JEWISH HUMOR See also

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JEWISH HUMORSee also American Pop Language,
Ethnic Humor, and Movie Humor

• by Don L. F. Nilsen
• and Alleen Pace Nilsen

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Jewish Humor
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• 1. Give three qualities of Jewish humor (6-8)?
• 2. Give three Jewish stereotypes (9).
• 3. Give two father son comedians (12).
• 4. Explain Yiddish and New Yorkness, and
  Pilpul (13-16 18).
• 5. Explain bobehla, chutzpah, ganeff,
  hazenfeffer, kibitz, kibutz, mishmash,
  nosh, schmaltz, schmear, schmooz,
  shlemiel, shlep, and shlimazl (19).
• 6. Identify Leo Rosten (20), Elaine Boozler (21),
  Mel Brooks (22), Carl Reiner (23) The Marx
  Brothers (24-25) and Henny Youngman (26).
• 7. Explain fancy-schmancy, kvetch, maven,
  mazeltov, shnorrer, tanz, and Oy Vey! (27

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INTRODUCTION

• In 1978, psychologist Samuel Janus conducted a
  study which found that although Jews constituted
  only 3 percent of the U.S. population, 80 percent
  of the nations professional comedians were
  Jewish.
• (Altman 13)
• The percentage of comedians is less today not
  because there are fewer Jewish comedians, but
  because in response to ethnic and gender identity
  movements, many new comedians have come from
  groups that were previously under-represented.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 170)

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Borat
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(No Transcript)
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Jerry Lewis
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Seinfeld
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The Soup Nazi

• The Seinfeld show teases all things Jewish.
• Seinfeld says, My parents didnt want to move to
  Florida, but they turned sixty, and thats the
  law.
• Seinfeld says to George, George, cheapness isnt
  a yth sense.
• On the Seinfeld Show there is a strict,
  hot-tempered owner of a soup kitchen who uses the
  phrase, No soup for you! He is referred to as
  The Soup Nazi.

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THE BORSCHT BELT

• Belle Barth, Danny Kaye, and other Jewish
  comedians substituted Yiddish for English when
  they wanted to fool English-speaking censors with
  risque jokes. See the slide on Yiddish for
  examples.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

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THE GOLDBERGS

• Between 1929 and 1945 there was a popular Jewish
  radio program named The Goldbergs. The
  language of the show used Yiddish intonation,
  proverbs and sentence patterns like, Better a
  crust of bread and enjoy it than a cake that
  gives you indigestion.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 102)

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HONEY-COATED BARBS

• Henry Spalding says that much Jewish humor is in
  the form of honey-coated barbs at the people and
  things Jews love the most.
• Jews verbally attack their loved ones and their
  religion, but with the grandest sense of
  affection.
• Their jokes are a kiss with salt on the lips,
  but a kiss nevertheless.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 173)

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HUMILITY AND PRIDE

• Dolf Zillman says that Jewish humor exhibits two
  antithetical statures disparagement and
  superiority.
• This antithesis can be seen in the following
  joke
• The Israeli Knesset is lamenting all of the
  challenges that Israel faces.

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• One member of the Knesset suggests that Israel go
  to war against the United States.
• Other members say, What? Such a war wouldnt
  last 10 minutes.
• I know. I know. But then we would be a
  conquered country and the Americans would send us
  aid. They would build roads and hospitals and
  send food and agricultural experts.
• But, said another member of the Knesset, What
  if we win?
• (Nilsen Nilsen 173)

15
JEWISH STEREOTYPES

• Jewish stereotypes include the shrewd
  businessman, the overbearing mother, the Jewish
  American Princess, and the persecuted Jew.
• Arthur Naiman illustrates the stereotype of the
  overbearing Jewish mother with a story about a
  psychiatrist who tells a Jewish mother that her
  son has an Oedipus complex.
• The mother responds, Oedipus, schmoedipus, just
  so long as he loves his mother.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 173)

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MARGINALIZATION

• Because Jews have a history of marginalization
  they view life from the edge.
• Therefore, Jews have come up with fresh and funny
  observations.
• Because of their marginalization they have also
  been attracted to professions that are not in the
  mainstream the theater, popular music,
  vaudeville, and entertainment are also
  marginalized.

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• Earlier immigrant groups such as the Irish worked
  in burlesque and early radio and films, but Jews
  were more successful and made room for each
  other.
• In many cases, show business became a family
  affair.

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• Thus comedian Albert Brooks grew up in Hollywood
  as the son of the famous radio comedian Harry
  Einstein (better known as Parkyarkarkus) and was
  a successful stand-up comedian by the time he was
  21.
• Actor and producer Rob Reiner is the son of
  writer and producer Carl Reiner.
• Marlo Thomas is the daughter of Danny Thomas, who
  although not Jewish told many Yiddish stories.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 171)

19
MULTILINGUALISM

• For generations, Jews have been multilingual,
  speaking Yiddish at home, Hebrew at the
  synagogue, and the language of the surrounding
  community at work.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

20
NEW YORKNESS

• Joseph Boskin says that Jews have wrought a
  distinctively hard-driving, spontaneous humor of
  concrete immediacy, one that bursts with
  retaliation.
• Its sarcastic rejoinders, rapid-fire jokes, and
  happy quips reflect the rhythms and pace of the
  city itself.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 171)

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PILPUL

• In Jewish culture boys begin at age 4 to learn
  how to examine issues from all angles, to
  speculate and find contradictions, to shift back
  and forth between abstract and concrete thoughts,
  to ask all possible questions, to clarify various
  points, and to find subtle and simple answers to
  highly complex problems.

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• This way of thinking, in which endless
  argumentation, sometimes for its own sake, that
  could lead anywhere is called pilpul and it is
  highly valued.
• Besides being good practice for Talmudic
  scholars, pilpul correlates with the intellectual
  processes of creating successful humor, including
  the practice of answering a question with a
  question, piling one question after another or
  asking rhetorical questions
• What do I look like? A dictionary?
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

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THE PURIM

• During the annual Purim, there is rejoicing over
  the hanging of the wicked Haman on the gallows he
  had prepared for the execution of Persian Jews.
• To this day, Jewish children are given hand-held
  greggars or noise makers to drown out the name of
  Haman as the story of Esther is recited.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

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YIDDISH

• Richar Feins experiences were typical
• Yiddish was in my bones, but hidden from my
  tongue. I did know Yiddish as a language, but I
  felt reared in its resonance, pitch, and tone. I
  recognized a few words uttered in isolation,
  grasped nothing of its structure, but felt washed
  in its rhythms. Although I could not speak
  Yiddish, it was not a foreign language. I never
  possessed it, but sensed it possessing me.
• (Fein 317)

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• Bobehla little grandmother term of endearment
• Chutzpah gall or incredible nerve
• Ganeff a thief or mischievous prankster
• Kibitz kidding around
• Mishmash flagrant disorder or confusion
• Nebish a loser or sad sack
• Nosh a snack
• Schmaltz chicken fat sentimentality
• Schmear bribing or greasing the palm
• Schmooz a heartfelt visit
• Shlemiel clumsy or inept person
• Shlep carrying things (including oneself) in an
  undignified way
• Shlimazl fall guy or luckless oaf
• Shnorrer a beggar
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172-173)

26

• In The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten says that
  Yiddish syntax also enters the English Language
• Get lost.
• You should live so long!
• Who needs it?
• He should excuse the expression.
• It shouldnt happen to a dog.
• On him it looks good.
• Other Yiddish patterns include virus schmirus,
  and a real no-goodnik.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 173)

27
ELAINE BOOSLER

• Elaine Boosler gives a new twist to an old Jewish
  stereotype when she jokes
• My brothers gay. My parents dont mind as long
  as he marries a doctor.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 171)

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MEL BROOKS

• In Mel Brooks The Producers there is a play
  within the play called Springtime for Hitler.
• Dozens of dancers, singers, actors and
  pantomimists of every race and shape audition for
  the role of Hitler.
• The shows opening production number culminates
  in the formation of a slowly turning swastika and
  in the pillars at the back of the set being
  lowered to a horizontal position and transformed
  into canons.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

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MEL BROOKS AND CARL REINER

• After seeing a bizarre interview on TV, Reiner
  turned to Brooks and said,
• I understand you were actually at the scene of
  the Crucifixion. Brooks responded,
• Ooooooh, boy! and then continued in character
  saying that yes, he had known Christ.
• He was a thin lad, always wore sandals. Came
  into the store but never bought anything.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 171)

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!THE MARX BROTHERS

• The Marx Brothers were named Chico, Harpo, Gummo,
  Zeppo, and Groucho.
• Harpo had a number of demented faces and magical
  sight gags.
• Groucho had his zany singing and dancing and his
  punchy one-liners.
• Zeppo played the straight man to Groucho.
• Chico had his amusing piano playing, his
  outrageous Italian accent, and his bad puns.

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• !As immigrants come to the United States there
  are various stages that they go through to become
  Americanized.
• Harpo is not able to speak English. He is in the
  first stage.
• Chicos English is very poor, and he is always
  confused by English. He is in the second stage.
• Zeppos English is like general American. He has
  no accent.
• Groucho uses the English of Brooklyn. Not only
  has he become Americanized, he has also become
  Brooklynized.
• (Nilsen Nilsen 86)

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!!HENNY YOUNGMAN

• Henny Youngman had a rat-a-tat syle of humor that
  reflects the frustrations of urban life
• Fellow walks up to me and says, You see a cop
  around here? I say, No, and he says, Stick
  em up!
• (Nilsen Nilsen 172)

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!!!Some Great Yiddish Words

• fancy-schmancy
• kvetch
• maven
• mazel tov
• shnorrer
• tanz
• Oy Vey!
• (Weiner and Davilman)

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Jewish Web Sites

• CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
• http//www.hbo.com/larrydavid/
• IF I WERE A RICH MAN (FROM FIDDLER ON THE ROOF)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vRBHZFYpQ6nc
• OVERVIEW OF JEWISH HUMORDON NILSEN
• Humorous Contemporary Jewish-American Authors An
  Overview of the Criticism

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• SEINFELD
• http//www.sonypictures.com/tv/shows/seinfeld/
• TRADITION (FROM FIDDLER ON THE ROOF)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vgRdfX7ut8gw
• YIDDISH DICK AND JANE
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vNlO5vUS5KnU

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• References
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  Exploration of a Pop Culture Phenomeenon.
  Rutherford, NJ Fairleigh Dickinson UP, 1971.
• Ben-Amos, Dan. The Myth of Jewish Humor.
  Western Folklore 32.2 (1973) 112-131.
• Berger, Arthur Asa. The Genius of the Jewish
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• Berstein, C. More than just yada yada yada
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  251-257.
• Boskin, Joseph. Humor and Social Change in 20th
  Century America. Boston, MA Boston Public
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• Cohen, Sarah Blacher. Comic Relief Humor in
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  Wayne State Univ Press, 1978.
• Cohen, Sarah Blacher. Cynthia Ozicks Comic Art
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  Univ Press, 1994.

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• Cohen, Sarah Blacher. From Hester Street to
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