Humane humor

‘Bulldog of comedy’ Bobby Slayton is ready to tone down his act for Comedy for Koby’s more conservative audiences.

By NOPHAR BEN-MATITYAHU
Comedian Bobby Slayton (photo credit: Courtesy)
Comedian Bobby Slayton
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Comedian Bobby Slayton considers it a mitzva to take part in the biannual Comedy for Koby, but, he quipped, the best outcome of the tour would be that “Israel recognizes my genius and appoints me prime minister.”
Set to begin on June 5, Comedy for Koby will feature well-known, veteran comedians: Slayton, “the bulldog of comedy”; Kevin Meaney, who enjoys being the father of a teenager; and Gina Yashere, who was one of 10 last comics standing on the show Last Comic Standing.
The event raises money for the Koby Mandell Foundation, which helps the family members of those killed by terror.
According to Slayton: “Humor is what helped Jews rise back to the top no matter what catastrophe befell them; be it slavery, the Holocaust or even terror… Laughter is the best way to heal and to move on.”
Slayton, whose energetic and intense comedic styling has been his 30-year career’s trademark, hasn’t personally suffered loss from terror attacks, but said he has been affected by its ramifications not only in Israel but in America as well. “It is a mitzva to help out,” he said, which is why he asked to be part of this project. “I would give back the money they pay me if I could; I’m doing it for the cause.”
Koby Mandell, 13, in whose name the organization was founded, was stoned to death by two Arabs on May 8, 2001, while hiking with a friend, Yosef Ishran, in a canyon near the family’s home in Tekoa.
Founder and host Avi Liberman, for his part, said that when one suffers from tragedy, it’s helpful to let them have a moment of fun. He noted the positive outcome these tours have had on the Mandell family.
Before the comedy shows, they told him, they were socially unavailable and people would avoid talking to them as they didn’t know what to say. Now, people approach them with a smile and enjoy the show, asking for more.
While Slayton is 55 and Jewish, this will be his first visit to Israel, much like his peers – who constitute, for the first time, a Comedy for Koby team in which no one has been to the Jewish state yet. Slayton said he has been heavily preparing for this trip: “I’m reading books, and checking with Avi [Liberman] what the Israeli sensitivities are... I’m excited, this is going to be an adventure.”
Slayton doesn’t know exactly what his act will entail. He said he has three hours of material, two of which are unusable in this context – unless, according to Liberman, it is for the Tel Aviv performance. However, an hour of readymade material (for a 20- to 25-minute act) and days of adventure, good food and wine are bound to provide this bulldog of comedy with at least some material.
One thing is for sure, unlike his six-year experience with Hebrew school, no one is telling him “sheket, bevakasha” (quiet, please) now. He and his fellow comedians, who have been cultivating their own brands through years of performances on stages such as The Tonight Show, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and Live at the Apollo, are arriving in Israel for the June tour, which kicks off in Gush Etzion on Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m.
The tour will also visit Ra’anana, Modi’in and Tel Aviv, and conclude in Jerusalem on June 12.
For those looking for a more liberal act, the Tel Aviv performance, which has “different rules,” according to the tour’s host, is bound to get “creative.” • Ticket prices: NIS 110 prepaid, NIS 120 at door and NIS 80 for soldiers. To order: 052-798- 5200 (with additional NIS 10 processing fee) or www.kobymandell.org