Comedian and actor Jackie Mason passes away

The rabbi-turned-comedian won an Emmy for his work on The Simpsons as well as for his one-man show.

American stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Mason, whose work has at times courted controversy, died after being hospitalized for over two weeks at a hospital in Manhattan. He was 93.

Born as Yacov Moshe Hakohen Maza to a family of Orthodox Jews, Mason came from a family of Rabbis. He was one until he turned his eye to comedy in his late 20s.

Mason’s career, spanning over six decades, includes Broadway performances and his several one-man shows, in addition to his stand-up routines. He is the recipient of a special Tony Award as well as an Emmy for one of them, The World According to Me!

In The Simpsons, he voiced the character of Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown. Mason’s character made his first appearance on the show’s third season. His performance earned him another Emmy.

Described as irreverent and bold in styles, his stand up work has often been the centre of controversy and has been called ‘politically incorrect.’ Mason’s sets touched upon several themes including politics, race, Jewish culture and a host of satirical work. He has made appearances on several talk shows.

His death brought in a host of tributes from the likes of celebrities such as comedian Gilbert Gottfried, talk show host Sean Hannity and actor Henry Winkler.

He is survived by his wife, Jyll Rosenfeld and daughter, Sheba Mason, who is also a comedian.

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