A question for the wonderful Jews on RF

[YmirGF]

Why is it that so many fantastic comedians have been Jewish? Is it just an odd quirk of circumstance or does it show something quite remarkable about Jewish character? I do recognize that there are some other comedians who are from virtually every other faith, but Jews just seem to dominate. EEEEK.... Jewish domination. *Takes pills*

Ok, OK, OK! I'm not suggesting this is another world-wide domination thingy.... I was JOKING!

Seriously though, I've always noticed that many Jews I have encountered have a wonderful sense of humor and are usually a lot of fun to be around. Can some of you elaborate on this somewhat?

If anyone finds my words offensive, please take them in the spirit they were intended. I am a non-Jew Zionist who really loves you all. Well, most of you.... LOL.... What is it about the Jewish psyche that makes them so funny?

Thoughts?

 

[Tumah]

We're all about doing things the other way.
The entire world is engaged in polytheism? BAM! Monotheists.
So when Ashkenazi Jews first went through Germany 1,000 years ago on their way to Europe, the first thing they did was go against the local way of doing things. Bam! Comedians.

I mean. Have you met German humor? Exactly.

 

[George-ananda]

I don't think it is just comedy, but a wide variety of fields. What is the percentage of Nobel Laureates, etc.?

I think for heavily genetic reasons Ashkenazi Jews have a higher IQ particularly in the verbal area,

I later realized I am in the Judaism DIR...ignore my input, please.

 

[Sapiens]

Wow, I never knew Richard Prior was Jewish!

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

and what about us Sephardi offspring ....
few we may be ... but IQ for no one

 

[Akivah]

Why is it that so many fantastic comedians have been Jewish? Is it just an odd quirk of circumstance or does it show something quite remarkable about Jewish character? I do recognize that there are some other comedians who are from virtually every other faith, but Jews just seem to dominate. EEEEK.... Jewish domination. *Takes pills*

I don't think it is just comedy, but a wide variety of fields. What is the percentage of Nobel Laureates, etc.?

I think the answer is that we are taught to question and not accept things blindly. This "questioning" education makes us Nobel winners because we just don't accept things as they are. And makes us comedians because we are questioning life and the processes of life that we see. We're always questioning why things are as they are, and looking for different ways of doing things.

 

[Shiranui117]

I think the answer is that we are taught to question and not accept things blindly. This "questioning" education makes us Nobel winners because we just don't accept things as they are. And makes us comedians because we are questioning life and the processes of life that we see. We're always questioning why things are as they are, and looking for different ways of doing things.

Where/who does this teaching to question things come from? How long has it been a thing within Judaism?

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

Where/who does this teaching to question things come from? How long has it been a thing within Judaism?

Perhaps Talmud and Rabbinic tradition ...
I long remember questions to my various Rabbis over the years were answered
as options to think it through ie: Rab X said "this extreme interpretation" whilst
Rab Y said "this more relaxed or simple interpretation" whilst Rabs Z, N, or B
had a moderate middle opinion.. I was left to think and apply my own thought,
to the law/question in this more modern or different society....

always there is "On the other hand ... "

 

[George-ananda]

I think the answer is that we are taught to question and not accept things blindly. This "questioning" education makes us Nobel winners because we just don't accept things as they are. And makes us comedians because we are questioning life and the processes of life that we see. We're always questioning why things are as they are, and looking for different ways of doing things.

I don't agree that means much, I grew up in an almost all Jewish neighborhood (I'm not Jewish) and I can't really say I saw any real 'questioning attitude' differences. I think the key difference is strong genetics favoring intellectual aptitude.

I just realized I am in the Judaism DIR...ignore my input, please.

 

[Jedster]

Perhaps Talmud and Rabbinic tradition ...
I long remember questions to my various Rabbis over the years were answered
as options to think it through ie: Rab X said "this extreme interpretation" whilst
Rab Y said "this more relaxed or simple interpretation" whilst Rabs Z, N, or B
had a moderate middle opinion.. I was left to think and apply my own thought,
to the law/question in this more modern or different society....

always there is "On the other hand ... "

Reminds me of this

 

[metis]

A large part of the answer to the OP is that through our misery decades ago, we could make humor out of this to ease the pain, and we were very willing to poke fun of ourselves. It was dangerous to poke fun of the dominant community, but we could safely do it to ourselves, and this was in large part what led to the "borscht-belt". The wittier the better, and we had a lot of pun doing it.

 

[YmirGF]

A large part of the answer to the OP is that through our misery decades ago, we could make humor out of this to ease the pain, and we were very willing to poke fun of ourselves. It was dangerous to poke fun of the dominant community, but we could safely do it to ourselves, and this was in large part what led to the "borscht-belt". The wittier the better, and we had a lot of pun doing it.

I really appreciate and love most of the responses I have received in this thread. What so many of you are saying just makes sense once you hear it. Thanks so much for contributing everyone.

 

[Akivah]

Where/who does this teaching to question things come from? How long has it been a thing within Judaism?

Well, we have a questioning format in Talmudic study.

From my own experience of my earliest memories at Hebrew school, we kids were asked what we thought of a particular biblical chapter. We were expected to give our interpretations and provide reasons thereof. And the teachers never said we were wrong. At worst, they would only say that it was an unusual interpretation.

Contrasting with Christian friends of mine, they all told me that questions in their elementary Christian schools resulted in smacks across the knuckles with a ruler.

 

[RabbiO]

Why is it that so many fantastic comedians have been Jewish?

The story is told in the Talmud of a conversation between Rabbi Beroka and the prophet Elijah who often appeared to him at particular market. Beroka asked if any in the market place had a share in the world to come. While they were engaged in conversation two men walked passed them. Elijah looks at the two men and says, "Those guys do." As you can mention this response piqued Rabbi Beroka's curiosity and so he went to them and asked them, "What is your occupation?" To which the two men answered, "We are jesters, when we see men depressed we cheer them up. And you know what else, when we see two people quarreling we try hard to make peace between them." (Ta'anit 22a)

I guess you could say we Jews have been working the gig for a very long time.