Why do Jews Dominate the World of American Comedy…and why are they sooooo damn funny?...Birthday's of Jewish Celebrity Comedians...

…the usual answer is it comes out of “suffering” the immigrant experience…having suffered the pogroms of Europe for centuries only to come to the states searching out "Der Goldene Medina" and instead finding more poverty and anti-Semitism on the lower East Side of N.Y.
...John Lovitz says "To be funny, you have to suffer, suffer, suffer. Jews, blacks, we've suffered a lot in the past. That makes us funny..."! Jews do seem to excel at comedy …I suppose that’s because there’s a fine line between comedy and tragedy…and since over the last 3500 years or so the Jews wrote the book on tragedy…recently we‘ve been crossing over the line to check out the Brighter Side.
…The Jewish resorts in the Catskills…”The Borscht Belt” was the training ground for the Jewish (and some gentile) comics from the 1920’s until the 1970’s. Before comedy clubs… It provided a place to try out material and to see if you could hack it. It also provided a captive audience of Jewish Families every night who loved to laugh but weren’t afraid to heckle you off the stage (in a loving way) if you weren’t funny. Of course with that audience it also helped if the comic threw in some Yiddish here & there.
As a young kid Mel Brooks said he worked a resort one summer as a “Tummler” and occasionally he was allowed on stage between sets to warm up the crowd. One afternoon he’s walking to the pool and some “Alte Cocker” yells at him…”Melvin, You Stink!!!……..but we love you Melvin!!!”

FYI: …to see what the Catskills Comics were really like...
Watch this routine by the Great Mal Z. Lawrence (from “the Catskills on Broadway” Show) Go to: http://youtu.be/Tkgs_fJbIlw

...Here is An “Incomplete” List of Jewish American comedians, stand-ups & comic actors and their Birthdays:

• Joey Adams (Jan. 6, 1911) Joseph Abramowitz was a Borscht Belt comic and a columnist.

• Woody Allen (Dec. 1, 1935) Allen Stewart Königsberg, started as a stand-up comic then became an actor, director, screenwriter.

• Marty Allen (March 23, 1922) Morton David Alpern is a stand-up comic and actor. He was famous in the 1950’s & 60’s as half the team of Allen & Rossi.

• Morey Amsterdam (Dec. 14, 1908) Moritz Amsterdam, TV actor and stand-up comedian. Morey starred on the Dick Van Dyke Show.

• Bea Arthur (May 13, 1922) Comedian, Actress & Singer and star of TV and Broadway. Bea starred in All in the Family, Maude & the Golden Girls.

• Roseanne Barr (Nov. 3, 1952) TV actress and stand-up comedian. TV Star of "Roseanne".

• Belle Barth (April 27, 1911) Annabelle Salzman, was a bawdy stand-up comic. Famous for her "Blue" record albums.

• Richard Belzer (Aug. 4, 1944) Stand-up comedian and actor.

• Jack Benny (Feb. 14,1894) Benjamin Kubelsky, comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor. Jack was recognized as a leading American entertainer of the 20th century.

• Milton Berle (July 12, 1908) Milton Berlinger was an actor and comedian. Known as "Uncle Miltie" & "Mr. Television"…Berle was the first Major TV star.

• Shelley Berman (Feb 3,1925) comedian, actor, writer, teacher, lecturer, poet, philanthropist. Shelly was so popular from his comedy records, he became the first stand-up comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall.

• Sandra Bernhard (June 6, 1955) is a comedian, singer, actress and author.

• Joey Bishop (Feb. 3, 1918) Joseph Abraham Gottlieb was a stand-up comic, entertainer, had his own TV talk show and was a member of the Sinatra “Rat pack”.

• Lewis Black (Aug. 30,1948) stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor…Lewis is always mad and screaming about something.

• Mel Blanc (May 30, 1908) Melvin Jerome “Mel” Blanc was a comedian, actor and the most famous cartoon Voice Over of all time. As the main voice for "Looney Tunes" Cartoons, he was... Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, etc. "...ehhhh What's Up Doc?"!

• Ben Blue (Sept. 12, 1901) Benjamin Bernstein was a famous actor & comedian.

• Elayne Boosler (Aug. 18, 1952) stand-up comedian.

• Victor Borge (Jan. 3, 1909) Børge Rosenbaum, "The Clown Prince of Denmark", was a humorist and concert pianist who made his observations while playing his piano. The very classy Borge always appeared at his piano in a tuxedo.

• David Brenner (Feb. 4, 1936), stand-up comedian, actor, author, and filmmaker.

• Fanny Brice (Oct. 29,1891) Fania Borach, comedian, torch singer, theater and film actress. Fanny headlined the Ziegfeld Follies from 1910 to 1911 again later in the 1930’s. She was a Major Radio Star, famous as "Baby Snooks".

• Mel Brooks (June 28, 1926) Melvin Kaminsky is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor, and Broadway producer. Mel started as a "tummler" in the Catskills...later caught on as a writer with "The Sid Caesar Show". Eventually went on to write, produce and direct a series of outstanding comedies..."The Producers", the under rated "Twelve Chairs", "Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein", etc. He created the TV hit "Get Smart". ...not long ago he created the Broadway hit musical version of " The Producers".
Also Just sitting in a room and talking... Mel Brooks is probably the funniest man alive!

• Albert Brooks (July 22, 1947), Albert Lawrence Einstein is an actor, voice actor, writer, comedian, and director. Albert is the son of comic Harry Einstein, AKA “Parkyakarkus”!

• Lenny Bruce (Oct. 13, 1925) Leonard Alfred Schneider was a stand-up comic, social critic & satirist. He spent his later years fighting for the right to use “obscene” language in his act. Lenny was constantly being arrested until drugs and bankruptcy cost him his life. He broke the back of the “Blue Laws” and promoted freedom of speech for comedians that followed.

• George Burns (Jan. 20, 1896) Nathan Birnbaum was a comedian, radio & TV star, award-winning actor and best selling author. For many years George teamed with his wife Gracie Allen…after she passed he resurrected his career, becoming a movie star at 76.

• Red Buttons (Feb. 5,1919) Aaron Chwatt was a Borsht Belt comedian & oscar winning actor and TV star…”Strange things are happening”…”Ho, Ho…”

• Eddie Cantor (Jan. 31, 1892) Edward Israel Iskowitz was a song stylist, comedian, dancer, actor & song writer. Eddie Cantor, known as “the Apostle of Pep”, was an icon of Broadway, radio, movies and early TV. Eddie was responsible for the early “March of Dimes” campaigns.

• Sid Caesar (Sept. 8, 1922) was "The Man"... a comic actor and writer…best known for the pioneering 90 minute 1950’s live TV series “Your Show of Shows” and later “Caesar’s Hour”. Isaac Sidney Caesar is considered the finest sketch comedian of all time.

• Jack Carter ( June 24, 1923) Jack Chakrin is a comedian, actor & TV host. Called the most prolific stand-up in TV history.

• Andrew Dice Clay (Sept. 29, 1957) Andrew Clay Silverstein is an insult character comedian known for his “Blue Concerts”.

• Myron Cohen (July 1, 1902) Borscht Belt comedian and raconteur. Myron began as a “schmata” salesman who entertained his customers with funny dialect stories. He became famous on the Ed Sullivan TV Show. His style was that of an old “cross eyed” uncle with a cigar, sitting in his living room telling you a very funny story....not polished but very funny.

• "Professor" Irwin Corey (July 29, 1914) “The World’s Foremost Authority…” is a stand-up comedian and actor and a certified wild man!

• Billy Crystal (March 14, 1948) is an actor, comedian, Broadway star, writer, producer and film director. Billy started as a stand-up then moved on to TV. Eventually he started making movie comedies. Billy Crystal at 66 is a throwback to the olde Borscht Belt stand-ups…see his HBO Special “700 Sunday’s” for a hint of the Catskills Comic as he portrays them.

• Bill Dana (Oct. 5, 1924) William Szathmary is an actor, comedian and screen writer. Bill got his start on "The Steve Allen Show".

• Rodney Dangerfield (Nov. 22, 1921) Jacob Rodney Cohen was a stand-up comic and actor. “I don’t get no respect” he claimed…but I think he did.

• Larry David (July 2, 1947) Larry is a stand-up comic, actor, writer & TV producer and “Zillionaire”. He’s best known as the co-creator of “Seinfeld” and the creator and star of “Curb your Enthusiasm”. Larry is known for his inability to "Filter"!!!

• Fran Drescher (Sept. 30, 1957) Frannie is a TV actress, comedian and producer. Famous on "The Nanny" TV Show.

• Susie Essman (May 31, 1955) is a stand-up comic, actress, writer and voice artist. Best known as the cursing wife on “Curb your Enthusiasm”.

• Totie Fields (Aug. 2, 1978) Sophie Feldman was a stand-up comedienne who poked fun at her weight among other things.

• Fyvush Finkel (Oct. 9, 1922) actor, comedian and TV star… best known as a star of the Yiddish Theatre.

• Al Franken (May 21, 1951) is a comedian, actor author, screenwriter, radio host and U.S. Senator from Minnesota.

• Brad Garrett (April 14, 1960) the 6’ 8” Brad Gerstenfeld is an actor and stand-up comedian. Best known as “Robert Barone” on “Everybody Loves Raymond”.

• Jack Gilford (July 25, 1908) Jacob Aaron Gellman was a "Sweet" comedic actor and comedian. Best friends with Zero Mostel, they both suffered from the blacklist.

• Shecky Greene (April 8,1926) Fred Sheldon Greenfield is the “quintessential” Las Vegas stand-up comedian.

• Buddy Hackett (Aug. 31, 1924) Leonard Hacker was a great stand-up comic and actor. He was also a stand out Las Vegas Star for many years. In the late 1940’s Buddy was asked to replace Curley Howard of the Three Stooges.

• The 3 Stooges…Moe (Moses Horwitz, June 19, 1897), Shemp (Samuel Horwitz, March 11, 1895) & Curley Howard (Jerome Horwitz, Oct. 22, 1903)… plus replacement stooges: Joseph DeRita, Larry Fine and Joe Besser. The 3 Stooges were a slapstick vaudeville comedy act that crossed over into the movies, making over 250 shorts & features beginning in 1930 and they’re still popular on TV today.

• Mickey Katz (June 15, 1909) Jewish stylist/comedian, musician, singer, Klezmer clarinetist, director, writer, actor…father of Joel Grey.

• Andy Kaufman (Jan. 17, 1949) an “Eccentric” comedian, actor & performance artist. Best known for his bazaar characters and as “Latka” on the sitcom TAXI.

• Danny Kaye (Jan. 18, 1911) David Daniel Kaminsky was a GENIUS of an entertainer! Danny started as a teen in the Catskills as a “tummler”…he was an actor, comedian, singer & dancer. His specialty was… “rapid fire no-nonsense songs”. He was a star of movies, stage and TV…also a Gourmet Cook, a Pilot and a “Macher” with UNICEF.

• Alan King (Dec. 26, 1927) Irwin Alan Kniberg was a “born” stand-up. Alan who began in the “Borscht Belt” moved on to clubs and then TV. He was also an excellent actor appearing in many TV and Movie productions.

• Robert Klein (Feb. 8, 1942) Robert was one of the early “cerebral” stand-ups. …also an actor and singer.

• Harvey Korman (Feb. 15, 1927) was a comedic actor performing on TV and in movies. Best known as one of the stars of “The Carol Burnett Show”.

• Mal Z. Lawrence (Sept. 2,1937) is a “Borscht Belt” stand-up, writer and actor.

• Jack E. Leonard (April 24, 1910) Leonard Lebitsky….known as “Fat Jack Leonard” was a stand-up comic and actor. His popular “Insult Style” preceded Don Rickles.

• Joe E. Lewis (Jan. 12, 1902) in 1927 singer Joseph Klewin refused to sign a contract to sing at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge…so part owner Jack “Machine Gun” McGurn” beat him up and cut his throat. It took a few years for Joe E. Lewis to recover enough to speak…but no more singing so he became a stand-up comic and actor. He always had a drink in his hand and eventually died of alcohol.

• Jerry Lewis (March 16, 1926) Joseph Levitch is a comedian, actor, singer, film producer, director and screen writer. Jerry began at 5, performing with his parents in the Catskills. Known for his frenetic comedy style he teamed with singer Dean Martin in the 1940’s and they “took off” as one of the top acts in show business. In 1950 they became one of the rotating hosts of “The Colgate Comedy Hour” a wildly successful TV show. They then moved on to movies with a series of 16 Martin & Lewis Hits. In 1956 they broke up, both going on to successful individual careers…Both Jerry & Dean became “Superstars”.

• Richard Lewis (June 29, 1947) a stand-up comic and actor. His comic “shtick” is playing mentally unbalanced…???

• Oscar Levant (Dec. 27, 1906) was a classical pianist, composer, author, movie actor, TV personality and comedian. Oscar was best known as a “hypochondriac” with a caustic wit!!!

• Jackie Mason (June 9, 1931) Yaakov Moshe Maza came from a long line of orthodox Rabbi’s. He became a Rabbi at 25, three years later he resigned to become a stand-up comic and actor. He moved from the Catskills, to TV to Clubs. He works with a very distinctive New York Jewish accent.

• Elaine May (April 21, 1932) Elaine Iva Berlin is a comedian, actress, film director & Oscar nominated screenwriter. In the 1950’s Elaine teamed up with another acting school student named Mike Nichols and began performing improvisational comedy routines as Nichols & May. Dick Cavett referred to their act as “…one of the comic meteors in the sky”! Elaine went on to write and appear in movies.

• The 5 Marx Brothers were: Chico (Leonard, March 22, 1887) Harpo (Adolph, Nov. 23, 1888) Groucho (Julius, Oct. 2, 1890) Gummo (Milton, Oct. 23, 1892) and Zeppo (Herbert Feb. 25, 1901). The Marx Bros. began as a family act in vaudeville where their uncle Albert Schönberg performed as Al Shean of Gallagher and Shean. The Marx Brothers jumped to Broadway and then on to make history in the movies with their zany craziness. Groucho later found a second career alone on TV.

• Anne Meara (Sept. 20, 1929) is a comedian and actress. Anne and Jerry Stiller were a well known 1960’s comedy team. They are the parents of Ben Stiller.

• Bette Midler (Dec. 1, 1945) “The Divine Miss M” is a singer, actress & comedian. Bette’s rise began in the gay baths where she was a huge hit and then on to Broadway, TV and the movies.

• Larry Miller (Oct. 15, 1953) is an actor, comedian, voice artist and columnist.

• Zero Mostel (Feb. 28, 1915) Samuel Joel Mostel was a comedian, an actor of stage and screen and a fine painter. Zero got caught up along with friend Jack Gilford in the Black List witch hunt and so, lost a number of productive career years. His larger than life personality was on display in the 1960’s as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof “ and the lovable Max Bialystock in Mel Brook’s “The Producers”.

• Jan Murray (Oct. 4, 1916) Murray Janofsky was a stand-up comic who made his name on the “Borscht Belt”. Jan was also an actor and TV game show host.

• Mike Nichols (Nov. 6, 1931) 7 year old Mikhail Igor Peschkowsky and his 3 year old brother escaped from the Nazi’s in 1938 and arrived alone in the U.S. In the 1950’s while attending the Unversity of Chicago Mike met Elaine May at an acting class where both were invited to join the “Compass Players” comedy group. The Comedy duo of Nichols & May went on to huge popularity on albums in nightclubs & TV. In 1961 they split to pursue independent careers. Mike Nichols gained superstar success as a Director of movies and Broadway, winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & the Tony.

• Kevin Pollak (Oct. 30, 1957) is a comedian, actor, impressionist and game show host.

• Gilda Radner, (June 28, 1946) was a comedian and actress. Gilda also was an original cast member of “Saturday Night Live”.

• Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922) is a comedian, actor, director, producer and writer. Carl was in a number of musicals on Broadway when in1950 he was cast in “Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows”. In the early 60’s he created, wrote, and appeared in “the Dick Van Dyke Show”. Later he moved on to the movies as a writer, producer & director. He has won 9 Emmy Awards and a Grammy.

• Paul Reiser (March 30, 1956) is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer & TV personality. He created and starred in the popular sitcom “Mad about you”.

• Don Rickles (May 8, 1926) is a stand-up comic and actor who began in the Catskills before moving on to clubs and TV. Rickles is known as "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth" for his insult style comedy. At 87 he still performs regularly.

• Ritz Brothers: Al Ritz (Aug. 27, 1901), Jimmy Ritz (Oct. 4, 1904) Harry Ritz (May 22, 1907) …The Brothers were comedians and actors. They appeared in vaudeville and clubs before being found by the movies. Often compared to The Marx Brothers the Ritz Brothers, particularly Harry, were considered comic geniuses by their peers.

• Joan Rivers (June 8, 1933) Joan Alexandra Molinsky is a stand-up comedian, writer and TV personality. She’s known for her self-deprecating humor.

• Freddie Roman (1937) Fred Kirshenbaum is a stand-up comic who grew up in the family owned hotel in the Catskills. At 15 he was emceeing the shows…and there in “the Borscht Belt”…learned to hone his craft as a stand-up. Freddie known as “King of the one-liners” is currently Dean of the New York Friars Club.

• Jeffrey Ross (Sept. 13, 1965) Jeffrey Ross Lifschultz is a stand-up comedian, actor, director & author. His shtick is as an Insult comic... best known for his appearances on the “Comedy Central Roasts” he’s known as "The Roastmaster General".

• Rita Rudner (Sept. 17, 1953) is a stand-up comedian; she uses her families Jewishness as her humorous fodder.

• Mort Sahl (May 11, 1927) was a “cerebral” stand-up comedian and actor. His specialty was political satire…he wrote jokes for JFK.

• Soupy Sales (Jan. 8 1926) Milton Supman was a slapstick comedian, actor and TV personality & Host.

• Robert Schimmel (Jan. 16, 1950) was a stand-up comedian who often used X-rated and controversial material for humor.

• Jerry Seinfeld (April 29, 1954) is a stand-up comic, actor, writer & TV producer. Best known for co-creating the “Seinfeld Show”… and making a zillion bucks.

• Gary Shandling (Nov. 29, 1949) is a stand-up & writer. Best known for “The Larry Sanders” TV Show.

• Dick Shawn (Dec. 1, 1923) Richard Schulefand was a stand-up comedian and actor, best known for playing Hitler in “The Producers”. Dick made frequent appearances on TV and nightclubs. He died on stage during his one man show while doing a comedy routine.

• Al Shean (May 12, 1868) Abraham Elieser Adolph Schönberg was a famous vaudeville comedian/performer and half the team of Gallagher & Shean . Al was also the uncle of The Marx Brothers…his sister was Minnie Marx.

• Allan Sherman (Nov. 30, 1924) Allan Copelon was a comedy writer who became famous as a song parodist in the early 1960s. “His first album, My Son, the Folk Singer (1962), became the fastest-selling record album up to that time. His biggest hit single was "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh", a comic novelty in which a boy describes his summer camp experiences to the tune of Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours.” He did parodies using Borscht Belt shtick…in his songs. At first he was on every TV variety show around…He rose like a comet and dropped like a kosher elephant……."Sarah Jackman, Sarah Jackman, How's by you? How's by you? How's by you the family? How's your sister Emily?" etc….

• Sarah Silverman (Dec 1, 1970) is a stand-up comic & actress. Sarah’s “business” is pushing the envelope on controversial topics.

• Phil Silvers (May 11, 1911) was an entertainer and comedy actor…known as “The King of Chutzpah”. Phillie was on stage at 11 years old singing & dancing … moving from early stage to the movies to TV. He is best known as Sgt. Bilko on “The Phil Silvers Show” and from the Broadway Show “Top Banana”.

• Bobby Slayton (May 25, 1955) is a stand-up comedian and actor…his style is going for the throat…he’s known as "The Pit Bull of Comedy" and/or “ Yid Vicious”.

• David Steinberg (Aug 9, 1942) is a comedian, actor, author, writer, and director. David studied theology in Israel with plans to become a Rabbi…then he saw Lenny Bruce and decided to become a comedian. He used to do “Sermons” comparing the Jewish & Gentile versions of Biblical Stories.

• Jon Stewart (Nov. 28, 1962) Jonathan Stewart Leibowitz is a stand-up comic, political satirist, writer, TV host & actor. Best known as host of “The Daily Show”.

• Ben Stiller (Nov. 30, 1965) is a comedian, actor, writer, film director & producer. Ben is famous for his comedy movies such as “The Fokkers”.

• Jerry Stiller (June 8, 1927) is a comedian & actor…and half the famous comedy team of Stiller & Meara with wife Anne. Jerry is best known as TV’s “Seinfeld’s Dad” and from the “King of Queen’s”. Wiki: “In the 1953 Phoenix Theater production of Coriolanus (produced by John Houseman), Jerry Stiller (along with Gene Saks and Jack Klugman) formed what was called "the best trio of Shakespearian clowns that [he] had ever seen on any stage." Jerry is the father of Ben & Amy Stiller.

• Gene Wilder (June 11, 1933) Jerome Silberman is a comic stage & screen actor. Although his first film role was in the drama “Bonnie & Clyde”…he is best known for the comedic “The Producers”, “Blazing Saddles”, “Young Frankenstein” & “Willy Wonka”.

• Renee Taylor (March 19, 1933) Renee Wexsler is a stand-up comic, comic actress and Oscar nominated writer. She began doing stand-up and then moved on to movies & TV. Renee & husband Joe Bologna wrote, produced & starred in a number of stage shows. She is best known as Fran Drescher’s mom in “the Nanny” TV Show.

• Ed Wynn (Nov. 9, 1886) Isaiah Edwin Leopold was a popular vaudeville comic, actor, early radio & TV Star. Later he went into drama on Playhouse 90 and The Twilight Zone, etc. He was the father of actor Keenan Wynn….Ed Wynn always ended sentences with …“…you know…”

• Henny Youngman (March 16,1906) was a stand-up comedian and violinist. His normal routine was to “futz’ with his violin and then tell a bunch of simple one-line jokes…He was known as “King of the one-liners”. From Wiki: “Like many comedians, Henny Youngman treated his profession as a working job, one where it is difficult to make a living, and getting paid for the work is all-important. In numerous interviews, Youngman's advice to other entertainers was to "nem di gelt" (Yiddish for "take the money").

• Billy Gray (March 17, 1904) William Victor Giventer was a stand-up comic, movie actor and night club owner. Billy worked his stand-upwith a strong Yiddish accent. He is best known as the owner of “Billy Gray’s Band Box” which was an early comedy club on Fairfax Ave. in the Los Angeles Jewish District. Some of his headliners were …Maxie Rosenbloom, Buddy Hackett, Polly Bergen, Alan King, Billy Barty, Don Rickles and Jackie Gleason. From Wiki: “The Band Box closed in 1973 and Gray, who drank heavily, died in poverty in 1978. His club is commemorated in the name of a sandwich at Canter's, a nearby Fairfax Avenue deli.