Introduction. Jewish humor : mechanism for defense, weapon for cultural affirmation -- God, jokes and money : a subversive look at Jewish humor -- Jewish men and women in Vaudeville -- Yiddish -- Funny Jews : up from the Catskills-Danny Kaye and Sid Caesar -- Catskill alumni from Brooklyn -- A sacred monster in lamb's clothing : Jerry Lewis -- Comedy's changing landscape : two Jews and a Black crossover artist -- Jewish humor in literature -- Dialectical Jewish humor : Mickey Katz, Sam Levenson and Jackie Mason -- Up from the Bronx : Red Buttons, Billy Crystal and Robert Klein -- Sitcoms from Benny to Seinfeld -- Shpritzing and jiving : Jews and Blacks -- Yip's rainbow : songs of social significance -- Coda : around the world in eighty jokes plus.
Summary:
"Scholars of humor have studied the essence of the Jewish joke, at once a defense mechanism against a hostile world and a means of cultural affirmation. Citing examples from prominent humorists and stand-up comics, this book examines the phenomenon of Jewish humor from its Biblical origins to its prevalence in the modern diaspora"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.