The truth is, our goodwill is sometimes conditional. So that line is about the reality that our goodwill is sometimes conditional, and how we court goodwill from each other and choose to give each other empathy.

Q: You've regularly met audiences in lobbies afterward. How long did you usually chat?

A: Five minutes to an hour and a half. I don't mind it at all. It's informative to the special to know what people take away from it. In some places that are slightly more exurban or rural, some people were quibbling with the politics in the sense that people were siding with the folks in the meeting over me a little bit. And people often tell me how timely the show is, but people have been telling me that since 2018, because that's when [the] Tree of Life [synagogue attack] happened.

The only silly question I get is, "Do non-Jews get it?" Of course non-Jews get it. The show is about antisemitism, but it's really about assimilation. One guy told me, "I'm from a family of musicians, so I understood everything you're talking about." People receive it as comedy; it's for everyone. I was in a part of the U.K. where there aren't a lot of Jews, and pretty much the whole audience was waiting there to chat.

Not to be mawkish, but one of the things I like about the show is that if I saw it when I was 18, I think I would've enjoyed it. It's special for me when a kid in a yarmulke comes up to me and is pretty psyched.

Q: People can't chat with you in person after watching the special. If they don't reach out to you directly, what would you like to tell them?

A: I'm excited for people to see it, and I'm excited to hear from people about it. We worked really hard on these jokes for years to make a special that makes people laugh. I'm truly not thinking of anyone in particular, but a lot of people make specials that have a great point of view but aren't funny enough. So I hope that, in this off-color time period, people have a good time.

I'd also encourage people to watch it with a friend, or talk afterward with somebody else about what they think the special is about and the questions that the special raises. I've had good conversations with folks after shows about things like empathy and productivity and how we speak to each other and what we owe each other, and that's probably the thing I'll miss the most about [performing it live]. I guess the through line of all of the questions you're asking, or the questions I'm answering, is that other people have made the show much better.

Q: Your upcoming gigs include the Netflix Is A Joke fest in L.A. How are you feeling about performing new material?

A: Oh my gosh, I have to start working on it right away. I'm trying to write a new, complete piece. It should be fun, it should be fine. It'll be cool to try to do new stuff. I hope I still can.

Q: You've previously said that you want to perform something about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Is that the plan, soon or eventually?

A: Yes. My agent at the time I said that said to me, "Oh, that's great. We'll just call it career suicide." And [while performing "Just for Us,"] I've had people from both sides of the political spectrum asking me why the show isn't about Israel and Palestine, which is interesting because, obviously, like everybody else, I'm watching that with horror. But I would love to.

There are certain theatrical forms that can speak really well to a big issue and ask really productive questions. If I can figure out a way to wrap my arms around that comedically, that'd be interesting and important and good. I don't know that I can, but part of the reason this show is ending is so I can tackle bigger challenges like that and have the brain space to do it. So I don't know. But maybe. Hopefully.

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