Jewish Gag Song in "Spamalot" Sparks Cast Discussion About War's Effect on a Joke in the Show

Spamalot, the Monty Python musical spoof of Camelot, King Arthur, and his knights, is back on Broadway.  

The war triggered by Hamas' invasion of Israel on October 7, and the open antisemitism of the last two months has led to an 'in-depth' backstage cast discussion about how to handle a joke about Jews in the entertainment business in the current climate.

As Nicki Gostin wrote in the New York Post,

There’s a song in the second act of the Monty Python musical called “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway.” It’s sung by Michael Urie and he brings down the house with the line, “We won’t succeed on Broadway if we don’t have any Jews.”

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, who plays “The Lady of the Lake” in the show, told Page Six in an exclusive interview that producers were aware that the war in Israel, as well as the rising tide of anti-Semitism in the US, would affect how the gag lands.

They concluded that the best way to proceed was to infuse the number with joy and celebration. And the celebration of the Jewish contribution to the arts, which is huge.

Here's a subtitled video from the 2005 original cast production with David Hyde Pierce singing the song. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Remembering Neil Simon, Master Playwright of Comedy and Middle Class Life

Neil Simon, who died on Sunday at 91, was one of the United States' most prolific and commercially successful playwrights. Whether delivering humor or drama, Simon possessed a rare understanding of the frictions his audience experienced in their most intimate relationships. 

Simon was best known for his many comedies and slices of Jewish middle class life, including The Odd Couple, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Lost in Yonkers. He was also part of the writing team for Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, together with fellow writers Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner,and other famous comedy greats.

Many tributes to Simon have been published and posted over the last few days. Today we're sharing one in which PBS reporter Jeffrey Brown looks back at his career, with insight from Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks.

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.