Old Jews Telling Jokes: as Youtube series go, this one has a cerÂtain conÂcepÂtuÂal puriÂty. That its videos have become very popÂuÂlar indeed won’t come as a surÂprise to anyÂone who grew up in a large JewÂish famÂiÂly; you want a joke told right, you go to the top of the famÂiÂly tree. We’ve seen jokes told by denÂtists, busiÂnessÂmen and even the likes of lawyer and politÂiÂcal comÂmenÂtaÂtor Alan DerÂshowitz and forÂmer New York City mayÂor Ed Koch. Above you’ll see “I Want to Have a MonÂkey,” one of the series’ jokes told by graphÂic designÂer and New York magÂaÂzine co-founder MilÂton Glaser, creÂator of logos for DC Comics, the BrookÂlyn BrewÂery, and of course, in the form of the uniÂverÂsalÂly recÂogÂnized I ♥ NY, his city. You can learn more about his 60-year design career in the short docÂuÂmenÂtary by HillÂman CurÂtis just below:
Unlike most of the videos’ stars, who stand in front of a stanÂdard white backÂground, Glaser tells his jokes in a more interÂestÂing setÂting: his longÂtime office, of which you’ll see more in CurÂtis’ docÂuÂmenÂtary. When the Old Jews Telling Jokes crew turned up, they found in this force of graphÂic design a verÂiÂtaÂble fount of punchÂlines. He demonÂstrates his comedic acuÂmen in eight othÂer episodes: “The ResÂurÂrectÂing RabÂbi,” “MagiÂcian and a SledgeÂhamÂmer,” “Two GarÂmenÂtos,” “Edward R. MurÂrow,” “Am I Thirsty,” “EleÂphant and CrocÂoÂdile,” “I’d Like to Be CasÂtratÂed,” and “The ParÂrot.” Here we have anothÂer lesÂson to take from our elders, or at least from this speÂcifÂic elder: you can’t just rise to and remain for decades at the very top of your exotÂic and chalÂlengÂing field. You’ve also got to have good timÂing.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
The Most “IntelÂlecÂtuÂal Jokes”: Our Favorite Open CulÂture ReadÂer SubÂmisÂsions
SketchÂes of Artists by the Late New Media DesignÂer HillÂman CurÂtis
MickÂey Mouse In VietÂnam: The Lost Anti-War AniÂmaÂtion from 1968
ColÂin MarÂshall hosts and proÂduces NoteÂbook on Cities and CulÂture and writes essays on litÂerÂaÂture, film, cities, Asia, and aesÂthetÂics. He’s at work on a book about Los AngeÂles, A Los AngeÂles Primer. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.
IncomÂpaÂraÂbly brilÂliant graphÂic artist but not a natÂurÂal joke teller. This one’s a quickÂie, not a shagÂgy dog/monkey stoÂry. TimÂing, MilÂton, timÂing!!