Eitan Levine has always believed that humor makes for great medicine. The cancer survivor and grandson of Holocaust survivors has performed in top comedy clubs across the country as well as synagogues, poking fun at both popular culture and Jewish life.
He hosted a unique and hilarious show on Amazon Prime that combined sports and comedy called “Sports Talk: Game Breakers,” where some of his guests included Jewish comedian Ariel Elias and Jewish entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.
Levine — whose work has been featured on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Late Night With Stephen Colbert” — became a TikTok sensation for his series “Jewish or Antisemitic,” which has amassed 28 million views. In this series, he conducts man-on-the-street interviews in New York City, getting people’s reactions on random topics.
His latest venture is a live game show that will take place monthly in Manhattan called “That’s So Jewish.” The first show will be on Feb. 25 at Asylum NYC in Manhattan, and Levine’s goal is “to make people laugh and spread joy.”
“There are so many crazy things going on in the world right now. I think it’s super important not to lose positivity or your sense of humor,” Levine, 34, explained to Unpacked. “This is going to be really fun and there will be five rounds of competition to see who is the most ‘chosen person.’”
Levine said he would not divulge the categories for the upcoming gameshow but hinted at topics like “best Jewish complaints” and “best bagel toppings.”
He said his “Jewish or Antisemitic” videos took off because people would give interesting and often humorous answers. Of course, things got serious after the Oct. 7 attacks and rising antisemitism in the U.S.
“Nobody should be confused,” Levine said. “I do not make light of any atrocity. I’m on social media posting against disinformation and the need to know the truth of things and not be hateful. I get a ton of hate messages against me.”
Levine is proud to be Jewish and has performed at numerous Jewish comedy events, even throwing in a bit of Yiddish here and there. A Mets and Jets fan, he was thrilled to throw out the first pitch at last season’s Jewish Heritage Day at Citi Field.
As a child, he was so ill at one point due to cancer, that he was not sure he would survive. But he did and he decided to give back to the world by working to put a smile on people’s faces. His standup acts include jokes about Jewish dating, high expectations from family members, and why he thinks people love Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift.
On TikTok, Levine recently mocked the flag and slogans of the Houthis, which he said lacked subtlety. He also posts serious statements calling for the release of the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza.
“Humor helped me in my difficult times, and I know that it helps others,” Levine said. “We can’t laugh all the time, but we can’t cry all the time either. I think it’s important to remember our humanity and to try to always do good and be a positive and uniting force.”
He wrote and directed a short film called “Burying Bubby” and wrote a New York Times article on burying his grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor, during the pandemic.
Whether it’s a podcast, a standup show, a short film, a sports show, or now a live Jewish gameshow, Levine is always on the move.
“I have a lot of ideas and there are many funny things out there and I’m definitely a high-energy person,” he said, adding that he does get recognized on occasion on the streets of New York City.
Read more: Comedian Elon Gold explains the success behind “The Chosen Comedy Festival”
Originally Published Feb 21, 2024 07:51PM EST
