Known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase “I don’t get no respect!” and his monologues on that theme, Rodney Dangerfield told more jokes per minute than any other comic of his generation — except maybe for Henny Youngman.
One of his great strengths was his virtually flawless timing. Rodney would deliver a brief setup/premise and then quickly hit one punchline after another. You can hear this in the audience’s reaction.
The audience does not have time to finish laughing after one punch line when he hits them with another and then another. Everything from his tone, cadence, gestures, mannerisms, expressions, and general stage presence is near-perfect.
This lecture will illustrate his comedic talents by means of numerous audio-visual clips.
Presenter Dr. Ira Epstein, co-author of the “Proficient Reader,” served as professor and chairperson of the Communication Skills Department at LaGuardia Community College, C.U.N.Y and directed the college’s Technology Learning Center.
In addition to his academic life, he worked as a musician performing in the Catskills, recorded with Tayku, a Hebrew jazz/rock ensemble, taught music to children in summer camps and toured with Theodore Bikel and Herschel Bernardi in the ’70s as part of a UJA program.
Most recently he has been lecturing to adults on comedy and music and the music of Israel and he continues to speak at synagogues, gated communities in Florida, Florida Atlantic University, senior centers, JCC’s, libraries, Road Scholar programs and at meetings of national organizations such as Brandeis Women, The National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah and B’nai Brith.
He earned his BA and MA from Brooklyn College, CUNY and his Ph.D. from Fordham University.
The lecture is on Sept. 26 2:00 p.m. at the Station Branch at 26 Great Neck Road, 2nd floor, Great Neck. Registration is not required. If you have any questions, please contact the Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org.
