Michael Rapaport Defies Woke Mob in Denver
Pro-Israel actor delivers hilarious set with bipartisan political bite
Michael Rapaport’s Friday night show in Denver went on as expected.
That by itself was a victory.
Two of the actor-turned-stand-up’s shows were canceled earlier this year. Why?
Rapaport is Jewish and a staunch defender of Israel, and he’s not shy about it. That has made him a target in recent months, sparking campaigns to de-platform him from the pro-Palestinian movement.
“Bash the Fash”
Violent Antifa group @BashTheFash161 has organized a direct action to target comedian @MichaelRapaport for coming to Portland and being a supporter of Israel. Their flyer suggests they want him dead. For weeks, Antifa have been trying to use harassment and… pic.twitter.com/FpmjJrphHY
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 13, 2024
That likely inspired Comedy Works employees to “wand” patrons as they entered the club, preventing any weapons from entering the building. That’s the new, shocking normal for many Jewish people post-Oct. 7.
If Rapaport was worried about that state of affairs, he didn’t show it during his hilarious, free-wheeling set. The self-deprecating star mostly stuck to Stand-Up 101.
Family. Parenthood. Sports. Exercise. Aging.
And, yes, toward the end of the show, the “Beautiful Girls” alum touched on antisemitism, the possible end to the hostage crisis and even a little politics.
Rapaport flirted with stand-up as a younger man, but steady film work made him shelve his comic impulses. He’s starred in a slew of major films over the years, including “Sully,” “True Romance,” “Cop Land” and “Deep Blue Sea.”
He circled back to stand-up comedy just before the pandemic and has been performing in between acting gigs and his “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast.”
The Hollywood veteran could have leaned on his Tinsel Town days for any number of bits. Instead, he performed as if he were just another stand-up, poking fun at getting fit in his 50s and disciplining his now-grown sons.
The material flowed as if every thought had just come to him. That approach avoided the traditional stand-up template but scored big laughs from the jump – after a few nods to Denver sports icons. The sports fanatic also praised New York Giants legend Laurence Taylor for crushing quarterbacks and lines of coke in his heyday and shared his failed attempt at getting in CrossFit shape.
Near the end of the set, Rapaport gently entered the culture war waters. He brought up the ongoing hostage crisis, hoping for a peaceful resolution in the days to come. He trotted out some bipartisan yuks targeting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on the Right and “cadaver” Joe Biden on the Left.
He even mocked Biden’s penchant for shaking hands with invisible strangers.
The New York native begged Big Apple dwellers not to make unabashed socialist Zohran Mamdani the city’s next Mayor.
He quickly dinged Leonardo DiCaprio for not standing up for Israeli hostages, suggesting he cares more about 23-year-old girlfriends than 23-year-old hostages.
That one left a mark.