YIDDISH "MIT" JERRY AND ANNE
(Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara)

by
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe

Syosset, New York

Ellis Weiner and Barbara Davilman are the authors of "Yiddish with Dick and Jane" and "Yiddish with George and Laura." In both books, the characters flavor their speech with Yiddish.

According to Rabbi Benjamin Blech, " Yiddish teaches us how to laugh more loudly and know how to weep with more feeling." So, here's the 2007 version of " Yiddish MIT Jerry and Anne." A Glossary is provided for those who need a "bisl" help with Yiddish.

See Jerry. Jerry is an "aktiyor." "Es zenen do azoy fil Yiddishe shoyshpiler." (There are so many Jewish actors and actresses.) Some people call Jerry one of the three funniest guys in Noo Yawk.

As a child of the Depression, Jerry moved " tsen" times during his first 12 years, all in Brooklyn, where his "tata" was an out-of-work "taksi" driver.

See Anne.  Jerry has been married to Anne Meara for 54 years. They are a "por." Don't confuse them with Steve & Edie, Lucy & Desi, Ozzie & Harriet, Fibber McGee & Molly, Sonny & Cher, or George & Gracie.

See Gracie, the truly-gifted half of the Burns-Allen union. Gracie confessed to cheating on her "firlitsents" by copying from the car in front of her. She also decided that horses must be deaf because she saw so few of them at concerts. And she admitted making ice cubes with hot water so she would be prepared in case the water heater broke.

Now back to Jerry. As a kid, Jerry idolized the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, and Eddie Cantor. Jerry's "muter" was a Litvak; his "tate" was a Galitzianer...and did they have "tsuris." Not because of the ethnic "untershyd"; because his "bobe" never invited his mo! ther to Friday night dinners.

Meet Charlie. Jerry's "feter," Charlie had a seltzer route. Seltzer is also known as 2 cents plain. Today some diners charge $1 for seltzer.

Jerry grew up in East New York, Brooklyn. He remembers the pushcarts on Blake " evenyu." Peddlers screamed their wares " helft" in Yiddish, "helft" in English.

At 17, Jerry enlisted in the "armey." He was shipped to Italy, where his job was to dispense VD films to soldiers to make sure they did not catch anything "shlekht."

Anne, who, by the way, is four inches taller than Jerry, hailed from an Irish Catholic upbringing, but converted to Judaism early in their "khasene." Their children were brought up in a Jewish "heym."

See Ben and Amy. They are Jerry and Anne's children. Amy Stiller is a stand-up comedian. There's also an "eynikl"--Ella Oliver Stiller.

Jerry and Anne never planned a career " tsuzamen." Both natives of Brooklyn, they appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" 36 (double "chei") times and starred on Broadway, in movies, on "televizye" and in commercials. Check out the "Blue Nun" commercials.

Jerry and Anne are "shepn naches" from their"zun," Ben Stiller. In "Februar" of 2007, Ben had to put on "rozeve" shoes, a blonde " shaytl" and silver headband and strut against an Owen Wilson impersonator before claiming Harvard's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award. "Just like home, honey," Ben Stiller said to his wife, "aktrise" Christine Taylor, as he put on the female attire. The event was organized by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the nation's oldest undergraduate drama troupe. (The awards are given to performers who have made "a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of "farvaylung.")

See quotes by Ben Stiller. "It was a mixed blessing to have famous parents. It was tough to go! for aud itions and be bad, since I couldn't be anonymous."

See Jerry panic. Ben Stiller said, "We covered 'Hey, Jude." My father panicked, misunderstanding the lyrics and thinking our lead singer was belting out 'Hey, Jew' to a roomful of Holocaust survivors."

See Jerry today. Jerry plays the meddling " shver" in the "televizye" program, "The King of Queens." He is a deranged guy-- a recent widower--who moved in with his son-in-law and daughter. The show's about a "zoftik" deliveryman and his not-so-silent-suffering wife. Kevin James and Leah Remni star in the program.

In real life, Jerry Stiller has a "shtilkayt" demeanor.

In 2001, Jerry published his memoirs, " Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara."

"Gut nayes": Jerry and Anne received star #2,328 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jerry said, "I've invited all my doctors, and I have four dentists, I've invited as well." "Mazl-tov."

_____
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
loves the definition of "Jewbilation": Pride in finding that one's favorite celebrity is Jewish.

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___________________________________________
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is the author of
two books:

"Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers" and
"Are Yentas, Kibitzers, & Tummlers Weapons of Mass Instruction?  Yiddish
Trivia."  To order a copy, go to her
website: MarjorieGottliebWolfe.com

NU, what are you waiting for?  Order the book!