# Jewish Jokes \[When are they appropriate? Other ethnic or religious jokes?\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349 "2008-01-21T05:59:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/1 "2008-01-21T05:59:51Z")
I stumbled upon this thread: [Heard any good jokes lately?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=451599) a couple days ago. I was reading through some good and bad and mostly harmless jokes, primarily of the dick and fart variety, lowbrow but not terrifically offensive, when I read a post with a Jewish joke. The thing is I’m Jewish, I’ve heard and told a million Jewish jokes. I think they are funny. But it’s only funny when we are telling them in close company. If we want to collectively laugh at ourselves and point out our less than favorable stereotypes I think we or any other group has that right. It’s not so funny to hear others make the very same jokes because they may not know as acutely where the stereotype ends and reality begins. When a perfect stranger and gentile tells me a joke about how Jews like money I have no way of knowing how seriously he takes that proposition. Maybe he knows a ton of Jews and doesn’t really believe that’s the case at all, but maybe he doesn’t. And that’s why it uncomfortable for me to hear. Adding to this was the fact that the joke was taken from a movie about anti-Semitism. The whole thing just struck me as totally poor taste. I try not to be easily offended, but I just couldn’t believe this went unnoticed in the thread, so I posted back expressing my dissatisfaction. The response by multiple posters was that I had overreacted and that I should just lighten up. I responded again that I still thought that the joke shouldn’t have been posted and was told the same. I think it’s crap. If the thread was called “Racist Jokes” and everyone was tossing them out there maybe, maybe, I could see it being okay. At least that way everyone knows the jokes are offensive. But don’t sit there any tell me that jokes about Cinderella giving head and Bubbles being the neighbor’s dog is the same as a joke about Jews being greedy. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/2 "2008-01-21T07:16:40Z")
Would you like this moved to the **BBQ Pit** or to **IMHO**? I’m sure that we can get people arguing over this topic, but as posted it does not appear to have an actual debate topic. [/Modding] ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/3 "2008-01-21T07:32:46Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Would you like this moved to the **BBQ Pit** or to **IMHO**? I’m sure that we can get people arguing over this topic, but as posted it does not appear to have an actual debate topic. [/Modding] [/QUOTE] I considered that but I figured not enough cursing for the pit, too serious for IMHO. The debate as I saw it was whether Jewish jokes are in the same league as dick and fart jokes or not. If you think it belongs somewhere else feel free to move it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/4 "2008-01-21T07:57:34Z")
[QUOTE=cainxinth] The debate as I saw it was whether Jewish jokes are in the same league as dick and fart jokes or not. [/QUOTE] Based on this presentation, I would guess it belongs in **Cafe Society** as an exploration of forms of humor. I’ll move it with an expanded title. [/Modding] ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/5 "2008-01-21T08:51:09Z")
Meh, you gotta turn down your offense-o-meter a bit if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/6 "2008-01-21T09:31:51Z")
Okay, here’s my rationale for enjoying ethnic humor: Jokes boil down to a recognition of human foibles. Any joke I can tell about you, you can tell an equivalent one about me. It would be churlish of me to tell a joke making fun of crippled or retarded people, I guess, but to claim that your group should somehow be excluded or protected is to put yourself in the same class as cripples and retards. And let’s face it, being Jewish has more in common with being Irish or Italian or Black than it does with being paraplegic or autistic. Elie Wiesel once described antisemitism as “ultimately approving of the ovens.” The jokes in question in the other thread (that I saw; I only got about halfway through it) hardly qualify. Q: What’s the difference between a Jewish wife and an Italian wife? A: The Italian wife has fake diamonds and real orgasms. Look, you’re part of the American fabric, or you aren’t. You decide. But remember, the jokes you tell about goys and shvartzers get back to the rest of us eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/7 "2008-01-21T10:04:00Z")
What’s the difference between a Jew and a pizza? A Jew can feed a family of four. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/8 "2008-01-21T10:38:42Z")
Several years ago, I traveled to Sweden to attend a conference. Due to a scheduling whoops, I was with guys from Europe, not my coworkers from the US. I hung out with the instructor from Poland. Over dinner, we would tell each other jokes we knew. Damn if he didn’t know just about the same exact jokes as I did only with a different cast of characters. Dumb Polack = dumb Russian Greedy Jew = Greedy German etc etc. It was interesting to hear his take on some Polish jokes. 😃 FTR he thought they were hilarious. (The problem was finding one he did not already know as a dumb Russian joke) My advice is turn down the offense meter. Or go listen to Don Rickles do a show. **Argent** there is one other difference, but I’m not going there. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/9 "2008-01-21T11:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] What’s the difference between a Jew and a pizza? A Jew can feed a family of four. [/QUOTE] I heard that as “Mexican” and “can’t”. The one with Jews concluded with a note on ovens and screaming. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/10 "2008-01-21T11:36:37Z")
Jokes about other religions: A Lutheran walks into a bar. Bartender sez "I’m sorry, we don’t serve Lutherans in this bar. The Lutheran replies “How about some food then? I’ve been on a strict Diet of Worms!” A Catholic walks into a bar. Bartender sez “I’m sorry, we don’t serve Catholics in this bar.” The Catholic grabs his crotch and says “Eat of this, for this is my body.” A Baptist walks into a bar. The bartender says “Hold on, Billy Bob. Before you come in here, you need to know that there’s some drinking and gambling going on in here, and probably some sex going on in the back room.” The Baptist looks around and says “Alright, as long as there’s no dancing…” A Unitarian walks into a bar. Bartender sez “We don’t serve Unitarians in this bar.” The Unitarian replies “Well, that’s just one more thing I don’t seriously believe.” An Episcopal Woman named Alice Once peed in a Catholic Chalice She said “I do this From a great need to piss And not from sectarian malice!” A Quaker walks into a really rowdy bar. Bartender sez “Sorry, we don’t serve Quakers in this bar.” The Quaker replies “Fuck thee.” ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/11 "2008-01-21T11:59:27Z")
I work with a number of Jewish people, and the women especially are always at great guns to tell (or email) me the latest Jewish joke going around. However, I too have noticed that if I (or any other gentile) tries to tell THEM a Jewish joke, it is met with the traditional pursed lips and half-closed eyes indicating extreme displeasure at our crass affrontery. :rolleyes: It’s _all_ about stereotypes, of the race, ethnicity, religion or cultural practices. It’s what jokes are made of. If you _can_ laugh at yourself, why the hell are you pissed-off when others join in the laughter? And if you can’t laugh at yourself, there’s something wrong with you. Get over yourself/ves, whether you’re Jewish, Irish, Polish, Australian or whatever. We’re all human beings, and we deserve nothing more than to be ridiculed…a lot. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/12 "2008-01-21T13:37:51Z")
Having been raised Jewish, I understand the OP’s point of view. But when I’m around my extended family, I hear a few of them still refer to blacks as “schvartzes,” and that tems is never used in a complimentary context. But they all know I’m gay, and at least they know not to tell a gay joke in my presence (not that I would mind it, so long as it’s not about AIDS). By the same token, I don’t mind the jokes about Jewish stereotypes (and yes, it does matter who’s telling them), but I will not stand for jokes about the Holocaust (unless of course they’re anti-Hitler jokes). So lay off the AIDS and Holocaust jokes; the rest I can deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/13 "2008-01-21T14:44:15Z")
I think there is a strong argument to be made that Jewish and other ethnic or religous jokes are exactly like dick and fart jokes in terms of when they should be told–only to an audience that won’t be upset by them. Different people have different standards, and the “I can tell jokes about X because I’m one of them” notion annoys me more than a little. I don’t particularly care for most ethnic jokes(or dick and fart jokes for that matter), and knowing that you are of the ethnicity you are insulting doesn’t magically make the joke funny rather than obnoxious. So how do you tell whether your audience will be upset? That can be tricky. At some level, I guess you start at the more or less innocuous and wait for a reaction. And some people really do believe that it’s ok to tell jokes about their own group that they don’t appreciate from outsiders, I just generally don’t find such jokes appealling. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/14 "2008-01-21T16:52:49Z")
People need to lighten up. My close circle of (mostly white) friends tell inappropriate jokes all the time - especially Asian jokes. Like, really, really crass Asian jokes involving horizontal vaginas. I laugh. However, if a random stranger came up to me and told me the same joke, I’d probably slap them. For me the line is not based on whether that person is an “insider” or not; it’s how well we know each other. Like how you can tell a close friend to shut up in an affectionate way, but if you did that to a stranger they’d be offended. If I were ever to be truly offended, my friends would stop - but if I were the type of person to be offended, we probably wouldn’t be friends in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/15 "2008-01-21T17:03:43Z")
A lot depends on the tone of the joke and the aim of the teller. Is the teller’s underlying attitude “I know you and like you, and here’s a joke I know you’re going to appreciate” or “I know is going to offend you, but screw you if you can’t take a joke”? I know the people I can safely tell ethnic/religious/risque jokes to, and most likely, you know the people you can tell them to. If there’s doubt in your mind, don’t tell them. And if you guess wrong, APOLOGIZE sincerely and immediately. Don’t dare tell a joke you KNOW may be offensive and then insist arrogantly that the offended party is the one with a problem. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/16 "2008-01-21T17:37:13Z")
The school I teach at is very diverse: like Eastern European and African refugees next to Hispanics from every Spanish-speaking country next to African-Americans next to old money Jewish and WASP families: the only groups that are thinly represented are the middle classes of any race–they are in the suburbs–and Asians, for whatever reason. It’s an atmosphere that really encourages racial/ethnic/class-related joking around because everyone is a minority–less telling formal jokes and more just joking around with each other. The patterns I see arise among the kids with their friends is that almost anything is ok if it’s _funny_. Jokes that are just restating a stereotype are treated as in poor taste and like someone is trying to hard to be cool. Anything is ok if it shows cleverness and wit. Nothing is ok if it’s lame and predictable. Among people that are not your friends, it’s in poor taste and usually gets rolly eyes, either because the person is trying to be mean, which is stupid, or they are presuming intimacy that isn’t there–which is something clique-ish high school kids love to punish each other for. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/17 "2008-01-21T17:38:27Z")
Ya know why my last name ends in “ski”? Because my ancestors couldn’t spell toboggan! I appreciate all manner of tasteless jokes involving dumb polacks, greedy jews, lazy mexicans, dead babies, what have you. But I will refrain from telling a specific joke to a person if I have any reason to suspect they will be be offended by it (or if I \* care\* that they are offended.) No, IMO jewish jokes are not inherently more or less offensive than any others. I personally am more wary of jews or blacks taking offense at jokes than - say - Poles or Italians. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/18 "2008-01-21T18:33:57Z")
I just got this joke sent to me this morning; pretty funny given this thread. I hope it is adequately universal in its abuse of stereotypes that it is simply seen as silly - and hopefully a bit funny. In terms of basic thinking on this issue, I am inclined to go with \*\*astorian’s \*\* POV… > [@](#): > > On a chain of beautiful deserted islands in the middle of South Pacific, the following people are stranded: > > Two Italian men and one Italian woman. > > Two French men and one French woman. > > Two German men and one German woman. > > Two Greek men and one Greek woman. > > Two British men and one British woman. > > Two Bulgarian men and one Bulgarian woman. > > Two Japanese men and one Japanese woman. > > Two Chinese men and one Chinese woman. > > Two Irish men and one Irish woman. > > Two American men and one American woman. > > One month later, on these absolutely stunning deserted islands in the > middle of nowhere, the following things have occurred: > > One Italian man killed the other Italian man for the Italian woman. > > The two French men and the French woman are living happily together in a > menage a trois. > > The two German men have a strict weekly schedule of alternating visits > with the German woman. > > The two Greek men are sleeping together and the Greek woman is cooking > and cleaning for them. > > The two British men are waiting for someone to introduce them to the > British woman. > > The two Bulgarian men took one look at the Bulgarian woman and started > swimming to another island. > > The two Japanese have faxed Tokyo and are awaiting instructions. > > The two Chinese men have set up a pharmacy, liquor store, restaurant, > and laundry, and have got the woman pregnant in order to supply more > employees for their businesses. > > The two Irish men divided the island into north and south and set up a > distillery. They do not remember if sex is in the picture because it > gets somewhat foggy after a few pints of coconut whisky. However, > they’re satisfied because the British aren’t having any fun. The Irish > woman has taken vows and become a nun. > > The two American men are contemplating suicide, because the American > woman will not shut up and complains relentlessly about her body, the > true nature of feminism, what the sun is doing to her skin, how she can > do anything they can do, the necessity of fulfillment, the equal > division of household chores, how sand and palm trees make her look fat, > how her last boyfriend respected her opinion and treated her nicer than > they do, and how her relationship with her mother is the root cause of > all her problems, and why didn’t they bring a damn cell phone so they > could call 911 and get them all rescued off this forsaken deserted > island in the middle of freaking nowhere so she can get her nails done > and go shopping. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/19 "2008-01-21T18:52:16Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I heard that as “Mexican” and “can’t”. The one with Jews concluded with a note on ovens and screaming. [/QUOTE] Yeah it was my very feeble attempt at combining two ethnic jokes to make a nonsensical and therefore ironically humorous joke. It seems to have failed. Moving right along… What do you call a Jew who graduated at the bottom of his class in medical school? “Doctor.” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349/20 "2008-01-21T19:55:13Z")
[http://www.thejesusmyth.com/the-truth-about-religion.htm](http://www.thejesusmyth.com/the-truth-about-religion.htm) Religious humor to be effective needs a bit of truth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-jokes-when-are-they-appropriate-other-ethnic-or-religious-jokes/434349.md?page=2)