The English hate the Germans

Lewis Schaffer at the Edinburgh Fringe 2008

More Lewis Schaffer videos

Lewis Schaffer Is Free Until Famous In a Smaller Room at an Earlier Time
Live Review

In a tiny Free Festival room, holding 40 uncomfortably in stifling heat. Schaffer acts as ticket collector, steward and sound technician, shaking the hands of every audience member on their way in, exuding sincerity and engendering a community spirit. There were a couple of tricky customers on the front row but these were dealt with masterfully, being included in his act at every opportunity.

His material starts with a bang with remarks on how no one likes a mildly racist comedian. The racists don’t find it strong enough and liberals hate it for the opposite reason. He used two Taiwanese punters to help illustrate that by constantly, deliberately referring to them as Chinese and wilfully pushing the buttons.

The meat of the set was more in line with the title of the show. There were funny bits in this 30-minute diatribe about how the famous get preferential treatment over him, the lowly grinder of mirth, but the sentiment, by his own admission, led to dips in the humour.

We were, however, treated to a wonderfully conceited finale involving a Holocaust joke. This could be, in lesser hands, extremely dodgy ground, but the composure and skill used in reaching the punchline was remarkable.

Lewis Schaffer, by his own immodesty, is too good to be playing small rooms. He is a skilled, masterful and above all eye-wateringly funny guy. If you consciously choose not to see him, don’t bother coming to the Fringe.

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Too bad that the Brits don't get Lewis. I'm not shocked, but I am a little confused. Lewis Schaffer embopdies all the diveristy of New York, with every one of his smarmy sometime offensive statements. Next time you go see Lewis, remind yourself that he isn't like you. He won't have any puns about working in a factory, be on the dole, or getting the consumption. No play on words about some "shite" town that has a "shite football team" that just won't win "for fuck sake". He, like his comedy comes from a diffent place. Prove your counrty to be smarter than our country and "get" Lewis Schaffer before we "get" Eddie Izzard

Bert, April 2003

Not gay.

Therese, April 2003

A comic genius. I have only managed to see Lewis Schaffer twice (with a gap of several years in between) and cried with laughter on both occasions. This is Jewish American humour at its best. Knife-edge sharp wit, cruel, venomous put downs, self deprecation and examples of why his wife doesn't understand him. This act compares favourably with the recordings I have heard of Woody Allen at his peak of doing stand up. I am not Jewish or American but really appreciate the rare opportunity to see this type of humour in London. I saw him recently at Amused Moose and got the impression that a large section of the audience didn't understand the humour.

Pedro, February 2003

Have seen him twice and both times he was hilarious.

Patty, December 2002

Possibly the worst comedian I have ever seen in my life. That people could actually find him genuinely amusing is even funnier.

Luke Mosse, December 2002

Poor old Lewis. Saw him in April and he was absolutely peerless - a genius. However on Friday night at Jongleurs he saw fit to make a Sept 11 gag and killed the audience for the rest of the night. Come back the Lewis we know!

MickeyT, October 2002

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4