Karen Jaffe

Our Winter’tainment Series has been a serious HIT! And Speaking of serious, there’s little of that in any conversation with Dayton’s Consummate Comique…Karen Jaffe. I was so lucky to catch up with her just before she headed into the UPS store! We had the perfect chit-chat and it went something like this:

Josh: KAREN! Over here girl. SO glad I ran into you. Wondering….would you have time for a quick interview for Winter’Tainment?

Karen: I would love that!

Josh: Hallelujah! So, tell me about the comedy scene which you are such a part of here in Dayton!

Karen: (smiling wide). Comedians in this town are so lucky…there is so much support here! We have 2 really great Comedy Clubs (Wileys, Oregon District and Funny Bone, the Greene) which showcase a lot of area talent. Wait, Josh, did you know that Wiley’s is the oldest comedy club in Ohio? (I shoot a look of shock!) And, think about it, there are plenty of open mic nights in the area, and great venues to play as well. The other nice part is Cincinnati, Columbus, Indy and Louisville are down the street. Each of these cities has great stage time for comedians.

Josh: I know many of them come here to perform in Dayton. Which of course, you are really a major player in our town. Quite popular! (She smiles again.) Do you think it is different for women…I mean comedy! (Smile fades.)

Karen: I actually have a love/hate relationship with this question, because I get it a lot.  I think generally it can be more difficult to be a woman in comedy, for a lot of reasons.  But I have been super fortunate in that I came into comedy when I was older and had a thicker skin and a better sense of who I was as a person, so my experience hasn’t been as difficult as some other people have had it.  And I also have been lucky that Dayton’s comedy scene has been a safe and supportive place for me.  Sometimes when I travel out of town, I meet comedians from other places who aren’t as fortunate and maybe are more disrespectful of female comics, but I like to think it comes from a competitive place rather than a real “women aren’t funny” mentality.  As for the audiences, in Dayton or anywhere else, I like having to work a little harder to get them on my side.

Bob the Drag Queen and Jaffe

Josh: I completely get that. Y’know being a drag queen sometimes, I work my ass off to get a buck or 2. Where does your comedy come from?

Karen: My comedy largely comes from my own life, and the people I encounter on a daily basis.  I try to be really careful not to “punch down” and make fun of people; I try to make myself or my reactions the butt of my jokes.  I typically steer clear of politics and religion, because they’re both polarizing and kind of boring to me.  I would much rather talk about the different ways I’m handed Cologuard boxes at work.

Josh: OMG. (Giggles.) The Cologuard gig…I can’t take it. HILARIOUS! I’m sure you included some of that on your comedy album you just cut. Congratulations by the way! That’s an accomplishment!

Karen:  Thank you! I recorded my first album as a sort of challenge to myself.  It was scary and also not really, because I had so much support!  I got to do it in my home club, with an amazing production team behind me, and I felt so incredibly lucky.  I don’t know the release date yet, but you’ll definitely hear about it on social media!

Josh: Well, best to you on that. Are we out of time? Do you need to go weigh packages or tape stuff? Or can we keep talking?

Karen: (Side eye) I have time!

Josh: What can we look forward to in the comedy world around here….and do you have comedians who inspire you?

Karen: If you want to learn about comedy and you are interested in the art form itself, you should try checking out a local showcase, or buy tickets to see someone you haven’t necessarily heard yet.  There are so many incredibly talented people who come through Dayton that haven’t had their big break. For me,  there are 2 favorites I will mention…although there are others. Meg Stalter, who is from Dayton and is one of the kindest, funniest, most talented people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing (and thankfully all the right people in Chicago and New York and Hollywood all noticed when they met her, and now she is super famous and even more beautiful than ever).  And my other all-time favorite comedian is probably one you haven’t heard of: Stewart Huff.  He’s a touring comic who lives in Georgia, and he’s the smartest comedian I have ever met.  Buy all his albums.  See him whenever you can.  And please tell him I said hi when you do.

Jaffe in Lights

Josh: So, I personally find you to be so uplifting and fun. Can you tell when the audience feels it, or maybe doesn’t (Eyebrow lifts)?

Karen: After doing this for thirteen years or so, I can tell when a crowd likes me or doesn’t, or when one or more of my jokes falls flat.  There’s nothing like the feeling you get when every word you say is HILARIOUS to people.  It’s like a high!  Conversely, it never feels good when the audience isn’t really enjoying it, but it’s really helpful to find out what doesn’t work so I can change something.  I do have one punchline to a joke that no one appreciates as much as I do, but I keep telling it because I think it’s funny, and I really don’t care if no one else agrees.

Josh: Good for you! Stand your Ground KAREN! So, I know you are traveling with your comedy and have played all kinds fo places….do you have a preference?

Karen: Oh wow.  It really depends on my mood, or what I’m working on.  Some of my jokes have a lot of physicality to them, and I use weird facial expressions, so it helps when the audience is more intimate and can see me to appreciate what I’m doing.  But I have been on stage for over 800 people before, and getting that many people to laugh was incredible.  My only preference is that the people in the audience are there to see comedy, no matter how many of them there are.  I am not a big fan of bar shows where the audience isn’t even aware there’s a comedy show going on and they feel like hostages because they just wanted to go out and drink and talk to their friends.  I used to love the challenge of getting those people to pay attention and laugh.  Now I just feel sorry for them and want to put a stop to it!

Local Comedians!

Josh: (Laughing) You are a gem lady! Thank you for taking a minute with me. Everyone out there….Keep your Eyes Peeled for Karen’s upcoming shows! I wish you the best! And with the album!

Karen: Love you Mr. Stucky! And to everyone wanting to do comedy, whether it’s something you want to check off your bucket list, or something you’ve always really wanted to try, Dayton is the perfect place for it!  We’re all rooting for you.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed Senate Bill 288, which significantly strengthens laws in Ohio related to the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving.

“Signing this bill today is a great honor because this legislation will, without a doubt, prevent crashes and save lives,” said DeWine. “Right now, too many people are willing to risk their lives while behind the wheel to get a look at their phones. My hope is that this legislation will prompt a cultural shift around distracted driving that normalizes the fact that distracted driving is dangerous, irresponsible, and just as deadly as driving drunk.”

Senate Bill 288 designates the use of cell phones and other electronic communications devices while driving as a primary traffic offense for all drivers and allows law enforcement to immediately pull over a distracted driver upon witnessing a violation. Under the previous law, distracted driving was a primary offense only for juvenile drivers, preventing officers from stopping adult distracted drivers unless those drivers also committed a separate primary traffic violation, such as speeding or running a red light.

“This bill helps ensure that Ohio law reflects modern realities while supporting law enforcement in their mission to keep drivers safe,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. “I commend Gov. DeWine for championing this effort, which will bring about real change when it comes to distracted driving – ultimately saving lives.”

“My prayer is that this law will save lives. We can do nothing to bring our Maria back, but we are determined to keep other families from going through the nightmare of losing a child or a loved one on our roadways,” said Dom Tiberi, sports anchor for WBNS 10-TV and founder along with his wife, Terri, of the Maria Tiberi Foundation named in honor of their late daughter, Maria, who was killed in a distracted driving accident. The foundation encourages defensive driving and educates about the dangers of distracted driving.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that there have been at least 73,945 distracted driving crashes in Ohio since 2017, including 2,186 fatal and serious injury crashes. Traffic fatalities overall have increased in eight of nine years from 2013 to 2021, with deaths reaching their highest point in nearly two decades in 2021 with 1,355 fatalities. Preliminary traffic data from 2022 indicates that at least 1,269 people were killed in traffic crashes last year.

“Certainly not all fatal traffic crashes are caused by distracted driving, but it’s no coincidence that evolving smartphone technology has coincided with increasing roadway deaths and injuries,” added DeWine. “Other states with similar distracted driving laws have experienced fewer fatal crashes, and we expect that this enhanced distracted driving law will have the same impact here.”

Under the new law, a driver may still use their device in specific circumstances:

*When their vehicle is parked or stopped at a red light.
*Drivers are also permitted to swipe their phones to answer a call
*Drivers can  hold their phones to their ears during phone conversations.
*Emergency calls are also permitted in all circumstances.

Senate Bill 288 will go into effect in 90 days. Law enforcement will issue warnings to drivers found violating the law for the first six months following the effective date. After this six-month grace period, law enforcement will have the authority to issue citations. Penalties include a fine of up to $150 for a driver’s first offense and two points on their license unless a distracted driving safety course is completed. Increased penalties can occur if the driver is a repeat offender.

DeWine Signed Bill That Make Holding Cell Phone While Driving An Offense

The new Northmont Branch, located at 700 West National Road in Englewood, will open to the public with a Grand Opening on Saturday, January 7, from 10 am – 12 pm. A ribbon cutting will be held at approximately 10:15 am.

Patrons and community members from Englewood, Union, Clayton, Phillipsburg, and other surrounding areas will be able to celebrate the new Branch by enjoying light refreshments, meeting the Northmont Branch staff and DML’s famous mascots Pip and Cosmo, engaging with ReImagining Works artists who created new artwork specifically for the Branch, and touring the Branch.

The new Branch is more than 19,000 square feet and will have many of the same dedicated spaces DML’s other new and/or renovated facilities have:

• A Quiet Reading Room for adults
• A “Building Connections” themed Children’s Area, including the unique design of a 16’x4’ Lego mosaic that was built by youth patrons of the Library and a structure built from Tubelox
• A Teen Edge with a gaming console
• A Community Room
• Collaborative Meeting Spaces
• Laptop Lending
• Public Computers with Wi-Fi
• Learning Stations
• 24-hour Holds Lockers
• And much more

The ReImagining Works artists and their work for the new Branch are:

• Tricia Calvert, Dayton: a glass work composed of small, light boxes and playful colors in abstract geometric composition will be in the Quiet Reading Room.
• Amy Deal, Dayton: a nature-inspired diptych panel using a variety of media will be in the Community Room.
• Gae Helton, Dayton: titled Dragonflies and Poppies, this glass mosaic will be in the Marketplace and references the beauty of the natural world.
• Gary Hinsche, Dayton: Ode to Kenneth is a large-scale acrylic featuring the artist’s signature hard-edge color field style, which will also be in the Marketplace.

Architects for the new Northmont Branch were Ruetschle Architects, with Shook Construction handling construction management.

The opening of DML’s newest Branch is a result of the Library’s facilities project, Libraries for a Smarter Future. This project stems from a $187 million bond issue passed by Montgomery County voters in 2012, which has allowed the Library to update or renovate its Branches and Operations Center downtown. One facility remains in the project: Huber Heights’ new Branch, opening tentatively in the Spring 2023.

Regular operating hours for the Northmont Branch will be Monday/Tuesday/Thursday: 9:30 am – 8:30 pm, Wednesday/Friday/Saturday: 9:30 am – 6 pm, and closed Sunday. Programming will begin soon. Patrons can visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org/Programs to check the status of programs or may call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665 with questions.