Chassidic Comedy: A Chasid, Stuck in the 1980s, is Exposed to Today's Technology

 

A badchan (a Hebrew word meaning jester that has been Yiddishized as badchen) is a Jewish comedian with scholarly overtones who entertained guests at weddings among the Ashkenazim of Eastern Europe.  Today they are found in all countries with Chassidic populations, including the United States, doing their shtick at weddings.

The badchanim (plural) probably originated during the Middle Ages where they traveled around Europe like troubadors.  They developed a tradition of wedding entertainment, telling jokes related to scriptural and Talmudic passages.  More recently, in this country, their entertainment has included impersonations of Jewish religious figures and American politicians.

 

Yoely Lebovits is a popular badchan around the Chassidic World. One of his very funny acts is his imitation of Hungarian characters, which earned him the name Pester Rebbe, implying that he is the Rebbe of Pest.

 

He has also made some funny videos that are popular with Chassidic users of the Internet.

But the Internet has not made its way into most Chassidic homes.

 

In this video, The Multimedia Genius, Lebovits is stuck in the '80s, seated at a desk with a portable typewriter, a corded desk phone, and a camera as he tries to keep up his side of a phone conversation filled with the language and technical jargon of today.

 

Enjoy!

 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.