# Are Sarah Silverman and Jonathan Silverman related? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459 "2007-02-01T21:32:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/21 "2007-02-02T04:11:37Z")
Sarah Silverman went to my high school. She graduated the year before I started, but my sister was there at the same time (she was in _Sweet Charity_ with her her freshman year (my sister’s); Sarah was the lead, of course). I don’t recall well, but I do sort of remember her personality being sort of off-putting. Nothing I can put my finger on, especially given that I was twelve at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/22 "2007-02-02T04:27:37Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I am confused again. I just saw her sister Laura for the first time and Sarah is most emphatically cuter. I guess it is a matter of personal taste though. Jim [/QUOTE] I like Laura’s cat eyes and voice. She, too, by the way, is a bit anti-social. And Sarah is off-putting in person because she’s got a bit of the OCD. She’s not mean or anything, just awkward. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/23 "2007-02-02T05:10:22Z")
Well, I just watched the show. I had high hopes because I do think she can be funny. Man, it was just awful. Everything felt forced and nothing was really very funny. Not even good enough for me to give it a second chance on the next episode. I’m out. The dog was cute, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/24 "2007-02-02T05:52:03Z")
Her older sister is probably best known (and at the same time not known at all) as having played Laura the secretary on Dr. Katz. See was even drawn (squigglely) like herself (as were all the characters on that show). She was also Brendon’s step-mom on Home Movies. I not only think Sarah is cuter, but I don’t think they look even remotely similar… ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/25 "2007-02-02T08:22:41Z")
I think Sarah Silverman is completely hilarious, but, wow, that was a really awful show. There’s some talented people involved, so it can’t help but have a few funny moments, but mostly I thought it was a train-wreck. The acting was so bad that it undermined the comedy, and so many of the jokes were just . . . dumb. Also, I don’t think the ad campaign leading up to the show helped at all. Comedy Central has ben promoting the hell out of this thing, and they showed about a dozen different clips of Sarah saying inappropriate things. A lot of those, I thought, were jokes that would have been funny if I didn’t expect to hear them. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/26 "2007-02-02T14:07:35Z")
I retract my retraction- that show HAD to be put out as a favor to someone- there is no way it was aired because of quality. I was going to turn it off after five minutes but watched the entire show just in case it becomes a “Turn-On”-esque one-show-then-cancelled-fiasco, which I truly think it will be. 30 years from now people will be talking about whether it was bad as the say, and I will be able to say “yes. yes it was”. I love Sarah, I think her stand-up and roasting are awesome, but that was bad in a Metal Machine Music kind of way, like the were trying to purposely put out a piece of shit to get out of a contract commitment or something. This is proof that you can be stand-up funny and not TV show funny. They really should have done this as a sketch comedy show instead of a psuedo-sitcom or what ever the hell that trainwreck was. Where to begin? The after school special quality of acting by everyone onscreen? A joke maybe once every five minutes, none of which were funny and all of which were stand-up lines randomly thrown in whether they fit the scene or not? Pointless gay and black stereotypes that adding nothing? Even the camera work and editing sucked. Truly wretched. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/27 "2007-02-02T14:18:20Z")
Sarah Silverman is funny? I think she sucks. It’s not because I find her offensive-I really don’t. It’s because she’s a one trick pony. Her entire act consists of her saying something offensive, then going, “See! See, I said something bad-aren’t I a stinker?” Gah. Her timing sucks and if you’ve heard one of her jokes, you’ve heard them all. Margaret Cho did it first and does it MUCH better, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/28 "2007-02-02T14:20:49Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] I retract my retraction- that show HAD to be put out as a favor to someone- there is no way it was aired because of quality. I was going to turn it off after five minutes but watched the entire show just in case it becomes a “Turn-On”-esque one-show-then-cancelled-fiasco, which I truly think it will be. 30 years from now people will be talking about whether it was bad as the say, and I will be able to say “yes. yes it was”. I love Sarah, I think her stand-up and roasting are awesome, but that was bad in a Metal Machine Music kind of way, like the were trying to purposely put out a piece of shit to get out of a contract commitment or something. This is proof that you can be stand-up funny and not TV show funny. They really should have done this as a sketch comedy show instead of a psuedo-sitcom or what ever the hell that trainwreck was. Where to begin? The after school special quality of acting by everyone onscreen? A joke maybe once every five minutes, none of which were funny and all of which were stand-up lines randomly thrown in whether they fit the scene or not? Pointless gay and black stereotypes that adding nothing? Even the camera work and editing sucked. Truly wretched. [/QUOTE] Well I did not think it that awful. But it was pretty worthless. I doubt they will drag me in for another episode. It did mostly remind me of an SNL skit that went on way too long and where they did not know how to get out of it. I do not think the sitcom format is going to work for her as a lead. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > Sarah Silverman is funny? I think she sucks. It’s not because I find her offensive-I really don’t. It’s because she’s a one trick pony. Her entire act consists of her saying something offensive, then going, “See! See, I said something bad-aren’t I a stinker?” Gah. Her timing sucks and if you’ve heard one of her jokes, you’ve heard them all. > > Margaret Cho did it first and does it MUCH better, thank you. As usual, this is a matter of personnel taste. I have never found Cho funny or entertaining. Her comedy style is painful. Sarah is not one of the great stand-ups, but she is funny. The last really funny female Stand-Ups were Rita Rudner and Roseanne. I cannot think of any since. I might be forgetting someone. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/29 "2007-02-02T14:22:42Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] I retract my retraction- that show HAD to be put out as a favor to someone- there is no way it was aired because of quality. I was going to turn it off after five minutes but watched the entire show just in case it becomes a “Turn-On”-esque one-show-then-cancelled-fiasco, which I truly think it will be. 30 years from now people will be talking about whether it was bad as the say, and I will be able to say “yes. yes it was”. I love Sarah, I think her stand-up and roasting are awesome, but that was bad in a Metal Machine Music kind of way, like the were trying to purposely put out a piece of shit to get out of a contract commitment or something. This is proof that you can be stand-up funny and not TV show funny. They really should have done this as a sketch comedy show instead of a psuedo-sitcom or what ever the hell that trainwreck was. Where to begin? The after school special quality of acting by everyone onscreen? A joke maybe once every five minutes, none of which were funny and all of which were stand-up lines randomly thrown in whether they fit the scene or not? Pointless gay and black stereotypes that adding nothing? Even the camera work and editing sucked. Truly wretched. [/QUOTE] Shit. I’m glad I z-z-z’d out before it started. What you said about stand-up sucking at sitcom is true. And the other way around, too. Kramer comes to mind. Even if he didn’t melt down on stage, he’s simply not a stand-up guy. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/30 "2007-02-02T16:53:03Z")
Wow, I loved her premiere show, it had me in tears. 😃 It reminded me of Chris Elliot’s old show, **Get a Life** , in its absurdist weirdness. Like Get a Life, or Cabin Boy, that style of humor ends up being received at the extremes of the Stupid \<—\> Genius spectrum. I think it will succeed or fail based on the supporting cast. If she can keep a cast of others that can also support the humor while she is not delivering herself, then I think it will be one of my favorite new shows 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/31 "2007-02-02T17:05:58Z")
I think the comparison to **GaL** is a good one, and though I didn’t think much of the premiere, it’s definitely a show that will probably need to find its legs. Since it’s on Comedy Central, I’m sure it’ll get re-run endlessly, so I won’t be setting my DVR, but I will be on the lookout. I had a thing going once with a woman who looked a lot like SS (though a much better body), so I guess I’ve got a soft spot for her–but man, her sister’s a really cutie, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/32 "2007-02-02T17:14:46Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Margaret Cho did it first and does it MUCH better, thank you. [/QUOTE] Did it much better, you mean. She doesn’t do it anymore. Now she’s an angry bitter woman WITH SOMETHING TO SAY DAMMIT. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/33 "2007-02-02T17:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] **lisacurl** : you appear to be condemning her on very little. For all you know Jimmy’s marriage was on the rocks for a long time, or maybe the wife left him. [/QUOTE] No, that’s just the icing on the cake. I find her entire persona repulsive. I take some solace in the fact that she banks a lot of her act on being the hot chick who says gross stuff, and she’s reaching the end of her shelf life for being a hottie to her chosen target audience. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/34 "2007-02-02T17:18:05Z")
I must be missing something on Margaret Cho- I thought her act consisted of standing in front of a crowd of gays, telling them how much she likes to eat pussy 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/35 "2007-02-02T17:20:49Z")
[QUOTE=GargoyleWB] It reminded me of Chris Elliot’s old show, **Get a Life** , in its absurdist weirdness. [/QUOTE] Me too. Throughout the show, I was thinking that it was quirky like **Get a Life** and **Sledge Hammer**. I loved both of those shows, although I wasn’t impressed with Silverman’s. Could it be that I’m maturing? Nah. I will give it several more chances. Especially after I saw her rendition of _The Aristocrats_ joke on You Tube. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/36 "2007-02-02T17:21:13Z")
[QUOTE=Hail Ants] I not only think Sarah is cuter, but I don’t think they look even remotely similar… [/QUOTE] How weird. I saw a clip for the new movie _Because I Said So,_ which features Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo, and Mandy Moore as Diane Keaton’s daughters. I wondered, why doesn’t Hollywood ever cast people who are supposed to be sisters who look even conceivably as if they could have had the same mother and father? Then I saw Sarah and Laura Silverman. That’s what I mean, I thought. It’s totally obvious that those two are sisters, they look so much alike. Actually I think Sarah has had some work done. Laura looks older, despite being younger. And she’s not as cute as Sarah. She looks OK for a real person, but Sarah looks like someone born to be on television. I also liked the absurdist elements of the show. But Sarah makes herself too totally repulsive to let the show be enjoyable. How _edgy_. I’ll watch it again; it may improve. It’s 10,000 times better than The Naked Trucker & T-Bones show. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/37 "2007-02-02T17:24:32Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] What you said about stand-up sucking at sitcom is true. And the other way around, too. Kramer comes to mind. Even if he didn’t melt down on stage, he’s simply not a stand-up guy. [/QUOTE] But he was in Chicago’s Second City for years before getting tapped for _Seinfeld_. I guess his improv was better than his stand-up. And **Wee Bairn** , I gotta agree with your assessment of the show, although comparing her to Lou Reed would never have crossed my mind. It was too painful to watch - I turned it off after the cop asked her why she thought he was standing there. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/38 "2007-02-02T17:30:55Z")
[QUOTE=GargoyleWB] Wow, I loved her premiere show, it had me in tears. 😃 It reminded me of Chris Elliot’s old show, **Get a Life** , in its absurdist weirdness. Like Get a Life, or Cabin Boy, that style of humor ends up being received at the extremes of the Stupid \<—\> Genius spectrum. I think it will succeed or fail based on the supporting cast. If she can keep a cast of others that can also support the humor while she is not delivering herself, then I think it will be one of my favorite new shows 😃 [/QUOTE] Wow. \*\*Get a Life \*\* pushed me into the realm of “don’t give Chris Elliot _one second_ of screen time” in my house. Heh-heh…that’s what makes the world go 'round, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/39 "2007-02-02T17:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually I think Sarah has had some work done. Laura looks older, despite being younger. And she’s not as cute as Sarah. She looks OK for a real person, but Sarah looks like someone born to be on television. As mentioned, Laura _is_ older (by how much, I’m not certain). She only _plays_ Sarah’s younger sister. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459/40 "2007-02-02T17:47:57Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Sarah Silverman is funny? I think she sucks. It’s not because I find her offensive-I really don’t. It’s because she’s a one trick pony. Her entire act consists of her saying something offensive, then going, “See! See, I said something bad-aren’t I a stinker?” Gah. Her timing sucks and if you’ve heard one of her jokes, you’ve heard them all. Margaret Cho did it first and does it MUCH better, thank you. [/QUOTE] I’ve never found her that funny either. I’ve also never thought she was a particularly good screen actor. I think her strength is really the stage (although, again, I’m recalling this from 1988). She was always very natural on stage, and everything seemed so easy. Everything I’ve seen since seems forced. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sarah-silverman-and-jonathan-silverman-related/390459.md?page=3)