I want to tell you about a show I think you’ll enjoy: Play On Podcasts — epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in a way that you can actually understand it and created specifically for the podcast form by some of America’s most exciting playwrights, directors and composers, and performed by stage and screen’s best. Check out their current season of King Lear that stars Emmy-winner Keith David and Severance star Tramell Tillman. Hear Shakespeare like you’ve never heard before. Subscribe to Play On Podcasts wherever you get your podcasts.
I am re-releasing this episode with guest Ethan Hershenfeld. In this episode, I’m speaking with accomplished standup comedian and actor, Ethan Hershenfeld. We talk about his most recent projects and his experience with often being typecast as the villain. We also discuss the nuances of diversity and cultural appropriation for entertainers. The latter part of the episode features a fictional story – written and read by Parker James – and inspired by Ethan’s one and only time playing Prince Charming. Listen as we touch on the complexities of the entertainment industry and hear a new fictional narrative inspired by Ethan’s acting experience.
Wise Guy Charming – A Fictional Story in Print
Play on Podcasts
IN THIS EPISODE:
[00:01] Ethan Herschenfeld introduced
[00:59] From Opera Singer to Comedian/Actor
[02:38] Thug Thug Jew
[04:10] Typecasting
[08:09] Diversity in the entertainment industry
[12:16] Cultural appropriations in entertainment
[16:40] Addressing cultural issues in comedy
[20:30] Upcoming projects
[22:59] Ethan’s writing prompt
[26:39] Wiseguy Charming
[30:09] A disinterest in the family business and dream of acting
[31:06] Acting classes while working for the family business
[32:23] Dream role as Prince Charming
[33:37] A surprise confrontation
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Ethan spent the better part of two decades as an opera singer, before transitioning to stand up, where he enjoys the spontaneous laughter and the release of energy from the audience.
Although there has been a push for diversity in theater and TV, racism is still woven in storylines in how villains are written as certain ethnicities. There is still an infinite appetite from audiences for cliche and offensive storylines related to certain ethnicities and religions.
Comedy is a different world where you’re getting laughs and allowing people to unload baggage around topics that are very charged.
The beauty of theater and performing arts in general, is it opens up a world of empathy for the audience and for the performer to explore things that they don’t get to explore in their real lives. There has to be, however, a push to diversify roles and casting and be cognisant of cultural appropriation.
BIO:
Ethan Herschenfeld: Actor and comedian
His album Thug Thug Jew was #1 on iTunes and Amazon and the special is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AUA8wel23qI
High Maintenance (hbo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpJ–b-Sd4A[Text Wrapping Break]
Boardwalk Empire (hbo): https://youtu.be/vqUuys6pJCE
Red Notice on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81161626?trackId=259607612&tctx=6%2C1%2C5a5fe77d-2b17-41ef-94a4-13a67831e188-448571224%2C6c29447b-cdcd-48f3-afeb-832d0026d654_63186441X101XX1637761873650%2C%2C
2020 reel: https://youtu.be/a6TXfWrxckk
WEBSITE: ethanherschenfeld.com
TWITTER: @ethanherschenfeld
INSTAGRAM: @eherschenfeld
LINKS:
His album Thug Thug Jew was #1 on iTunes and Amazon and the special is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AUA8wel23qI
David Feldman Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/david-feldman-show/id321997239
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