Nu (So), You Think That's Funny? A Century of Jewish Humor in America

From Myron Cohen to Rita Rudner, Jewish jokesters have had a disproportionate influence on 20th century American comedy.  Hear and see vintage recordings and clips and learn why and how Jews have made us laugh for a hundred years.

 
Mark Levy has performed and taught in the Bay area for 25 years.  He has appeared throughout the country and abroad and is a singer and lecturer who specializes in older Judaic folk music in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Ladino, Klezmer history and theory, and Jewish music history in general. He has performed for Yeshiva University Sephardic Dept.'s Semana Sepharad in New York, and is a cantorial soloist in California. He recently released a fourth album of Jewish music entitled Bin Ikh Mir A Shnayderl: Yiddish Work Songs, in commemoration of the 100th birthday of Workmen's Circle, a fraternal order of Jewish workers and their families.

Course outline:

Act (week) 1,. Oy, Vey Iz Mir examines the types of jokes and venues Jewish comedians found to express their feelings as immigrants in a new country, honing their skills in vaudeville, on the streets, and on early recordings.  Jokes in Yiddish were for Jewish audiences and friends and were told to deflect anti-Semitism and poke fun at the new surroundings, as well as at ourselves. Jokes and routines in Jewish accent and character were not always received well by the self-conscious immigrants who wanted to avoid the stereotype. Hear examples of Yiddish and English jokes from recordings, as well as vaudeville routines captured on film.

Act 2.  Jewish Comics Go Mainstream traces the careers of some of the most successful mid-20th century Jewish comedians who moved up onto the Broadway and Hollywood stage and screen as well as national radio airwaves.  Some changed their names, like Fanny Brice, Jack Benny, and George Burns, but their humor still retained a uniquely Jewish ring.  Come hear and see them as well as the Marx Brothers and others in action on vintage clips and have a good laugh for this heyday of entertainment.

Act 3.  Jews 'R Us! During the latter half of the 20th century, Jewish comedians began "coming out" openly and using their experiences as Jews in America as material, feeling a bit more comfortable to keep their names and air "dirty laundry." The public does not always responds favorably (Lenny Bruce, Jackie Mason), but some of the most successful Jewish comics let it all hang out to rave reviews and standing ovations. We'll hear and see Joan Rivers, Billy Crystal, Adam Sandler, Judy Gold, Brad Garret and many more open up and make being Jewish funny.