Comedian and Roast-Master Jeff Ross Hits Broadway

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Comedian and Roast-Master Jeff Ross Hits Broadway"

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Air Date: August 26, 2025
Guest: Jeff Ross
Episode Focus: The Broadway debut of Jeff Ross’s show, Take a Banana for the Ride, blending comedy and resilience through personal and family stories.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on comedian Jeff Ross and his Broadway solo show, Take a Banana for the Ride, currently playing at the Nederlander Theatre. Known for his sharp roasts, Ross’s show instead spotlights personal history, family loss, mourning, gratitude, and growth, while still weaving in humor and audience engagement. Alison Stewart and Ross delve into his creative journey, the lessons in loss and resilience, and how he’s translating roast comedy for the Broadway stage.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jeff Ross’s Early Days in Radio and Comedy

• [01:43 – 03:41]
  • Jeff shares his public radio roots, working at WBUR in college as an audio engineer, splicing tape—“the way it's meant to be done.”
  • Started in college radio (WTBU) with early ambitions in writing and music, not standup.
  • After a stint making training films, a friend encouraged him to try a comedy class—a pivotal career moment:

    "That was it. I was in love." – Jeff Ross [03:37]

Origins and Evolution of the Broadway Show

• [03:44 – 06:57]
  • The show’s original version dates back almost 30 years, born from NYC’s ‘alternative comedy’ scene.
  • Early inspiration: telling personal, honest stories—such as about his grandfather—rather than just performing classic standup.
  • The show has always been a tribute to his parents and grandfather, grounding Ross with their presence, even down to his grandfather’s WWII ring.
  • The loss of close friends—Bob Saget, Norm Macdonald, Gilbert Gottfried—pushed him to revisit and deepen the show’s themes about loss and resilience.
  • The “banana suit” is both a symbol of silliness and a boundary, helping Ross leave difficult stories on stage:

    "Now I learned that I can make a silly bruised banana suit...and when the show's over, take it off, leave it in the dressing room." – Jeff Ross [06:40]

Collaborating to Bring the Show to Broadway

• [06:57 – 08:59]
  • Worked with dramaturg Seth Barish and director Steven Kessler to shape solo storytelling into a fully realized, narrative-driven Broadway production.
  • Drew staging inspiration from Bruce Springsteen concerts for emotional variety—a "roaster coaster" of emotions.

    "I wanted the show to feel like a roller coaster, a roaster coaster, if you will, of emotions." – Jeff Ross [07:50]

  • Seth Barish was instrumental in “the landing” – ensuring the show had a powerful ending.

Family Stories: Parents, Love Letters, and Clinton Manor

• [08:59 – 14:06]
  • Ross discusses vivid family characters:
    • His mother: likened to Delta Burke (“looks-wise”), Sophia Loren, Marisa Tomei, and Rachel Bloom (“she would be great as my mom”) [09:57].
    • His father: tall, funny, “almost John Goodman...or Jim Carrey,” who encouraged him to dream big and “manifest” Broadway.
    • The family business: Clinton Manor Caterers, legendary for generations of Jersey celebrations, led by his great-grandmother, “a pioneer in her field.”
    • Coincidence: Clinton Manor was demolished the same week his show opened, serving as poetic closure and tribute.
  • Rituals backstage include listening to Man of La Mancha, vocal warmups, and interacting with family heirlooms.
  • On grieving his mother’s illness and death, Ross reflects on maturity and acceptance at a young age, and how that shaped his views on mourning.

On Mourning, Moving Forward, and Emotional Honesty

• [14:06 – 16:22]
  • Ross gives listeners permission to move through grief:

    "If you mourn forever...a part of you dies, and that's not fair. And I kind of give people permission to walk out of it sometimes. … You don't have to forget, but you can't wallow in it." – Jeff Ross [15:17]

Sharing the Intimate: Reading Family Letters on Stage

• [17:04 – 18:57]
  • He reads his parents’ love letters on stage to keep their spirits alive for audiences.
  • Acknowledges vulnerability and sometimes feeling intrusive, but believes sharing these stories helps others process their own lives.
  • Keeps family memorabilia close, both on and off stage for grounding, catharsis, and authenticity.

Visual Language and Staging

• [18:57 – 19:49]
  • The set design is inspired by a family photo album, using framed circular pictures reminiscent of his great-grandmother’s era.

Men, Vulnerability, and Intergenerational Bonds

• [20:06 – 21:59]
  • His grandfather expressed love through gestures (“take a banana for the ride”) instead of words—a theme explored in the show.
  • The Broadway run has prompted male audience members, especially fathers and sons, to connect openly.
  • Reads a moving graduation letter his father wrote him—an unexpected, lasting crescendo in the show.

Health Crises, Real Life, and Aging Onstage

• [21:59 – 23:10]
  • Ross shares, and jokes about, his battles with cancer and turning 60 during the show’s run ("Shh...").
  • His birthday show will feel like a second chance, a communal celebration with friends and audiences:

    “I’m the luckiest guy in the world…It definitely feels like a party for me anyway.” – Jeff Ross [22:29]

Audience Participation: The Immersive Bananas Finale

• [23:10 – 26:11]
  • The show's interactive closing: Ross moves through the audience, asks who’s celebrating, grieving, or just needs attention, then rewards them with bananas and roasts—blending catharsis with comedy.

    "...It’s not just the fight. It’s the army. And the audience is part of my army." – Jeff Ross [23:51]

  • Recalls standout participants, like a mother and son navigating Alzheimer’s in their family, and how comedy unlocked catharsis for them both.

    “People are laughing and crying at the same time, which isn’t attractive, but it’s very cathartic.” – Jeff Ross [25:57]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Manifesting Success:

  “Jim [Carrey] said to me...this show should be on Broadway. And I was like, don’t hex it...He goes, no, no, that’s how it works. You have to say it. You have to believe it.” – Jeff Ross [10:17]

• On Grieving and Moving On:

  "If you mourn forever...a part of you dies, and that’s not fair. ...There’s a process and it’s okay to move on. You don’t have to forget, but you can’t wallow in it." – Jeff Ross [15:17]

• On Family and Vulnerability:

  “Men don’t always talk like that...That’s one of the fun things about doing it on Broadway. It allows men, mostly who are afraid to be vulnerable, to be vulnerable.” – Jeff Ross [20:23]

• On the Audience’s Role:

  “It’s not just the fight—it’s the army. And the audience is part of my army. ...If it was all about me, Alison, I would be bored already.” – Jeff Ross [23:51]

• Roastmaster Heart:

  “At the end...I put on a bag of bananas and I say, who’s going through something intense? Who’s celebrating something? And people pop up and they earn their banana with an insult.” – Jeff Ross [23:36]

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Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |:-------------:|:------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:43-03:41 | Early radio/college days: from audio engineer to first standup | | 03:44-06:57 | Origins/evolution of Take a Banana for the Ride and family roots | | 06:57-08:59 | Collaborating with Barrow Group and elevating the show | | 09:11-14:06 | Family stories, Clinton Manor Caterers, and prepping for performances| | 14:06-16:22 | Approach to grief, moving on, and lessons from loss | | 17:04-18:57 | Reading family love letters on stage & emotional authenticity | | 18:57-19:49 | Set design: the family album motif | | 20:06-21:59 | Grandpa Jack, vulnerability, father/son moments | | 21:59-23:10 | Health crises, turning 60, and why the show matters | | 23:10-26:11 | Interactive roasted banana finale and audience impact |

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Conclusion

Jeff Ross’s Broadway turn is a heartfelt, boundary-spanning tribute to family, grief, comedy, and community. Through stories, laughter, and an immersive interactive finale, Ross creates a ritual of remembrance and resilience. The episode offers listeners a candid backstage pass into his craft and the healing potential of humor—delivering both laughs and tears in equal measure.

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For tickets or information:
Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride at the Nederlander Theatre, through September 28th.

Transcript

[A]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I'm really grateful you're here. On today's show, singer, songwriter Umi joins us for a listening party for her new album, People's Stories. Writer and artist Peter Mendelsohn has published two books this year. One is a novel titled Weepers, and another is titled Exhibitionist. One journal, one depression, 100 paintings. And he will join us to discuss. That's the plan. So let's get this started with Jeff Ross. Take a banana for the ride. Jeff Ross is very funny, and you discover in his new show he's a real mensch. You might think that a man known for humorously roasting people, Tom Brady, for example, would be full of jokes. But his show at the Nederlander Theater is also full of appreciation for life. And that's because Jeff Ross has survived a couple of dark times with humor as an aide. He grew up in Jersey, where his parents ran a catering hall until his mom grew ill and he died when he was just 14. His dad did his best with his kids and tried to live without her. Got a little help from his friend Cocaine. He passed away when Jeff was 19. Jeff has battled cancer on his own, lost three of his closest friends within a few months. He recounts all of it in his new show, Jeff Ross Take a Banana for a Ride, playing at the Nederlander Theater until September 28th. Jeff, it is so nice to see you.

[B]

Thanks, Allison. It's a comedy, by the way, and it's a comedy.

[A]

Before we get into your show, I want to check the Internet, because you know the Internet, of course, it said that you worked at your public radio station, wbur, where you were an audio engineer in college.

[B]

This is my. You're like Juliana, Hi, Juliana. Way to go.

[A]

Did you really work as an audio engineer in public radio?

[B]

My my work study job was editing audio tapes with a razor blade and chalk the way it's meant to be done. And, and then I was the fill in board operator for Car Talk and Morning Edition. So shout out to my NPR people all over the East Coast.

[A]

Nice. When did you know? When you were in school? What did you want to do? Did you want to be in radio? Did you want to be a comic? What did you want to do?

[B]

I didn't even dream of being a comic. When I was in college, I wanted to write and that took me before even that to radio. I was music director and a DJ in my College radio station WTBU in Boston, which was, like, on Carrier Current. Like, my sister and her friends would fax requests. Like, it was really primitive.

[A]

I was music director, WBOR in Providence.

[B]

Oh, wow. Yeah, Pretty cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And, yeah, that was like my dream to just be on the radio. And I tried to get jobs coming out of college and it didn't really click. So I wound up making training films for a health and beauty aids company here in Manhattan, and my heart wasn't in it. And my pal Mark, who I'd gone to college with, said, I think you should take this comedy class. It's right near Port Authority. It'll be convenient. So I was still living in Jersey with my grandfather. And that was it. I was in love.

[A]

In your bio in Playbill, it said that you started.

[B]

Can you say that again slower?

[A]

In your bio in Playbill?

[B]

Wow, that's so cool.

[A]

You said, I first started writing and performing at an early version of the show almost 30 years ago, but I didn't quite have the emotional force, fortitude to finish it. So. 30 years ago?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Getting the Way Back machine. What was your original goal when you were writing it?

[B]

You know, it was one of those happy accidents where the alternative comedy scene was popping up in New York. We were not using microphones, we were using new spaces that weren't comedy clubs. It was more for our community and a way to try different things. I wasn't really popping as a traditional comic. And we would do storyteller shows. Michael Ian Black would sell stuff from his apartment and Marc Maram would just tell a story about a trip he took. And Jeanine Garofalo, David Cross were all doing what we called alternative comedy. And I didn't want to be left out. And I sort of. I told a five minute story about my grandfather picking me up at Little League practice. And an executive saw that and, and said, that was really good. How many of those do you have? And I said, I could probably string three or four together. He goes, if you can get a half hour together, I'll come see it and I'll book you at the comedy festival in Aspen for hbo. I was like, that was a big deal. So my goal was to tell these stories in a convincing way and maybe get some traction for my career. Because standup, traditional microphone, punchline, standup wasn't quite taken off for me. So it was really just a way to express myself and get seen.

[A]

What made you bring it back to life?

[B]

I did it like 20 or 30 times in a couple years back in the mid-90s. And I found myself cranky and confused and just headachy afterwards. I wasn't trained to leave it in the dressing room. And I kind of. And I knew the show was good because people would constantly bring it up and say, oh, I still have a tape. Or I still have the old poster from that old Take a Banana for the Ride show. And was basically a tribute to my parents and my grandfather, my pop Jack, who I lived with during my open mic days. And I would act out his voice and I played film clips of him. And I wear his ring to this day. It's a steel bolt.

[A]

So cool.

[B]

From a captured Nazi U boat from World War II. He was a shipbuilder in Baltimore and he stole a bolt and made a ring out of it. And it wasn't till decades later when I lost three pals, Bob Saget, Norm MacDonald and Gilbert Gottfried, right, within eight months, that made me look back at the old show and go, what was I talking about back then? About mourning and resilience and how to get through it. And now I learned that I can make a silly bruised banana suit. Wear that. And when the show's over, take it off, leave it in the dressing room, you know, and then be myself, go out to dinner, and then put it back on when I get back to the Nederlander Theater the next day. So I've gotten a little more thick skin, if you will.

[A]

You work with Seth Barish, the co founder of the Barrow Group. He's a well known director and an actor. He's your dramaturg. He kind of helps shape a show. How did he help you shape the show to be a Broadway show?

[B]

Interesting. You know, I wanted to have experts help me along. I came into this very humble, knowing Broadway expects an elevated experience and a story. And I designed the show more like a concert originally where I have a love letter, a new bit, an old bit, you know, like, I don't want to say borrowed because I would be reading my parents love letters, but it was like an Italian wedding of sorts, like something new, something old, something borrowed. And I was always patterning it off. Bruce Springsteen concerts, he would do two slow ones and three fast ones, then a sad one, then a sing along, then he'd put the lights on and everybody would sing along and then he'd go back to. And I always liked keeping people on their toes. And I wanted the show to feel like a roller coaster, a roaster coaster, if you will, of emotions. But as I thought about elevating it to Broadway, I realized a story, making it literature, if you will, a play, stuff I grew up on, the stuff that I love, was going to be important to the audience and also a fun experience for me to elevate the show. And Seth listened to my stories about my colonoscopies, about my family. And our director, Steven Kessler. And I got a lot of very useful knowledge from Seth Barish, who has directed so many great plays.

[C]

It's kind of interesting because it does have a beginning, middle, and end to it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

As opposed to just story after story after story.

[B]

Yeah, that was the goal. And originally, I'm not sure it did. It had a little bit of that. But Seth helped me sort of carve out what the core story should be and mostly really helped me with what he called the landing, getting it, like the end of the show.

[C]

My guest is Jeff Ross. We're talking about a show. Jeff Ross, Take a Banana for a Ride. It's the Nederlander Theater until September 28th. A good chunk of the show is about your parents, Marcia and Ronnie.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

Okay. In the movie, you say your mom kind of looked like Delta Burke.

[B]

Yeah, Look.

[C]

Looks wise. But in terms of her. Her personality, her spirit.

[A]

Wise.

[C]

Who would have played her in the movie?

[B]

In a hypothetical movie you're talking about right now? Oh, my God. Well, I look at my mom and I go, sophia Loren's dead. Right. So she couldn't do it. So my mom was that rare beauty that was also sharp. Like, she would act out stuff at her Bernay Brith meetings, and she would write me funny letters from the hospital, and I'd write her funny letters back when she was sick. The hospital was far away. Boy, that's a good question. For some reason, Marisa Tomei jumps out at me.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I love Rachel Bloom. She would be great.

[A]

Oh, she'd be great.

[B]

She would be great as my mom. Boy, this is a fun game. I never thought about this really before.

[C]

Well, how about for your dad?

[B]

My dad? Oh, man. Gosh.

[C]

John Goodman, maybe my dad.

[B]

That's not bad. That's not bad. My dad was 6 2. He played college basketball. Super funny. I look at Jim Carrey and I go, that would be my dad. Dream job. He came to the show the other day and always talked to me about manifesting the show into reality. Jim said to me two years ago, he was like, this show should be on Broadway. And I was like, don't hex it. Don't say that. And he goes, no, no, no, no. That's how it works. We have to Say it. You have to say it. You have to believe it. And then two years later, he surprised me and showed up, came into town for 24 hours to see the show.

[C]

Do you believe in manifesting?

[B]

I do now because I saw it worked. Yeah, I always, you know, when you take. You get lost as a young person, Alison, it affects you. And it would be hard for me to make long term plans because I go, yeah, it's all going to fall apart. So just let me go day by day and enjoy the process, the experience of doing it and not really build that skyscraper in my head. And now, thanks to Jim and some other people in my life, I've been able to think more long term and plan it and actually see this happen. So people are going, are you like pinching yourself? I'm like, sort of. But I saw it. Yeah, I saw this. And I also kept my apartment in New York for decades. I always dreamed about being a working Broadway actor, so. So it's kind of fun to see hard work pay off.

[A]

Tell us about the place that your folks ran. Cause I'm sure there are people listening right now who have been to it.

[B]

Yeah, there's a lot of people out here in the tri State area that may have gotten bar mitzvahed or been to a bar mitzvah or a wedding at Clinton Manor. Caterers, originally on Clinton Avenue in Newark in the 70s, moved to Union, New Jersey, where it was for many decades. It eventually changed families. And only a few weeks ago. How about this? While we were building the set up at the Nederlander, the building was demolished in Union, N.J. and friends drove by and took pictures. And it was kind of poetic that this business that used to be our families was torn down at the same week we were building it back up on Broadway. So it feels like a really great tribute to the Clinton Manor. Judy Blume wrote about Clinton Manor in one of her novels. She said it was every Jersey girl's dream to grow up and have a big fancy wedding at Clinton Manor. It was a run and created by my great grandma Rosie, who was sort of a pioneer in her field. She started this kosher catering hall in newark in the 50s, before women really had big businesses like that in New Jersey. So she definitely was a trendsetter. She ran it with her three sons. My grandfather was the band leader and my uncles ran the kitchens. And yep, Clinton Manor.

[A]

By the way, one of our listeners has texted in Sophia Lorenzo, still alive.

[B]

Oh, I'm sorry, Sophia, I'm sorry. I listen to her every day. As I am preparing and getting into character, I crank up the soundtrack to Mana La Mancha, great Broadway show that my parents used to have the eight track for. And she plays Aldanza Dulcinea.

[A]

So is that part of your process, getting ready?

[B]

It is.

[A]

You listen to the music and what else do you do?

[B]

I have a dresser, which is a new Broadway thing for me, and a dressing room. And my dresser, David, prepares my clothes. There's two microphones baked into the. Sewn into the pants. I have a tea or sometimes just water with a straw. You do vocal warmups? Because I sing in this show, and not on key or anything, but I do sing. And I get into my costume as I crank up man of La Mancha.

[A]

Your mom died when you were 14?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Your dad when you were 19?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, watching your parents go through really tough times. When you were really young, did you understand what was going on with your mom?

[B]

I don't really break into it in the show because it gets hard for me. Sure. But I heard her say to my dad in a fight, I don't want to die in this house. And that gave me pause as a young boy, I was probably 12 or 13, and I realized that she had a very serious illness. And I looked it up in an encyclopedia. This is before you could look anything up on the Internet. And I understood what leukemia was. So when we were in a new town, in a new house, and suddenly she wasn't there really. She was in the hospital most of the time. I think I was expecting her death, almost relieved, because she'd been suffering. I think my sister, who's 16 months younger than me, was caught off guard a little more than I was.

[A]

What's something, you know about losing your parents that other people wouldn't know who don't. Who haven't lost their parents yet?

[B]

Well, life goes on. It sounds cliche, but one of the things I talk about in the show that seems to be helping people is the notion that I learned as a young man about mourning. I don't know where you're at in your life, but we all go through it eventually. Human beings are created, made, in fact. We're designed to mourn and move on. If you mourn forever, which some people do, we've all seen these people. They get stuck in a rut, and they never quite get out of it. A part of you dies, and that's not fair. And I kind of give people permission to walk out of it sometimes. It takes a long time, and it doesn't mean, you stop thinking about the person? Certainly not. I'm the one doing eight shows a week about my parents that are gone and my. And my comedian friends, my tribe, if you will, that are gone. Even my dog I talk about in the show quite a lot. So there's a process and it's okay to move on. You don't have to forget, but you can't wallow in it.

[A]

We're talking about Jeff Ross, Take a Banana for the Ride. It's at the Nederlander Theater until September 8th. We'll have more after a quick break. This is all of It. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest in studio is Jeff Ross. We're talking about his show, Take a Banana for the Ride. It's at the Nederlander Theater until September 28th. So you were living in Jersey, a good part of the show. You talk about your mom, your dad, actually. You read their love letters on stage. What went into that decision?

[B]

They're not here to stop me. And I definitely sometimes feel like it's intrusive to their. My sister will occasionally say, I don't think mommy would like you saying this line or that line. And my sister was just here for a couple weeks for the opening of the show. And I said, you know, I've seen other celebrities. Not celebrities, but like, you'll see her Lucille Ball movie about Lucy. And I go, oh, yeah. They probably wouldn't like all of that either. But sometimes their story serves a greater good, which is helping living people understand their lives a little bit better. And I do think my parents would appreciate that and endorse that. So it gets very intimate and sometimes it's hard to read that stuff.

[A]

Do you cry?

[B]

I do cry during the show.

[A]

I always kind of wonder if you get sort of emotional or kind of distance you from being a performer when you're on stage and you're discussing stuff that is really very personal, you know.

[B]

I know most actors, they get to take the costume off and the wig off and the microphone and they go home. I take some of it off, but I leave with my real dog, my real family, my real memories. I'm sort of living in the character. In fact, I emptied my storage unit when I got to town. So I'm living with my grandfather's false teeth in a box next to me and his union card and my parents love letters, 30 of them piled high. And when I'm feeling it, I break them out and I read it, and it helps me Understand the show and the character better. And I don't use all of it in the show, but it keeps me very grounded into what I'm doing and. And why I wanted to keep their spirits alive. So it's a lot.

[A]

What did you want the staging for the show to look like?

[B]

I always knew it should be simple and not too on the nose. Beowulf Barrett does a lot of big Broadway shows and feel very lucky that he took this one on. And it's a credit to the material. And I was so flattered that he looked at it and said, yeah, yeah, I have an idea. And we went back and forth a couple times and came up with something I think was inspired by a picture I showed him of my great grandma rosie from the 1950s, looking like the Queen of England with a mink stole and a gown and a rose in her hair. And it was on a big, gold, ornate frame. And that became a series of 24 circular frames that make this beautiful family album that you see when you come into the theater.

[A]

Where do you keep all those photos when they're not on stage?

[B]

In my kitchen, in my living room, on the dog bed, in the bathroom, in the closet, in my pockets. They're everywhere. I'm not organized. The fact that the show got finished is a miracle.

[A]

A lot of the show is about you and your grandpa. You mentioned him early, Grandpa Jack. And he would say, here, take a banana for the ride.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That is his way of saying, I love you.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

Why did he show his love that way versus just saying, hey, I love you, you know?

[B]

He was a retired construction worker from the Bronx. A tough guy. A world beater, he called himself. For that type of guy, he was very vulnerable. He would give you the hug and the big wraparound pat on the back. But men don't always talk like that. That's kind of one of the fun things about doing it on Broadway. It allows men, mostly who are afraid to be vulnerable, to be vulnerable. I look out at the crowd and I see guys tearing up. I'm seeing a lot of father son groups coming to the show and also daughter father groups coming to the show. It's a multi generational thing. I found right before I started the Broadway run, I was going through my parents stuff, and I found a letter my dad wrote to me the day I graduated high school. And I'm 17, and he lists 17 things he's proud of. So for a guy that I lost suddenly from a cocaine binge, I guess he almost knew he was gonna Be gone. He wrote me this beautiful letter that sort of gives a crescendo to that part of the show. And I think it's resonating with guys, you know, Broadway, there's a lot in there for the ladies. But I think I worked really hard to make sure my roast fans and dudes were seeing something for dudes that they might not see it. Mamma mia. Or whatever.

[A]

You reveal your own health crises in the show. First of all, how are you?

[B]

I feel great. Thank you. I'm doing great. Thank you. I'm jealous of your hair. That's all beautiful.

[A]

Thank you. I noticed that you're going to turn 60.

[B]

Shh.

[A]

When the show's going, though.

[B]

I know. It's crazy.

[A]

That's crazy. That's gonna happen in the middle of the show.

[B]

I don't mind people knowing. I don't want to know.

[A]

Was it a coincidence that your birthday happens?

[B]

I've been planning going, like, oh, I'm turning 60. I better plan a roast or a big event. And then the show happened, and I thought, perfect. I just want to go to work that day. I'll have two shows. A bunch of my friends are flying in and coming to the shows those nights on the 13th of September. So that whole week, I think, is going to be like birthday shows. And it's also, like, I'm up there going, I'm the luckiest guy in the world. So, like, it definitely feels like a party for me anyway, so I'm feeling the love. It'll feel like a second opening night. And it takes the pressure off turning 60, knowing I have plans.

[A]

You do manage to get your roastmaster on in this show. At the end, you come off the stage, you walk around the audience, and what's the. The premise of this?

[B]

Well, as much as the show, and I really means a lot that you came and you're speaking as an eyewitness, so you know what's happening. I talk about my own life, but throughout it, I don't say, me, me, me. I, I, I go. When you go through stuff like this, and some of you people know that it becomes hard to get close to people. So I want it to be inclusive, where if I talk about my grandfather, I want you to see your grandfather so that you're. If I talk about my dog, I want you to see your dog also, so I don't hit you too hard with the photos. I want it to be where you can see your own life in my story. And then at the end, when I'm done talking about my life and my experiences and my mechanisms for survival. I just leave the stage and I put on a bag of bananas and I say, who's going through something intense? Who's celebrating something? Who's just gross? Who just needs attention? And people start popping up around the room and they earn their banana with an insult. So I give away free produce at the end. And I make the point that it's not just the fight, it's the army. And the audience is part of my army. They give me purpose, a reason to be healthier, to eat less red meat, to get out of bed, to do these eight shows a week. If it was all about me, Alison, I would be bored already. Because it's about the audience and this immersive, interactive finale that the show has every night. It feels like the fireworks at the end of a show. I'm all in. I can't wait to get to work tonight.

[A]

Are there any good stories that are good for public radio that you can share about what the people you run into in the audience?

[B]

Oh, yeah. No, I mean, it's like, you know, I had a lady there with her son and she was very emotional after hearing my bout with colon cancer. And she stands up and she's already been crying, and she bravely says, my husband has had Alzheimer's for two years. And her son is holding her hand, and he's a big, tall, gangly kid with long hair and a little goofy. And I let her talk about, I asked her her husband's name and I dedicated the show to her husband. And then I said, but quite frankly, looking at your son, the fact that your husband has Alzheimer's seems like the least of your problems, lady. And now her son is laughing hysterically. They both get bananas, we all hug, and we're having these, like, really sweet moments inside this caustic comedy moment. And it really is the yin, the yang, the sweet, the sour, whatever you want to call it. And people are laughing and crying at the same time, which isn't attractive, but it's very cathartic.

[A]

The name of the show is Jeff Ross. Take a Banana for the Ride. It's playing at the Nederlander Theatre until September 28th. Thanks for coming in.

[B]

This was so fun. Thank you, Alison.

[D]

I'm Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine. News you won't get anywhere else. And now that political news is 24 7, our audience is turning to us to know about the really important stuff in their lives. Cancer Climate change Genetic engineering Childhood diseases. Our sponsors know the value of science and health news. For more sponsorship information, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.