Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Norm Crosby Roasts Kirk Douglas in 1973

Norm Crosby, a Jewish comedian from Boston, was known mainly as a master of malaprops that he integrated into his comedy routines. 

Crosby became a frequent guest on TV talk and variety shows, including Dean Martin’s, and subsequently was a perfect choice as a regular roaster on the hugely popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts of the ‘70s, writing lines like: “Wilt Chamberlain is an insulation to young people all over the world. Wherever he appears, after every game the kids give him a standing ovulation.”

In this video clip from a 1973 roast of Kirk Douglas, Crosby delivers a steady stream of malapropisms while praising Douglas for his achievements as an actor.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

 

Comedian Modi Performs at Commentary Magazine Roast of Ben Shapiro

Last year we posted a video of comedian Modi speaking at a Commentary Magazine roast of Senator Joe Lieberman. Modi's comedy has branched out in many directions, from posting jokes, doing stand-up comedy, creating short films, and presiding at roasts for famous Jews.

His acerbic wit knows no political bounds, and he can entertain Democrat and Republican crowds with equal sarcasm. Commentary magazine, which has been doing roasts for 10 years, selected conservative columnist Ben Shapiro as its honoree last year. Here is what Commentary editor John Podhoretz wrote about Shapiro in his invitation to the roast.

This 35-year-old pipsqueak has just published The Right Side of History, a prodigious small volume that takes us on a tour of Western thought—and as of press time, Ben’s book has sold in excess of 100,000 copies. He’s got millions of YouTube viewers, podcast listeners, Twitter followers…let’s face it, someone who seems to triumph at everything ought to be taken down a peg or two just to keep him honest.

The audience delighted in the barbs tossed by Modi, not only at the honoree, but also at conservative TV commentators Dana Perino, Jonah Goldberg, and writer Andrew Klavan.

Modi's comments may be a bit strong for some of you, but after all, this is a roast. And a roast is a roast. 

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.
 

Comedian Modi Rosenfeld Performs at Roast of Senator Joe Lieiberman

Last October Commentary Magazine hosted a fundraiser and roast of Senator Joe Lieberman at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.  

One of the speakers at the roast was comedian Modi Rosenfeld who delighted the audience and the senator with some political humor and funny references to Lieberman's  Shabbat observance.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

                               

Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Don Rickles Roasts Jerry Lewis at Friars Club

It's another Throwback Thursday and today we're flying the time machine back to 1971 when Don Rickles presided at a Friars Club roast of Jerry Lewis.

The roast was attended by Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Alan King, Rex Reed, and many other comedians and celebrities.

Rickles was in fine form in delivering one insult after another, in his inimitable style, and had the audience laughing from start to finish.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



#Throwback Thursday    #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Remembering Don Rickles and His Celebrity Roast of Frank Sinatra

We lost one of the great Jewish comedians last week with the passing of Don Rickles at age 90.

Although he became well known as an insult comic, his pudgy, balding appearance and pugnacious style led to few leading roles in film or television.

His prominent film roles included Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) and Kelly's Heroes (1970), and beginning in 1976 he enjoyed a two-year run starring in the sitcom C.P.O. Sharkey.

He received widespread exposure as a popular guest on numerous talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman, and later voiced Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for the 2007 documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.

Today we're remembering Don Rickles as a "roaster" of celebrities on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, an NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically "roast" a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club. 

The format would have the celebrity guest seated on a dais, and one by one the guest of honor was affectionately chided or insulted about his career by his fellow celebrity friends.

In 1978, 39 years ago, Rickles turned in a hilarious performance on the Dean Martin Celebrity Hour roasting Frank Sinatra. The guests included Ronald Reagan, Red Buttons, Flip Wilson, Redd Foxx, George Burns, Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Peter Falk, Ruth Buzzi, and Orson Welles.

Those were the days before political correctness set in. As one YouTube commenter said, it was humor from an era when you could rib other cultures and everybody was fine with it, because people had enough self esteem to have fun. 

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO. 


  

#Throwback Thursday, #TBT