Jennifer Coolidge Had A Brilliant ‘Sophie’s Choice’ Bit During Her Old Standup Set

If there’s such a thing as an almost socially acceptable Sophie’s Choice joke, then Jennifer Coolidge made it in 2010. 

Footage of the famed actress and comedian performing standup at the Comix comedy club in New York recently resurfaced following the massive uptick in attention and adoration that Coolidge has received for her breathtaking performance as the klutzy heiress Tanya McQuoid in HBO’s The White Lotus. The clip in question shows Coolidge claiming to have played a small role in the 1982 Holocaust drama starring Meryl Streep, before Coolidge reenacted her “scene” with a slight twist.

We promise that no children were harmed in the making of this bit.

A quick perusal of the Sophie’s Choice IMDb page does not list the American Pie star in any role in the haunting film that earned Streep her second Oscar. Apparently, Coolidge built the bit by working backwards from the snack break and somehow landed on Sophie’s Choice as the best film for the set-up.

Sadly, not much of Coolidge’s short-lived standup career was put to film, but we're grateful to have this small taste of her pastry-themed Holocaust humor. Look out for any videos of Coolidge eating donuts during Schindler's List.