The David Susskind Show: How to Be a Jewish Son

You don't have to be Jewish to get a kick out of this legendary 1970 episode from The David Susskind Show. Although Susskind has faded into obscurity, his talk show—especially during the 1960s—distinguished itself for its often abrasive host, who readily tackled hot-button topics…but not on this night. Here, the panel includes producer/director Mel Brooks, comedian David Steinberg, actor George Segal, How to Be a Jewish Mother author Dan Greenburg, “pizza king” Larry Goldberg, and designer Stan Herman (who has since come out, making Susskind's inquiries about his romantic life a little cringe-worthy). Much, it seems, to the chagrin of Steinberg and some of the others, Brooks steals the show, whether he's channeling Myron Cohen and Fred Astaire, lapsing into characters, or making the offhand joke (his non-Jewish wife, Anne Bancroft, he observes, “doesn't have to convert; she's a star”). Don't expect deep insights into the Jewish psyche beyond the inevitable gags about guilt, although there is a wonderful moment when Susskind jumps in because he thinks “chuppah”—a canopy used in Jewish weddings—is an obscene word. The best moments, however, come from the heart, such as when Brooks praises his “gutsy” mother, who emigrated from Russia. Although dated, this is time-capsule television for viewers of a certain age—the comedy equivalent of chicken soup for the soul. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)