By Matthew Wexler
If you watched Jeff Ross roast Tom Brady in Netflix’s Emmy-nominated special, you’re probably a fan of his pit-in-your-stomach style of comedy, in which no jab is too deep. Thirty years in the making, Jeff Ross finally arrives on Broadway, but rather than a lovingly scorching takedown of our favorite celebrities, Ross has opted for a familial retrospective and nod to the comedy greats who have inspired him.
Ross has made a career out of politically incorrect commentary, leveraging his success in the service of causes and organizations he holds dear, such as Planned Parenthood and Meals on Wheels America. But if you’re headed to the Nederlander Theatre for a barrage of foul-mouthed expletives for which comedian is known, you may find more laughs downtown at the Comedy Cellar in the West Village.
Still, Ross is a charmer. Costumer Toni-Leslie James outfits him in an on-the-nose yellow suit, embellished with a barrage of oddly placed rhinestones as if he’d gotten his hands on a Bedazzler. Ross’s familiarity resonates like a quirky, bald teddy bear uncle. (“I look like Vin Diesel if he were neither Fast nor Furious.”)
Much of the intermissionless 90 minutes is devoted to his family, a hard-working Jewish clan from Newark, New Jersey, who ran the famed catering hall, Clinton Manor, recently demolished to make way for a car dealership.
RELATED
Life’s ephemeral quality seems to haunt Ross of late. Recently diagnosed with stage three colon cancer, he underwent surgery last summer to have seven inches of his large intestine removed, joking, “Now I have a semicolon.” We subsequently hear of the deaths of Ross’s mother (leukemia), father (cocaine-induced brain aneurysm), and three of his closest friends and colleagues: Gilbert Goffried, Bob Saget, and Norm Lewis.
The show’s title pays tribute to Ross’s late grandfather, Pop Jack, who said, “You never know what’s going to happen…” An apt saying, which comes to fruition when Ross works the audience during the evening’s final moments. But this banana is more of a snack than a feast, leaving audiences hungry for the full-course roasting they likely came for.
Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride plays on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre through September 28.
It wants better content.
‘Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride’ takeaway
Fans of Ross will likely appreciate his heart-on-his-sleeve approach, but if you’re in New York City and looking for more laughs, check out these venues and shows:
- Second City New York — The famed Chicago improv center recently opened an NYC outpost.
- New York Comedy Club — Think you have what it takes to land a punchline? Give it a try at one of NYCC’s open mic nights.
- The Stand — Dinner and a show? Look no further than this two-in-one venue. Just don’t laugh with your mouth full.
