Jerry Sadowitz Review

Master of Bad Taste 

        Genius or Psychopath?

One thing you couldn’t accuse Jerry Sadowitz of is being discriminatory (or tasteful):  politicians, comedians, film stars, gays, the youth, women, Brexiteers, terrorism, Grenfell Tower, Madeleine McCann, the audience, himself, Muslims, Jews (and he’s Jewish) … no one is safe from his foul mouthed rantings where swear words (and really bad swear words) punctuate every single sentence.

The Show

The show began at breakneck speed. It was hard to keep up with who he was insulting, especially since sometimes I was laughing so  much I could hardly hear the next line. For me, the middle section was a little weaker than the opening. The ranting edged towards being only outrageous but not quite so funny. I wasn’t shocked or offended but I simply wasn’t laughing so much.,

The thing with Sadowitz is there is a deep, underlying irony in what he does. He has a distinct artistic ability of shifting your sense of intellectual equilibrium and making you think: why are you laughing? It’s gruesomely compelling.

I left thinking that coming from a man with so much obvious intelligence, it must be an act! Surely? Well, as he says himself, in a somewhat throwaway line in the show, I am an actor.

So, to borrow from Houdin:  Sadowitz is an actor playing the part of a magician, playing the part of a psychopath.

Sadowitz: More Than Just A Psychopath

By all accounts Sadowitz is a very quietly spoken and measured man off stage. His rants against everything under the sun mask the fact that he has a strong sense of justice. He was alerting people to what Jimmy Saville was up to long before it came into the public domain. He also works to support the family of the late actor Mark Blanco, who claim the true cause of his death has been covered up.

Sadowitz: Comedy Magic

The final part of the show was given over to some very funny comedy magic. This comprised a range of standard magic tricks eg Card to Wallet, Six Card Repeat, Multiplying Bananas (really). These were performed with consummate skill. His palming is a joy to behold…or would be if you could see it.

Disappointment

Having said that, I can see practically any magician in the country perform those tricks. Sadowitz can do far more. His Name Any Card Triumph is a trick so sublime that there were critics who argued he couldn’t actually perform it. Well he can and he does. I saw him do it the last time he was in Manchester. I find it disappointing, then, that a magician who has spent so much of his act criticizing popular magicians he sees as less skilled than him, should have devoted so much of the show to performing the very type of tricks they would perform. Instead he could have been showing tricks that only he can present.

Cheerful Alternative

I am not in Jerry Sadowitz’s league as a magician or comedian. However, I do have a sunny dispositon,  good reviews (HERE) and won’t upset your guests.

I specialise at performing close up in social situations such as wedding receptions and parties. Why not find out more and then contact me to see what I can do for your next event.