Jewish, Muslim comics bring their act to Christian church
Though many Christians see Christmas Day as a time to bond exclusively with family, one Schaumburg church doesn't feel the world must come to a social standstill for everyone else.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg will host a Jewish and local Muslim comedian Christmas night as part of their "Laugh in Peace" tour.
The event is intended as a way for people of all faiths to come together and enjoy the holiday, Pastor Gordon Straw said.
"At least for us, there's nothing unholy or sacriligious about having comedy on Christmas night," he added. "I'm excited. I'm a fan of comedy and have been for a long time."
The two professional comedians dropping by for the 100-minute show are Azhar Usman of Des Plaines and Rabbi Bob Alper of Vermont.
Usman said his "intensely personal" material doesn't deal entirely with issues of faith, but some is drawn from his experiences growing up as a Muslim in Skokie.
Though the underlying theme of his team-up with Alper is that people of different faiths can laugh together, he emphasized that the audience isn't going to be hit over the head with any Big Important Message.
"Ultimately, it is about putting on a quality comedy show," Usman said. "We're very conscious about not putting on a political show."
The former lawyer, who turns 33 just before Christmas, took up comedy full time several years ago. And while America seems a place already comfortable with comedy of all kinds, Usman has enjoyed similar responses to his material in such places as India, Pakistan, Dubai and Egypt.
Assuming that people in these places would be humorless is just another way of dehumanizing them, he said.
"Putting on a comedy show in those parts of the world feels as natural as in Chicago, New York and L.A.," he said.
Both he and Alper will be performing separately on Christmas before briefly coming together at the end to explain how it all came together and answer questions.
Alper said one of the reasons he enjoys coming to the Chicago area is for the opportunity to hang out with Usman and his kids. Usman and his wife just had their fourth son.
Alper is a 63-year-old ordained rabbi with a doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary. He served congregations for 14 years before becoming a professional comedian two decades ago.
Though he's been performing for a long time, it was in the wake of Sept. 11 that Alper saw a strong value of reaching out to do shows with Muslim comedians like this one.
While people who would go to a show like this may already appreciate cultural diversity, there's still something for even them to take away from the experience, he believes.
"They might value the concept of intergroup harmony, but they haven't had the opportunity to experience it very often," he said.
Alper said he's sure that some people who've come to previous shows as fans of his own Jewish-themed humor have been pleasantly surprised to find themselves just as entertained by the big, bearded Muslim man who proved to be so affable and funny.
A portion of the proceeds from the show will fund Abraham Salons. These are interfaith gatherings sponsored by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ISNS Mosque and Beth Tikvah Congregation. The effort is named after the single earliest figure common to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> "Laugh In Peace," a comedy tour featuring a Muslim and a Jewish comedian</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 7:30 p.m. Dec. 25</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 930 W. Higgins Road, Schaumburg</p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets:</b> $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Students, $15. All adults and children 11 years old and up are welcome.</p> <p class="News"><b>Call:</b> (847) 885-4545</p>