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.

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.

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]

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]

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 |

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.

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