Comedy trio: Rabbi, Muslim, Baptist preacher teach unity through jokes at Tacoma show Even the description sounds like a joke: A rabbi, a Muslim and a Baptist preacher walk onto a stage. But the mixed-faith comedy trio coming to Urban Grace Church in Tacoma this weekend isn’t just about laughs – it’s also about teaching and bringing people together.
The show is part of the Under One Roof project, an interfaith house-building collaboration by Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity, One Nation, Church of the Indian Fellowship and the Russell Family Foundation. Other projects include an interfaith seder last April and a July salmon bake led by the Church of the Indian Fellowship in Puyallup.
This month, the theme is laughter. Bob Alper, a rabbi from Vermont, and Chicago-based Muslim Azhar Usman have been doing stand-up comedy together for four years, appearing on CBC and CNN and touring internationally. They’re joined by the Rev. Susan Sparks, a New York Baptist preacher and lawyer who does comedy in her own right. Alper and Sparks spoke with The News Tribune about the show.
How did you three get together?
Alper: About four years ago, the Muslim comedian I was working with went into movies. So I Googled “Muslim comedian” to find another partner. I came up with Azhar. We’ve done 50 shows together now.
Sparks: I’ve known Bob for nine years – we met while I was in seminary. I was doing stand-up comedy at the time, and found him on the Web. I was shocked – a rabbi doing stand-up? He invited me to do a show with him. Bob and Azhar work as a team a lot, so every so often, I’ll step in and be the Christian chick. I love working with them.
How do you divide the show?
Alper: It’s primarily tag-team comedy. Susan is the emcee, and has a set of her own. Comedians are lone wolves.
Sparks: We also have a Q&A at the end.
Even just the concept – a rabbi, a Muslim and a woman Baptist preacher – sounds like the start of a joke. Does it go beyond that?
Sparks: We each deliver the same message from our own perspective, that we’re all one. I’m a Southerner in New York, with all that baggage; Bob’s got the Jewish perspective; Azhar has an edgy perspective of life in America as a Muslim man. We can find unity in the world despite our differences. It gets people laughing together.
Alper: We call it “edutainment.” There’s a lot of breaking-down of stereotypes. When a community sees people as “other,” nothing’s better than to see a member of that people as warm, affable and funny. It’s pretty hard to maintain negative stereotypes then. When people laugh together, they can’t hate.
Do you talk religion between the three of you?
Alper: We enjoy discussing faith, but neither is trying to convert the other.
So who’s the funniest – Christians, Muslims or Jews?
Alper: Jews. We have a long tradition of humor. Muslims and Christians are funny partly because they’re going against type. But there’s a reason that overwhelming numbers of comedians are Jewish. It’s in our DNA.
Sparks: By far, not Christians! We are the losers hands down. I’m trying desperately to help my people, but ... And between Bob and Azhar, it’s a tie.
Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568
rosemary.ponnekanti @thenewstribune.com
What: Comedy trio Rabbi Bob Alper, Azhar Usman and the Rev. Susan Sparks
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Urban Grace Church, 902 Market St., Tacoma
Tickets: $15/$10
Benefit for: Habitat for Humanity
Information: 253-627-5626, www.tpc-habitat.org
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