Jewish comedy on Christmas in Chinese restaurant is an annual tradition in San Francisco. Typically, that’s a long way to go from St. Louis for some laughs. But given the pandemic, St. Louisans and other across the world will get a chance to see Kung Pao Kosher Comedy in action through virtual shows, which are taking place Dec. 24-26.

Kung Paois a takeoff on the tradition of Jews going to a Chinese restaurant and a movie on Christmas. The brainchild of San Francisco-based Jewish comedian, Lisa Geduldig, Kung Pao solves the age-old question, “What are Jews supposed to do on Christmas?” 

Created in 1993, Kung Pao was the country’s first Jewish comedy on Christmas in a Chinese restaurant show. The event caters to over 2,000 people each December, with some people having attended every year. 

Kung Pao features Yiddish proverbs in its fortune cookies including “With one tuchus, you can’t dance at 2 weddings,” which will be available this year through the event web site. Kung Pao has been ordering custom fortune cookies from the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in San Francisco’s Chinatown since 1994 and continues to support this local business during the pandemic. For the first time in 58 years, the fortune cookie factory had to stop production in March but has since started up again albeit slowly.

Due to the pandemic, the 28^thAnnual Kung Pao Kosher Comedywill take place virtually on Zoom and YouTube Live. Audiences worldwide will be able to “attend” and will be encouraged to order Chinese takeout from their local Chinese restaurants or cook recipes of Chinese dishes. Attendees watching the show on Zoom will be able to gather with friends and family in breakout rooms one hour before the show. The rooms will mirror the tables traditionally reserved by participants at the in-person event with table names that include Bubbelah, Kvetch, Meshugganah, Barbra Streisand and Joan Rivers.

This annual Jewish Christmas tradition will feature Jewish comedians Judy Gold, Alex Edelman and Lisa Geduldig. Show dates are at 7 p.m. (CST) Dec. 24 and 25 and 4 p.m. Dec. 26. Tickets run from $25 to $50, at www.CityBoxOffice/KungPao. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Teaching Tolerance” and the Helen and Joe Farkas Center for the Study of the Holocaust. For more information, go to www.KosherComedy.com. 

The New Asia Restaurant, Kung Pao Kosher Comedy’s home in San Francisco’s Chinatown since 1997 (the fifth year of the show) and one of the last two Chinese banquet restaurants in San Francisco’s Chinatown, is currently operating as a supermarket due to the pandemic while waiting to be able to re-open as a restaurant.