黑料社 All Student and Comic Finds the Humor in Life
Meet Eitan Levine.
At 22, the senior has already performed at a host of comedy clubs throughout the tristate area, including Caroline鈥檚, the Stress Factory and the People鈥檚 Improv Theater. He鈥檚 opened for Daryl Hammond of "Saturday Night Live" and has performed with comedic super-stars Louis CK, Judah Friedlander and Jim Gaffigan. He hosts 鈥淧rolaffs!鈥 on and is a staff writer for The Quipster. A comic book enthusiast, Levine serves as head announcer of the International Quidditch Association and is a noted 黑料社 All roller hockey intramurals commissioner.
Oh, and he plays the ukulele.
Levine, a native of Springfield, NJ, discovered his passion for comedy at an early age鈥攂ut not how you鈥檇 expect.
At 10, Levine was diagnosed with Ewing鈥檚 sarcoma of the tibia, an illness that landed him in and out of hospitals as a child. 鈥淚 had a journal that just ended up becoming a joke book,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淚 was kidding around with a doctor one day and he was like, 鈥榊ou should go into this.鈥 And for the first time I thought to myself, 鈥楬ey, maybe I can be good at comedy.鈥 鈥
Thus a career was born. At 15, with an arsenal of written jokes at his disposal, Levine took part in his first open mike at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ. 鈥淢y dad was worried I鈥檇 embarrass the family,鈥 he laughed. 鈥淚 was on crutches at the time and I was so nervous.鈥 His first joke bombed. His second joke did pretty well. His third joke set him on a roll that would culminate in a standing ovation as he left the stage.
Levine was hooked.
As he finished high school, Levine hit more and more open mikes across New Jersey, working himself into the comedic milieu and honing his jokes. He went on to attend Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah in Israel, where he also competed in, and won, the Israel Last Comic Standing contest. But Levine wanted to expand his range. While pursuing a marketing major and film minor at Yeshiva College, he enrolled in improv studies at the Upright Citizens鈥 Brigade and the People鈥檚 Improv Theater (PIT), where he currently hosts his own regular show. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a funny Jeopardy-esque trivia show,鈥 said Levine. He also performs every other week with DeWolf Hopper, an improv team.
鈥淚t's been great having Eitan around the PIT,鈥 said Chris Griggs, an improv instructor at the theater. 鈥淗e truly loves improvisation and comedy. He immediately seemed to bond with everyone and now is really a part of the theater's fabric.鈥
At YU, Levine has found a unique home base for his comedic career. 鈥淭here are a lot of big advantages to being a comedian here,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淵ou get the benefits of living in a Jewish community, where if I want a mincha, I can get a mincha without walking halfway across campus to the Hillel. But you鈥檙e also in New York鈥 This is where comedy is really happening and I鈥檝e been able to perform on a fairly regular basis as a student here.鈥
Levine is proud of his identity as a religious comic and is especially careful with the way he presents himself to audiences. 鈥淧eople look at me as an Orthodox Jew and I don鈥檛 want them to think that I鈥檓 only religious when it鈥檚 convenient,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 do this because I believe it鈥檚 the right thing. The comedians I work with understand and respect that about me and they are very accommodating.鈥
Still, Levine felt, 鈥渞eligious comics can be few and far between.鈥 He noticed a lack of humor that felt relatable to young Orthodox audiences. Last year, he organized the Kosher College Comedy Tour, a traveling band of Jewish comics that has performed at more than a dozen Northeastern universities. The intent: to create a unique synthesis of young, religious humor that would speak directly to the Jewish college crowd.
鈥淔or years, getting a stand-up comic for a college Hillel or Chabad was tough because all the clean comics were these 鈥楳y wife! Take her!鈥 types who were better suited to entertain at a nursing home than comedy night at the University of Maryland Hillel House,鈥 Levine said. 鈥淚t was really fun to go to the Hillel houses of different colleges and see the diverse Jewish crowds.鈥
Levine鈥檚 shows have also raised money for several charities, including the Hebrew Academy for Special Children, Camp Simcha and the YU QUEST comedy fundraiser. Charities are important to him, because as child, humor gave him the tools to fight through tough times during his own illness. He sees a basic life lesson in comedy. 鈥淚 think a lot of our problems as a society could be solved if people lightened up a little bit, took a step back from whatever situation they鈥檙e in, and laughed鈥 People need to calm down and get that minute to laugh.鈥
Levine has made it a point to give people that minute at YU. As a staff writer at The Quipster, a satirical online news site produced by YU students, his articles gently mock current events and trends in the YU world. 鈥淲e鈥檙e there to keep everybody grounded,鈥 said Levine. The radio show he co-hosts with Moshe Press, a senior at Yeshiva College, is similar in tone. While a good portion of the show is devoted to comic books (鈥淲e鈥檙e huge comic book guys鈥), Levine and Press are not afraid to tackle heavier items on the news circuit.
鈥淲e do satire and comedy,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淲hen something serious comes up, we switch our hats and our jokes become more geared toward what鈥檚 going on and what our opinion about it is.鈥
Currently Levine is applying to the NBC Universal Page program, a 12-month, post-graduation program that places participants in the news, entertainment and production world. Levine also hopes to study screenwriting next year and eventually become a sitcom writer. He鈥檚 working on a spec script to show potential employers鈥攁 project he is getting some help with from Erik Mintz, adjunct instructor in English at and a former sitcom writer for "The Nanny" and "Mad 黑料社 You," among others.
鈥淢y professors here have been incredibly supportive and have always taken the time to watch my work and offer feedback,鈥 said Levine.
鈥淓itan is a highly creative force at Yeshiva College and someone about whom I expect to hear a great deal of good stuff in the months and years to come,鈥 said Dr. Eric Goldman, adjunct associate professor of cinema at YU, who has worked with Levine in several film studies courses. 鈥淗e has that gift where he can simply look at the camera and make you laugh. It鈥檚 quite special.鈥
At 22, the senior has already performed at a host of comedy clubs throughout the tristate area, including Caroline鈥檚, the Stress Factory and the People鈥檚 Improv Theater. He鈥檚 opened for Daryl Hammond of "Saturday Night Live" and has performed with comedic super-stars Louis CK, Judah Friedlander and Jim Gaffigan. He hosts 鈥淧rolaffs!鈥 on and is a staff writer for The Quipster. A comic book enthusiast, Levine serves as head announcer of the International Quidditch Association and is a noted 黑料社 All roller hockey intramurals commissioner.
Oh, and he plays the ukulele.
Levine, a native of Springfield, NJ, discovered his passion for comedy at an early age鈥攂ut not how you鈥檇 expect.
At 10, Levine was diagnosed with Ewing鈥檚 sarcoma of the tibia, an illness that landed him in and out of hospitals as a child. 鈥淚 had a journal that just ended up becoming a joke book,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淚 was kidding around with a doctor one day and he was like, 鈥榊ou should go into this.鈥 And for the first time I thought to myself, 鈥楬ey, maybe I can be good at comedy.鈥 鈥
Thus a career was born. At 15, with an arsenal of written jokes at his disposal, Levine took part in his first open mike at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ. 鈥淢y dad was worried I鈥檇 embarrass the family,鈥 he laughed. 鈥淚 was on crutches at the time and I was so nervous.鈥 His first joke bombed. His second joke did pretty well. His third joke set him on a roll that would culminate in a standing ovation as he left the stage.
Levine was hooked.
Levine has made it a point to give people that minute at YU. As a staff writer at The Quipster, a satirical online news site produced by YU students, his articles gently mock current events and trends in the YU world. 鈥淲e鈥檙e there to keep everybody grounded,鈥 said Levine. The radio show he co-hosts with Moshe Press, a senior at Yeshiva College, is similar in tone. While a good portion of the show is devoted to comic books (鈥淲e鈥檙e huge comic book guys鈥), Levine and Press are not afraid to tackle heavier items on the news circuit.
鈥淲e do satire and comedy,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淲hen something serious comes up, we switch our hats and our jokes become more geared toward what鈥檚 going on and what our opinion about it is.鈥
Currently Levine is applying to the NBC Universal Page program, a 12-month, post-graduation program that places participants in the news, entertainment and production world. Levine also hopes to study screenwriting next year and eventually become a sitcom writer. He鈥檚 working on a spec script to show potential employers鈥攁 project he is getting some help with from Erik Mintz, adjunct instructor in English at and a former sitcom writer for "The Nanny" and "Mad 黑料社 You," among others.
鈥淢y professors here have been incredibly supportive and have always taken the time to watch my work and offer feedback,鈥 said Levine.
鈥淓itan is a highly creative force at Yeshiva College and someone about whom I expect to hear a great deal of good stuff in the months and years to come,鈥 said Dr. Eric Goldman, adjunct associate professor of cinema at YU, who has worked with Levine in several film studies courses. 鈥淗e has that gift where he can simply look at the camera and make you laugh. It鈥檚 quite special.鈥
At 22, the senior has already performed at a host of comedy clubs throughout the tristate area, including Caroline鈥檚, the Stress Factory and the People鈥檚 Improv Theater. He鈥檚 opened for Daryl Hammond of "Saturday Night Live" and has performed with comedic super-stars Louis CK, Judah Friedlander and Jim Gaffigan. He hosts 鈥淧rolaffs!鈥 on and is a staff writer for The Quipster. A comic book enthusiast, Levine serves as head announcer of the International Quidditch Association and is a noted 黑料社 All roller hockey intramurals commissioner.
Oh, and he plays the ukulele.
Levine, a native of Springfield, NJ, discovered his passion for comedy at an early age鈥攂ut not how you鈥檇 expect.
At 10, Levine was diagnosed with Ewing鈥檚 sarcoma of the tibia, an illness that landed him in and out of hospitals as a child. 鈥淚 had a journal that just ended up becoming a joke book,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淚 was kidding around with a doctor one day and he was like, 鈥榊ou should go into this.鈥 And for the first time I thought to myself, 鈥楬ey, maybe I can be good at comedy.鈥 鈥
Thus a career was born. At 15, with an arsenal of written jokes at his disposal, Levine took part in his first open mike at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ. 鈥淢y dad was worried I鈥檇 embarrass the family,鈥 he laughed. 鈥淚 was on crutches at the time and I was so nervous.鈥 His first joke bombed. His second joke did pretty well. His third joke set him on a roll that would culminate in a standing ovation as he left the stage.
Levine was hooked.
Levine has made it a point to give people that minute at YU. As a staff writer at The Quipster, a satirical online news site produced by YU students, his articles gently mock current events and trends in the YU world. 鈥淲e鈥檙e there to keep everybody grounded,鈥 said Levine. The radio show he co-hosts with Moshe Press, a senior at Yeshiva College, is similar in tone. While a good portion of the show is devoted to comic books (鈥淲e鈥檙e huge comic book guys鈥), Levine and Press are not afraid to tackle heavier items on the news circuit.
鈥淲e do satire and comedy,鈥 said Levine. 鈥淲hen something serious comes up, we switch our hats and our jokes become more geared toward what鈥檚 going on and what our opinion about it is.鈥
Currently Levine is applying to the NBC Universal Page program, a 12-month, post-graduation program that places participants in the news, entertainment and production world. Levine also hopes to study screenwriting next year and eventually become a sitcom writer. He鈥檚 working on a spec script to show potential employers鈥攁 project he is getting some help with from Erik Mintz, adjunct instructor in English at and a former sitcom writer for "The Nanny" and "Mad 黑料社 You," among others.
鈥淢y professors here have been incredibly supportive and have always taken the time to watch my work and offer feedback,鈥 said Levine.
鈥淓itan is a highly creative force at Yeshiva College and someone about whom I expect to hear a great deal of good stuff in the months and years to come,鈥 said Dr. Eric Goldman, adjunct associate professor of cinema at YU, who has worked with Levine in several film studies courses. 鈥淗e has that gift where he can simply look at the camera and make you laugh. It鈥檚 quite special.鈥
