JEWISH HUMOR

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 nation’s professional comedians were Jewish. 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. Belle Barth, Danny Kaye, and other Jewish comedians substituted Yiddish for English when they wanted to fool English-speaking censors with risque jokes.

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 show’s opening production number culminates in the formation of a slowly turning swastika. The pillars at the back of the set are being lowered to a horizontal position and transformed into cannons. 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.”

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.” 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.

One member of the Knesset suggests that Israel go to war against the United States. Other members say, “What?” “Such a war wouldn’t 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?”

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.”

• Yiddish is the language of sarcasm and irony. It is also the language of Jewish culture. Richard Fein’s experiences were typical:

• “Yiddish was in my bones, but hidden from my tongue. I did not 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.”

Here is a sampling of Yiddish words and expressions:

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

In The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten says that Yiddish syntax also enters the English Language:

Fancy-schmancy

kvetch

maven

mazel tov

tanz

Oy Vey!

Get lost.

You should live so long!

Who needs it?

He should excuse the expression.

It shouldn’t happen to a dog.

On him it looks good.

Other Yiddish patterns include virus schmirus, and a real no-goodnik.