Monday, August 17, 2009

how funny



This is Sue Levine.
I don't actually know Sue, but I feel like I do.

I come from a family of joke tellers. Dad likes to tell a great joke in any situation. My mom waits for juuuust the right moment. She seems real straight and narrow but, dang, she can tell a wit-filled, dirty joke better than the big boys. There's definitely certain kind of joke tellers, aren't there? Some are sly joke tellers, others big joke tellers, and still others never crack a joke and some others never stop. I loooove a good joke.

I went through a time period where I really tried to remember good jokes, the kind that have a rousing punch line. I love the "duck walks into a bar" jokes, or "a rabi, priest and a minister are on a raft" jokes. I even love the ole "a blonde, brunette and a red head are climbing a cliff when..." jokes.

And I love listening to comedians. RK and I can sit around and listen to a Steve Martin, or Richard Pryor or David Cross album and have to stop whatever we're doing because we're laughing so hard. Comedians have really perfected the story-telling joke, it can last through-out the whole set, leaving for awhile, coming back and wrapping it up at the end, just when you thought you'd forgotten about it, Boom!

But this site, Old Jews Telling Jokes, is a classic in its own way. You can't watch just one because they're all great. It reminds me of the old-timers I used to sit around and chew the fat with in Father Demo Square: all the talking with their hands, and the keeping of a straight face. Jewish descent or not, it might just remind you of your Uncle Whoever telling that good one at the Thanksgiving dinner table and everyone snorting into their wine glass.

2 comments:

montague said...

hahah!

Anonymous said...

I love comedians and jokes, it's the most relaxing thing being able to sit down and watch a set being played out by one of your favourite comedians.

I really love some of the current British guys like Russell Howard, Michael McIntyre, Dylan Moran, Frankie Boyle and Ed Byrne. There are a lot of diverse styles there from anecdotes on life, short stories from experiences past and shock tactics.

I've even really enjowed looking up comedy clubs YouTube channels of which there seem to be many, exhibiting amateurs honing their craft or regulars on the circuit, you can get a few hours of enjoyment out of that easily.

Since you're from a joke telling family...what's the most famous joke that has been told by a member of your family?