Jackie Mason has built his Tony Award-winning career out of the culture and language of Jewish people, so who better to instruct the unindoctrinated in the joys of Yiddish? How to Talk Jewish, a guide to 100 Yiddish words, phrases, and expressions, includes pronunciations, definitions, and examples of usage, along with Jackie's incomparable wit. Is your blind date haimish? Uh oh. A zhlub, worse. A doctor? The naches are almost inexpressible! Jackie Mason brings all the vivacity, spunk, and chutzpah of Yiddish to the tongues of the less fortunate. Don't be a meshugenner, buy it already!
Jackie Mason (1928-2021) studied to become a rabbi like all other male members of his family. He opted for the stage with his borscht belt comedy style to become a star of Broadway, screen, network and cable television. His critically-acclaimed one man-theatrical shows include The World According to Me (earning him a Tony Award as well as an Emmy Award for his adaptation for HBO, Jackie Mason on Broadway), Jackie Mason Brand New, and The Ultimate Jew.
Mason appeared in such films as The Jerk and History of the World: Part 1 and won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his portrayal of Krusty the Clown’s father on The Simpsons. He wrote his autobiography Jackie Oy! with Ken Gross and How to Talk Jewish with Ira Berkow.
“Such a deal!” —The Boston Globe
“A brilliant Broadway star.” —Joe Cates, producer
“If the lecturers all start talking like me, the English language will be wiped out.” —Jackie Mason on the inauguration of the Jackie Mason Lectureship in Contemporary Judiasm at Oxford University