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Welcome to Jester:

The Online Journal of Comedy

 
Founded in 2005 in New York City, Jester brings under one umbrella journalistic and critical coverage of comedy in all forms including live improvisation, sketch and solo theatrical performances in New York, along with television, movies and other media. Jester's circulation figures now appear here.
 
Editor in Chief Michael Shashoua studied improvisational comedy with Upright Citizens Brigade and with Carl Kissin of Chicago City Limits, and acting at TVI. He is a professional journalist since 1993, in the financial industry trade press since 1999, and previously a freelancer and staffer covering arts and entertainment, including music, movies and books for several newspapers in the Northeast and Florida.

For more biographical information, including updates on plans and activities, please check out Michael's MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. And become a Facebook fan of Jester by clicking here.

Although he didn’t know it when discovering reruns of the original Saturday Night Live as an impressionable 13-year-old in the New Jersey suburbs, Shashoua was being influenced by the progeny of legendary improv guru Del Close. This was just the start of his fascination with comedy in all its forms, from stand-up to sketch, improv to monologue, in film, theater and television.

As he pursued related interests in arts, entertainment and journalism that eventually led him to New York, Shashoua expanded this interest by studying and performing improvisational comedy, attracted to the results of applying specialized acting techniques to produce spontaneous comedic performances.

This experience and enthusiasm for the art involved in creating good comedy led Shashoua to create Jester, a Web site that will point its audience to the gems that might otherwise be overlooked, and help its readers discern what is truly worth their time when they’re looking for a good laugh. Shashoua aims to highlight performers who break new ground, illustrate why great performances succeed and steer readers away from work that hasn’t done what it should to entertain and amuse.

Jester’s editor believes the site can bring together the different facets and formats of comedic performances under a single umbrella in a way that hasn’t been done before in any other venue. With Jester, Shashoua aims to draw on his experience as a writer and student of the genre to provide an authoritative voice both within the industry and to a consumer audience.

Jester will also provide a targeted way for advertisers and marketers to reach a committed and select audience with promotion of their entertainment offerings and related products.

Send e-mail press releases to michael.shashoua@jesterjournal.com; to submit review copies of CDs, DVDs, books or other media, please e-mail Michael directly for address details. 

 
   

     

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                                                                                     © 2005-2018 Michael Shashoua