Jtube: Never Too Young

You ask about Ham spit out. Just as well could have been a book for him to read while in his emergency mode. But ham? The Jew's humor upsidedown, so the surprise makes us guffaw. I wish Aish would use my humorous writings! by the way!!!pretty please, I have audiences laughing for 30 yrs. email me

A PERSON CAN EXPECT ANY THING FROM AN EARLY JERRY LEWIS

It would not surprise me if the sandwich in the mouth stunt was in fact the brainchild of scriptwriter, director or producer, who correctly concluded that it would make the scene just that bit funnier. Jerry, however, probably couldn't resist adding his own touch, by calling the sandwich "ham" and spitting it out. Yasher Ko'ach!

To make light of unclean food is going too far...what next an idol or something else? I am sure that wasn't the real thing but to make it appear that way is still wrong. Sometimes we take things too far..this is one of those times.

To answer your last question, the Stunt Actors have a strong union.

it is all passe`

this small video is so stupid

Of course he spit it out.
He accidentally acquired it when he was pulled onto the beach.
Being a Jew he wouldn't eat it. Good for him!

tHIS LOOKS LIKE MOHEGAN lAKE, NY. THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PARAMOUNT HAD A HOME THERE!!!

As someone who has written his share of TV comedy, you may want to consider the following. It works for a laugh...for him. People know that Jerry is Jewish. He comments "ham" and throws it away. Funny.
If Dean did it, no laugh. If Jay Leno did it, no laugh.

To Woody- watch it again-he said it was ham. I agree with Kuppel- even jews who try very hard to hide thier roots always throw in jokes and lines that only jews would get. This is the pintelle yid inside of them- a deep down yeraning to somehow connect with other jews and yiddishkeit.

I didn't think this was a Jew spitting out some treyf. I saw it as a guy who, in the middle of a desperate situation, realizes that he would have preferred tuna or something. Jewish pride? Jerry Lewis keeps kosher?

How does anyone know that it was a ham sandwich? It could have been a grilled cheese or whatever.

Perhaps this sandwich was added for the same reason that Spielberg puts a Yiddish word here-and-there in some of his movies. This shows the actor's Jewish pride even though they may not be practicing all the mitzvot. This should encourage other Jews to be proud of their heritage and ask questions why the Jews are different. We should be ready to give them answers.

I saw this when I was a little kid. I had to ask my father and mother why Jerry Lewis spit out the sandwich. That was the first time I learned anything about Judaism.

I loved the entire scene. Jerry's early comedies always made me laugh, and still do. I believe he purposely made it a ham sandwich so he could spit it out with gusto, as any good Jewish boy would do.

I've never been a fan of Mr. Lewis. I do not find him funny and I believe he is an individual who happens to be filled with himself and his own self-importance.

Don't assume anybody's seriousness about or commitment to yiddishkeit. Learn from everyone and respect everyone's desire to connect to their heritage.

It showed that he is Jewish and hated what he tasted and spit it out immediatly.

B"H for a real Human Being!

SAME AS ABOVE

Jerry has always referred to himself as "Super Jew." Could it be possible that Jerry wished this scene to be included as not-so subliminal confirmation of his claim?

Jerry will always be the greatest (jewish) ham on the the screen.What else would he spit out? Why else would there be the beach scene?

The comments I'm reading remind me of people who over-interpret the symbolism in a novel or a painting, way beyond what the creator of it intended.
Look at the clip twice and you'll catch the flow. It's nothing more than a corny joke. Here's a wacky guy, stuck on a speeding set of runaway water skis, and suddenly he's got a sandwhich in his hand...where did that come from?!?! So, in true slapstick fashion, he tries to taste a bit while any normal person would be praying for salvation. Where did that sandwich appear from? His lunch box? His POcket? Hello-o-o! A second before, he had side-swiped a bevvy of bathers and then plunged back into the water. He must have picked up somebody's picnic item in the process, true cartoon-style.
"Hmm," he thinks, "might as well try it" So, it turns out it's ham, a common sandwhich to be found, indeed, and one which for the fun of the scene, he can toss into the brine because he just doesn't happen to like ham. It is completely interchangeable with any other posssible sandwhich and wasn't meant as anyhting more significant. He could have said "Peanut butter," and tossed it, for the same effect. It's a bit of an incongruous comic touch thrown in for a laugh.. And this really can't be coming from the "Jewish joke" angle. THis kid was never, I repeat never, thought of as Jewish, and didn't plan inside jokes for the public in his movies. I understand this to be so from people "in-the-know." So, settle down, and look for insdde jokes from the likes of Morry Amsterdam or Jack Benny. Jerry, after all, is "NOTHIN' BUT A HAM."

It's an "inside" joke (wink wink).
One way to let Joey Levitch let us know who he really is.

This is the kind of stuff Jerry did! He made us think about the comedy he was doing! Great job! His comedy was innocent and his work will go on forever. I love everything I ever saw by Jerry Lewis!!!

what's the fuss?
When the clip was made, there was MORE anti-semetism, not less. (inter-marraige goes up when societal anti-semetism goes down). Back then- everyone knew that Jews don't eat ham - and most Jews didn't eat ham -e ven if they didn't keep kosher. Ithink this clip is really, really funny.

best i could think of was it somehow got sand on it or Jews dont eat ham

He does say "Ham!" before he spits it out. JL was a great multi-tasker in those days. I think if it was PJ&J, he would have at least had a bite before getting on with the task at hand. Cute scene. I used to have a crush on him when I was little.

There are alot of things that could be said about it but there are alot of Jewish writers and movie goers and I'm sure they found it funny. I was just a dumb kid and it went right over my head. I think it was totally innocent and now it brings a smile to my face.

Probably because he accidentally scooped it up as he slid through those picnicers and when he realized it was ham he THREW it in the lake because he eats kosher. (I'm guessing.)

How do you know it was ham sandwich? It could have been a peanut butter sandwich or a jam sandwich, who cares!!. The point is he was just trying to make people laugh.

He rejected the ham sandwich, so what's the big deal? If he had eaten it, then that's a different story. There are many people that keep kosher homes and then go out and eat cheeseburgers outside of the homes. Those are the people that should be questioned; not Jerry Lewis who is doing this to make people laugh.

Maybe the script writers felt this line would add humor. This was in the day and age when being Jewish, Catholic, or Protestant was ok and people didn't get insulted as much about such things.

Being ethnically or politically correct wasn't really an issue back then and people just liked to laugh. After all many had survived the war and were happy to be alive and laughing with no insult or hurt intended--Jerry Lewis could pull this off better than anyone and he remains one of my all time favorites.

I think it's great. A comedian who makes no bones about being Jewish accidentaly is handed a ham sandwich and he spits it out. He basically said to the world we Jews answer to a Higher Authority.

BTW: I worked with Jerry Lewis, on his desh he has a sign that says 'Super Jew'. He is extremely proud to be Jewish.

The scene is a comedic reminder to both Jerry Lewis as well as his movie viewers regarding Jewish beliefs, values, and traditions. The humor stems from the implied message that even in the most life-threatening situations, a Jew must retain his most important Jewish traditions and beliefs.

I was young and I really did not remember the sandwich scene. However seeing the clip brough back memories. At the time I seen the movie I was thinking that it was very funny. With all the commotion, I just though it was funny that if the sandwich had been anything but ham he was thinking of eating it, in all that commotion! That was funny to me at the time. Today I see it as my cup half full, to give it the energy it deserves, a differant place and time, do not make a mountain out of a mole hill. The sandwich scene really was not necessary. What was the intention? Do you have a reason for the scene? The innocents of a child.

I have always enjoyed Jerry Lewis, but in this clip, there was no way of telling that the sandwich was ham.

When you see the Paramont symbol you will see that there are 22 stars there. The meaning behind the 22 stars is......... and what came to your mind first.... wrong...the company was founded in 1922.... now, in regards to the ham sandwich... which appeared while Jerry was "hamming it up" .... what matters most here is that he spit it out... in the early 50's when this film was made you were not going to find a pastrami on rye at the lake and if you did, was America ready to hear J.L. say "Pastrami on Rye with Russian Dressing and Cole Slaw, Yum Yum Yum!"...no way Jose...er...a... No way Yussel...