Old Jews Telling Jokes

How many Jewish mothers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Gentiles are often surprised to learn that Jewish humor is self-deprecating--that Jews enjoy laughing at their own ethnic foibles. This volume is full of jokes of this kind, culled from public contributions to a Web site called, not surprisingly, "Old Jews Telling Jokes." The editors have selected an amazing variety of stories, both innocent and earthy, from the site, told mostly by the contributors. Narrator/editor Sam Hoffman unfolds the others. His adenoidal delivery is weak and irritating compared to those of the old folks who benefit from a lifetime of making people laugh. Few of these gags are so esoteric as to confound the uninitiated but are likely to delight all who listen. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

November 29, 2010
Anyone with fond memories of great-uncle Sol telling bad jokes after that fourth glass of wine at the Passover seder will probably find a chuckle—or at least a groan of recognition—in one or two of the creaky old chestnuts offered here. Sam Hoffman offers introductions to each joke topic and brief bios of the tellers, all prominent Jews aged 60 or older (including former New York City mayor Ed Koch), most of whom deliver their own joke, accompanied by a laugh track and the occasional sting of klezmer. Topics covered include immigration, Jewish mothers (naturally), and sex (two chapters). Because jokes were recorded in various locations, the sound quality varies. Taken as a whole, the collection is amusing, but a little goes a long way. A Villard paperback.