Jeff Ross seems to have misunderstood the old adage that “comedy equals tragedy plus time.” In his new show, the comedian — whose nickname is “The Roastmaster General” due to his take-no-prisoners performances in Friars Club and Comedy Central Roasts — deals with such subjects as the tragic loss of both his parents when he was a teenager, the death of his beloved rescue dog, the untimely demise of three close friends in one year, and a recent serious health scare. But despite its title riffing on one of comedy’s all-time props, Take a Banana for the Ride is far more tragic than funny.
“I want this to be a cathartic experience for everybody,” Ross proclaims early in the evening. But the show is mainly a cathartic experience for him. He starts off by explaining that his hairless appearance is the result of a late-in-life onset of alopecia. He proceeds to deliver his “origin story,” beginning with his early years spent in suburban New Jersey working at a catering hall owned by his enterprising grandmother. He speaks lovingly of his extremely supportive mother who suffered from leukemia and for whom he made it his mission to provide levity whenever possible before she succumbed. His relationship with his father, who had gambling and drug issues, was more complicated but very close as well, before he suddenly died of an aneurism when Ross was just 19.
And that’s not all of the family history, accompanied by two onstage musicians and vintage home movies and photographs projected on large picture frames at the rear of the stage. He talks about his close relationship with his grandfather, who radiated “world beater energy” even in his declining years. And he proudly talks about his sister, a special ed teacher; his cousin, an emergency room surgeon; and his nephew, a firefighter.
[Read Michael Sommers’ ★★★☆☆ review here.]
You get the idea. It doesn’t take long before the evening begins to feel like an interminable evening with an elderly relative who insists on making you look through their photo albums. Ross can be a very funny comic, and he throws in plenty of amusing one-liners into the mix. But they’re not enough to compensate for the tiresome sections in which he reads letters from his parents or kvells over photos of his two German Shepherd dogs like a proud father (he’s never been married or had children).
He also sings some novelty songs in a voice that makes you realize that as a singer he makes a great comedian. But he might have wanted to rethink the inclusion of one, “Don’t Fuck with the Jews,” in light of recent world events. And his segment dealing with the deaths of close friends and fellow comedians Bob Saget, Gilbert Gottfried, and Norm Macdonald, all in a single year, feels undeniably heartfelt but lacking much depth.
The funniest section of the rambling confessional revolves around the two German Shepherds, which provides the opportunity for him to imagine their perspective complete with Nazi references and heavy German accents.
It’s easy to understand the comedian’s desire to make his Broadway debut with something deeper than a mere evening of stand-up. But there are fundamental miscalculations on display. While much of Take a Banana for the Ride proves moving and relatable, it also feels strangely generic. The comedian’s inspiration for the autobiographical approach seems to be Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays. But Ross is not nearly as familiar or beloved to audiences as Crystal, with the result that his navel-gazing, as amusing as it often is, feels unearned. Not to mention that the writing isn’t nearly as deep or thematically rich, and that he isn’t nearly as good an actor as Crystal.
Late in the show, Ross wanders out into the audience, cracking hilariously insulting jokes to good-natured audience members who eat it all up. It reminded us why he made it to Broadway in the first place. We came to see his inner Don Rickles, not to hear the sort of maudlin confessional of which far too many bestselling memoirs are made.
Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride opened August 18, 2025, at the Nederlander Theatre and runs through September 28. Tickets and information: jeffrossbroadway.com
