Nine Hollywood Tropes Moviegoers Loathe: Part Six

Jewish jokes that nobody gets

I’m as PC as the next WASP, and sometimes I even mean it, but let’s talk demographics for just a sec. Jews make up 1 out of every 50 Americans: less than Mexicans, Blacks, and Asians. I think there are more Albino Yaks in America than there are Jews, and yet about half of all films come across like they premiered at a Bah Mitzvah.

I know the reasons: Jews make up a very significant portion of Hollywood producers, directors, and actors. I get it. But consider your target demographic here: someone from Anytown, USA with a little scratch and nothing better to do that go to a movie. I didn’t even know a Jew until I was like 25, and yet I feel like I know more about Jewish ritual and mores than an Orthodox Rabbi.

Take Bordello of Blood - a decent, inventive vampire flick that was a lot of fun. When they finally remove the heart from the head vampire, they have an arbitrarily long scene where Dennis Miller gets it disposed of a la some non-existent Jewish rite. Okay, we get it: your Jewish. You want an award? And there’s Miller clad in a yarmulke just in case you didn’t get the hint….psst, he’s Jewish! Forget the fact that it had dammit-all to do with the rest of the movie.

Now how about Adam I-can’t-make-one-joke-without-letting-you-know-I’m-Jewish Sandler. In Eight Crazy Nights you magically have a whole town in the heartland of America that just happens to be Jewish. Where the hell is that supposed to be? If I’ve met a Jew outside of New York or LA they were lost and wondering how to get back to the city.

I understand Sandler wants to hook all of his friends up with clever, Jewish inside jokes that the rest of us could give a hoot about, but a whole town?

Mel Brooks pulled it off with a little more subtlety at least, where you could watch his movies without knowing any Jews (which many of us don’t) and it could still be funny based on circumstance or delivery. Nowadays, though, I feel like I’m watching Curb Your Enthusiasm on loop.