Volume 46 - No. 07
February 18, 2016
By Frederick Gomez
Probably no piece of real estate on the planet ever gave forth such a constellation of comedy stars as the Borscht Belt, sometimes called “The Jewish Alps,” but more commonly known as the Catskill Mountains, located in upstate New York. The Borscht Belt was a legendary proving ground for upcoming Jewish entertainers, as well as a familiar landmark for the seasoned performer. Overall, it was a multi-hotel resort haven for Jewish-American families to play, eat, fraternize, and be entertained, from the 1920s onward. The Borscht Belt was a matrix for generating first-magnitude Jewish comedians, such as: Jack Benny, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Billy Crystal, Jerry Lewis, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers, The Three Stooges, Groucho Marx, Sid Caesar, Danny Kaye, Buddy Hackett, and countless others! However, the Borscht Belt was not exclusively a launching pad which propelled many Jewish comedians into the limelight, the Borscht Belt also proved to be the indispensable training grounds which ignited the careers of such extraordinary gentile talents as: Phyllis Diller, Rowan & Martin (of NBC’s smash hit, “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”), Jonathan Winters, and many more!
Borscht Belt humor refers to the rapid-fire delivery, and few could match Jewish comedian, Henny Youngman! He was highly thought of for his hilarious ‘schtick’ (from the Yiddish: shtik). He was the fastest comic of his day, clocked at delivering an astonishing eight or more jokes per minute, sometimes exceeding 50 jokes in a span of only eight minutes! Rarely did a joke last more than 24 seconds. He was not only quick, but his jokes were hilariously rich in comedic imagery: “While playing golf today I hit two good balls. I stepped on a rake!” Holding a violin down by his side, it would become more a prop than an instrument. Youngman’s quick nonstop delivery showed no mercy for his audience which often The Paper - 760.747.7119
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gasped for air between fits of uncontrolled laughter! He gave them no rest period. “My older brother-in-law died. He was a karate expert. Then he joined the Army. The first time he saluted, he killed himself.” His timing was deadly at quick bursts of comedic fire-power, so much so that his monologues would become the talk of the town at such Jewish digs as Carnegie Deli, Delancey Street, the Friars Club and, of course, the summer resorts at the Borscht Belt. Henny Youngman’s lifelong friend, the legendary Borscht Belt standup comic, Myron Cohen, was his exact opposite. Cohen spoke in a contrived thick Yiddish accent, and was a masterful storyteller who took his measure in setting up his punch lines. Cohen’s popularity would see him appear on the
Ed Sullivan Show 26 times, to Youngman’s 20.
At 6’ 2” Youngman was an unusual species of his day during the early 1930s, miniaturizing many of his fellow Jewish comedians -- who like himself - were largely unknown. These unknown contemporaries of Henny Youngman often stood in the wings, waiting to go on after Youngman completed his set. More often than not, they were short comics, who struggled for recognition, such as Red Buttons who only stood at 5’ 6” or George Burns at 5’ 7” and Don Rickles 5’ 6.” Red Buttons, whose hair color matched his name, was a Borscht favorite-son, “Ninety isn’t old,” he would tell his attentive audiences, “You’re old when your doctor doesn’t X-
‘The Borscht Belt’ Continued on Page 2
ray you anymore. He just holds you up to the light!” And when it was his turn to take the stage, a young George Burns (without Gracie) did not disappoint. Puffing his cigar, Burns took his time, showing uncanny calm and smoothness in his delivery, an admirable style that Borscht Belt comics call “Burning slow.” George Burns’ lines were smooth as molasses and self-deprecating and scored big each time out: “I love to sing, and I love to drink scotch. Most people -- would rather hear me drink scotch.” As for Don Rickles, he would quickly learn his craft to become “The Merchant of Venom.” He was young, inexperienced, and learning his craft as he navigated through various ‘schtick,’ weeding out the lines that did not play. He knew his limits in insulting his