AND HERE’S MODI
AND HERE’S MODI is an inside look at the man behind the microphone. Hosted by comedian, Modi (@modi_live), AHM features a raw and unfiltered side of the comedian rarely seen on stage. He always finds the funny as he navigates the worlds of comedy, trending topics, his personal life and spirituality. AHM is co-hosted by Periel Aschenbrand (@perielaschenbrand) and Leo Veiga (@leo_veiga_).
AND HERE’S MODI
Mark Feuerstein
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Episode 134: Modi and Leo sit down with Mark Feuerstein during a recent trip to Los Angeles to discuss everything from Royal Pains to his cameo in SATC. Check out his most recent project "Hotel Cocaine" on MGM+!
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Podcast Banter With Mark and Modi
Speaker 1Welcome to Andy's Modi .
Speaker 2What you both do it .
Speaker 3Do what ?
Speaker 2The podcast . Yeah , I thought it was just Modi . I didn't know .
Speaker 3Oh no , you're stuck with me , bitch .
Speaker 2Are you filming ?
Speaker 1I don't know . I love it . It's running , so we're in the podcast and now you're only finding out that Leo's a part of the podcast . I don't know . No , you don't know anything . I didn't know . Who do you think clicks ?
Speaker 3upload .
Speaker 1Where do you think I'm down ? How do you think this is happening ?
Speaker 3Do you think Modi knows how to unzip an MP3 file ?
Speaker 2No , but Do you ?
Speaker 3know how to unzip an MP3 file .
Speaker 2Do you have any idea how many emails go into one podcast , the knowledge of how to the MP3 file does not necessarily ipso facto make you a part of the comedy Abbott and Costello here .
Speaker 1Ipso facto .
Speaker 2Would you ever say that again ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I know Latin , I'm going to smash out the mic , I took Latin .
Speaker 2Yeah , ipso facto , Semper ubi sub ubi . Always wear underwear .
Speaker 1Okay , my bubi told your bubi . That was quick that was quick , you're very quick . Thank you very , god . You look good , you look good .
Speaker 2That's so nice , so do you .
Speaker 1So I guess we've started the podcast , you should know .
Speaker 3We sound okay , we sound okay .
Speaker 1Everybody's good . Thank God , baruch Hashem , that's great . You're a nice engineer , very nice engineer .
Speaker 2Is it okay that I have beverages around ? No , you brought the . What do you mean ? I'm a big a cooking show later .
Speaker 3Nothing from Yeti . Why don't you intro us in Modi Hi ?
Speaker 1everybody , shulam Aleichem . We are in the studio in Los Angeles . We are in Los Angeles doing a podcast here with the , and here's Modi , and we have in the audience , in the audience . I am , it's an honor to be in your audience always . Oh my God , Mark Feuerstein .
Speaker 2Nody .
Speaker 1Rosenfeld , do we discuss it ? How did it begin ? How did we meet ? I'm going to tell how we met , if you have a different version , because years have passed , so many years , so people remember things differently . But I met you . I was living on the Upper East Side for the summer .
Speaker 2You were like a medical technician .
Speaker 1Yes , I was an EMT working at a— EMT is a doctor who went to medical school .
Speaker 2I was an .
Speaker 1EMT working at a—I was at New York Hospital , Cornell . I had a little place and that was my summer and you were working as a waiter in a deli called Seagull's Deli .
Speaker 2I believe it was 76th and 2nd . And the guy who ran it the owner and the manager was a little abyssal cheap , and so I was the one waiter for probably 12 tables which I wasn't equipped to wait on two 12 tables which were always empty , empty .
Speaker 1There wasn't mice didn't visit this deli , I'm telling it was so empty , and I said it's a kosher deli . Look at this , I'm going to go in and I'm going to get a soup . Which is ? I just love soup . I sit down . It's just me and Mark Forresting in this restaurant . You understand , down , it's just me and mark forest in this restaurant . Yes , now there's nobody else . It's not a human being . There isn't even a Spanish guy in the back screen another .
Speaker 2There is a machine . I mean , if I had nothing to do , he had even less . No , he's looking at letters , quiet , looking at letters from looking at letters . They check the letters .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah so yeah , so that's it . We're in a deli . There's me , mark Forrestine , a mashgiach , who's staring at deli , sitting next to the toilet , and I ordered soup and he brought the soup and it was cold and I said to you , sit down .
Speaker 2I don't remember this . This is amazing . Sit down .
Speaker 1Sit down . I said to you what did I do wrong to you in a past lifetime that you're serving me ?
Speaker 2This is actually ringing a bell , like it actually feels how do you serve me cold soup ?
Speaker 1Amazing , there isn't a human being in this place , and that's when it began . He sat down and we .
Jewish Humor and Hamptons Tales
Speaker 1Is it appropriate to blame the waiter for the cold soup ? Yeah , because you took it and you put it in that machine where there's a number next to it . Oh really .
Speaker 2I did that .
Speaker 1You gave me like a two instead of like a five .
Speaker 2Look at what a waiter I was . Look at the many responses .
Speaker 1He was a waiter . Like I'm a gynecologist , he was no waiter .
Speaker 2It was horrible , horrible , my father came once to see what Mark is doing . He brought Lynn and Carol Ratner . They sat the four of them , and I may have had two other tables that I had to serve . Yep , I was so inept that my father gets up and grabs his own food from the delivery area .
Speaker 3Of course he did Under the lamp , or whatever .
Speaker 2He takes his food Mark , I got it , don't worry , oh my .
Speaker 3God . Well , thankfully , the food and beverage service was not your true calling .
Speaker 2No , no , thank God , it was just transitory .
Speaker 1Those of you who don't know , and I know , you know , Mark Feuerstein is an actor extraordinaire . Oh , thank you . First of all , they know you from the . I mean , it developed so beautifully . He was in little parts and first he was in movies where as soon as they brought him on , they shot him Right Everything .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1As soon as he came on , I would sit there praying and please don't kill my friend Mark Forrest . This movie is so nice . Look at all the actors , these famous people .
Speaker 2Ten minutes in dead . Do you know what's so funny about you saying that ? Can I just share a very random connection ? Yes , this is a little pretentious because I'm going to drop that . I applied for a scholarship in college , which I got . But in my video to apply for this scholarship I had footage of me as a wrestler in high school pinning every guy , and then I had footage of me in theater at Princeton getting stabbed , kicked , beaten and I said in my little bow tie at Nassau .
Speaker 3Hall theater's a tough sport .
Speaker 2And I got a Fulbright to go study in London because of that video . And then what you're pointing out is that it was a premonition that I would later get kicked , stabbed and killed in everything I did professionally .
Speaker 1But then you healed everybody .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1Then you were the doctor of the Hamptons . Yes , oh , everybody shipped nachas from this . Yes , everybody . No one could get over it , the Hamptons .
Speaker 2It was amazing no one had ever heard of a concierge doctor .
Speaker 1Now every rich person on the other side has one , you have one , we had ours on our podcast .
Speaker 2You had your concierge doctor . Is it from that company that is now on both coasts ?
Speaker 3No , he's a one-man show . Salas , salas .
Speaker 1Yeah , I know , salas , that's the big one , that's the one . No , no , my brother's a member of Salas , is he ? Oh sure , your brother ?
Speaker 3They'll fly an x-ray machine to machine In Jagaponic .
Speaker 2No , I talked to the first doctor of Salas Healthcare on Fire Island once and he was telling me how like they would be . Like this guy can't have , can't go into the city to a hospital , he needs an x-ray machine on Fire Island right now . And this guy wasn't prepared to kiss all the . So they fired him because he was like no , you have to make it so comfortable for everybody . Anyway , sorry , that's insane . So I was the first one on TV , a concierge doctor .
Speaker 1For Royal Pay For Royal Pay . Royal Pay , yes , and I've seen episodes of that show , but did they discuss how Jewish the Hamptons were ? Was that a theme ? We were Jewish .
Speaker 2I mean me and my brother and I , were eventually identified as Jewish , if not , if it wasn't so obvious . The truth is , paulo Costanzo is only a little Jewish , but when we were auditioning together , testing for the show he was testing , I already had the part . It was so obvious . He was supposed to be my best friend , but he was so Jewish-y and looking like me that they made us brothers . And so then , by the time we were at the grave of our mother in a scene we were wearing yarmulkes , but that was probably season four or five .
Speaker 1It was July . Yes , it was July . A hint abyssal , but did they discuss how Jewish the Hamptons is Not really ?
Speaker 2no , I mean in the pilot , you have Ms Newberg with her flat tire . Her breast has fallen and I have to repair it , and my brilliant idea is to just flatten the other one and make them even . But she was Ms Newberg , so yeah , like right out of the gate we have a Jew who's rich in the Hamptons those of you who haven't seen the show and don't know , Hamptons is this area of Long Island .
Speaker 3That is just the wealth I'm almost sure anyone listening to this knows what the Hamptons is , and it's so Jewish .
Speaker 1It's so Jewish , it's so Jewish .
Speaker 2But gorgeous , and you grew up like a half hour , 45 minute drive away . It didn't begin Jewish .
Speaker 1The Hamptons when you're there and you look around , you see this did not begin Jewish . I'm dying to know the first Jew that came to the Hamptons .
Speaker 2Oh well , actually I have a funny story about a Jew who was halfway there by being in Huntington Gardens , long Island .
Speaker 3That's not the Hamptons , not the .
Speaker 2Hamptons . No , but he was the first Jew to plant a flag out there , and it was not Leo Frank Otto Kahn .
Speaker 1He was a major industrialist , so could you imagine this guy . So now imagine the hamptons are being hamptons , all the guy we're doing their stuff . Yeah , yeah , playing in the dirt right they left , oh , my hydrangea , your hydrangea , the tomatoes , where are they busy with this ? And the first jew comes in otto well , so the reason and they knew he was jew ?
Speaker 1Of course , not because of what he looked like or his name , because of what he asked . What did he ask ? Excuse me , this entire property it's all yours . You own all of it . You own all of it .
Speaker 2All the acreage , how many acres ?
Speaker 1Are you using all this acreage ? Right , and he bought the first thing and before you know it , there's a Chabad house every four blocks Right . It's insane .
Speaker 2You're reminding me of Jackie Mason's bit about Jews and boats . Right , Because you're in the Hamptons , Every Jew now has a boat . They're all competing for who does the best tour of the Long Island Sound . And Jackie Mason used to read there's no greater schmuck than a Jew with a boat . I sleep two , you sleep four , I sleep six .
Speaker 1I sleep eight , I sleep . I sleep by the goyim . They're traveling all over the world by the Jews . They're a dormitory Right . Exactly , that was the bit .
Speaker 2But Otto Kahn , just because it's a fun Jewish fact . He got rejected by every country club in all of Long Island because they were not allowing Jews . So he built the castle where Royal Pains was set . Ohika Castle is his home and he built it just higher than all those country clubs to say fuck you .
Speaker 1That's amazing . There's so many country clubs that were Jewish , that didn't let Jews in , and Jews bought the whole property and the whole area Seawing Country Club in Long Island . They would never let Jews in . And Jews bought the whole property and the whole area Right right Sea Wayne Country Club in Long Island .
Speaker 2They would never let Jews in oh my God , when we would go to the Catalina Beach Club in like Long Beach , atlantic Beach , which was where I used to go to visit my grandparents . They lived in Long Beach as a kid . We were the Beatles . Like nowhere else were we that significant in the world , right , but when we went to Catalina , these Jews and Long Islanders would collect and I was like Paul McCartney . Walking on to it was the greatest .
Speaker 1Catalina Beach . Catalina Beach Club , right in Atlantic Beach . Next to .
Speaker 2Sunny Atlantic where we went . We would collect hundreds of people while we're shooting some medical scene on the beach . It was the greatest .
Speaker 1They volunteered , they didn't yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah , there would the greatest . They volunteered . They didn't . Yeah , yeah , they would be background and they would be .
Speaker 1Yeah , they didn't just like , it was just where it was the epicenter of where we thrived , because it was like jesus returning to jerusalem , like jesus returning to jerusalem from the royal pains . Mark ladies and gentlemen , exactly , oh my god , and you're sin , and you know , we have to mention your first of all , your father , who is like , so so , throughout the years that we've known each other , since 1990 .
Speaker 2This has got to be 94 . What ?
Speaker 194 ? I already graduated . This is while I was in college . Oh really , this is 1990 .
Speaker 2Because it must have been a summer while I was in college . Then 92 , 91 , could have been that .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , okay , so since then , you know , then I began doing comedy and when I started doing like the synagogue circuit , your father's synagogue and if Arthur Schneier ever heard me say your father's synagogue Arthur Schneier's synagogue was like . I've done all these events and the best part about getting to the event is seeing your father A smile from ear to ear .
Speaker 2Modi , he loves you so much .
Speaker 1He's the cutest man on earth .
Speaker 2He's so proud of you and let me just say he's seen me develop .
Speaker 3Of course , he's seen me .
Speaker 2I mean you may have met him at that deli , I mean we may have known you that long .
Speaker 1No , I had Shabbat dinners with you guys , yeah .
Speaker 2At that time when we met , yeah , yeah , yeah , and we were friends .
Speaker 1This is my husband , leo . We got married , just in case you weren't . No , we're catching up , yeah .
Speaker 2Leo , I'm sorry if we're excluding you .
Speaker 1No , no , it's fine , I just want to take with it . You are I have nothing to do with it , it's all Leo . It's all Leo . Leo comes up with all the jokes . Leo comes up with all the jokes .
Speaker 2You are so brilliant and everyone in New York , in my world they randomly will send me Instagram videos of your bits . You are so brilliant and I'm so proud and happy . Thank you so much , because I know how funny you are from knowing you back in the day and I knew you were just starting out . And then you're selling out arenas around the world .
Speaker 1The Wiltern March 20th . Tickets are available on modilivecom . We'll also take this moment to thank our sponsors . A&h Provisions Markets the best .
Speaker 2Hold on . This is real . This is a real thing . Yeah , a&h .
Speaker 1Have you ever had those hot dogs ? A&h hot dogs .
Speaker 2You never had such hot dogs . No , I like a nice Hebrew National , but okay , a Hebrew National .
Speaker 3Stay focused , Modi Did .
Speaker 1I just ruin it . No , did I just ruin it Sorry . A&h hot dogs in the world kosherdogsnet . And they're 30% off your first purchase when you use promo code . Moti and Weitz and Luxembourg the Weitz and Luxembourg , the law firm that not only does well , they do good , they're very philanthropic and we love you very much for being one of our sponsors .
Speaker 2You're not even reading this off a teleprompter . No , I know them . This just comes from your brain .
Speaker 1Yeah , our sponsors , we love them . Do you understand us ?
Speaker 2idiot actors . We need it right there on a screen in a teleprompter .
Speaker 3Do you really have a teleprompter ?
Speaker 2For everything . Wait on sets For everything . Okay , let's ask a question , okay you're an actor .
Speaker 3you've worked on movies , tv shows . Are there telepro ? This is a stupid question . No , no , no , not for filming , not for filming .
Speaker 2Of course , we learn our lines .
Speaker 3Do you really though For a ?
Speaker 2scene between two people . But if you're doing any of those promotional shit , that you do for a network USA , they would put . They would just roll the things .
Speaker 3This is episode like 120-something , so I would hope to God , he knows . No , it took me forever .
Speaker 1It was horrible . I was horrible , and introductions I stink at too . You did it great .
Speaker 3So is it true that , when you get to a certain level , though , that there are people on set who are just like line and they just show up raw dogging it ? Oh my God .
Speaker 2There are so many different levels of proficiency with your lines . And it is a pet peeve of mine when people aren't prepared .
Speaker 3I mean , if you're just getting a little older , it's a little harder to remember .
Speaker 2I completely understand , but when you don't come prepared , it's just a bummer .
Journey Through Acting and Writing
Speaker 3Wow , not everyone's a Fulbright scholar like you .
Speaker 2Thank you , I thought it should be thrown back in my face . Did you see how he ?
Speaker 1massaged that in the beginning .
Speaker 2And I while I was this was the vehicle .
Speaker 1Fulbright . This was , it's like me saying , and when I went to my interview at Harvard , after what they said to me , I knew I wasn't going to go there . What'd they say ? We don't want you , but that's how you would .
Speaker 2We don't want you .
Speaker 3If I was a full bride scholar , it would be every other sentence .
Speaker 1Tattooed on my forehead . I would tattoo it on my forehead .
Speaker 2It's relevant In the context of getting killed and beaten in every movie , which you said , which I said in my video , and you're right , because even in Practical Magic , the first movie I ever did , I get run over by a truck First time out of the game .
Speaker 3Well , that was it was so funny because we were on a flight . Modi was like hey , next week we're getting bagels and coffee with Mark Feuerstein . I was like , okay , cool , and then we get on the flight . I turn on Practical Magic because I heard they were remaking it .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 3And I was like oh , mark's in this . And then I go oh , mark's dead .
Speaker 2Yep , but they're witches , so they could possibly bring me back in the sequel .
Speaker 3I know what do you think . I think they should .
Speaker 2Chalker , channing and Diane Weiss can just whip something up .
Speaker 3Is it Sandra Bullock ?
Speaker 2Yeah , she's in it , I'm or reprising their roles , but then just to bookend my career of getting killed and beaten and stabbed , I then am in one of the great Jew movies I'm so proud to be in it Defiance with Daniel Craig .
Speaker 2The largest rescue of Jews by Jews during the Holocaust . 1,200 Jews saved the partisans in the forests of Belarus . And how do I die there ? I'm throwing a grenade at what I perceive to be the Nazis coming at us and as I throw it , athlete that I am or my character , drop the grenade , blow myself up .
Speaker 1You blow yourself up . Blow myself up With these round glasses on .
Speaker 2Yeah , I couldn't see . I just dropped the grenade on myself .
Speaker 1Yeah , but that was an amazing movie and I met the two guys that that was based off of .
Speaker 2You did yeah , yeah , yeah , tuvia Bielski . And there's the brothers Soil , zush and Ariel .
Speaker 3Where did you film that ?
Speaker 2In Vilnius . Oh , so you were like legit , it was the same forest but not exactly the same country it was near Belarus , but it was Lithuania . Wow , yeah , it was a great experience . I mean , ed Zwick is an amazing director , liev Schreiber a great actor . Daniel Craig was so much fun to work with .
Speaker 1It was great . Everything you're in the cast is unbelievable .
Speaker 2But it's great to be , you know , because there's a lot of issues with portrayals of Jews in anything , because we're , you know , all nudniks and we all want to be represented well and tell our story in different ways . And I'm in one unassailably great story about the Jews , the Jews right .
Speaker 1A heroic , badass , tough Jew . Yes , usually the Jews aren't the heroes in these stories . No , no , Usually the Jews aren't the heroes . There's always somebody else that saved them or hid them . Schindler , he was the hero . It wasn't the Jews , that's right , yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2But this is . They go willingly to slaughter and it's horrible to watch and it's part of the story of the Holocaust . But this is one of badass Jews and I'm thrilled to be in it .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's a great one . And what are you doing now , like what's happening now ?
Speaker 2So I just did a show called Hotel Cocaine for the family . It's a family show . It's set in Miami in 1978 . It's a hotel where all the famous celebrities used to do their drugs and all the drug dealers sold their drugs . I play the coke snorting hippie owner of the Mutiny Club , which was a real hotel in Miami in the seventies . It was like the Studio 54 of Miami .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2And it was created by the guy who created Narcos and it's a great show . We are still waiting to hear if we get to do a season two . Nothing's guaranteed , but we had a great first season . You said you filmed it in great show . We are still waiting to hear if we get to do a season two . Nothing's guaranteed , but we had a great first season .
Speaker 3You said you filmed it in a hotel .
Speaker 2We filmed it in the Dominican Republic .
Speaker 3Because it looked like it was still 1970 .
Speaker 2Yes , exactly , the DR is still in 1977 .
Speaker 3They didn't have to do much set .
Speaker 1Architecturally speaking , that's like when you walked into the Catskills Hotels .
Speaker 3Right .
Speaker 1Did you ever work at Catskills ?
Speaker 2I walked into the Catskills Hotel my first time ever into the that's an actual hotel . The Catskills , no , there's kutcher's and grossingers Right , did you guys go up there ? I never went up there . No , I went up there when I was- .
Speaker 1The daughter of grossingers on TV came to a club , said hey , kid , you want to work the mountains ? Said call me Moses . I went to this place called the Concord Hotel . Sure , yeah , I walked in . I go wow , you guys did this entire place in a 70s motif . Where'd you get the 70s motif ? It was from the 70s and they gave me a room where I called the manager . I go hey , I got a leak in the sink . He said go ahead . Amazing that joke was left for me in the room from the comedian .
Speaker 2That's amazing . It was a gift from the it was 1970 .
Speaker 1It was 1970 .
Speaker 2And are they still like that ?
Speaker 1I mean , they haven't renovated the sinks with the hot water and the cold water from different faucets . Right , it's like it was but they don't Do . Comedians still go to the ? No , there are like homes , like village , like a homeowner stuff , but there's no hotels like there used to be right yeah , you guys didn't do that .
Speaker 2No , you guys had money . I mean Philip Roth wrote about it and I remember reading and like imagining what it was like for those . I mean that's where all the like survivors came after the war and they were living there and they I I mean it was what a scene it must have been . There was a great movie with Liev Schreiber , set at that time with Tony Goldwyn . I forgot what it was called . He directed it , I think , but it was anyway .
Speaker 1That's a great story . So this is coming out now . You're hoping for a season two .
Speaker 2Yeah , we hope for a season two . I'm writing a show for Max that's in the vein of the shows like Royal Pains . We pitched it , we sold it . We're right . Me and my writing partner are writing it . Uh , there's talk of a Royal Pains reunion . I don't want to get ahead of myself or promote something that may not exist , but we are actually in real serious talks about it , so that would be amazing to go back out there .
Speaker 1Um and I just loves you in that .
Speaker 2It would be great and I just had the uh experience of filming a part in my wife's pilot that she created for cbs , set at the perfect place for a comedy the most miserable place on earth , in the vein of the office and parks and rec . It's called dmv oh , wow right , miserable , where I mean I can only imagine the experiences you've had at the DMV .
Speaker 1I know I actually , by the way , the DMV in New York City . They're amazing .
Speaker 3Oh really .
Speaker 1If you have your stuff together . And if you have it , she told me you got your stuff together , I got my stuff together , Right , and she figured it out .
Speaker 2By the way , that is the opposite of what I thought I'd be hearing from you no , the DMV . I thought I'd be hearing a story about a woman who was , like you know , drunk on her power , telling you to step behind the line and no , they got to keep it together .
Speaker 1Yeah , because everybody's coming in there with all their different . But if you have your stuff together , this is my this , that's that . That's what you need . You can't give because that , donnie , just they'd love to just not be in their face . That's all they really want . Just don't be in my face . So do this and this , then you can come back in my face .
Speaker 3So what was it like working on your wife's project ? Oh my god , the funny thing about working with your wife .
Speaker 2I mean , I love it and I honestly I'm so proud of her . It's crazy . She works so hard , like she's going to feed to the actors so they can get different versions of jokes and whatnot , and she's keeping it all together till 11 o'clock at night , when then she has to go over the alts for the next day and prepare for another day of shooting it was a dinner for you yeah , never never , that is not an issue ? No , but we order out .
Speaker 1Order dash yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah , but it was great and I got to play that like type A asshole . By the way , this defiance was good for the Jews , my character not so good for the Jews .
Speaker 1This was no good one . He just comes in and he's like a fucking asshole .
Speaker 2Has no sympathy for the guy at the desk . Oh wow .
Speaker 3Yeah , wow , wow , wow , wow . So your character doesn't work at the DMV .
Speaker 2No , my character is demanding that the DMV give him satisfaction .
Speaker 3Have you seen the clips of when the celebrities out here in LA have to go renew their driver's license and they bring ?
Speaker 1a full glam squad , I have . Yes , the Kardashians have people patting their face .
Speaker 3Victoria Beckham .
Speaker 1That's it .
Speaker 3Yeah , and she's like can I redo it ? And she's like , can I ?
Speaker 2redo it and she's like no oh that's yes , I saw that in the documentary , but why do they have a camera crew following her to the DMV ?
Speaker 3Because it's good television . It's good TV .
Speaker 1They want to see everything , everything people want to see .
Stand-Up Comedy Night at Duke
Speaker 2By the way , moody , I just had the experience of doing a little stand-up and I have to tell you I heard it oh we had lunch with a Dan Levy today , you did tell me everything he said no , he said you were great , that's nice .
Speaker 3He said you were not great he was great he was great .
Speaker 1He's a full comic , solid comedian . But he told me you were in parking lot going over your lines . Well , yeah , Wait you wrote it out like a script .
Speaker 2What was the thing I was watching where they say why don't you set the scene a little bit ?
Speaker 3What are we talking about here ? Okay , set it up , set it up .
Speaker 2So we have friends . My daughter just started at Duke University .
Speaker 2She's so happy , mazel tov , mazel tov , she's having the greatest time and we have friends who are involved in the Jewish community there . There's a Freeman Center . Our friend Danielle is , like , very involved , and so she asked if we could help organize a comedy night . So we did , and my friend , joel McHale , for a fraction of what he normally gets to perform , performed and he was the sort of master of ceremonies with three other comedians Dan Levy , ariel Elias and Leslie Liao . Okay , all great , they were all fabulous . And now I have been offered to join the—I was at first the emcee but Joel would take on that mantle . But like I'm part of it and I've organized it , it and I'm going to do a little few , a few minutes , a five minute shtick . And so now I've set myself up for I'm going to do a comedy bit and I write a bit . But you know , unlike comedians who do it a hundred , 200 times , this is my first I get one take .
Speaker 3It's my first take , and that's it . And what was your grade yourself ? It's my first take , and that's it . And what was your grade yourself ? What was it ? And ?
Speaker 2I had good schtick . Let's hear it . Let's give a premise . Can I give you a little of it ?
Speaker 1100% you can give it to me .
Speaker 2Okay . So the first part was I told my daughter I wouldn't embarrass her , but I just wanted to say , lila , we are so proud of you , you're a dookie , a dook about the application process . So I said , guys , I was walking around today , it reminded me of the admissions process and I remembered that question why , duke , on the application ? And I was kind of curious what you guys had said . So I went to the admissions office , I got some of your applications , I looked through them , did a little research on you and I was struck by the difference between what you wrote , what you said you would do when you were here and what you've actually done now that you're here . So , john Siegel , have you really taken a walk through the Duke Gardens every day between classes ? Sorry , I'm screwing it up .
Speaker 1Missy Stein , missy .
Speaker 2Stein . Missy Stein , you lover of books , have you gone to the Perkins Library and had a librarian bring out a copy of Kafka's Metamorphosis so you could , as you wrote , bathe in the dust of 19th century Prague ? I don't think so , missy . Anyway , she wrote that on her thing , you made it up , I made it up .
Speaker 1That's very funny . That's very funny I have one more .
Speaker 2I have one more , and then some Jewish name , david Stein , you community service activist , have you really built that community garden in downtown Durham like you said you would ?
Speaker 2We're all still waiting for the heirloom tomatoes and I said and there was one brave student who wrote who gave an honest answer to the why Duke question . Peter Hillman , you bastion of integrity . Peter wrote that he could think of no better place than Duke to live off his parents for the next four years , drink and smoke anything put in front of him and live in his blue and white overalls . Anyway , it was like that was my shtick .
Speaker 1But they were buying it , they would laugh .
Speaker 2Yes , but you can feel how tight I am because it's like I'm trying to remember it as I'm doing it , whereas these comedians like you , who is so brilliant , you have the patience and the confidence to wait and listen and know the timing of your I'm just fucking pushing it out there , yes , and praying , do you ?
Speaker 1hear this and schvitzing . It's so hard . Do you hear what he's saying , why ? Why Do you hear what he's saying ? Why Do you hear what ?
Speaker 2he's saying Am I right ?
Speaker 1100% , 100% .
Speaker 2Yeah , it takes so much time to get comfortable with your bit .
Speaker 1Leo . Now , it's not because I'm cheap , but an opening act my audience doesn't want . My audience does not want an opening act . They don't want to listen to any . They came to see me , they want to see me . They don't want to see who has somebody to open . I have an opening act . Love him , ilan Omen . But now on the road , leo opens the show .
Speaker 3Oh my God , yes , it's more just doing housekeeping announcements . Keep your phones away .
Speaker 2But you have a little shtick .
Speaker 1I try to get a I should A little stickler , but he doesn't let them laugh . He was pushing through .
Speaker 2Yeah , let them laugh , give them that beat Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta Beat .
Speaker 3It's hard , it's scary . Well , you did theater , so like I mean , you're in front of I'm just not used to being in front of people in general , so I don't know .
Speaker 2It's hard , I have one more bit I forgot to share .
Speaker 1Let me hear it no , it's true .
Speaker 2I was talking about family weekend and how we embarrassed Lila and I'm apologizing to her , but your mother , is there anything sadder than a middle-aged tri-delt yenta trying to relive her glory days by taking three lemon drop shots and riding the bullet shooters ? Because they okay , thank you , but that's a joke that they get . They get because they go to the bar and shoot us . They go to the place and shoot and Dana did ride the bull Right , that's a specific area .
Speaker 2And the real tragedy was she lost $15 and Lila spent a half hour trying to find it in the mats by the bull oh , that is , which she never found .
Podcast Banter and Mechanical Bulls
Speaker 3Modi says I'm not allowed to ride a mechanical bull , I've never ridden a mechanical bull .
Speaker 1Just because you , you want us to just face cross Every time crazy I don't know , moisturize into this and that would get One of those bull smashes you in the face .
Speaker 3I just feel like I'd be good at it . You know , I got this thigh strength . Gotta put it to use .
Speaker 1You Thighs . When that thing smashes you in the face , what are your thighs gonna do ? Well , I'll never know . Mechanical bull is Too guyish . Even for you , it's too guyish even for you .
Speaker 3That's on the next season of Royal Pain . Someone gets impaled on a mechanical bull .
Speaker 2That's good , we could do that . We could try to get shooters .
Speaker 3You can use that .
Speaker 2People give you advice .
Speaker 1People give you advice on what shows .
Speaker 3What do people come up to in the street ? What is their main ?
Speaker 1When they recognize it's Mark Foyerstein .
Speaker 3This is Modi's . I'll give you an example I'm Ashkenazi , my husband's Sephardic , so you're a bit it's like our life . That's good . And they think they're the first and only person who's ever said this , and they're very sweet .
Speaker 2But the way .
Speaker 3They're so genuinely like . No , it's like did you call my mom ? How did you write that bit ? It's insane .
Speaker 1What's their thing where they ?
Speaker 2come up and they're like , they recognize it's you and they come . What do they say to you ?
Speaker 3one of the themes of my getting recognized . Yes , that I'm that guy from that thing , because it's not always immediately perfect identifiable .
Speaker 2So I'm not . You know that I'm not superman , I'm not spider-man , I'm , were you , the guy in the glasses with the anime so one time , one time I was on the plane and it was like , would you just tell me , what do I know you from ? And then you get that great experience of listing your resume for a stranger who doesn't have a good memory or any , or really recognize you from something specific .
Speaker 2So you're like Royal Pains no . Recognize you from something specific . So you're like Royal Pains no . What women want ? No . And then they're like wait , are you David Schwimmer ?
Speaker 3I'm like no , are you David ?
Speaker 2Schwimmer . One time I was at a hotel I think it was the Bacara here in Santa Barbara and a woman says excuse me , I know you . What do I know you from ? And I'm like Royal Pains no . What women want Royal Pains ? No , what Women Want no Sex . And the City no . Wait a second . Are you Harvey Feuerstein's son ?
Speaker 1I'm a member of Park East . Oh , of Park East .
Speaker 3Wait , wait , so people we were on the flight recently and someone came up to you . We hadn't landed yet . They came up to your pod and , knocking , you , slide open the little door of your pod . They go . Excuse me , are you the gay Jew ? Are you a gay Jew ?
Speaker 2How do they say it ? Is that an ?
Speaker 1identifiable thing for you , I guess now yeah .
Speaker 3My audience has opened up to Goyim Gays and Gays . We're on a transatlantic flight and someone is coming . Goyim Gays and Gays have opened up into our audience .
Speaker 2That's fantastic .
Speaker 1The gays , and Jewish gays especially . Oh , my husband's also non-Jewish and so it's it's that . But when people used to do that to me where do I know you from ? I would give them things I wasn't on amazing . So they'd be like we saw you on . I go the tonight show fallon , you call me . You saw me on letterman , you saw me , no , no . And then the husband goes kutches . We saw him in kutches .
Speaker 3We saw him in kutches that's what him wait Sex and the City oh my god , what was your ? What was your storyline ? Because we just rewatched it for like the second time the whole series .
Speaker 1I stood up and yelled when he was , when we just remind me , just remind me Sex and the City , I played .
Speaker 2I think his name . His name was Josh and I was an ophthalmologist who was so bad in bed that Miranda had to fake her orgasms . So I'm in this episode and my father . I've been on sitcoms , which are great and fine . I was on NBC terrific , but now I'm on a cool show and I'm psyched .
Speaker 3And my father's psyched .
Speaker 2So he's telling all of New York Mark's on Sex and the City . Mark is on Sex and the City . He's telling the building , everybody in my building , he's telling the building , everybody in my building , he's telling everyone at the synagogue right , and now it's on . And in that episode there is a bit of dialogue with Miranda where she says to me , josh , you know where the clitoris is ? And I say yeah , and she goes well , it's two inches from where you think it is . The second . The episode ends . Harold Einseidler , who coached me for my bar mitzvah , is calling Harvey . How could you let me watch ? I'm watching with my daughter , sarah and Rivka , this horrible show Klitoris , klitoris , what are you ? How could you tell me to watch this ?
Speaker 3I mean it doesn't have sex , I know what you're talking about . Sex is in the title . I mean , he was not thrilled , my through my father .
Speaker 2Like you know , it's just a question of like it's , like he couldn't cash it on that one , because it was , it was , it was , it was brutal .
Speaker 3I such an iconic show .
Speaker 1It's the most iconic show in the world . Wait one second . I have never done this before in a podcast . I have to pee , go pee , I have to pee .
Speaker 3I know why you have to pee by the the way , I'm not going to say it on the podcast Daphne .
Speaker 1Pischer .
Speaker 2He's never done this . We'll keep talking .
Speaker 3This is where we get the pee body . This is where we get the pee body award .
Speaker 2Right here .
Speaker 3We really go in and we talk that we go deep .
Speaker 2But Leo , seriously this is so weird .
Speaker 3This has never happened . We're on episode 120 something . This is a gift .
Speaker 2Wow this is not like something to wade through A power rush ? We don't have to , we get to .
Speaker 3I'm getting a power rush of like . This is my show now .
Speaker 2And I'm actually going to ask you a question , bring it on Because he's making jokes about your listening . For the laughter . Yeah , yeah , for the laughter and the but how is it to step into doing like opening for him ? It's funny because people kind of know me . Is it something you ever wanted to do ? I'm sorry to cut you off ?
Speaker 3No , never . Okay , never in the realm of possibility .
Speaker 2Okay , so now you're doing this . How is that going ?
Speaker 3But then it's because it's progressed , because , like , first we started this podcast and I wasn't even on the camera , I was sitting on the couch just in the room and it got to the point where Modi was always speaking off camera to me asking me questions . So then , a few episodes in , we were like I should just sit here and if you need me I'll talk . Yeah , and then I slowly became part of the podcast and then people you know were recognizing me and knowing me , so like , and I'm still working the shows . You know when , when , the when we're in a theater and there's a show about to happen , I'm running around , I'm checking on security , I'm checking on the on the box office . Our guest list got on , his mom is in the right seat . I'm running around doing laps , and then , more and more recently , people are stopping me and be like I want a picture . We love the podcast and it's me and I'm like in work mode , right .
Speaker 2But then you're also working , getting it all set and then running onto the stage .
Speaker 3And then I run onto the stage and I go so much responsibility . It run onto the stage and I go . So much responsibility . It's . It's fun , people are liking it . They like knowing who I am and then they like seeing me on stage . That was quick , we were talking about me . You can go the section without you was the best it stole the show .
Speaker 2It was unbelievable .
Speaker 3We're going to cut that it killed . I was going to , I was telling you about that . As you put that as its own episode , leave me alone .
Speaker 1It's called . Duff Game Pishing . Duff Game Pishing .
Speaker 2This is what it is .
Speaker 1By the way , such a great pish , such a great , do you know there's a blessing that you say after you pish . I didn't know that , I didn't know that that's too long .
Speaker 2That's too long . Can I translate it ? Yes , Oy did I have to pee . That was good , Oy did .
Speaker 3I have to pee . Oy , did I feel the pressure . That's inefficient . If you pee so many times a day , you have to say that huge , long prayer . I say that when I come out of the bathroom .
Speaker 1I don't scream it out , I just brrrr in my head , isn't there a ?
Speaker 3different one for a number two . It's the same one , it's the same one Same same . But I knew I go really weird .
Speaker 2La hokey for one second like new agey .
Speaker 3Of course yes .
Speaker 2Love to met . I'm a meditator and I love it , and mindfulness is like something I'm into , but like the fact that we are supposed to , as Jews which I don't do pray over every item of food that we're eating and beverage that we're drinking , and dafgayn pishen , dafgayn pishen . It's so beautiful because it's like a kind of a version of mindfulness which is just pay attention and show appreciation that you're alive and that you get to do that , and it's the same thing .
Speaker 1So can I tell you something that's very strange from other people ? Yeah , okay , so there's a blessing . You say before you drink water Shahako Baruch atah , adonai shahak l'anadvo , do you know ?
Speaker 2when I say no , that's to wash the water , right , that's hand .
Speaker 1But do you know when I say the blessing ?
Speaker 2If I'm pulling out of the faucet , folks . You're the princess . Turtles are dying everywhere .
Speaker 1When I watch the water fill in my cup . That's when I make the blessing . The fact that I'm in my apartment , able to pick up a little lever and water shows up like this , that's when I make the blessing before I drink .
Speaker 2And you actually have that thought of wow , am I lucky . What a miracle that I can just get water at any moment . I want Exactly Good for you , Not everyone a lot of people walking around on planet Earth don't have
Burning Man and Comedy Reflections
Speaker 2.
Speaker 1That's what I'm saying . Most people actually don't have that Great Majority of people .
Speaker 3What other new age , la hocus , pocus , hocus , are you into ? I'm into all of it .
Speaker 2Oh my God , literally this week a buddy from , like another dad at the school that we send our kids to , is telling me about a guided mushroom trip he's doing with a therapy and a guy no , but it's like one thing to like have a fun weekend or somebody at a concert doing that , but this was like guided with a therapist and all that .
Speaker 3Are you going to do it ? No , but I've been to Burning man .
Speaker 2I would love to see you doing comedy at Burning man ? That would be one of the great scenes .
Speaker 3When did you go to Burning man ?
Speaker 2It was probably five to six years ago , dana and I planned to go to this camp . It was organized .
Speaker 3Yeah , we have friends who go .
Speaker 2We know the culture a little bit it was not like close friends , it was friends from school who we love a dad , and then his community had invited us and we were like this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing . So my wife and I go to the vintage store . I did not own , before this trip to the vintage store , three onesies . One was velour , leopard print . One is a US Postal Service guy's outfit , One is like neon blue camouflage onesies Wow . And I have them all packed . Dana has her outfits packed . We're about to leave Her mother's here to watch the kids and Dana felt a little tickle in her throat and she saw her mom in the bed and they could just cuddle and watch reality TV and she bailed 20 minutes before she bailed on Burning man .
Speaker 3But you went but .
Speaker 2I went baby Wow . I'm sure you looked adorable Because it was a carpe diem moment You've got to go ?
Speaker 1Did your friends have a normal camp with all the accessories ?
Speaker 2Yes , well , no , not like the New York or Russian oligarchs who have amazing sets .
Speaker 1That's what we want to do , otherwise we're not going . No .
Speaker 2I was showering with a drippy thing , with aurt . That's like foil and you try to stand up . I bang my head every single night . I come in from watching the sunrise at 6 in the morning banging my head on the yurt .
Speaker 3So did you have an epiphany or a moment at Burning man ? No , it was just beautiful .
Speaker 2There were these art trucks that drive through the desert . It's gorgeous . It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing .
Speaker 1We go to raves . It's a once in a lifetime thing . We go to raves , we go to see DJs , we do it all . We live on the Lower East Side .
Speaker 2You know exactly where that's where my father grew up , right Norfolk , and Rivington .
Speaker 1So we're on . Not where we are , it doesn't matter . So we right over the Williamsburg Bridge , we go right over , go to any of these amazing warehouses , have the size of Sunset Boulevard on the way home into our shower .
Speaker 2Meaning you're all the guy's waiting there ? Yeah , I am not Burning man there's no .
Speaker 3Burning man .
Speaker 1No , Well , you yeah . But if some crazy Russian oligarch says , hey , we have trucks and vans and this and all kinds of RVs , we would do it .
Speaker 2Not to make light of anything related to October 7th , but you were in Israel at that time and you got out , and I don't remember your story about getting out of Israel .
Speaker 1Right , you were there when it happened .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I'm just remembering you getting out of there as quickly as you could , out of Israel .
Speaker 1Yes , well , we had shows to get to . We were always . Oh , it wasn't just like you , were always no , we had to get to shows . We were always scheduled to leave Four sold out shows in Paris and we're sitting in the airport .
Speaker 2Oh my god , sold out shows in Paris . Did you perform right after ?
Speaker 3Right . In the wake of it , we performed on Monday , monday after Monday .
Speaker 1Monday Crazy , crazy Monday .
Speaker 2How is it for you Navigating comedy in this time , in this ? Last year , because I know you don't make a lot of jokes of politics , right , but , like talking on a podcast , you can give me a little bit of what it's like to navigate all that .
Speaker 3Do you see how he's asking you questions ?
Speaker 1Yeah , that's what you're supposed to be doing .
Speaker 2No , I don't have anything interesting to say and I love my friend Modi . I'm curious .
Speaker 1He's asking . You never feel like a bigger need in the world for anything that you're doing . You're like wow .
Speaker 2To laugh to make people laugh .
Speaker 3We were just in .
European Jewish Comedy Tour Security
Speaker 1Zurich . We did the Palladium in London and then before that , we picked up a Zurich community center with 700 people Jews that live in Zurich and they got together in this building that looks like you don't know what . It is Very nondescript , very nondescript . And there's a kosher restaurant there and this one guy , this guy named Ezra , who runs like there was no co-chairs and schmo chairs made this night and all the Jews in Zurich came together and had the laugh of their lives . Imagine living in Zurich being Jewish . Imagine living in Paris being Jewish . Imagine living anywhere in Europe being Jewish . And all of a sudden , comedy shows up . Jewish comedy shows up , and they're like , oh my God , there's a guy on stage yelling that he's Jewish .
Speaker 2Right , it's like being in the desert and getting a glass of water .
Speaker 1That's one of the worst comparisons I could have imagined , because they're not funny . They don't have funny comparisons I could have imagined , because they're not funny . There's nobody funny in Switzerland . You're in the sea with the sharks .
Speaker 2They need to laugh and you show up and they get to laugh . It's a machaya .
Speaker 1You're a machaya .
Speaker 2We met with a mashkiach , and now you're a machaya .
Speaker 1We met with cold soup Correct .
Speaker 2That you made me go heat up , Diva yeah so there's that , there's that need .
Speaker 1You made me go heat up . Yes , diva , diva , yeah . So there's like there's that , there's that need for it and Leo's with me throughout all of it and it's amazing .
Speaker 3It was crazy . I mean going from Tel Aviv to Paris for shows , flying on the evening of October 7th . Landing in Paris , we had to have a meeting with the promoters Do we still do the shows ? We had to meet with Paris police department . What's the security going to be ? There's protests happening on the streets , there's tear gas happening . The monuments in Paris are draped in Palestinian flags . It felt like very frenetic and you still did the shows and people still came out and they were appreciative . But it was crazy . And then the for the months after that , you know , when you performed in Brussels , people were the , I would say , of all the European cities Brussels , and followed by Amsterdam , which showed its true colors recently , brussels they were the most scared to come out .
Speaker 2They were terrified to come out to a Jewish event . So what do you do ? How do you deal with that ? So you get on your Instagram and get on the radio and go , come , come .
Speaker 1No , we advertise that the show's happening . They know the security's there . There's no , there's this police and there's people inside the theater .
Speaker 3The question . In Brussels I had police department inside and outside in plain clothes and armed guards outside .
Speaker 2Because you have a genuine fear that there's going to be an event . There's never been a call .
Speaker 1There's never been an incident to call , but we are preventative .
Speaker 3Yeah , but part of doing that is you can just say there's going to be security . They don't want you to divulge that . There's going to be plainclothes police officers in the crowd .
Speaker 3So people are messaging me being like do you have the show room or whatever the the Jewish security is ? They weren't there . I just had to reassure them that there was going to be security , but it wasn't the security they knew from their synagogues and their schools and their other , their schools , the security they knew from their synagogues and their schools . So that was the big question mark .
Speaker 1And then there was like this big fight or flight , even now in San Diego , san Diego Jewish Federation . We just did a show for them . They have their own security , they have the Jewish security and they were armed to the teeth for this event . It's a different world . Yep , it's a different world . I mean even here in Hancock Park .
Speaker 2I mean I was . I did a movie called Guns and Moses . I am Moses in a movie about a rabbi in a desert town who has to find the killer of the big patron played by that great Jew , dermot Mulroney who played the patron of our congregation , but I'm forgetting the name of the security force here in Hancock Park .
Speaker 1Shomim I'm forgetting the name of the security force here in Hancock Park Shomim , shomim or Shmira , or one of those , the Mahat Sala . I know what you're thinking . No , it's a specific one . Okay .
Speaker 2And I'm sorry I can't remember it , but our director of the movie , sal Litvak , is a member of them and they had , like . They taught us how to use weapons for this movie and they protect the Jewish community , all the Chabadniks in Hancock Park here and the Jews are buying guns , Mark . The Jews are buying guns .
Speaker 3The Jews in New York are buying guns .
Speaker 2You mean right now . It's crazy , yeah , I want a gun . Oh God , I would love a gun . Okay , great , yeah , I can't help you with that .
Speaker 1No , he's LA whatever . Yeah , he has crystals .
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Schools
Speaker 1So your kids go to school . Do they go to Jewish school ?
Speaker 2No , no , but they go to a very progressive school and the kids are doing great . The parents have a lot more agita than the kids and I find myself on the front lines because I am both the head of Jewish affinity , like our parent body of 250 Jewish parents with other people , 50 Jewish parents with other people , and then I'm also on the DEI committee of our school because I've been part of , like , the meetings for the white anti-racist group , which is great . It's all great learning . It's all peeling the onion of our own . You know , various prejudice and whatnot .
Speaker 1But I find myself what's DEI , diversity , equity and Inclusion ? Okay , it's a major hot button issue here in these times . It's huge DEI , diversity , equity and Inclusion Okay , it's a major hot button issue here in these times .
Speaker 2It's huge DEI , yeah , and so it's about , like you know , like basically learning about your own prejudice and entitlement and privilege versus how to include everybody , how to bring everybody to the party and make everybody feel included .
Speaker 1Moshiach energy .
Speaker 2Moshiach energy , moshiach energy . It's what you do , it's what happens at a Modi show .
Speaker 1When there are non-Jews in the audience , you feel the Moshiach energy . They're laughing . When non-Jews are laughing with us , they can't kill us , they don't hate us .
Speaker 2Right .
Speaker 1So it changes the vibration . Yeah , everything should begin with comedy . That's what I said in the Senate , in the Congress , in all of government . When they begin , they should have someone do five minutes of comedy Just so . You have a few jokes and then you start it . Now you're already in a different place . You don't hate each other because you've just laughed together , right , and that's like that's the energy of comedy .
Speaker 2And it's true , like , the quality I love most in people is that they not take themselves too seriously . That is truly the like defining quality I look for in people is that they can laugh and make fun of themselves , and I'll never forget . Oh , I just have to . I'm just remembering when I was asked to be the MC and I put that in quotes because never was there a less funny MC for a Park East benefit that Modi was performing at , and I remember I had been very busy at that time . I was maybe doing Royal Pains and I had five minutes to come do this event and of course they were all so thrilled that Modi was coming and I have this is I'm going to .
Speaker 2I'm embarrassed to admit this , but I'm like , dad , whatever the tribute to Park East and Eshy Day School and everything , can you just write my shtick ? I don't have , I can't , I can't even think about it . I'm so learning lines to play a doctor and say you know metacarpal bone , I can't learn how to give tribute to Congregation Zichron Ephraim right now . Yes , so my dad writes the most Harvey Feuerstein , which is he's not looking to be funny , he's looking to honor the congregation and .
Speaker 2Rabbi Schneier and Rabbi Einsidler , and it's just a little dry , let's be honest , and a little long , and I'm doing this thing where it's wonderful for the kids and my mother was on the board of four and then Modi comes out .
Speaker 3And destroys .
Speaker 2And he destroys yeah . He takes this audience in the pot . He's telling a story about how he he went through security with a , with a shofar yes , yes , you know that's a great story . It killed . And then I come back up and then when in my bar mitzvah we did a short film happy Povom Lady , they were so happy to see you . They loved you so much , I was fine .
Speaker 1You weren't there to be . This was people .
Speaker 2This was 1,200 people at the Waldorf Astoria .
Speaker 1That's right this isn't like a congregation of 150 people . This is 1,300 people . In Waldorf , astoria , they had the cantor Cantor . They had the cantor cantor Helfgott . Yes , he sang Nessun Dorma , this Verdi opera .
Speaker 2How do you remember that I ?
Speaker 1remember that , because my opening line was I think you've been hanging out with the Pope too much , because the rabbi always meets with the Pope when the Pope comes to town .
Speaker 2And now this chazen , my father . We have a picture on our piano of my father shaking the Pope's hand . Yeah , because he the public didn't know what hit him .
Speaker 1Yeah , and so that was that night . Yeah , that was unbelievable . The other time at that synagogue was the host was being honored and then he decided he wanted to be host . I was supposed to be the host and the comedy and the whole thing , and then the guy being honored decides he wants to be the MC too . And I forgot his name , but he owns a football team , not the night we did , but another night .
Speaker 2It was another night , so what do you do in that situation ?
Speaker 1So they were on the stage . At one point it was Rabbi Arthur Schneier talking about the Holocaust , this guy's father who survived the Holocaust and the guy who's the son of the survivor of the Holocaust , all talking about the Holocaust for 20 minutes . The only thing missing was like videos of trains . Oh God , there was the only thing missing Piles of glasses , and then Benny Roganitsky , who runs the synagogue over there , right so he says Modi , get on stage , end this .
Speaker 1I walk on stage , I walk on stage to the podium and all of them are in the middle , you know , holocausting . And then the rabbi turns to me and goes Modi , I go hello , rabbi , he goes hello and they all begin to walk off . Fantastic , fantastic .
Speaker 2This is a great development .
Speaker 1Now the room is still , and what am I going to say now ? I said , ladies and gentlemen , I am neither the grandchild or son of a survivor . In the early 1930s , my grandparents then living in Eastern Europe looked around and said this doesn't look good . We're getting out , morris , grab your valise . Grab your valise . And the audience just cracked up Amazing , but it could have gone . They could have been like , because they were all fully in In the Holocaust . In the Holocaust , those moments were like oh my God .
Speaker 2Well , it's funny , you should say Benny Ragosnitsky , because I am doing an event in New York . I never thought I'd be promoting it right now , but this couldn't be a better place to promote it . Yeah , this Sunday night at Parky's Synagogue .
Speaker 3Oh , this is not airing for a few weeks . Oh , okay then forget it .
Speaker 1So what's the event ?
Speaker 2Well , I mean , the goal for Parky'sagogue is to like build up its younger contingent . Yeah , so I'm 53-year-old . Mark Feuerstein is meant to be entertainment to get younger people in there . So I'm having a conversation with a kid named Izzy Carton , who's the son of a great patron of Parkey Synagogue and a great kid , and we're doing a conversation there which brings me back to like when I was 13 and doing the . A 2000 year old man with Arthur roses for the benefit , for probably it's like the same thing , I like nothing changes .
Speaker 1It's so amazing .
Speaker 2It's so amazing , it's just in different stages of your life , you're still a part of that .
Speaker 1It's all to honor my father , who's a huge member and a great contributor and I call my dad and say dad , is this something we should do ? He believes in community .
Speaker 2You do it . He's a pillar of that community , of every community he's a part of , and if I can do anything to honor him at any point , I do it .
Speaker 1You know we were going to call this podcast Duff Gay Pistons , but now we're going to call it Harvey Forresting .
Speaker 2For sure , yes , the story he would tell about me and this is a random story because it's not actually that funny . But Morton Downey Jr , do you remember that guy Of ? Course he was like a poor man's Jerry .
Speaker 1Springer , he looked like a horse , correct .
Speaker 2Correct , he came to my high school to speak . I'm doing this instead of my father , who would do it if he were here . This is basically me channeling Harvey , who would like this story to be told ? Yes , because we're talking about honoring my dad .
Speaker 2I'm telling Harvey who would like this story to be told ? Yes , Because we're talking about honoring my dad . Okay , so he's talking .
Navigating Identity and Justice in School
Speaker 2He says in my career I've learned that all politicians are crooks and the word lawyer should be spelled L-I-A-R . And I'm sitting there thinking about my dad , who's a great lawyer in Manhattan for 40 years , and I raise my hand and Morton Downey calls on me . I say Mr Downey , you have just said that about lawyers and my father is a lawyer in Manhattan and he is the most honorable person you could ever hope to meet . So would you please redefine your spelling of the word lawyer ? And it ends with Morton Downey Jr getting so upset at my question and my confrontation with him , giving the finger to the entire student body of Dalton . Our coach , our coach Alan Boyers , is yelling back at him . He's yelling back at him and he leaves , runs out of the theater into his limo and drives off . Wow , yes , it was a disaster . That's dramatic .
Speaker 3For him , but we Wow yeah .
Speaker 1Good for you , but that's how much . They weren't paying him much . They weren't paying him much . They weren't paying him anything , no , but they sent a car .
Speaker 2Yes , they sent a car . That was it . They sent a car , that was it . He thought it was a good promotion .
Speaker 1Oh my God . So you have kids here now . So the kids , they don't go to Jewish school . Well , you didn't go to Jewish school , you went to Dalton , I went to Dalton .
Speaker 2Yeah , went to Jewish school and you still no , I went to .
Speaker 1We began with Solomon Shechter , then we went to Hewlett High School .
Speaker 2Okay , Finished at Hewlett High School . Did you think you would still be ?
Speaker 1observant , which you are now . I'm more observant than my family . I'm more . I love this stuff . I love it .
Speaker 2I absolutely love it . You don't perform on .
Speaker 1Shabbos or you do . I keep Shabbos in my own way , but I keep Shabbos , we do , we do .
Speaker 2That's the amazing thing about Jews is the way we can adjust from reform to conservative to orthodox , like it's a big container and people can , you know , be Jews in the way that they feel comfortable .
Speaker 1There's 15 million Jews and 15 million ways to be Jewish . Yes , yeah , correct , it's not the chosen people , it's the choosing people .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1This works for me . This works for you . Don't work ? So don't wear a hat . So don't wear a hat . No one asked you to wear a hat . Thank you very much . Okay , so you can , yes , the branzino's fine Eat the branzino , 100% .
Speaker 2but it's complicated because , like here , I sit on the Jewish affinity group and there are things about a progressive high school that upset certain Jews in the community , and I see their point . What's this Jewish affinity group ? It means like we're because of identity politics . These days , it is safer to have groups of a certain ethnicity gather amongst themselves to talk in a safe environment about race and identity .
Speaker 2Because if you mix it too much , it could brew something offensive , and it's not upon the other ethnic groups to teach you how to behave with them . It's something we can talk about amongst ourselves , and then there are ways to interact .
Speaker 1Wow , that's so LA , that's so LA that's so LA , did you hear ? That , and the groups , the wooden groups , no , okay okay , so now okay , okay , so the affinity group . But but a minion . There's a minion when your affinity minion gets together there are , there are .
Speaker 2Well , it's , it's it . It's it's like what are they upset about ? We are living in everything .
Speaker 3Literally everything . No , because he said it that they're , they're upset . So what are they upset about ?
Speaker 2There were episodes last year where , during an art show , kids in the school put up signs that said free Palestine . And suddenly it's like a discussion Like how are you going to make them pay for desecrating art made by students in a public space ? Oh , that's not cool , are ?
Speaker 3you going to ?
Speaker 2punish them , and are we going to know how you punish them and the teachers who were involved and allowing that to happen ? What are you going to do ? Oh my God . And because we are at a progressive school and there's restorative justice means meaning they center the students and they have a this is too- .
Speaker 3Wait , wait , wait . How are they center the students and they have a this is too- . I think the kids need to how ?
Speaker 1are you restoring justice ? Restorative justice ? What are we on a class ? Are we on the Lord of the Rings ? Over here ?
Speaker 3They gotta spank the kids , bring back corporal punishment .
Speaker 2It's a whole part of progressive education , which is that there's a process by which you talk to the kid and you don't immediately give him corporal punishment or a consequence .
Speaker 1You talk about what ?
Speaker 2was going on . You don't know what I'm talking about .
Speaker 1This is all like gobbledygook .
Speaker 2I think they need that A little more punishment .
Speaker 3They need a little more .
Speaker 2Well , that's the constant conversation . That's what's going on .
Speaker 3I think you're coddling the kids you guys want heads to roll . Did your parents ever hit you ? This is why we don't have kids .
Speaker 2One time , my father started spanking me and I didn't . It was only until I realized that he was spanking me that I started crying , but it didn't hurt . He wasn't like a tough smack .
Speaker 1Yeah , today there's no hitting the kids .
Speaker 3My mom would flick me in the mouth .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , that was a choice . Okay , so now these kids have Someone flick me in the mouth .
Speaker 1Oh yeah . Okay , that was a choice , but okay , so now these kids have restorative justice . I didn't have restorative justice . They barely knew I was dyslexic . Okay , so that's a lot . So what's ? Interesting though about the multiplicity of our people is that there are many— how many people are this infinity group ?
Speaker 2They say , two Jews , three , five , whatever five opinions , right ? So that's what we have and it's hard to deal with sometimes because some people are much more aggro and I am the nice guy who just wants everybody to get along . Isn't that easy ? And I like that , we are—I like being on the diversity and equity and inclusion committee . But then I also see the Jewish point of view and I find myself constantly in the middle where certain people are like grabbing their pitchforks and ready to , you know , exact blood . It's hard .
Speaker 3You got to find the middle ground we have comedy We've got the light .
Speaker 1We have to wrap this up Comedy .
Speaker 2Do you get the light when you're in the middle of a stand-up show ?
Speaker 1No , when it's my own . No , I know my time , I know how to look at my watch , I know how to you know when your bit is coming together . Yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2Because when we were doing this comedy show at Duke , I was like do you want to be the light to be waved off exactly when it's eight minutes , and then I'm done Anyway .
Speaker 1No , there's certain times , yeah , certain times no Right .
Speaker 2But yeah , well , we've gotten the light . We've gotten the light , so we've got to wrap this up An hour flies by .
Speaker 1Okay , so tell everybody listening to this podcast where can they find you , how can they see you , how can they go watch your movies ?
Speaker 2Okay , none of you have MGM Plus , get it . I know you don't need another streaming service , but get it immediately because we'd like to be making a season two and watch Hotel Cocaine , something light , yep , watch . Well , hopefully you'll be able to watch DMV when it comes out , my wife's show on CBS . We'll see If we do a reboot . You're going to watch Royal Pains , but you can watch it now on Netflix . Fantastic For you younger people who are not in this audience . You can watch the Babysitter's Club . Where can they follow you ? They can follow me at Mark Feuerstein on Instagram . Thank you , that was helpful Spell that .
Speaker 1Yeah , spell it . You don't know how to spell it right off the bat , they would shoot me in the head right now At M- going to be very helpful for my public persona .
Speaker 2I actually have to post things now .
Speaker 3We'll give you clips from here . We'll give you clips , he'll give you .
Speaker 2Can I say what to come from Siegel's Deli , where we sat , and he told me that your soup was cold . To be here today talking about our careers I'm quelling .
Speaker 1No , it's Mashiach Energy . That's Mashiach Energy . That's Mashiach Energy . It's unbelievable . And speaking of Mashiach Energy , create Mashiach Energy and get tickets to my show . I'm on tour . Pause for laughter comedy tour . This is airing , probably sooner rather than later . So there's shows in Denver , denver . We're going to be there December 5th . We are going to be in the Beacon Theater Three shows . There's the Beacon Theater three shows . This ticket's still available on the 17th mark . The other two shows are sold out at the Beacon Theater on December 17 , 18 , and 19 .
Speaker 2This is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan yeah , you're kidding the Beacon .
Speaker 1Where's the Beacon ?
Speaker 2on the Upper West Side of Manhattan . Yes , you're right . He was right . Excuse me , I just said it correctly .
Speaker 3I thought he was kidding .
Comedy Show Promotion and New Project
Speaker 3Alright , there's lots of shows coming up . I love that theater it's amazing , it's amazing .
Speaker 2I can't wait . I can't believe he made that happen . I would like to come . I would like to be there . When is it ?
Speaker 117 , 18 , and 19 of December . And then we have other shows all deep into 2025 Fort Lauderdale and many , many places . Texas is coming up too .
Speaker 3There's so many cities we don't even know how to promote anymore . They're all on ModiLive . Go to .
Speaker 1ModiLivecom and be the friend that brings the friends to the comedy show . Get a few tickets for a few friends and we'll see you all there , mark .
Speaker 2I can't thank you . I have one more thing I wanted to share , which is not a name you necessarily need to mention on here , but maybe you've travels . This great writer , neil labute , wrote a short for me and my friend from ps158 new york , michael rapaport , and we're going to shoot that in new paltz , new york , over the thanksgiving break . So that's fun michael rapaport , my love love , love , love , love , that anger , I love him , I love him thank you all very much for listening .
Speaker 1Thank you so much for doing this .
Speaker 2I'm so happy to see heaven , heaven , I loved it thank you all very much .