Local Old Jewish Man Wins an Emmy

By Katie McFadden

There must be something in the water. There was another local winner at the New York Emmy Awards on Saturday, October 11. Internet sensation, known as the face of Old Jewish Men and Belle Harbor resident David Roffe took home a New York Emmy for sitting in his beach chair in Belle Harbor and paying a visit to New York’s infamous Katz’s Deli.

Last week, we highlighted the NY Emmy win of Breezy Point summer resident Artie Brennan, but we couldn’t let Roffe’s award-winning pastrami promotion go without notice. Ever humble, Roffe said of his win, “I didn’t think anything of it. But this is like a big deal.” In fact, he learned of the win from the commercial’s director, Nicolas Heller, better known as New York Nico, who did pay to go to the awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square on October 11. Nico gets to keep the award, but the star of the show is stuck buying his own. “I didn’t want it. It’s $400. But now I’m in the process of getting myself one. My kids said they’ll buy it for me as a birthday present,” Roffe said. “I guess this is a bigger deal than I thought. First, I didn’t give a damn. So what, I got an Emmy. But it’s odd that two guys on the peninsula got one. Like 1,000 to one chance. I probably get more people to recognize me than recognize him,” Roffe said, referring to Brennan, realizing, maybe, he actually is a big deal.

After all, as one-third of the viral Old Jewish Men social media phenomenon, with 505K followers on Instagram and another 220K on TikTok, and some videos reaching millions, Roffe is kind of a big deal. “Young people recognize me all over. I volunteer at my grandson’s school, he goes to Scholars, and I work the store. All the kids know me,” Roffe said. “I was walking my dog, Snowball, minding my business and one of the neighbors runs out the front door and says, ‘You’re very funny on TikTok!’ I take my cars to Bulloch’s on 129th and Tommy tells me his kids watch me. The firefighters on the beach, when they see me, they giggle. My daughter teaches at Sunset Park High School, and she told me she was in the front teaching and in the back of the room, three or four boys were looking at their phone, and she walks down the aisle and tells them to put the phone away. One of the boys, who’s a nice guy, said ‘Ok, Miss, but look at this guy, he’s hysterical.’ He turns the phone and shows it to her and it’s me. Two weeks later she brought me in to meet them. My son-in-law is a teacher at the School for Law and Justice in Downtown Brooklyn, and he has a teacher he works with on staff show him a video, and he said, ‘That’s my father-in-law.’ It’s funny.”

For those not in the know, Old Jewish Men is a popular social media account and now brand. Started in 2015, a young Jewish man, Noah Rinsky, began documenting his own father, but eventually he needed more material, so he held an open casting. Roffe has been dabbling in acting for about 15 years, starting with doing improv about 20 years ago, learning from the best, including Amy Poehler, at her Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy institution. About three years ago, Roffe’s wife, Sarina, saw an ad on Backstage.com that she knew would be perfect for her husband. “They wanted an old man that’s cranky. I said, I don’t even have to act!” Roffe recalled.

Next thing he knew, he was on a train to 72nd and Columbus, and walking the wrong direction to his audition. I was on the corner of Amsterdam, and they were in a bar. I didn’t see a bar and thought they gave me the wrong directions. I called Noah up and said, ‘Where are you people?’ He said, ‘I’m here.’ I start yelling, ‘What are you talking about? I’m here!’ I was on Amsterdam, and they were on Columbus. I walked over and he said, ‘I did nothing wrong; you were in the wrong spot!’” The exchange was enough for Rinsky to know Roffe was right for the job.

Since then, the Old Jewish Men have become known for their sometimes stereotypical, but always funny skits. They discuss everything from the lack of public restrooms in the city to fighting over Costco rotisserie chicken, which has since spiraled into its own side podcast, “The Chicken Show,” to arguing over the price of pastrami at Katz’s, with Roffe holding up a sign in protest. But inside, you’ll find his picture on one of the walls.

Roffe’s antics have led him to working with folks he didn’t know, but his kids and grandkids do, including rapper Busta Rhymes, “Uncut Gems” actress Julia Fox, social media stars, Mr. Beast and Hayley Baylee, and even making appearances on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” And when Katz’s Deli on Houston Street had an opportunity to film their very first commercial, they knew just the guy they wanted to star in it. Filmmaker New York Nico was interested in marrying his bride at Katz’s Deli last year, so he did a little negotiating, offering to make a commercial for them, in exchange for a break on the cost. “He called me and says, ‘I need you to do me a favor. I’m getting married at Katz’s and they told me they’ll only give me a discount if you do a commercial with me for them.’ I told him to write it up and tell me what you want.” Heller and Roffe were tasked with promoting Katz’s nationwide shipping offer.

So one day in November 2024, Heller, Roffe and cameraman Joe Bressler went to Katz’s and got to shooting. By 2:30 p.m., they wrapped up at the deli and were thinking of how to end it, when Roffe thought about the nationwide aspect, and decided to head to Florida, to shoot a scene in which his twin brother, would receive a box of fresh Katz’s Deli goodies right in his beach chair. Except his twin, Dan, was played by Dave himself, and Florida was Beach 140th Street. “The beach scene was my idea,” Roffe said. And making it even more personal, Roffe suggested a cameo from his grandson, also named David, an 8th grade Scholars student and up-and-coming Rockaway Theatre Company actor, and his dog, Snowball, who both run past Roffe, dropping off his special delivery from Katz’s.

The commercial, “Twins,” won the New York Emmy for Commercial (Single Spot) in the Creative Arts category. As Roffe wasn’t at the ceremony, he later met with Heller and Rinsky at another favorite spot, Montague Diner in Brooklyn, to share in the glory of the award Roffe never expected to win. Roffe is already pondering where he’ll place his gifted major award, considering the mantle above the TV or maybe on Sarina’s nightstand. “It’ll be a good way to irritate my wife,” Roffe said.

For more of David Roffe’s antics, follow @oldjewishmen on Instagram.