Andy Nyman on saying "F-You" to Hitler on stage

It's the end of summer, and Yonit and Jonathan are taking a break from the news with a nugget of pure Jewish joy. Andy Nyman — the West End actor, writer, director and magician currently starring as Max Bialystock in The Producers, and previously as an acclaimed Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof — joins the show for an Unholy Conversation. Why does Mel Brooks' nearly-60-year-old joke about Hitler still land? What makes Max Bialystock - who could have been Tevye’s grandson - so beloved, even in his desperation? And is the Broadway musical, as a form, secretly a Jewish one? Andy answers the question by giving a rare performance of a musical classic — rendered in Yiddish. You won’t want to miss it. In this episode: The Genius of Mel Brooks: How The Producers transforms satire into an act of healing and an uncompromising "fuck you" to history. From Tevye to Bialystock: Exploring the thread connecting the working-class milkman of Anatevka to the scheming, desperate, yet deeply human Broadway hustler. Art in Times of Darkness: A rare behind-the-scenes look at performing comedic Jewish art—and deciding to keep a daring scene in the show—in the wake of global tragedy. Exclusive Live Performances: Andy delivers three bespoke, stripped-back performances directly in the studio: "We Can Do It" (The Producers) "If I Were a Rich Man" (Fiddler on the Roof) A haunting, tender Yiddish translation of "Hushabye Mountain" (originally by the Sherman Brothers).   00:06 Introduction to Unholy Conversations 00:09 Introduction to Andy Nyman 01:57 The Enduring Appeal of The Producers 05:50 Mel Brooks and Jewish Healing through Humor 08:29 Defiance in Comedy: Pulling Down Pants 09:59 Exploring Max Bialystok's Character 17:30 Max Bialystok and Tevye: A Generational Connection 18:23 The Complexity of Tevye 22:58 The Essence of Fiddler on the Roof 30:44 The Current Jewish Climate 35:40 The Jewish Influence in Musical Theatre 42:32 A Yiddish Lullaby: Bridging Cultures 44:24 The Importance of Representation 44:25 Personal Connections and Impact   🌐 Our website: https://unholy-podcast.com💛 Become a friend of the pod:Patreon: https://bit.ly/UnholyPatreon 📺 FOLLOW UNHOLYYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGlvtS7As7WHh7YtmU5SMUQInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/X: https://x.com/unholypodBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/unholypod.bsky.social 🎧 LISTEN TO UNHOLYApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/unholy-two-jews-on-the-news/id1548441108Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2m2UnLfiAyOehtF1bsv98W 🎙️ THE HOSTSYonit LeviInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yonitleviofficial/X: https://x.com/LeviYonitLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonit-levi/Jonathan FreedlandInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathanfreedland/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanfreedland.bsky.social 📩 Contact: [email protected]🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/unholypod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.