yeah. I called up my mother the next day and \r\n said, \"You have to go see this show. It's not just a show. It's an \r\n experience.\"\r\nJudy Gold: That's so sweet! It's been through the roof after \r\n the New York Times came out with that review.\r\nPR.com: I was going to ask you about that. You got \r\n a glowing review!\r\nJudy Gold: Have you ever read a review like that?\r\nPR.com: No. When I was doing research on you, I was \r\n Googling your name...\r\nJudy Gold: And you found out that I called the President \r\n a living, breathing piece of shit... (She's referring to a comment \r\n that she made at a fundraiser for Howard Dean which resulted in the White \r\n House declaring her a Homeland Security Risk. Are they f****** kidding??)\r\nPR.com: Well I don't see anything wrong with you stating \r\n your opinion.\r\nJudy Gold: Alright, thank you.\r\nPR.com: In the show, were you trying to create something \r\n that would be an emotional experience for other Jewish people?\r\nJudy Gold: It wasn't even about other Jewish people. What \r\n we wanted to do was pretty much tell a story and I wanted it not to be \r\n stand up [comedy]. I wanted it to be its own thing. It's a play. Before \r\n I go on stage, I really get excited to tell this story. It's a journey \r\n and I wanted to be honest. I wanted to show how these women affected my \r\n life and I wanted to pay as much respect to these women as I possibly \r\n could, especially with the Holocaust survivors.\r\nPR.com: Throughout the years, and I've seen you performing \r\n in clubs over the years, you've always incorporated your mother into your \r\n act. Did that come from a place of appreciation for her or did it come \r\n from a place of conflict and pain?\r\nJudy Gold: I think it's a combination of love, conflict \r\n and pain. I have the best job in the world. Someone said to me, \r\n \"You get to go on stage and vent.\" I think my mother had a very \r\n unique view of the world, as did my father and I grew up in this household... \r\n I just felt out of place. I'm in this suburban [neighborhood] and this \r\n is the way life's supposed to be and I'm like, \"If this is life, \r\n I'm outta here! I am not living here baby!\" Knowing that my \r\n mother grew up in Manhattan and had dreams... also, I was 6 ft tall \r\n when I was thirteen, so I couldn't fit in, in any way shape or form.\r\nPR.com: Well kid's can be obnoxious...\r\nJudy Gold: Oh horrible! And they're worse in New Jersey \r\n for some reason. People are always like, \"Isn't it hard to bring \r\n your kids up in the city?\" My mother grew up across the street from \r\n [where I live now] and she said, \"It would have been easier to bring \r\n you kids up in the city,\" because if you're a freak, there's a group \r\n of freaks just like you waiting to be your friend,\" you know?\r\nPR.com: Why do you think that the Jewish media and \r\n the media in general, have come down on you so much for perpetuating the \r\n Jewish stereotype?\r\nJudy Gold: It's come from a lot of different places. I was \r\n doing a function and this woman came up to me and said, \"When are \r\n you going to stop?!\" And my manager did get calls when I did the \r\n Anne Frank joke on The Tonight Show. I'm thinking to myself, here I am. \r\n I go all over this country to places where they've never seen a Jew and \r\n say \"Here I am! I'm a Jew!\" And these people are sitting in \r\n judgment of me. I understand where it comes from...\r\nPR.com: But why is it ok for Keenen Ivory Wayans to \r\n make fun of black culture, or for Larry David or Richard Lewis to make \r\n fun of being Jewish?\r\nJudy Gold: I don't know. It's really odd to me because, \r\n first of all, I'm not exaggerating. These are things that my mother does \r\n say to me. And by the way, I'm usually home on a Friday night with my \r\n kids, saying prayers over the challah [bread] and the wine. I've been \r\n to Alabama and been a Jew. I've been called a kike in Georgia, you know?\r\nPR.com: Do these people find any common ground with \r\n you and enjoy the show, or do they sit there dumbfounded?\r\nJudy Gold: Yes, I've found with being gay and being Jewish. \r\n Then they'll say, \"Oh, I like her!\"\r\nPR.com: At the beginning of the show they don't know \r\n what to make of you and by the end of the show, they like you.\r\nJudy Gold: Right.\r\nPR.com: Then you've essentially done your job.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly. So these people were saying that I was \r\n promoting this stereotype, when I was actually just doing my mother. And \r\n then they're coming up to me saying, \"You shouldn't do this, you \r\n shouldn't say this...\" You're right, these [other comedians] can \r\n make fun of it and it's very funny. What is it about women that makes \r\n it so, you know, \"don't go there?\" So I was like, ok you think \r\n I make fun of the [Jewish] stereotype? I'm going to go out there and find \r\n it. I'm going to go see. Initially we just went out to find out if there \r\n really was the stereotype. What happened was these women just started \r\n blowing me away.\r\nPR.com: They blew you away how?\r\nJudy Gold: The ultra Orthodox really blew me away. There \r\n was one woman, her kid went to Yeshiva and her son was disabled and there \r\n was no room for him. They didn't have the facilities at the Yeshiva. She \r\n went back to school and got her Master's Degree in special education and \r\n opened up a Yeshiva for special needs children. \r\nPR.com: Wow!\r\nJudy Gold: I mean, just pro-active. I'm thinking I'm going \r\n in here and they're going be like, \"I get up and I make breakfast, \r\n and then I go shopping...\"\r\nPR.com: \"And then I go to lunch...\"\r\nJudy Gold: It was...I'm a judge, I'm a lawyer, I'm a \r\n school teacher, I'm a librarian...just blew me away!\r\nPR.com: And one thing you said that they all have \r\n in common is that they all speak to their kids...\r\nJudy Gold: ...every day. I'm thinking I'm the only one \r\n who talks to my mother every day.\r\nPR.com: My parents call me two or three times a day \r\n and I always feel weird if I don't speak to them for a day.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly. It's such a bond.\r\nPR.com: How did you team up with playwright, Kate \r\n Moira Ryan (Judy's co-writer of 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother)?\r\nJudy Gold: I'm friends with her. For years I've been saying \r\n I've got to get off the road. I love doing stand up more then anything \r\n in the whole world but I couldn't take the traveling and I don't want \r\n to be away from my kids. I've always wanted to do a one person show but \r\n I never wanted it to be my act, augmented by a band. I told Kate this \r\n whole story and she said let's go out and start interviewing women and \r\n we'll see what happens. \r\nPR.com: Why 25 questions for each woman?\r\nJudy Gold: We had a list of more then 50 and we would sit \r\n there with a list. We would always start with, \"What makes a Jewish \r\n mother different from a non-Jewish mother?\" Easy, general questions. \r\n As we got to know the women, we'd get more specific and we'd be like, \r\n \"Oh ask #19 or ask #23!!\" We ended up asking them 25 questions \r\n each. It just ended up that way. Not all the same questions. Kate is a \r\n playwright and she loves European history. She's spent a lot of time in \r\n Europe and whenever we would have a Holocaust survivor or an immigrant, \r\n it was very logistic with her. It was so great having another person come \r\n from a completely different place. So I felt it was more thorough. \r\nPR.com: Did you each interview different women and \r\n then you exchanged notes?\r\nJudy Gold: No, we were always together.\r\nPR.com: It's not like Jewish people are blanketing \r\n the middle of the United States. Did you stick to large cities?\r\nJudy Gold: Initially we went with a group of women and \r\n we would ask them, \"Who should we go to next?\" We would ask \r\n people, \"Do you know anyone who would be interested in this project?\" \r\n Then when we traveled, I would call the local synagogues. I'd call my \r\n mother and say, \"Do we have any relatives [here]?\" Kate found \r\n someone in Utah. We went to Reno and we met with some people and then \r\n they would tell other people. We went to Vegas, California, Florida...\r\nPR.com: You interviewed over 50 women?\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, I'm pretty sure. \r\nPR.com: And you chose to showcase a handful of women \r\n in the show...\r\nJudy Gold: 12 women.\r\nPR.com: What made you choose those 12 women to impersonate \r\n and tell their stories in the show?\r\nJudy Gold: It fit into my journey. It was \"how can \r\n I move this story along?\" Kate Moira Ryan actually put the structure \r\n together. And she also transcribed every interview.\r\nPR.com: I can relate to that! After doing all of these \r\n interviews, is there such a thing as a stereotypical Jewish mother?\r\nJudy Gold: There are affectations, such as, what you \r\n see or what you hear. \"Are you hungry? Do you need to eat?\" \r\n (She slips back into her own Jewish mother's inflection)\r\nPR.com: Very concerned. Is that a good thing or a \r\n bad thing?\r\nJudy Gold: I think it's a great thing. How can you say it's \r\n a bad thing? Look what the Jewish people have been through and we're still \r\n here! So, obviously we're doing something right. When you started talking \r\n to them about their lives, things came out that you couldn't imagine. \r\n They were just so open and ready to talk about their lives. Husbands and \r\n friends were like, \"I can't believe she told you about this. We never \r\n talk about that.\" They didn't feel threatened or judged. And I thought \r\n they were pretty special, these women.\r\nPR.com: They knew you had the best intentions and \r\n there's also a certain freedom in opening up to someone you don't know \r\n very well.\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly, and we said if you don't want to answer \r\n something, don't answer it. There was one woman who was the WASP-iest \r\n Jewish woman you've ever seen and she was apparently the only Jew in her \r\n country club growing up. A very assimilated and very wealthy family. She \r\n ends up marrying a Jew and they end up having kids. Her daughter comes \r\n home from school one day and says that she wants to be bat mitzvahed, \r\n and she wants to go to Hebrew school. She ended up getting bat mitzvahed \r\n and it was the first time the family had ever been to [temple]. Her daughter \r\n started singing her haftorah and everyone in the family burst into tears. \r\n She said she saw her daughter up there reading her haftorah and thought, \r\n \"How did my kid lead us on this journey?\" Now they go to the \r\n High Holiday services. She said she feels something when she goes in there \r\n now. It's pretty intense.\r\nPR.com: You were quoted as saying that being a practicing \r\n Jew and a Lesbian and a mom with an unconventional career, that you felt \r\n it was somewhat of a struggle?\r\nJudy Gold: Well, I like all of these traditions. I want \r\n to pass down what my grandmother taught me and what my parents taught \r\n me. I love being a Jew, but it's like... where do I fit in? I love \r\n going to shul, but going to shul growing up, it's like a) you're not gay \r\n and b) you're a woman, so you're not carrying the Torah around...\r\nPR.com: I grew up in a Reform [Jewish] household and \r\n I'm a fourth generation American.\r\nJudy Gold: I'm fourth generation too, pretty amazing, huh? \r\n \r\nPR.com: My parents had ties to European relatives. \r\n I don't. So I never experienced that firsthand. But, the very first time \r\n I had to go to an Orthodox Temple, I have to be honest, I was offended \r\n when I was asked to sit in the back and I walked out into the lobby and \r\n I didn't want to participate and I didn't want to sit there.\r\nJudy Gold: It's not like they put the women in a nice area...\r\nPR.com: It doesn't matter. I couldn't get past the \r\n fact that we have to sit in the back. Judaism is my culture. When somebody \r\n asks me what I am, I say I'm Jewish. But as far as the religion, I just \r\n don't see how some of these things fit into my life.\r\nJudy Gold: But some of them do fit, and I was like, how \r\n do I reconcile that? And there's a place for everyone. I think that's \r\n the greatest thing about Judaism. It's all about questioning and re-interpreting. \r\n And there are other people out there like me who want to be Jews and want \r\n to sit with their husbands or fathers [in temple], and that's why I find \r\n the last woman (impersonated in her show) so profound. She hits \r\n on every topic that we discussed; acceptance, a family secret, being mad \r\n at God, not agreeing with what your friends say...no matter what you \r\n subscribe to or how religious you are, life hands you shit that you don't \r\n expect.\r\nPR.com: The Jewish religion is something where you're \r\n supposed to question and read...\r\nJudy Gold: I think that's why there are so many Jewish comics. \r\n We see things in so many different ways.\r\nPR.com: But thank god for that. There are some religions \r\n where you're told \"this is the way it is...\"\r\nJudy Gold: Exactly! I don't need some guy in a white hat \r\n telling me you can't have an abortion and I've just decided that gay people \r\n can't...\r\nPR.com: You can't be gay, you can't have an abortion \r\n if you need to, you can't get a divorce... and it's caused profound \r\n guilt in people...\r\nJudy Gold: And self hatred.\r\nPR.com: So as much as Jewish people talk about how \r\n we're all neurotic and that we have Jewish guilt, I don't think it's anywhere \r\n near what Catholic people experience.\r\nJudy Gold: And we also have outlets. We love the arts... \r\n the thing is, we have a culture. We are more then a religion.\r\nPR.com: Why did you choose to premiere your show at \r\n the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal before bringing it to \r\n New York?\r\nJudy Gold: Jodie Lieberman who runs the Just for Laughs \r\n Festival, she saw a reading of it and we had been trying to get it \r\n into festivals for a while. She saw it and she said, \"Oh my God, \r\n I have to bring this to Montreal.\" We got the most amazing reviews \r\n and Ars Nova (the Ars Nova Theatre in New York), they loved it \r\n and now it's a sold out hit, standing room... it's incredible.\r\nPR.com: And the reviews don't hurt. Dude, that review \r\n was outrageous (in the New York Times)!\r\nJudy Gold: Well we got the reviews in Montreal and they \r\n were stellar too.\r\nPR.com: Let me ask you this. I didn't know if I was \r\n going to ask you, but I will. When you were growing up and you were in \r\n adolescence, how did you process the realization within yourself that \r\n you were gay? Then how did that translate into you sharing that information \r\n with friends and family?\r\nJudy Gold: Well, I knew, but especially at that time, you \r\n fight it. You're an abomination, and there's no role model...I didn't \r\n talk about it. I didn't deal with it at all. And then in college, it was \r\n funny. I met a group of friends and all of a sudden, junior year, all \r\n of us were like, \"Umm...by the way, I'm gay.\"\r\nPR.com: All of you?\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, pretty much, this whole small group. \r\n And we all kind of came out together. And I never told my family. I told \r\n my sister first and then someone slipped in front of my mother. But my \r\n mother said she already knew. We got interviewed for Nightline \r\n a while ago, and she said, \"Well, I knew when she was very young \r\n because every night she would go over to the neighbor's house because \r\n they had crayons and she wanted to play, and every time she went over \r\n there, she had to where a necktie!\" Then she said that when she would \r\n come to visit she would notice that there was one bedroom that had two \r\n alarm clocks and one bedroom that had no alarm clock. So I was like, \"Mom, \r\n you should have been a spy!\"\r\nPR.com: I think this is so important because I feel \r\n that the more public figures are just open about it, not making a ceremony \r\n out of it, but just talk openly about it just the way anybody would talk \r\n about their relationship...\r\nJudy Gold: My relationship was just like anybody else's...\r\nPR.com: It takes away the stigma, it makes it more \r\n like, ok you're this and I'm that and we're all just living our lives. \r\n It's a real problem with gay teenagers feeling depressed and alone...\r\nJudy Gold: Most suicides are from gay teens...\r\nPR.com: But the more that people in the public eye \r\n are open about it and just live their lives, it will make other people \r\n feel like they can just be themselves and live their lives openly and \r\n honestly.\r\nJudy Gold: It's just a part of who I am. It's not who \r\n I am. And I'm a Jew before I'm anything else.\r\nPR.com: Your mom came to see your show during previews.\r\nJudy Gold: Yeah, very emotional...\r\nPR.com: Was her reaction a positive one?\r\nJudy Gold: She loved it but then she said it was very, very \r\n sad for me. I warned her. There was a lot of stuff [in the show] that \r\n we hadn't talked about, and how one thing can effect generation after \r\n generation. She is seeing how her actions affected her child. I think \r\n that that was really hard for her. The profound effect she had on me. \r\n \r\nPR.com: Did she think it was an accurate portrayal \r\n of her? Because we never see ourselves as others see us?\r\nJudy Gold: I don't think anyone ever sees themselves as \r\n other people see them. But she's so used to me imitating her.\r\nPR.com: Your show is a one woman show, which is essentially, \r\n one very long monologue which is 70 minutes of material. As somebody who \r\n doesn't do what you do, it's fascinating to me. How do you memorize every \r\n piece of material, every inflection, and every nuance from beginning to \r\n end? \r\nJudy Gold: It's so organic to me and I know the story so \r\n well. It just flows out of me. \r\nPR.com: The answering machine at the beginning of \r\n the show is my favorite thing of all time! (A voicemail message from \r\n Judy's mother that she plays at the top of her show)\r\nJudy Gold: Thank you and it's real. People always ask \r\n me [that]. And I'll never forget when I played it for my mother. My father \r\n had died and we were at my brother's in Arizona and I taped it. I said, \r\n \"Mom, you gotta listen to this and I brought the tape of her, and \r\n we were peeing in our pants. And I said, I'm playing this onstage.\r\nPR.com: Are you taking the show to any other cities \r\n after New York?\r\nJudy Gold: We want to, yeah. And I keep getting emails...can \r\n you bring it here? Can you bring it there? I think I'm going to be doing \r\n the show for a very long time and I'm very happy about it. I think it \r\n has a profound affect on people. People thank me... mothers, kids, gay \r\n men... \r\nPR.com: Are you still doing At the Multiplex with \r\n Judy Gold for HBO? \r\nJudy Gold: Yes.\r\nPR.com: When does it air? Because I always just catch \r\n it randomly...\r\nJudy Gold: They show it in between movies.\r\nPR.com: Has performing in a one woman show changed \r\n your perspective on the direction you'd like your career to take?\r\nJudy Gold: I'd like to do more acting and I love live performance, \r\n so hopefully it will bring me some jobs that I've always wanted.\r\nPR.com: Are you looking to take the show to Broadway?\r\nJudy Gold: Yes.\r\nPR.com: That's the first thing that came to my mind \r\n when I saw it.\r\nJudy Gold: Oh, yeah.\r\n25 Questions for a Jewish Mother is currently \r\n playing at the Ars Nova Theatre at 511 West 54th Street (west of 10th \r\n Ave.) New York, NY. To purchase tickets, SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or www.SmartTix.com. \r\n All tickets are $25.00, Running Time: 70 minutes, no intermission.","name":"Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: \"25 Questions for a Jewish Mother\" and Other semi-Related Topics","description":"Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been \r\n fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, \r\n Jewish mother has been a focal point of her stand up act; and to mixed \r\n reactions. Some people have accused her of playing up cultural...","url":"https:\/\/www.pr.com\/article\/1035","image":[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/img.pr.com\/upload\/article_image_1139268669.jpg","name":"Judy Gold"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/img.pr.com\/upload\/article_image_1139268674.jpg","name":"Judy Gold"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/img.pr.com\/upload\/article_image_1139268680.jpg","name":"Judy Gold"}]} </script> </head> <body data-page-slug="article-item" class="page--page"><header class="header"> <div class="header--main"> <nav class="grid-container top-bar primary-nav primary-nav__desktop"> <div class="top-bar-left"> <ul class="menu primary-nav__menu"> <li> <a class="logo" href="https://www.pr.com/"> <img src="https://static.pr.com/images/logo-pr-base.png" alt="PR.com" width="91" height="91"/> </a> </li> <li class="show-for-mlarge"> <a href="https://admin.pr.com/create-account">Join Now</a> </li> <li class="show-for-mlarge"> <a href="https://admin.pr.com/signin.php">Sign In</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="top-bar-right"> <ul class="menu dropdown dropdown--card" data-dropdown-menu data-alignment="left"> <li class="primary-search__sibling show-for-medium is-dropdown-submenu-parent" data-name="businesses"><a class="primary-nav__parent--businesses" href="https://www.pr.com/business-directory">Businesses</a> <ul class="vertical menu nested"> <li> <a href="https://www.pr.com/business-directory">Business Directory</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/products-services">Products & Services</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/business-profiles">Post Your Profile</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="primary-search__sibling is-dropdown-submenu-parent" data-dropdown-menu data-name="press-releases"><a class="primary-nav__parent--press-releases" href="https://www.pr.com/press-releases">Press Releases</a> <ul class="vertical menu nested"> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-pricing">Press Release Pricing</a></li> <li><a href="https://admin.pr.com/info_press_item.php">Submit Press Release</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-distribution">Press Release Distribution</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-releases">Recent Press Releases</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/content-partnership">Become a Publishing Partner</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/get-press-release-alerts">For Journalists</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="primary-search__sibling primary-search__icon" data-name="search" action="https://www.pr.com/press_list.php"> <a class="search-element"><img class="search-element" src="https://static.pr.com/images/icon-magnifying-glass-light.svg" alt="Magnifying Glass" width="18" height="14"/></a> </li> <li class="primary-search__wrapper"> <form class="primary-search__form search-element" autocomplete="off" action="https://www.pr.com/press_list.php"> <div class="primary-search__inputs search-element"> <div class="primary-search__select search-element is-closed"> <div class="primary-search__selection search-element"> <span class="primary-search__selection-text search-element">Press Releases</span> <img class="search-element" src="https://static.pr.com/images/icon-select-caret.png" alt="Search" /> </div> </div> <input type="hidden" name=""> <input class="primary-search__keyword primary-search__keyword search__keyword search-element" type="search" name="keyword" value=""> </div> <div class="primary-search__options search-element show-for-mlarge" data-default-option=""> <div class="primary-search__option search-element">Businesses</div> <div class="primary-search__option search-element">Products & Services</div> <div class="primary-search__option search-element">Products</div> <div class="primary-search__option search-element">Services</div> <div class="primary-search__option search-element">Press Releases</div> </div> <div class="input-group-button primary-search__submit search-element"> <button type="submit" class="primary-search__button search-element button search-submit"><img class="search-submit" src="https://static.pr.com/images/icon-magnifying-glass-light.svg" alt="Magnifying Glass" width="18" height="14" /></button> </div> </form> </li> </ul> <a class="button hollow primary-nav__submit show-for-smedium" href="https://admin.pr.com/create-account">Submit Press Release</a> <img class="menu-icon burger-menu__toggle hide-for-mlarge" data-toggle="burger-menu" data-toggler=".invisible" src="https://static.pr.com/images/icon-hamburger.png" alt="Hamburger Icon" width="20" height="20" /> </div> </nav> <div id="burger-menu" class="burger-menu" data-closable data-toggler data-animate="slide-in-left slide-out-left"> <div class="grid-x burger-menu__nav"> <ul class="cell auto vertical menu burger-menu__nav--main"> <li class="cell burger-menu__controls"> <div> <a class="burger-menu__nav--logo" href="https://www.pr.com/"> <img src="https://static.pr.com/images/logo-pr-base.png" alt="PR.com" /> </a> </div> <div class="burger-menu__nav--close"><span class="burger-menu__close">✕</span></div> </li> <li data-name="press-releases" class="burger-menu__parent burger-menu__parent--press-releases"> <a href="https://www.pr.com/press-releases">Press Releases</a> <ul class="vertical menu drilldown" data-drilldown data-auto-height="true"> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-pricing">Press Release Pricing</a></li> <li><a href="https://admin.pr.com/info_press_item.php">Submit Press Release</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-distribution">Press Release Distribution</a></li> <li data-title="Recent News"> <a href="https://www.pr.com/press-releases">Recent News</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/content-partnership">Become a Publishing Partner</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/get-press-release-alerts">For Journalists</a></li> </ul> </li> <li data-name="businesses" class="burger-menu__parent burger-menu__parent--businesses"> <a href="https://www.pr.com/business-directory">Businesses</a> <ul class="vertical menu drilldown" data-drilldown data-auto-height="true"> <li data-title="Business Directory" data-key="business_directory"> <a href="https://www.pr.com/business-directory">Business Directory</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/products-services">Products & Services</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/business-profiles">Post Your Profile</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu burger-menu__nav--account"> <li class="burger-menu__account" data-name="account"> <a href="https://admin.pr.com/create-account" class="button">Join Now</a> <a href="https://admin.pr.com/signin.php" class="button">Sign In</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="burger-menu__overlay burger-menu__close"></div> <form class="secondary-search search-element hide-for-medium" autocomplete="off" action="https://www.pr.com/press_list.php"> <div class="input-group search-element"> <input type="search" name="keyword" placeholder="Search Press Releases" class="input-group-field secondary-search__keyword search__keyword search-element" autocomplete="off" onfocus="this.placeholder = ''" onblur="this.placeholder = 'Search Press Releases'"> <div class="input-group-button search-element"> <button type="submit" class="button search-submit search-element"><img class="search-submit" src="https://static.pr.com/images/icon-magnifying-glass-dark.svg" alt="Magnifying Glass" /></button> </div> </div> </form> </header> <main class="grid-container grid-container--outer"> <div class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <div class="cell auto"> <div class="section-ad ad-container ad-full-width"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-4550296210383693" data-ad-slot="2115875656" ></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <div class="cell auto"> <div class="section-subhead"> <div class="section-subhead__title">Article</div> </div> <div class="article-title"> <h1 class="article-title__heading">Comedian Judy Gold on Her Critically Acclaimed Show: "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother" and Other semi-Related Topics</h1> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <div class="cell auto"> <div class="article-metadata"> <div class="article-metadata__author"> By Allison Kugel, Senior Editor - February 06, 2006 </div> <ul class="menu horizontal article-share-links"> <li class="social-link"> <a href="/rss/articles.xml"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M6.18,15.64A2.18,2.18 0 0,1 8.36,17.82C8.36,19 7.38,20 6.18,20C5,20 4,19 4,17.82A2.18,2.18 0 0,1 6.18,15.64M4,4.44A15.56,15.56 0 0,1 19.56,20H16.73A12.73,12.73 0 0,0 4,7.27V4.44M4,10.1A9.9,9.9 0 0,1 13.9,20H11.07A7.07,7.07 0 0,0 4,12.93V10.1Z" /></svg></span></a> <a href="/rss/articles.xml">RSS</a> </li> <li class="share--twitter"> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Comedian+Judy+Gold+on+Her+Critically+Acclaimed+Show%3A+%2225+Questions+for+a+Jewish+Mother%22+and+Other+semi-Related+Topics&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035&via=prcom" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M22.46,6C21.69,6.35 20.86,6.58 20,6.69C20.88,6.16 21.56,5.32 21.88,4.31C21.05,4.81 20.13,5.16 19.16,5.36C18.37,4.5 17.26,4 16,4C13.65,4 11.73,5.92 11.73,8.29C11.73,8.63 11.77,8.96 11.84,9.27C8.28,9.09 5.11,7.38 3,4.79C2.63,5.42 2.42,6.16 2.42,6.94C2.42,8.43 3.17,9.75 4.33,10.5C3.62,10.5 2.96,10.3 2.38,10C2.38,10 2.38,10 2.38,10.03C2.38,12.11 3.86,13.85 5.82,14.24C5.46,14.34 5.08,14.39 4.69,14.39C4.42,14.39 4.15,14.36 3.89,14.31C4.43,16 6,17.26 7.89,17.29C6.43,18.45 4.58,19.13 2.56,19.13C2.22,19.13 1.88,19.11 1.54,19.07C3.44,20.29 5.7,21 8.12,21C16,21 20.33,14.46 20.33,8.79C20.33,8.6 20.33,8.42 20.32,8.23C21.16,7.63 21.88,6.87 22.46,6Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M12 2.04C6.5 2.04 2 6.53 2 12.06C2 17.06 5.66 21.21 10.44 21.96V14.96H7.9V12.06H10.44V9.85C10.44 7.34 11.93 5.96 14.22 5.96C15.31 5.96 16.45 6.15 16.45 6.15V8.62H15.19C13.95 8.62 13.56 9.39 13.56 10.18V12.06H16.34L15.89 14.96H13.56V21.96A10 10 0 0 0 22 12.06C22 6.53 17.5 2.04 12 2.04Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M19 3A2 2 0 0 1 21 5V19A2 2 0 0 1 19 21H5A2 2 0 0 1 3 19V5A2 2 0 0 1 5 3H19M18.5 18.5V13.2A3.26 3.26 0 0 0 15.24 9.94C14.39 9.94 13.4 10.46 12.92 11.24V10.13H10.13V18.5H12.92V13.57C12.92 12.8 13.54 12.17 14.31 12.17A1.4 1.4 0 0 1 15.71 13.57V18.5H18.5M6.88 8.56A1.68 1.68 0 0 0 8.56 6.88C8.56 5.95 7.81 5.19 6.88 5.19A1.69 1.69 0 0 0 5.19 6.88C5.19 7.81 5.95 8.56 6.88 8.56M8.27 18.5V10.13H5.5V18.5H8.27Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:?subject=PR.com%3A%20Comedian%20Judy%20Gold%20on%20Her%20Critically%20Acclaimed%20Show%3A%20%2225%20Questions%20for%20a%20Jewish%20Mother%22%20and%20Other%20semi-Related%20Topics&body=From%20PR.com%3A%0A%0AComedian%20Judy%20Gold%20on%20Her%20Critically%20Acclaimed%20Show%3A%20%2225%20Questions%20for%20a%20Jewish%20Mother%22%20and%20Other%20semi-Related%20Topics%0A%0AEmmy%20Award%20Winning%20Comedian%20Judy%20Gold%20has%20always%20been%20%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20fascinated%20by%20her%20Jewish%20roots.%20Her%20own%20loving%2C%20but%20sometimes%20overprotective%2C%20%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20...%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M22 6C22 4.9 21.1 4 20 4H4C2.9 4 2 4.9 2 6V18C2 19.1 2.9 20 4 20H20C21.1 20 22 19.1 22 18V6M20 6L12 11L4 6H20M20 18H4V8L12 13L20 8V18Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </aside> <section class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <article class="cell large-auto main-content article-content__wrap"> <article class="article-content"> <figure><img src="https://img.pr.com/upload/article_image_1139268669.jpg" width="255" height="241" alt="Judy Gold" /><figcaption>Judy Gold</figcaption></figure><p>Emmy Award Winning Comedian Judy Gold has always been fascinated by her Jewish roots. Her own loving, but sometimes overprotective, Jewish mother has been a focal point of her stand up act; and to mixed reactions. Some people have accused her of playing up cultural stereotypes and lampooning her own people. She says she is simply presenting an accurate portrayal of her mother and doing so in a loving way. Never squeamish about expressing her opinions, she is quick to bring up many a comment that has ruffled social and political feathers throughout her career. </p><p>After years of impersonating her mother on stage and contemplating her own role as a Jewish mother, she decided to embark on a project that would change her life forever. She and playwright Kate Moira Ryan set out on a five year journey, where they toured the United States interviewing over fifty Jewish women of varying backgrounds. The purpose: to find out if there is, in fact, a stereotypical prototype of a Jewish mother and what that means to her own existence as a modern, single and gay Jewish mother. </p><p>After interviewing fifty women from different Jewish denominations, backgrounds and walks of life, Judy found these women to be as strikingly similar as they were colorfully different and unique. Each woman had her own story to tell, while at the same time demonstrating the warmth, caring, and closeness to their children that Judy has experienced with her own mother since childhood. Judy found herself to be humbled, enriched and inspired by these women's stories. Along with her writing partner Kate Moira Ryan, they developed these interviews into a humorous and poignant One-Woman Show that is getting rave reviews and selling out theatres. Our conversation took some interesting and bold detours, and that's fine with me. </p><p><b>PR.com (Allison Kugel): It was incredible to see <i>25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</i>. I saw it a few days ago...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Oh, did you see it?! I'm so glad when people actually see the show. The guy from the [New Jersey] Star Ledger... he was like "So you wrote that song <i>From a Distance</i>? I'm like "No. That was <i>Julie</i> Gold. Have a fantastic day and enjoy your research."</p><p><b>PR.com: Well I saw the show last week. I'm Jewish and I brought a friend who isn't Jewish and he was laughing. He really enjoyed it, but for me it wasn't just a show, it was an experience too.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Right, it was a journey.</p><p><b>PR.com: Yeah. I called up my mother the next day and said, "You have to go see this show. It's not just a show. It's an experience."</b></p><p>Judy Gold: That's so sweet! It's been through the roof after the New York Times came out with that review.</p><p><b>PR.com: I was going to ask you about that. You got a glowing review!</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Have you ever read a review like that?</p><p><b>PR.com: No. When I was doing research on you, I was Googling your name...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: And you found out that I called the President a living, breathing piece of shit... <i>(She's referring to a comment that she made at a fundraiser for Howard Dean which resulted in the White House declaring her a Homeland Security Risk. Are they f****** kidding??)</i></p><p><b>PR.com: Well I don't see anything wrong with you stating your opinion.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Alright, thank you.</p><p><b>PR.com: In the show, were you trying to create something that would be an emotional experience for other Jewish people?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It wasn't even about other Jewish people. What we wanted to do was pretty much tell a story and I wanted it not to be stand up [comedy]. I wanted it to be its own thing. It's a play. Before I go on stage, I really get excited to tell this story. It's a journey and I wanted to be honest. I wanted to show how these women affected my life and I wanted to pay as much respect to these women as I possibly could, especially with the Holocaust survivors.</p><p><b>PR.com: Throughout the years, and I've seen you performing in clubs over the years, you've always incorporated your mother into your act. Did that come from a place of appreciation for her or did it come from a place of conflict and pain?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I think it's a combination of love, conflict <i>and</i> pain. I have the best job in the world. Someone said to me, "You get to go on stage and vent." I think my mother had a very unique view of the world, as did my father and I grew up in this household... I just felt out of place. I'm in this suburban [neighborhood] and this is the way life's supposed to be and I'm like, "If this is life, I'm outta here! I am not living <i>here</i> baby!" Knowing that my mother grew up in Manhattan and had dreams... also, I was 6 ft tall when I was thirteen, so I couldn't fit in, in any way shape or form.</p><p><b>PR.com: Well kid's can be obnoxious...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Oh horrible! And they're worse in New Jersey for some reason. People are always like, "Isn't it hard to bring your kids up in the city?" My mother grew up across the street from [where I live now] and she said, "It would have been easier to bring you kids up in the city," because if you're a freak, there's a group of freaks just like you waiting to be your friend," you know?</p><p><b>PR.com: Why do you think that the Jewish media and the media in general, have come down on you so much for perpetuating the Jewish stereotype?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It's come from a lot of different places. I was doing a function and this woman came up to me and said, "When are you going to stop?!" And my manager did get calls when I did the Anne Frank joke on The Tonight Show. I'm thinking to myself, here I am. I go all over this country to places where they've never seen a Jew and say "Here I am! I'm a Jew!" And these people are sitting in judgment of me. I understand where it comes from...</p><p><b>PR.com: But why is it ok for Keenen Ivory Wayans to make fun of black culture, or for Larry David or Richard Lewis to make fun of being Jewish?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I don't know. It's really odd to me because, first of all, I'm not exaggerating. These are things that my mother does say to me. And by the way, I'm usually home on a Friday night with my kids, saying prayers over the challah [bread] and the wine. I've been to Alabama and been a Jew. I've been called a kike in Georgia, you know?</p><p><b>PR.com: Do these people find any common ground with you and enjoy the show, or do they sit there dumbfounded?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yes, I've found with being gay and being Jewish. Then they'll say, "Oh, I like her!"</p><p><b>PR.com: At the beginning of the show they don't know what to make of you and by the end of the show, they like you.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Right.</p><p><b>PR.com: Then you've essentially done your job.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Exactly. So these people were saying that I was promoting this stereotype, when I was actually just doing my mother. And then they're coming up to me saying, "You shouldn't do this, you shouldn't say this..." You're right, these [other comedians] can make fun of it and it's very funny. What is it about women that makes it so, you know, "don't go there?" So I was like, ok you think I make fun of the [Jewish] stereotype? I'm going to go out there and find it. I'm going to go see. Initially we just went out to find out if there really was the stereotype. What happened was these women just started blowing me away.</p><p><b>PR.com: They blew you away how?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: The ultra Orthodox really blew me away. There was one woman, her kid went to Yeshiva and her son was disabled and there was no room for him. They didn't have the facilities at the Yeshiva. She went back to school and got her Master's Degree in special education and opened up a Yeshiva for special needs children. </p><p><b>PR.com: Wow!</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I mean, just pro-active. I'm thinking I'm going in here and they're going be like, "I get up and I make breakfast, and then I go shopping..."</p><p><b>PR.com: "And then I go to lunch..."</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It was...I'm a judge, I'm a lawyer, I'm a school teacher, I'm a librarian...just blew me away!</p><p><b>PR.com: And one thing you said that they all have in common is that they all speak to their kids...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: ...every day. I'm thinking I'm the only one who talks to my mother every day.</p><p><b>PR.com: My parents call me two or three times a day and I always feel weird if I don't speak to them for a day.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Exactly. It's such a bond.</p><p><b>PR.com: How did you team up with playwright, Kate Moira Ryan <i>(Judy's co-writer of 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother)</i>?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I'm friends with her. For years I've been saying I've got to get off the road. I love doing stand up more then anything in the whole world but I couldn't take the traveling and I don't want to be away from my kids. I've always wanted to do a one person show but I never wanted it to be my act, augmented by a band. I told Kate this whole story and she said let's go out and start interviewing women and we'll see what happens. </p><p><b>PR.com: Why 25 questions for each woman?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: We had a list of more then 50 and we would sit there with a list. We would always start with, "What makes a Jewish mother different from a non-Jewish mother?" Easy, general questions. As we got to know the women, we'd get more specific and we'd be like, "Oh ask #19 or ask #23!!" We ended up asking them 25 questions each. It just ended up that way. Not all the same questions. Kate is a playwright and she loves European history. She's spent a lot of time in Europe and whenever we would have a Holocaust survivor or an immigrant, it was very logistic with her. It was so great having another person come from a completely different place. So I felt it was more thorough. </p><p><b>PR.com: Did you each interview different women and then you exchanged notes?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: No, we were always together.</p><p><b>PR.com: It's not like Jewish people are blanketing the middle of the United States. Did you stick to large cities?</b></p><figure><img src="https://img.pr.com/upload/article_image_1139268674.jpg" width="255" height="311" alt="Judy Gold" /><figcaption>Judy Gold</figcaption></figure><p>Judy Gold: Initially we went with a group of women and we would ask them, "Who should we go to next?" We would ask people, "Do you know anyone who would be interested in this project?" Then when we traveled, I would call the local synagogues. I'd call my mother and say, "Do we have any relatives [here]?" Kate found someone in Utah. We went to Reno and we met with some people and then they would tell other people. We went to Vegas, California, Florida...</p><p><b>PR.com: You interviewed over 50 women?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yeah, I'm pretty sure. </p><p><b>PR.com: And you chose to showcase a handful of women in the show...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: 12 women.</p><p><b>PR.com: What made you choose those 12 women to impersonate and tell their stories in the show?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It fit into my journey. It was "how can I move this story along?" Kate Moira Ryan actually put the structure together. And she also transcribed every interview.</p><p><b>PR.com: I can relate to that! After doing all of these interviews, is there such a thing as a stereotypical Jewish mother?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: There are affectations, such as, what you see or what you hear. "Are you hungry? Do you need to eat?" <i>(She slips back into her own Jewish mother's inflection)</i></p><p><b>PR.com: Very concerned. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I think it's a great thing. How can you say it's a bad thing? Look what the Jewish people have been through and we're still here! So, obviously we're doing something right. When you started talking to them about their lives, things came out that you couldn't imagine. They were just so open and ready to talk about their lives. Husbands and friends were like, "I can't believe she told you about this. We never talk about that." They didn't feel threatened or judged. And I thought they were pretty special, these women.</p><p><b>PR.com: They knew you had the best intentions and there's also a certain freedom in opening up to someone you don't know very well.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Exactly, and we said if you don't want to answer something, don't answer it. There was one woman who was the WASP-iest Jewish woman you've ever seen and she was apparently the only Jew in her country club growing up. A very assimilated and very wealthy family. She ends up marrying a Jew and they end up having kids. Her daughter comes home from school one day and says that she wants to be bat mitzvahed, and she wants to go to Hebrew school. She ended up getting bat mitzvahed and it was the first time the family had ever been to [temple]. Her daughter started singing her haftorah and everyone in the family burst into tears. She said she saw her daughter up there reading her haftorah and thought, "How did my kid lead us on this journey?" Now they go to the High Holiday services. She said she feels something when she goes in there now. It's pretty intense.</p><p><b>PR.com: You were quoted as saying that being a practicing Jew and a Lesbian and a mom with an unconventional career, that you felt it was somewhat of a struggle?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Well, I like all of these traditions. I want to pass down what my grandmother taught me and what my parents taught me. I love being a Jew, but it's like... where do I fit in? I love going to shul, but going to shul growing up, it's like a) you're not gay and b) you're a woman, so you're not carrying the Torah around...</p><p><b>PR.com: I grew up in a Reform [Jewish] household and I'm a fourth generation American.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I'm fourth generation too, pretty amazing, huh? </p><p><b>PR.com: My parents had ties to European relatives. I don't. So I never experienced that firsthand. But, the very first time I had to go to an Orthodox Temple, I have to be honest, I was offended when I was asked to sit in the back and I walked out into the lobby and I didn't want to participate and I didn't want to sit there.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It's not like they put the women in a nice area...</p><p><b>PR.com: It doesn't matter. I couldn't get past the fact that we have to sit in the back. Judaism is my culture. When somebody asks me what I am, I say I'm Jewish. But as far as the religion, I just don't see how some of these things fit into my life.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: But some of them do fit, and I was like, how do I reconcile that? And there's a place for everyone. I think that's the greatest thing about Judaism. It's all about questioning and re-interpreting. And there are other people out there like me who want to be Jews and want to sit with their husbands or fathers [in temple], and that's why I find the last woman <i>(impersonated in her show)</i> so profound. She hits on every topic that we discussed; acceptance, a family secret, being mad at God, not agreeing with what your friends say...no matter what you subscribe to or how religious you are, life hands you shit that you don't expect.</p><p><b>PR.com: The Jewish religion is something where you're supposed to question and read...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I think that's why there are so many Jewish comics. We see things in so many different ways.</p><p><b>PR.com: But thank god for that. There are some religions where you're told "this is the way it is..."</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Exactly! I don't need some guy in a white hat telling me you can't have an abortion and I've just decided that gay people can't...</p><p><b>PR.com: You can't be gay, you can't have an abortion if you need to, you can't get a divorce... and it's caused profound guilt in people...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: And self hatred.</p><p><b>PR.com: So as much as Jewish people talk about how we're all neurotic and that we have Jewish guilt, I don't think it's anywhere near what Catholic people experience.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: And we also have outlets. We love the arts... the thing is, we have a culture. We are more then a religion.</p><p><b>PR.com: Why did you choose to premiere your show at the <i>Just for Laughs Festival</i> in Montreal before bringing it to New York?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Jodie Lieberman who runs the <i>Just for Laughs Festival</i>, she saw a reading of it and we had been trying to get it into festivals for a while. She saw it and she said, "Oh my God, I have to bring this to Montreal." We got the most amazing reviews and Ars Nova <i>(the Ars Nova Theatre in New York)</i>, they loved it and now it's a sold out hit, standing room... it's incredible.</p><p><b>PR.com: And the reviews don't hurt. Dude, that review was outrageous <i>(in the New York Times)</i>!</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Well we got the reviews in Montreal and they were stellar too.</p><p><b>PR.com: Let me ask you this. I didn't know if I was going to ask you, but I will. When you were growing up and you were in adolescence, how did you process the realization within yourself that you were gay? Then how did that translate into you sharing that information with friends and family?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Well, I knew, but especially at that time, you fight it. You're an abomination, and there's no role model...I didn't talk about it. I didn't deal with it at all. And then in college, it was funny. I met a group of friends and all of a sudden, junior year, all of us were like, "Umm...by the way, I'm gay."</p><p><b>PR.com: All of you?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yeah, pretty much, this whole small group. And we all kind of came out together. And I never told my family. I told my sister first and then someone slipped in front of my mother. But my mother said she already knew. We got interviewed for <i>Nightline</i> a while ago, and she said, "Well, I knew when she was very young because every night she would go over to the neighbor's house because they had crayons and she wanted to play, and every time she went over there, she had to where a necktie!" Then she said that when she would come to visit she would notice that there was one bedroom that had two alarm clocks and one bedroom that had no alarm clock. So I was like, "Mom, you should have been a spy!"</p><p><b>PR.com: I think this is so important because I feel that the more public figures are just open about it, not making a ceremony out of it, but just talk openly about it just the way anybody would talk about their relationship...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: My relationship was just like anybody else's...</p><p><b>PR.com: It takes away the stigma, it makes it more like, ok you're this and I'm that and we're all just living our lives. It's a real problem with gay teenagers feeling depressed and alone...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Most suicides are from gay teens...</p><p><b>PR.com: But the more that people in the public eye are open about it and just live their lives, it will make other people feel like they can just be themselves and live their lives openly and honestly.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: It's just a part of who I am. It's not <i>who</i> I am. And I'm a Jew before I'm anything else.</p><p><b>PR.com: Your mom came to see your show during previews.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yeah, very emotional...</p><p><b>PR.com: Was her reaction a positive one?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: She loved it but then she said it was very, very sad for me. I warned her. There was a lot of stuff [in the show] that we hadn't talked about, and how one thing can effect generation after generation. She is seeing how her actions affected her child. I think that that was really hard for her. The profound effect she had on me. </p><p><b>PR.com: Did she think it was an accurate portrayal of her? Because we never see ourselves as others see us?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I don't think anyone ever sees themselves as other people see them. But she's so used to me imitating her.</p><p><b>PR.com: Your show is a one woman show, which is essentially, one very long monologue which is 70 minutes of material. As somebody who doesn't do what you do, it's fascinating to me. How do you memorize every piece of material, every inflection, and every nuance from beginning to end? </b></p><p>Judy Gold: It's so organic to me and I know the story so well. It just flows out of me. </p><p><b>PR.com: The answering machine at the beginning of the show is my favorite thing of all time! <i>(A voicemail message from Judy's mother that she plays at the top of her show)</i></b></p><figure><img src="https://img.pr.com/upload/article_image_1139268680.jpg" width="255" height="151" alt="Judy Gold" /><figcaption>Judy Gold</figcaption></figure><p>Judy Gold: Thank you and it's real. People always ask me [that]. And I'll never forget when I played it for my mother. My father had died and we were at my brother's in Arizona and I taped it. I said, "Mom, you gotta listen to this and I brought the tape of her, and we were peeing in our pants. And I said, I'm playing this onstage.</p><p><b>PR.com: Are you taking the show to any other cities after New York?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: We want to, yeah. And I keep getting emails...can you bring it here? Can you bring it there? I think I'm going to be doing the show for a very long time and I'm very happy about it. I think it has a profound affect on people. People thank me... mothers, kids, gay men... </p><p><b>PR.com: Are you still doing <i>At the Multiplex with Judy Gold</i> for HBO? </b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yes.</p><p><b>PR.com: When does it air? Because I always just catch it randomly...</b></p><p>Judy Gold: They show it in between movies.</p><p><b>PR.com: Has performing in a one woman show changed your perspective on the direction you'd like your career to take?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: I'd like to do more acting and I love live performance, so hopefully it will bring me some jobs that I've always wanted.</p><p><b>PR.com: Are you looking to take the show to Broadway?</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Yes.</p><p><b>PR.com: That's the first thing that came to my mind when I saw it.</b></p><p>Judy Gold: Oh, yeah.</p><p><i>25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</i> is currently playing at the Ars Nova Theatre at 511 West 54th Street (west of 10th Ave.) New York, NY. To purchase tickets, SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or www.SmartTix.com. All tickets are $25.00, <i>Running Time: 70 minutes, no intermission.</i></p> <ul class="menu horizontal article-share-links"> <li class="menu-text"> Share: </li> <li> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Comedian+Judy+Gold+on+Her+Critically+Acclaimed+Show%3A+%2225+Questions+for+a+Jewish+Mother%22+and+Other+semi-Related+Topics&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035&via=prcom" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M22.46,6C21.69,6.35 20.86,6.58 20,6.69C20.88,6.16 21.56,5.32 21.88,4.31C21.05,4.81 20.13,5.16 19.16,5.36C18.37,4.5 17.26,4 16,4C13.65,4 11.73,5.92 11.73,8.29C11.73,8.63 11.77,8.96 11.84,9.27C8.28,9.09 5.11,7.38 3,4.79C2.63,5.42 2.42,6.16 2.42,6.94C2.42,8.43 3.17,9.75 4.33,10.5C3.62,10.5 2.96,10.3 2.38,10C2.38,10 2.38,10 2.38,10.03C2.38,12.11 3.86,13.85 5.82,14.24C5.46,14.34 5.08,14.39 4.69,14.39C4.42,14.39 4.15,14.36 3.89,14.31C4.43,16 6,17.26 7.89,17.29C6.43,18.45 4.58,19.13 2.56,19.13C2.22,19.13 1.88,19.11 1.54,19.07C3.44,20.29 5.7,21 8.12,21C16,21 20.33,14.46 20.33,8.79C20.33,8.6 20.33,8.42 20.32,8.23C21.16,7.63 21.88,6.87 22.46,6Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M12 2.04C6.5 2.04 2 6.53 2 12.06C2 17.06 5.66 21.21 10.44 21.96V14.96H7.9V12.06H10.44V9.85C10.44 7.34 11.93 5.96 14.22 5.96C15.31 5.96 16.45 6.15 16.45 6.15V8.62H15.19C13.95 8.62 13.56 9.39 13.56 10.18V12.06H16.34L15.89 14.96H13.56V21.96A10 10 0 0 0 22 12.06C22 6.53 17.5 2.04 12 2.04Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035" target="_blank"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M19 3A2 2 0 0 1 21 5V19A2 2 0 0 1 19 21H5A2 2 0 0 1 3 19V5A2 2 0 0 1 5 3H19M18.5 18.5V13.2A3.26 3.26 0 0 0 15.24 9.94C14.39 9.94 13.4 10.46 12.92 11.24V10.13H10.13V18.5H12.92V13.57C12.92 12.8 13.54 12.17 14.31 12.17A1.4 1.4 0 0 1 15.71 13.57V18.5H18.5M6.88 8.56A1.68 1.68 0 0 0 8.56 6.88C8.56 5.95 7.81 5.19 6.88 5.19A1.69 1.69 0 0 0 5.19 6.88C5.19 7.81 5.95 8.56 6.88 8.56M8.27 18.5V10.13H5.5V18.5H8.27Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> <li> <a href="mailto:?subject=PR.com%3A%20Comedian%20Judy%20Gold%20on%20Her%20Critically%20Acclaimed%20Show%3A%20%2225%20Questions%20for%20a%20Jewish%20Mother%22%20and%20Other%20semi-Related%20Topics&body=From%20PR.com%3A%0A%0AComedian%20Judy%20Gold%20on%20Her%20Critically%20Acclaimed%20Show%3A%20%2225%20Questions%20for%20a%20Jewish%20Mother%22%20and%20Other%20semi-Related%20Topics%0A%0AEmmy%20Award%20Winning%20Comedian%20Judy%20Gold%20has%20always%20been%20%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20fascinated%20by%20her%20Jewish%20roots.%20Her%20own%20loving%2C%20but%20sometimes%20overprotective%2C%20%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20...%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr.com%2Farticle%2F1035"><span class="icon"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M22 6C22 4.9 21.1 4 20 4H4C2.9 4 2 4.9 2 6V18C2 19.1 2.9 20 4 20H20C21.1 20 22 19.1 22 18V6M20 6L12 11L4 6H20M20 18H4V8L12 13L20 8V18Z" /></svg></span></a> </li> </ul> </article> </article> <aside class="cell auto article-sidebar"> <section class="article-sidebar__section ad-container ad-sidebar"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-4550296210383693" data-ad-slot="5069342053" ></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </section> <section class="article-sidebar__section"> <div class="article-sidebar__heading"> <h2>Popular Articles</h2> </div> <ul> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1220"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1209/article_small_1348664121.jpg" alt="5 Steps to Jumpstart Your Social Media Strategy" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1220">5 Steps to Jumpstart Your Social Media Strategy</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1219"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1208/article_small_1344540100.jpg" alt="Kevin Jonas & Wife Danielle Talk "Married to Jonas," Keeping It Real & How He Got the Girl" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1219">Kevin Jonas & Wife Danielle Talk "Married to Jonas," Keeping It Real & How He Got the Girl</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1218"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1206/article_small_1340724602.jpg" alt="Meghan McCain Talks Life on the Road as a Socially Liberal Republican" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1218">Meghan McCain Talks Life on the Road as a Socially Liberal Republican</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1217"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1206/article_small_1339783517.jpg" alt="Rock of Ages - Movie Review" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1217">Rock of Ages - Movie Review</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1216"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1206/article_small_1338829204.jpg" alt="Kathy Hilton on Family, Fashion & Her New Collection of Special Occasion Dresses" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1216">Kathy Hilton on Family, Fashion & Her New Collection of Special Occasion Dresses</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1215"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1205/article_small_1338296993.jpg" alt="Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Discusses His PBS Docu-Series, "Finding Your Roots"" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1215">Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Discusses His PBS Docu-Series, "Finding Your Roots"</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1214"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1205/article_small_1337784982.jpg" alt="Men In Black 3 - Movie Review" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1214">Men In Black 3 - Movie Review</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1213"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1205/article_small_1337607612.jpg" alt="Danny Masterson Stars in Men At Work on TBS, Talks That '70s Show & Married Life with Bijou Phillips" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1213">Danny Masterson Stars in Men At Work on TBS, Talks That '70s Show & Married Life with Bijou Phillips</a> </li> <li class="article-popular__item"> <a class="article-popular__thumb" href="/article/1212"><img src="https://img.pr.com/article/1205/article_small_1336676860.jpg" alt="Jesse Metcalfe Shares Inside Stories from the New Dallas on TNT" /></a> <a class="article-popular__title" href="/article/1212">Jesse Metcalfe Shares Inside Stories from the New Dallas on TNT</a> </li> </ul> </section> <section class="article-sidebar__section ad-container ad-sidebar"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-4550296210383693" data-ad-slot="6546075259" ></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </section> </aside> </section> <section class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <div class="cell auto article-disclaimer"> <div class="article-disclaimer__copy"> Reproduction without explicit written permission is prohibited. This is a PR.com Article, not a <a href="/press-releases">press release</a>. </div> </div> </section> </main> <footer class="footer"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-padding-x"> <ul class="cell vertical menu footer__menu hide-for-smedium"> <li class="footer__menu-title"><a href="https://www.pr.com/"><strong>PR.com</strong></a></li> </ul> <ul class="cell smedium-6 mlarge-3 vertical menu footer__menu"> <li class="menu-text footer__menu-title">Press Release Distribution</li> <li><a href="https://admin.pr.com/create-account">Submit Press Release</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-pricing">Press Release Pricing</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-release-distribution">Press Release Distribution</a></li> </ul> <ul class="cell smedium-6 mlarge-3 vertical menu footer__menu"> <li class="menu-text footer__menu-title">Account</li> <li><a href="https://admin.pr.com/create-account">Create Free Account</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/business-profiles">Post Your Profile</a></li> </ul> <ul class="cell smedium-6 mlarge-3 vertical menu footer__menu"> <li class="menu-text footer__menu-title">Resources</li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/press-releases">Recent News</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/rss-feeds">RSS News Feeds</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/get-press-release-alerts">For Journalists</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/articles">Articles</a></li> </ul> <ul class="cell smedium-6 mlarge-3 vertical menu footer__menu"> <li class="menu-text footer__menu-title">Company</li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/about">About</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/contact">Contact</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pr.com/content-partnership">Become a Publishing Partner</a></li> <li class="hide-for-smedium"><a href="https://www.pr.com/terms-of-use">Terms</a></li> <li class="hide-for-smedium"><a href="https://www.pr.com/privacy-policy">Privacy</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="grid-x footer__bottom"> <div class="cell auto"> <ul class="menu"> <li class="footer__bottom--site">© 2025 <a href="https://www.pr.com/">PR.com</a> and its licensors</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.pr.com/terms-of-use" class="show-for-smedium">Terms</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.pr.com/privacy-policy" class="show-for-smedium">Privacy</a></li> <li class="footer__bottom--twitter"><span class="show-for-smedium">Follow PR.com</span><a class="footer__bottom--twitter-icon" href="https://twitter.com/PRcom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" aria-label="Follow PR.com"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M22.46,6C21.69,6.35 20.86,6.58 20,6.69C20.88,6.16 21.56,5.32 21.88,4.31C21.05,4.81 20.13,5.16 19.16,5.36C18.37,4.5 17.26,4 16,4C13.65,4 11.73,5.92 11.73,8.29C11.73,8.63 11.77,8.96 11.84,9.27C8.28,9.09 5.11,7.38 3,4.79C2.63,5.42 2.42,6.16 2.42,6.94C2.42,8.43 3.17,9.75 4.33,10.5C3.62,10.5 2.96,10.3 2.38,10C2.38,10 2.38,10 2.38,10.03C2.38,12.11 3.86,13.85 5.82,14.24C5.46,14.34 5.08,14.39 4.69,14.39C4.42,14.39 4.15,14.36 3.89,14.31C4.43,16 6,17.26 7.89,17.29C6.43,18.45 4.58,19.13 2.56,19.13C2.22,19.13 1.88,19.11 1.54,19.07C3.44,20.29 5.7,21 8.12,21C16,21 20.33,14.46 20.33,8.79C20.33,8.6 20.33,8.42 20.32,8.23C21.16,7.63 21.88,6.87 22.46,6Z" /></svg></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script src="https://static.pr.com/assets/shared.080c5ddee07a7dcfebf2.js"></script> <script src="https://static.pr.com/assets/scripts.1290437022c6167188da.js"></script>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-4680984-1'); gtag('config', 'G-MW4K5EX630'); </script> <script>(function(w,d,t,r,u){var f,n,i;w[u]=w[u]||[],f=function(){var o={ti:"5524581"};o.q=w[u],w[u]=new UET(o),w[u].push("pageLoad")},n=d.createElement(t),n.src=r,n.async=1,n.onload=n.onreadystatechange=function(){var s=this.readyState;s&&s!=="loaded"&&s!=="complete"||(f(),n.onload=n.onreadystatechange=null)},i=d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0],i.parentNode.insertBefore(n,i)})(window,document,"script","//bat.bing.com/bat.js","uetq");</script> </body> </html>