A career of seven decades of snappy irreverent one-liners put Henry "Henny" Youngman at the top of most comedians list of favorite showmen. Born in London, England, and moving to the United States when he was a baby.
My relatives tell me that I'd met Henny Youngman on the boardwalk of Atlantic City when I was only 2 years old.. They told me he was really sweet and charming to me. What a nice memory through family.
One of my favorite jokes Henny told was when he said a homeless man walked up to a house and knocked on the door. A woman answered and he asked her can you give me something to eat. She said of course, would you like yesterday's soup, he said sure, she said okay come back tomorrow.
His one liners are great, his violin playing is worse that Jack Benny. They're both extremely funny. The comedians of today have nothing on the comcis of the 40s, 50s, and early 60s. The way they can make they're acts funny without using profanity or sexually explicit language is great. We need more or that these days .
Henny was simply restricted by the conservatives of the time, he wouldn't be any different than the greats of today were he born in the 80's or whatever. He's wonderful and would be amazing today, but the comedy of the last few decades is far better. If you can be really funny and "clean" that's a talent for sure - but if you don't have to be "clean" you're potential as a comic will always be higher. You simply don't have an appreciation for comedy as an art form I think. Henny wouldn't be clean today because he's funnier than that.
For anyone who didn't get the joke about losing two bucks by betting the great horse Nashua to place. The day before Nashua lost a match race to the equally great Native Dancer. Obviously there an't be a place bet when there only two horses racing.
Saw an old Ed Sullivan show recently and Henny told this one. A man comes to his house to see him. A rather unattractive woman answers the door and when the man says that Henny is expecting him, the woman asks the man to follow her she takes him to the den where Henny is waiting. After the woman walks away, the friend says to Henny, was that your wife? Henny responds, what you think I'd hire a maid that ugly.
A guy walks into the Doctors office and the Doctor says before you do anything sit down in front of the window and stick out your tongue. The guy says why do I have to sit down in front of the window and stick out my tongue? The Doctor says, I’m mad at my neighbors.
I know he talked fast, but the timbre of his voice seems just a little too high, suggesting the speed may be slightly fast. But voices darken with age so I may be used to an older Youngman. The only time Youngman ever fumbled, so far as I know, was in the skit where he heckles Milton Berle and fumbles as he tries to tell a joke about the Lyndon Johnson Whitehouse family. Berle calls Youngman a "broken record," which cracks up both Youngman and the audience, evoking more laughter when Berle refers to Youngman as "this poor soul."
That fella right there, that there's a funny dude. Putting "page 2" at the top of a telegram made me laugh. Apparently they're still a thing, I'm gonna have to give it a go just to say I did :3
I couldn't quite understand the joke about the shoe repairman, two soles, and opera. Can anyone explain it. I simply couldn't quite make Henny's words. Thank you. It's at 1:32.
I realize you asked this question 3 years ago but no one seems to have answered you. In the joke, Youngman says, "I visited my shoemaker. I asked for half-soles. He said, "Go away, I'm studying opera". The joke is related to the use of the word 'half-soles'. Normally, we would expect the shoemaker to repair the shoes and Youngman wanted half-soles. However, the word 'half-soles' are also used in ballet. Half-soles are basically ballet shoes. That's where the joke comes from. Youngman asked for half-soles but the shoemaker says, "Go away. I'm studying opera (instead of ballet)". Obviously, the joke loses it's power when it needs to be explained. I hope that helps.
Rodney perfected this act. I like Henny but not as much as Rodney. I especially don't like how everything is completely random. Nothing has anything to do with anything, there's no structure to his act and he's a terrible fiddler lmao,, just sayingv he always plays that tiny 20 note piece hahaha
He sure was funny, but wouldn't last a minute today. Jokes about Persians, wives, travelling salesmen, teenage girls, smugglers...someone is bound to be offended, file a lawsuit, and Youngman's career is over.
Bob Hope used to grit his teeth when a joke bombed. When I saw Joan Rivers live and 1 of her jokes didn't get a laugh she'd holler WAKE UP, CHICAGO!!! ☺
Not on this video, but I just remember his anti-woman jokes when I was a kid...I think he caused the feminist movement all by himself because a 13 year-old hearing his constant woman jabbing gets insulted easily
