Al Kustanowitz
Al Kustanowitz
Jewish Humor
Expertise:
Jewish Humor, Pop Culture & Entertainment
Available for in-person lectures in:
South FL
Available via Zoom?
Yes
To book Al, e-mail:
dan@hudakonhollywood.com
A long-term devotee of Jewish humor, Al Kustanowitz, MBA, has been collecting and sharing it even before there was an internet. In 2009, after a 36-year career at IBM managing new technology projects, he founded Jewish Humor Central (jewishhumorcentral.com). Through the blog he brings a daily dose of fun and positive energy to readers (and subscribing is free!). He has published 12 books on humor based on his more than 4,000 blog postings, each of which includes a video clip and commentary.
He has presented more than 100 programs in South Florida and the Northeast on topics that include the great comedians and entertainers of the 20th century, funniest moments in film and television, flash mobs around the world, and composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.
He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City University of New York and taught computer science courses at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs.
Lectures include:
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: THE FUNNY YEARS – SKETCH COMEDY AT ITS BEST
THE GREAT COMEDIANS: FROM BURLESQUE AND VAUDEVILLE TO THE BORSCHT BELT AND YOUTUBE
THE GREAT ENTERTAINERS: FROM VAUDEVILLE TO TV, HOLLYWOOD, AND THE BROADWAY STAGE
This presentation will highlight some of the most beloved excerpts by these performers from TV, Hollywood, and the Broadway stage, and little-known facts and anecdotes about their careers. From Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Molly Picon and Fanny Brice to Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and Barbra Streisand, we will learn of their origins, their original names, and enjoy their artistry. The songs and acting skills of these entertainers and more will be analyzed and presented in their original form. Visual images and audio and video will be used throughout the program.
UNSUNG SONGWRITERS OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
Irving Berlin, Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, and Johnny Mercer account for 250 of these songs.
But the songbook includes many more songs, and some of the most popular were written by songwriters who wrote only one or a few.
This presentation will look at these great but unsung songwriters’ lives and times, and the audience will listen to some of their best-known songs. “As Time Goes By” by Herman Hupfeld, “I’ll be Seeing You” by Irving Kahal, “Stardust” by Mitchell Parish, and “It Was a Very Good Year” by Ervin Drake are a few of the songs we will explore and enjoy. Visual images, audio, and video clips will be used to enhance the program, including video clips of performances by the singers who made the songs famous.
FLASH MOBS AROUND THE WORLD: STREET THEATRE FOR THE INTERNET AGE
FUNNIEST JEWISH MOMENTS IN MOVIES AND TELEVISION
Are you ready to bring Hudak On Hollywood to your community?
Please e-mail dan@hudakonhollywood.com for additional information. We look forward to hearing from you!