Uptown Showdown: Hanukkah vs Christmas

I had a great time at the mock debate at symphony space. Prior to the show, I had no idea who the performers were, but I was impressed by their credentials. They were able to take somewhat of a difficult topic and turn it into something that was pretty funny.

While certain performers on both sides didn’t stand out too well, overall the two teams did a great job. I couldn’t decide which team was funnier at the end because they both had their moments. The only regret I had was that I missed a handful of the jokes because I didn’t get the references behind them. Most of these jokes came from the Hanukkah side, and were based off knowledge that I didn’t have because of my unfamiliarity with the holiday.

Something I noticed both teams do, was walk a very fine line between humor and overly crude humor. While the line was crossed several times during the night, the comedians always seemed to bring themselves back. This reminded me of what pitchmen need to do to keep their crowds. They have to keep their attention, but at the same time they can’t come across as overly needy or aggressive. Similarly, by venturing too far into the crude zone comedians risk alienating a large part of their audience.