Old Jews Telling Jokes (video)

A series from Jetpack Media. I cracked the hell up over the "golf" one, too. There's a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday. (Thanks, Eric Spiegelman)

• [EH]

  LSK#2, our humor is what has sustained us for 3,000 years. Or 5,000. I forget.

• [sfazzios]

  @#3 RASZ. I personally disagree with the actions made by the Israeli government. Thanks for cheapening my opinion with your crude and off-topic comment.

• [dragonfrog]

  @Airpillo – I was just going to request some righteous indignation.

  After all, how dare anyone even refer to, let alone propagate, such a repugnant stereotype as that Jewish people have a sense of humour aligned toward joke-telling, and are good at it?

  I’ll have to wait till I’m home to watch the videos. The lady in the preview looks charming – I love the little smirk captured in the freeze-frame.

• [Akezys]

  Hnstly, th fct tht thr s n mdrtn gnst cmmnt sch s #3 s frghtnng. nflmmtry rhtrc nctng htrd shldn’t b cndnd.

  D nt: t s /srl/ pltcs y dsgr wth. Ctgrzng grp f ppl s ‘dd jws’ strtng ‘ scnd hlcst’ s grss gnrlztn nd brdrs n bjct bgtry.

  hv bn lng tm rdr f bngbng – nd t s rcnt dsppntng trnd tht dsmvwlng hs bcm rmpnt – bt crd, ffnsv cmmnts lk ths shldn’t b mbrcd.

• [Micah]

  On the PBS “Make ‘em Laugh” series the other night, Chris Rock said, “If you’re a comedian, you’re Jewish. It’s like, to be a comedian is to be raised by Jews.”

  Xeni, you might want to note that the soundtracks of these videos are mildly NSFW.

• [five]

  #23:

  i feel like my college education is a scam. i don’t get it.

• [arkizzle]

  Akezys,
  I flagged it, did you?

• [arkizzle]

  Five,

  the response would be “gurer’f ab rssva’ jnl”.. geddit?

• [Akezys]

  Yes, I did as well.

• [five]

  OHHHHHHHH.

  maybe i should click the eye on my own comment for not getting it.

• [johnnyrighton]

  @#2 That must be why I can’t tell a joke–I grew up Method-ish.

• [Akezys]

  Yup, Arkizzle, that I did.

• [mdh]

  Ahhhh, this video is one of the rare places where you can actually see the line (not crossed) between racism and bigotry.

  I got no problem with racism (sans bigotry), as there clearly are broad similarities among peoples with millenia old genetic associations. I am a racist, and I am NOT a bigot. (maybe I’m “taking the word back”?)

  The problems come in when people use race to pre-judge a person (or group) to justify their own hatreds. The hate is the problem. The bigot would just find another hook to hang his hate on if race were not obvious as an issue.

  It’s also a problem when someone who feels like a victim lashes out at a percieved attacker. Many targets of racial bigotry are understandably nudgy when race is brought up, even when it is done in a hate-less way and in a non-bigoted forum.

• [MichaelRN]

  Why a duck?

• [Antinous / Moderator]

  Oy. I had to sub two classes this morning, so I wasn’t here.

  Akezys,

  BB is free entertainment. There are not operators standing by. If you want more moderatorial coverage, mail a check.

• [mdh]

  yet I would have applauded, although I wouldn’t have commented to signal my applause.

  why not?

  And yes, that is true that I’ll write only to say something different: unison cannot make good harmony.

  No, it makes a chorus. Without one some of us have to sing louder.

  That may give the impression that I am ‘picking apart’ but it isn’t what I am doing; I am just a professional dissenter.

  Yes, it is exactly what you’re doing. I’m not pre-offended, I’m annoyed that all you have to offer here is negativity. See below.

  Anyway I can’t do that for solid, well thought out comments and so I don’t.

  yeah, see, that was entirely necessary. You agree with my point, but more strongly feel the need to cringe over my semantics (despite my open acknowlegement that I was using the word ‘racism’ in a limited way that some might find clumsy)

  A false apology with a backhand at the end. Bravo, really adds to the discussion.

  With that sort of method it is not so easy (from here) to tell the difference between someone who disagrees and wants to be a bit dickish about it, and someone who agrees and wants to be a bit dickish. One thing is for certain.

• [ridl]

  Arky – really? one confused comment and you spoil it? I’m disapointed in you. I know the impetus to be helpful, but the correct response was to repeat “you just take the “F” out of “way” as many times as necessary.

  That’s it. I’m flagging it.

• [IamInnocent]

  MDH: so I didn’t loose any sleep but over it but I got up with fresher ideas nevertheless. I concede that you’ve got most of the points except for the ‘dickish’ that I resent greatly: I always pride myself to go for the full dickhead and that diminutive I can’t stomach.

  So, sorry, no backhand.

  I’ll mix a bit of positive in my negative from now on.

• [arkizzle]

  Rasz, that was way off topic, and pretty inflammatory.

  I’ve clicked the eyeball on your comment.

• [Akezys]

  Antinous;

  Didn’t mean to be uppity or demand action. I understand that BB is free – and I should expect no more than I pay for.

  I sense that your comment about mailing a cheque was tongue-in-cheek. In that vein, however, I must ask – does BB take donations in any way? I would be happy to send some coin your guys’ way.

  I thought BB had hired moderators however? Well, I don’t presume to understand BB’s dynamic. I just assumed complicity in the comment due to no action (as I normally applaud the fast moderatorial action here). Shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.

  Have a good one.

• [Lemon]

  Man I am slow took me 3 seconds before I got it. There should be a laugh track for slow people like me.

• [arkizzle]

  MDH, I agree with your view, but would note that Jews have both a religion and a culture, but not a race as such.. So it isn’t necessarily racism. I suppose that is why ‘anti-semitism’ exists, as a concept separate from racism, I’ve never really thought about it before though, so I could be wrong.

  Anyone care to correct the assumption?

  Cultures do have trends and mindsets though, that’s what gives them the relative homgeniety to be called ‘cultures’ in the first place.

• [arkizzle]

  Ridl, my sincerest apologies, you are absolutely and utterly right.

  OK, tell it again :)

• [Takuan]

  send all donations caer of “Takuan”, that’s “Takuan” and be sure to include a stamped self addressed envelope for your tax deductible receipt.
  Jut tie the money to a brick and hurl it off your nearest dock. Hurry now, tunicates are standing by.

• [Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Community Manager]

  Aaaaaaaaaaaand Akezys @24 loses its vowels for inflammatory rhetoric, non-flammable hyperbole, and simultaneously (1.) badmouthing disemvowelling while (2.) calling for the disemvowelling of someone else’s comment.

  This penalty is independent of the dismvowelling visited upon the other comment.

• [That Evening Sun]

  …..so finally, the waiter says, “Okay, I’ll try the soup. Where’s the spoon?” AHA! AHA!

  I thought AHA! was the standard punchline for Jewish jokes.

  “There’s no f*** in broccoli.” AHA! AHA!

• [Zan]

  Just a warning: This video is NSFW

• [ridl]

  Thanks, Arky.

  I see your spoiler hasn’t been disemvoweled, tho. Should I take this to the Mod Policy thread? I will bitch and complain until I has my way!

• [Takuan]

  (hey, ya ever just semi-disemvowel one just to watch it hop in circles?)

• [Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Community Manager]

  Akezys, we do have moderators. We also have work that doesn’t show up on the front page, and a constantly increasing stream of message traffic.

  If anyone sent donations, I know exactly where and how I’d allocate them — not that I’m holding my breath. Besides, if they did, I’d have to come up with a thank-you note that gracefully conveyed our warm regards and thanks while making it clear that the donation would have no effect on policy.

• [IamInnocent]

  I wouldn’t have commented to signal my applause.

  why not?

  Since you specifically ask: I am unable to express myself without nuances and so it often turns out that the applause remains totally unheard.

  For the rest I reject your characterization and your glorification of unanimity altogether.

• [roundabout]

  real mccoy, nice

• [arkizzle]

  Ridl,

  Seppuku.

  Is that what you want?

  If that is what you want.. Really: What. You. Need. I will request Teresa to hand me the blade. It will be my very first disemvowellment. A bloody stain on my otherwise unmarred vest.

  Do you need it?

• [mdh]

  Arkizzle – you actually make my point. If race isn’t around as a focal point for hate, then bigots will just find another -ism (or -ality) to focus on.

  Heck, where I grew up your telephone exchange was sufficient basis for some parents not to let their kids hang out with other kids. This actually translated to schoolyard taunts based on PHONE NUMBERS!?!? Other communities have actual railroad tracks you might be “from the OTHER side of”.

  Where race is unavailable, those who fear the ‘other’ will always just invent sufficient difference and ascribe the responsibility for the ills of your life onto another.

  I think it’s a meme we can erase, but we do have our work cut out for us.

• [IamInnocent]

  #6: +1½ with you. Yes, it is mind boggling that the same people may, although some may not, let thousands of innocent suffer because their brains has been washed with fear from birth, but that sir or lady is Humanity for you.

  @MDH: the genetic variety of the Jewish people is immense, due mostly to the fact that quite a few Jewish women married goys, which made the children fully fledged Jews, by the Jewish law.

  @Arkizzle: the funny thing is that the semitic peoples are those descending of Shem, the son of Noah. This includes the Arabs…

  @Lemon: the delivery wasn’t terrific and I did pause myself before understanding.

  I liked the McCoy joke best of all: it was subtle at least. The golf joke, with the mandatory dumb-but-nice girl, was cheap. Grand-ma has no delivery but she is so sympathetic :)

  And BTW, the Irishes are also quite funny; so are the French Canadians. OTOH, trying to imagine Ariel Sharon telling a joke is a good one in itself…

• [Takuan]

  whiskey, they could send whiskey, whiskey’s OK isn’t it?

• [arkizzle]

  “I think it’s a meme we can erase, but we do have our work cut out for us.”

  I originally ended my comment to you with a similar thought. I think there are definite inroads being made in all sorts of little areas, with all sorts of cultural integration (not in the loaded sense) and appreciation. Like people feeling more comfortable with their own place in multicultural-society, more people appreciating the differences in cultures and the similarities in people. Even, more ease of cultural references without a knee-jerk ‘it must be racism’ reaction.

  Maybe that’s rose-tinted, but I certainly feel it.

• [Axx]

  Meh. The vid’s ok. But I request a “Jokes by old Pentecostals” post.

• [devophill]

  Hey, mods, correct me if I’m wrong, but (regarding a couple of comments in this thread) Boing Boing is not to be considered SFW, at all. I believe it was Xeni who stated this a while back.

• [Matt Deckard]

  I’m a quarter Jewish and I feel like I got cheated out of the sense of humor and joke-telling adeptness.

• [mdh]

  iaminnocent – Seriously, did you get my point at all? or are you here solely to pick apart other peoples efforts? I mean DUH! My niece is a blond haired blue eyed Jew with two mommies – and I think you missed my point entirely.

  Arkizzle – my current glasses have a funny name and are from Hawaii. It may take a stronger ‘scrip, but it’s a start.

• [arkizzle]

  Axx

  Will a young ex-Pentecostal do?

  “Ex-Pentecostal comedian Ryan Paulson describes growing up in a church where people spoke in tongues and how he left the church and ended up in New York City.”

  http://www.podfeed.net/play/play.asp?id=11138

• [arkizzle]

  She’s a risqué ship indeed, BoingBoing.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    She’s a risqué ship indeed, BoingBoing.

    If kittens constitute a money shot. We make Wikipedia look like XTube.

• [ridl]

  I would be honored to draw your first blood.

  Perhaps someday you will do the same for me.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    I rot13′ed it.

• [arkizzle]

  I’ve seen things.

• [AirPillo]

  I’m a quarter Jewish and I feel like I got cheated out of the sense of humor and joke-telling adeptness.

  Aw, that’s a rough deal!

  I’m 2/3 Irish. I can hold my liquor, but have only ever been a borderline alcoholic, at the worst. :P

  It is so important for people to be able to laugh at their own expense… whether it be based upon themself, their culture, their religion, race, or anything. If you’re ever at a point in your life where you can’t look at yourself and find a reason to poke fun and laugh at it, you’re probably an unhappy person.

• [arkizzle]

  Well this is redundant then:

  I have requested the blade.

  Now begins my meditations, bathing and the preparation of my attire.

  I shall leave my poem with my kaishakunin.

• [arkizzle]

  Thank you Antinous.

  And sorry to you Ridl. You will not read my death poem today.

• [freeyourcrt]

  I’m only a half Jew so I only get every other joke.

• [ridl]

  My faith in the system is restored!

  Arkizzle, I am humbled by your willingness to sacrifice. We’ve all learned something today.

• [IamInnocent]

  MDH sorry if I did hurt or offend you, unless you are genetically pre-offended.

  I got your point: it was entirely expressed in the first sentence. Had you stopped there it would have been a fairly original, quite interesting note, although the abuse of the word ‘racism’ would still have made me cringe; yet I would have applauded, although I wouldn’t have commented to signal my applause.

  And yes, that is true that I’ll write only to say something different: unison cannot make good harmony. That may give the impression that I am ‘picking apart’ but it isn’t what I am doing; I am just a professional dissenter. Anyway I can’t do that for solid, well thought out comments and so I don’t.

• [ridl]

  I like this joke more how I first heard it – as an exercise in audience participation and TOTAL DISSAGE.

  So you say to your friend, you say, “hey buddy I figured out how you can get (person completely out of your league) to finally sleep with you,” and they respond, they say “oh yeah? how?” so then you say

  you say, “it’s easy, you just take the “f” out of “way”.

  then be patient.

  it’s heeelarious, but only if a jew like me tells it.

• [arkizzle]

  Then my life may have been worth something, after all.

  I thank you for this gift.

• [PaulR]

  I think the Golf joke is funnier.

• [LSK]

  Jews are the joketelling people. My family is Jewish and we are, for the most part, a family of storytellers. We’ve got about a dozen books of Jewish humor.

• [rasz]

  gt n. Hw mny dd jws t tks t strt scnd hlcst nd kll >300 chldrn? pprntly 17

• [AirPillo]

  This post, dealing with a much-maligned culture and religion, is no doubt going to be filled with infinitely less hatred, comment wise, than was contained in the comments about speakers installed in a mannequin.

  Isn’t that totally not what you’d expect from the internet?