Jackie Mason with Emerson College

In his one-hour interview for the American Comedy Archives at Emerson College, Jackie Mason talks about where his comedy comes from, and the process of building his act. He describes his start as a Catskill comedian, where he created his persona, and his first television appearance, on The Steve Allen Show. He details the infamous incident where Ed Sullivan believed he’d held up his middle finger, resulting in him being off television for many years. Mason describes the business aspect of show business, and the role of agents and managers in his career. He recounts his career trajectory, including his resurgence in the 1980s with the Broadway show “Jackie Mason: The World According to Me.” Bill Dana and Jenni Matz conducted the interview on April 7, 2005 in New York, NY.