Comic to Watch in 2010: Moshe Kasher

by Dylan P. Gadino

We recently introduced you to  New York’s Myq Kaplan, a comic to watch in 2010. From the opposite coast, comes another must-see comedian in 2010. His name is Moshe Kasher. And he is funny. Check it out.

Before this summer, I had never heard of Los Angeles based comedian Moshe Kasher. And after I had heard about him while attending Rooftop Comedy’s Aspen comedy festival, I have to admit, it was hard to remember his name; it’s not really the type that rolls off your tongue.

After seeing him perform, however, during the fest’s Best and Brightest show, I found it a lot harder to forget him. And now, I’m confident in saying he is one of the most important comics you need to watch out for in 2010. Here’s what I wrote in Aspen after seeing him live for the first time:

“I was immediately drawn in. His appearance, no doubt, helps; he’s a slight, pale guy with jet-black hair (he calls the style the Gitler, “the gay Hitler”) and sports large-framed glasses and a less-than-masculine interpretation of what a dude is. The Los Angeles-based performer has a powerful comedic voice and amazingly wide range. He seamlessly shifts from traditional blue humor to heady material that finds Dante’s Inferno the subject of a joke; he also does moderate physical humor, poking fun at himself for owning a thicket of hair on his forearm and none on his bicep, not to mention an oddly bendable wrist that, he jokes, he sometimes tucks in his shirt, exposing what looks like a nub, to make strangers feel bad for him. Watching Kasher try to tie his shows with said nub makes for a cheap laugh, but it’s funny nonetheless.”

By the end of the weekend, Kasher was voted Best of the Fest by the Aspen audience. Check out a few minutes of Kasher from the festival.

At the festival, Moshe hand-delivered me a copy of his debut album, Everyone You Know Is Going to Die, And Then You Are. I took it home and immediately fell in love with it. Our review of the album is here. Writer John Delery, wrote: “Occasionally on this release from Rooftop Comedy Productions, Kasher digresses from the typical comic’s checklist and humorously but pointedly raises issues with haters and homophobes. Without the superciliousness of Keith Olbermann or the fury of Bill, no, make that Bilious O’Reilly, Kasher transforms himself from an inventive goofball into a diverting social commentator.” Check out one of his spoken-word pieces from his album below.

A few weeks later I was in Montreal covering the Just For Laughs comedy festival, arguably the most important annual comedy gathering in the world. Turns out Kasher was invited to perform at the New Faces show, wherein up and coming comics from all over the world show us why it’s worth paying attention to them. Kasher, again, blew me away.

In August, I decided to check out a Live at Gotham filming in New York; I mostly wanted to see Doug Benson host. I had no idea who else was on the bill. But Kasher was there again to film a spot on the popular Comedy Central show. I had seen Kasher perform three straight months in three different cities and two countries.

And just a few weeks ago, iTunes named Kasher as the Best New Comic of 2009, further solidifying the idea that I’m not the only one who sees good things coming from Kasher in 2010. Check out more Kasher info at his official site moshekasher.com; his upcoming tour dates are below.

Buy Moshe’s album by clicking the image below!