Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Alan King on Married Life in 1965

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

Alan King (1927-2004) was synonymous with classic Jewish comedy during his career which lasted about 50 years starting in 1955. He had roles in many movies, but we remember him most vividly for his stand-up comedy routines in the Catskills and on television.

King began his comedy career with one-liner routines and other material concerning mothers-in-law and Jews. King's style of comedy changed when he saw Danny Thomas performing in the early 1950s. He realized that Thomas was talking to his audience, not at them, and was getting a better response. King changed his own style from one-liners to a more conversational style that used everyday life for humor. His comedy inspired other comedians such as Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Billy Crystal, Robert Klein, and Bill Cosby.

In one of his earliest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1965, with his wife and two sons in the audience, King talks about married life.

Enjoy! 

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Rita Rudner on Stage in 1989

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

We've been big fans of Rita Rudner ever since she started to appear on late night TV in the 1980s.

One of the hallmarks of her comedy is that it's clean, free from the vulgarity and shouting that many stand-up comics find necessary.  Her delivery is demure, tasteful, full of wry observations, and very funny.

Rudner started her career as a dancer, then switched to stand-up comedy about her dating experiences.  She married British producer Martin Bergman 37 years ago and they have a daughter.  She is fond of Jewish humor but generally reserves it for when she performs for Jewish audiences.

Rita is 71 now and still performing in South Florida and other locations.

In this piece from 1989, Rita Rudner's stand-up comedy is focused on relationships, family and herself with one-liners and stories delivered in her unique matter-of-fact way that has made her an audience favorite.

Enjoy!

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: An Early (1969) Performance by Rodney Dangerfield

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows in the 1960s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

Born Jacob Cohen and initially going by the stage name of Jack Roy, the 19-year old Rodney Dangerfield ventured into the world of stand-up only to find disappointment.  After nine years of going nowhere, he completely dropped out of showbiz and, to support his family, sold household aluminum siding.  Twenty-five years later, at the age of 45, Rodney decided to give comedy another try, appearing in clubs at night while still selling siding during the day.  He ultimately found success, due to luck, persistence and his enormous comedic talent.  

On March 5th 1967, he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time.  Having seen what the show had done for other comics like Richard Pryor on The Ed Sullivan Show and Joan Rivers on The Ed Sullivan Show, Rodney knew that he was finally getting somewhere.  Luckily for viewers, Dangerfield had twenty-five years worth of pent-up comedy when he finally “made it.”  He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show a total of 17 times between 1967 and 1971.   Audiences loved his stand-up routines and related to his famous catchphrase, “I don’t get no respect! No respect at all…” His self-deprecating style of comedy, ranging from childhood stories to shopping trip tales, to problems with his wife always resonated with middle America.  

Here's a classic performance by Rodney Dangerfield on the The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969.  

Enjoy!

Sunday Standup - Starting a New Series - Matt Ruby on Why Goldilocks is a Jewish Superhero

We've noticed that our Monday feature "A Joke to Start the Week" is getting the most views of all our posts. While we will continue our mix of videos of jokes, stories, music, and other elements of Jewish life, we're going to try to post more clips of standup comedy.

Matt Ruby is a comedian from New York City. His smart and dark brand of standup is "button-pushing" and "funny" according to the NY Times. His comedy has been filmed by Comedy Central, MTV, NBC/Seeso, and FOX. His newsletters (The Rubesletter and Funny How) have over 17,000 subscribers combined. He also hosts the podcast Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby. 

Today we're sharing a clip from a Matt Ruby performance on why Goldilocks should be considered a Jewish superhero.

Enjoy!