Cincinnati Turns Out for Jewish Comic Modi
CINCINNATI – If there was any doubt about the vitality of the Cincinnati Jewish community, Thursday night’s turnout for the comedian Modi put it to rest. In what has become a recurring trend of successful Jewish acts visiting the Queen City, the local comedy club was pushed to its literal and figurative limits.
With over 300 attendees, the “schmooze” in the lobby was so dense it nearly overwhelmed the entry. It was a crowd that was unapologetically Jewish, gathered to see a performer often cited as one of the last true links to the Catskill comedy tradition. Modi did not disappoint, delivering nearly two hours of material that leaned heavily into the quirks, flaws, and pride of the modern “mensch.”
The evening was also a masterclass in community mobilization. Lisa Reiss, a teacher at Rockwern, coordinated a significant block for the Jewish Discovery Center, which accounted for at least 20 of the tickets in the nearly sold-out room.
“It was so fun to see so many friends show up,” Reiss said. “A highlight for me was seeing good friends and family with huge smiles and cracking up through the entire show.”
Local comic Nina Perlove, who met with Modi after the set, noted that the draw isn’t just the smart, observational humor, but the “unabashedly Jewish persona” Modi brings to the stage.
“Modi is a quirky, charming, flawed mensch. He is also a proud Jew,” Perlove observed. “It is exactly that unapologetic embracing of Jewish identity, shared through laughter, that exemplifies ‘Moshiach energy.’”
As the crowd filed out, the consensus was clear: when the community shows up in these numbers, the energy is infectious. For one night in Cincinnati, the jokes weren’t just about Jewish life—they were a celebration of it.
