Stand-up comic Gold won two Emmy Awards for writing and producing The Rosie O'Donnell Show
. Teaming with playwright Ryan, Gold developed a one-woman show based on interviews conducted across America with more than 50 Jewish women of different ages and occupations. When Gold's 70-minute monologue became a sold-out hit at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival, it was promoted as "a comic's personal journey to find love, laughter and acceptance as a Jewish mother with two kids and a nagging Jewish mother of her own." On stage, she created characters inspired by the interviews and wove in her own experiences, now expanded into this anecdotal autobiography. For Gold, there are no taboo topics. The 25 chapters range from "Have you ever experienced anti-Semitism?" and "Were you or any of your relatives affected by the Holocaust?" to "How many times a day do you call your children?" and "Why do you think Jewish mothers are the butt of so many jokes?" The q&a serves as a springboard for essays exploring her past, reflecting on everything from growing up in New Jersey to performing before hecklers. Her fluid writing, engaging and entertaining, balances between poignant and humorous memories. 25 cartoon illus. (May 1)
