The origins of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy in San Francisco

How Kung Pao Comedy in San Francisco got its start

KTVU sat down with the founder of Kung Pao Comedy in San Francisco. 

SAN FRANCISCO - A holiday tradition returns to San Francisco this week with the 33rd annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy shows.

The popular comedy event is scheduled for Christmas Eve through Dec. 26 at the Imperial Palace Restaurant in Chinatown, featuring two shows each night that combine stand-up comedy with dinner.

Comedians Elayne Boosler, Orion Levin and Amanda Marks are set to take the stage.

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy founder Lisa Geduldig said the idea began years ago after a conversation with a friend.

"Out of that conversation, a joke of an idea — to do a Jewish comedy night on Christmas in a Chinese restaurant — and I came back to San Francisco, couldn’t get it out of my mind, wrote a press release, hired some comics," Geduldig said. "Which was like a Woody Allen skit in itself, trying to explain Jews and Christmas and Chinese food."

Some of the proceeds from the shows will benefit the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family and Community Services.