3 minute read
Who the HELL is Jerry Farber?
a friend says to me. We meet at a local favorite because I was told that he is a comedy Legend, had fallen in love with Columbus, and somehow I had never heard of him. How does that happen? I watch, read and listen to all things comedy, so I was certain I would at least recognize him from his career. After a quick Google search, I still didn’t.
Upon arrival it quickly became clear why my friend needed others to soak up Jerry’s wisdom.
In one evening I learned that although he considers himself "old as dirt", he's definitely still got the mind of a 40-year-old (or younger), was doing a set at No Shame Theater, and could charm me into doing five minutes of standup.
I was fortunate enough to attend Jerry’s 80th birthday party at The Loft’s comedy night, where he did an hour set, proving to us all that he can still work a room.
I watched him walk around, give people his full attention when he met them, and leave on a high note or one-liner with a “great to see ya again” or “nice to meet ya.” Twenty minutes into his set, those same people were in the show. The soldier he’d met just before taking stage was now being asked if he remembered picking up those hookers with him “that one time.” He honors his audience with jokes at their expense without hurting any feelings. His jokes land with a jab, but Jerry quickly throws a blanket of laughter around the crowd to make us feel better about what he considers "a very troubled world", one more in need of laughter now than ever. He told me that, "most people don’t pay to feel uncomfortable", so he tries to bring a spirit of service to his audience—and by audience, I mean anyone he’s talking to. Jerry is always on.
"For most comedians’ art comes from an insecurity, a need to make strangers happy,” Jerry said. He does admit, however, that the art of comedy is also about self-expression, and when done with love can be healing to everyone in the room. And with Jerry, this art seems to have no shelf life.
Jerry is a classically trained pianist and began his performing career playing piano in bars. “Piano bars used to be much more popular than they are today,” he said. He found that as people would drink they would become belligerent, so he started filling the space with jokes. This gift of defense led to a long career as a stand-up comedian. He moved to Columbus from Atlanta because the city had exhausted him for many reasons, and much to his delight, he found more work here and at a pace that allows him to tell jokes past the century mark.
If you’re lucky, on certain Saturday nights you can find Jerry traversing about Uptown while he entertains you with a perfectly timed joke or a melody, while he stops to tell some half-true story finished with an unexpected punchline.
Jerry Farber is proof that you can work your entire life and continue to hone your craft, provided you keep your mind active. Jerry is also very spiritual. He studied the Old Testament, the Talmud and has a regular practice of Buddhist meditation. All of this makes him more hilarious as he walks through the streets of downtown surrounded by five beautiful women while young men do a double take. Two young men at the bar, who were distracted from a game on TV by Jerry’s entourage, gave the classic “who the hell is this guy?” look. Jerry leaned into the ear of one of the young men and said, “Stay asleep, boys, because I am wide awake.”
By April Norris
Jerry Farber
