From Aleichem to Allen: the Jewish comedian in popular culture
Date
2010-05
Authors
Myers, Allison
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Motivated by the quest of contemporary Jewish Studies scholars to define “Jewishness,” my research explores Jewish identity through the lens of a figure in American popular culture: the Jewish Comedian. In response to critics who claim that the Jewish Comedian is removed from Judaism and true Jewish culture, I argue that the figure is essentially Jewish and has derived from a distinctly Jewish literary tradition. Tracing the persona of the Jewish comic back to its Old World origins, I compare the characteristics of the schlemiel figure in Jewish folklore and literature to the attitudes that define the modern Jewish Comedian. Finally, I explore how this Old World humor informs the work of contemporary Jewish comic performers.