Have You Heard The One About The Kosher Comedian?

Stand-up comic Ayelet Newman never gets laughs from men during her shows.

Her act is only for women and girls.

"Ayelet the Kosher Comic" comes to Sharon this weekend, performing at 7 p.m. Sunday at . A dairy dinner will be provided by Tova’s Catering. Tickets are $36. Chevrat Nashim, Mikveh of the South Shore, and the Temple Israel Sisterhood are sponsoring the show.

This interview was conducted by e-mail.

SHARON PATCH: How has your act become more refined in recent years?
AYELET NEWMAN: When I used to do comedy in regular clubs, my act was as non-kosher as it could have been. You name it, I had it - vulgarities, cursing, making fun of others, everything that's easy to joke about while getting a quick laugh and never worrying about doing the right thing or working hard for a good, clean laugh.

It's so easy to make jokes about people, to use curse words, to talk about subjects that are private and totally inappropriate for public venues. Potty humor is the easy way out.

In recent years since learning about my heritage as a Jew, I have come to realize that perhaps there is a better way.

Maybe I can get good, clean laughs while joking and making light of life situations, rather than people. By using uplifting stories and humorous life events to make people laugh, while never cursing or talking about subjects that are best left for people's private lives.  

SHARON PATCH: How do you handle hecklers?
AYELET NEWMAN: Since it's not the right thing to make fun of them, when I get hecklers, I work with them. I joke with them and use the opportunity to allow them to speak and maybe make a joke too!    

SHARON PATCH: Do you change your performance for Reform, Conservative and Orthodox audiences?
AYELET NEWMAN: My routines are geared for Jewish women of all walks of life. It's a fun ladies night out and understandable to all. When my audience understands more Hebrew and Yiddish terminology, then I use more of those words. When they don't generally have familiarity with those terms and phrases, I try to use more English words. But the content is very much the same.  

SHARON PATCH: Do you keep a kosher diet?
AYELET NEWMAN:  I eat strictly kosher.  

SHARON PATCH:  How often do rabbis comment on your act?
AYELET NEWMAN:  I don't perform in front of men, so the few rabbis who have heard my routines on audio tracks have had positive things to say.