Back in the 1950’s there were very few Jewish characters on commercial TV. In fact, there was one --- Buddy Sorrell, the fast-talking, joke-a-minute, actually kind of annoying comedy writer working with Rob Petrie and Sally Rogers on The Dick Van Dyke Show, as played by Morey Amsterdam.
And we were kind of proud of him.
Then came Seinfeld, Will and Grace, Curb Your Enthusiasm and more, and now Jewish folks are as plentiful on TV they are on a Sunday morning in Murray’s grabbing a shmear.
Next season’s no exception. Here’s a preview of a few of the shows featuring Members of the Tribe you’ll be seeing this fall on the Tube: >
Jersey Shnorrer. From Hackensack to Haddonfield, Mike “The Insinuation” Tsooristino charms his way into nice Jewish homes throughout the Garden State without so much as opening his wallet or bringing a bottle of Manischewitz.
First up, the Insinuation ensconces himself for two weeks at a Ventnor oceanfront villa, frolicking daily on the beach and eating the family out of house and home all the while the family is firmly under the impression he’s from Comcast there to restore their Lifetime.
Watch out, Snooki! A new reality star is born!
Face the Nudnik. Each week a panel of Hebrew journalists question a prominent, influential, and incredibly sleazy newsmaker who attempts to evade their every question by commenting excessively on how much he or she loves Seinfeld, Marc Chagall, and the Jewish vote.
The distinguished panel of questioners includes Barbara Walters, Andrea Mitchell, and Gilbert Gottfried (he needs the work) who will weekly demonstrate the wide variety of styles, cadences, and tonalities in which to pose the question "But is it good for the Jews?"
Moderator Geraldo Rivera will close each program with commentary as to why anyone who’s not meshugah would hire him as the moderator for a news program in 2011 and why his mustache is indeed good for the Jews.
This Old House for Jews. The popular PBS program returns in a new format chosen especially for the Chosen People. Host Bob Vila explains how to select carpenters, electricians, and painters to accomplish those home repair and remodeling jobs that you and I could perform as readily as nuclear fission, cloning, or explaining a movie by the Coen Brothers.
Using the phone book to find non-Jewish contractors, asking sage questions about complex equipment such as a hammer (to learn how to pronounce correctly, click here: http://dictionary.reference.
Star Shlep. It’s “steady as she goes” once again as out of retirement shlep William (Oy Vey, I’m too old for Warp Speed!) Shatner as Admiral James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as the half Vulcan/half Jewish Spock, whose new credo is “Live Long and Prosper and Never Shop Retail.” The ship’s crew will boldly go where no Jew has ever gone before --- K-mart!
The multi-ethnic but mono-religious cast will feature George Takei as newly converted (to Judaism, that is!) Lieutenant Sulu and new Jewish cast members in the roles of Dr. Bones McCoy, Lieutenant Uhuru, and Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, the world’s first Jew to speak with a Scottish brogue. The crew battles Klingons, Romulans, and the Deadly Race of Jewish Mothers which has Scotty shrieking in the premiere “We need more power! She’s going into the why can’t you be more like your cousin Joel who always goes to shul!” bit.
The Dick Van Dykeberg Show is a program which hearkens back to a classic situation comedy of the late fifties and early sixties. Working for the Alan Bernstein Variety Show are writers Rob Petrowitz, Sally Ruggulah, and Buddy Sorrell, the one gentile member of the writing team.
Buddy’s a fast-talking, joke-a-minute, actually kind of annoying guy, but isn’t it refreshing to have a non-Jewish character on national television these days?
Bet it will be a real source of pride for gentiles from coast to coast!
(9) Rich Malloy, September 16, 2011 1:51 PM
Looking forward to the fall season!! Keep up the good work......creativity is hard to find these days!!! I LIKE!!!
Perry Block, September 20, 2011 9:42 AM
Rich Malloy
And I'll keep you posted on all developments in Jewish programming for the upcoming year. A very likely mid-season replacement is yet another such show "How I Met Your Mohel."
(8) Jane, September 9, 2011 3:28 PM
Jewish comedians don't portray self-respecting role models & qualities
Personally I don't watch these comic shows any more, because I find them offensive, to myself and to the Torah, even to the whole of the Bible. Mostly the unbeliever already has a warped sense of humor, do we need or even desire to show the world the way our humor has descended?
Perry Block, September 12, 2011 8:13 AM
Jewish comedians don't portray....
While I certainly respect your opinion, keep in mind that Jews come in all shapes and sizes and that doesn't make them any the less Jewish. There are many Jews throughout the US and the world who enjoy seeing other Jews depicted on television in a way they could never have been before. Although in most cases, the Jews depicted on TV may be more secular than you might like, most of us watching them take pride in their clearly identified Jewishness. Most of us also highly respect the Torah and the Bible, although we may not be "believers" in the sense that you are. We enjoy these program when they are done well, shut them off when they are not, and share your opinion if in some cases they are "warped" or offensive. Thanks for writing and giving me the opportunity to reply.
(7) Jeffrey Struzer, September 6, 2011 5:47 PM
There were many more
There was Jack Benny, George Burns & Sid Caesar in the fifties & sixties. Harvey Lembeck played Barbarella onPhil Silvers show. Many of the writers were also Jewish, too many to mention.
Perry Block, September 7, 2011 12:16 PM
Many more
Thanks, Jeffrey, but as Ellen and I have pointed out, these were all crypto-Jews. Jack Benny had "Christmas" episodes, no religion was ever indicated for "Say, Goodnight,George" and Jewish Harvey Lembeck played Italian Rocco Barbella. Jewish writers brought their sensibilities, not not their religious affiliation, to the characters they created.
(6) Thea Spitz, September 6, 2011 3:03 PM
Forgotten Jewish TV family
You forgot about Molly & Jake Goldberg and daughter Rosalie, my childhood favorites. Molly's unforgetable line, " Rosalie, Throw an eye on mine leg. It's in the oven" is still repeated at our house.
Anonymous, September 6, 2011 8:51 PM
Molly & Jake Goldberg
Thea, I didn't forget about "The Goldbergs," I just know little about them. My sense is that it was an anomaly of the times, presenting to the mainstream American audience what a "Jewish family" was supposed to be like in an era when Jews were considered a little different from everyone else. Aside from this show, however, I believe there were virtually no other characters on commercial TV identified as Jewish until Buddy Sorrell. "Throw an eye on mine leg ....?" I don't get it. Maybe Buddy Sorrell could explain it to me?
Sophie, September 9, 2011 12:34 AM
translation
It's Jewish for "check the chicken".
(5) Ellen, September 6, 2011 2:13 PM
Funny, but there's a major inaccuracy.
Buddy Sorrelll was a character on a 1960s, not 1950s, sitcom. The '50s featured a warm, lovable Jewish family in "The Goldbergs" with Molly Berg. 'You'll Never Get Rich," aka the 'Phil Silvers" show, featured what's known as crypto-Jews: characters who were obviously Jewish but never so formally identified. Just an FYI.
Perry Block, September 6, 2011 8:42 PM
Crypto-Jews
Thanks for your comment, Ellen. You're right that Dick Van Dyke was on in the 60's, but for me the show has the particular feel of the 50's. For many the 60's didn't truly begin until the Beatles & the death of JFK so I guess I am of this mindset. I'm a little young (so rarely do I get to use that phrase anymore!) to remember "The Goldbergs" but although I'm sure it was a fine show, I believe it traded heavily on Jewish stereotypes of the period. As for crypto-Jews, that's the whole point of the piece, if it can be said to have a point. Many characters on TV in those days had "Jewish" personalities but were not identified as Jews. Jewish writers adopted the view that they were going to "think Jewish but write gentile" (it may be the other way around). This applied to Sergeant Bilko, Jack Benny, etc., and even "The Dick Van Dyke" show itself, which was supposed to star Carl Reiner until it was decided he was "too ethnic." Jewish characters fully identified as such did not become a mainstay on television until "Seinfeld."
(4) brian, September 6, 2011 12:42 PM
I enjoyed this piece.
(3) Alan Torem, September 5, 2011 4:01 PM
Oy Vey1?
You've kasha be kiddink!
(2) Carole Thomas, September 5, 2011 2:15 PM
oy
That is some good schtick, very entertaining!
(1) Shoshana Yossef, September 4, 2011 6:13 PM
Too funny!
Please post more articles by Perry Block. I love his humorous writing style.