Dr. Zoidberg: An ongoing crack about Judiasm

[#40 :]

I think Zoidberg is Jewish because he acts like the stereotyped Jew who immigrated from Europe during the 1900s to find opportunity.  Zoidberg kind of acts neurotic like Woody Allen and he's repressed by everyone around him. 

So, yeah, I think Zoidberg is Jewish, and also the writers made him act the way he does to make fun of those stereotypes of Jews.

[#41 :]

Stereotypical Jews have money though..

[#42 :]

Zoidberg isn`t Jewish, he is a lobster.

Lobsters don`t believe in God, they believe in food

[#43 :]

And Zoidberg claimed he was Jesus and Jews don't believe Jesus was our savoir..

[#44 :]

I think the other characters in Futurama have Jewish characteristics too.
Like Leela's parents, why not.

[#45 :]

 

Originally posted by TwistedMetalKat:
And Zoidberg claimed he was Jesus and Jews don't believe Jesus was our savoir..

That's exactly what I was thinking. Also, the stereotypical jew has money, something Zoidberg is low on

[#46 :]

What about in the ep "Roswell That Ends Well" when Dr. Zoidberg is released from the closet and the general tells him the buffet is free. You see him gorge himself full of food.
Meaning therefore that he isn't Jewish.

[#47 :]

i agree with TwistedMetalKat

[#48 :]

Originally posted by TwistedMetalKat:
And Zoidberg claimed he was Jesus and Jews don't believe Jesus was our savoir..

[#49 :]

I noticed that Leela's mother kind of acts like Shiela Broslovski from South Park a little bit.  As for Zoidberg, his stereotypically Jewish personality is also wanting to make a lot of money. 

[#50 :]

Since when is desiring the accquisition of wealth a strictly Jewish stereotype?  It sounds like the driving force behind Western development throughout most of history to me.  Unless, of course, you're one of those people who believes the world is controlled by Jewish bankers.

Also, Jews don't believe Jesus was the Messiah, but they do believe he existed.  And I don't think there's any debate about the fact that he was Jewish.

[#51 :]

Well the accquisition of wealth has for a long time been something Jews were stereotyped for. See for example Shakespeare and "The Merchant of Venice".

I find it always quite shocking how long antisemitism has been around and how deep certain things (like Jews controlling the financial world etc.) are engraved in people's minds.

[#52 :]

 

Originally posted by DrThunder88:
Since when is desiring the accquisition of wealth a strictly Jewish stereotype?

Keyword there: STEREOTYPE. Calm down.

[#53 :]

I always assumed it was poking fun at the stereotype of jews making good doctors. Zoidberg sounds jewish, but he's a bad doctor.

*Edit* Now that I think about it, stereotypical Jews are rich, and Zoidberg is poor, stereotypical Jews make the best comedy writers, Zoidberg isn't funny to the other characters, stereotypical Jews are greedy, Zoidberg is generous, Jews are whiney, Zoidberg hardly ever complains, etc. I'd say he's more a comedic foil to every jew stereo type ever.

[#54 :]

 

Originally posted by TwistedMetalKat:
 

Originally posted by DrThunder88:
Since when is desiring the accquisition of wealth a strictly Jewish stereotype?

Keyword there: STEREOTYPE. Calm down.

Yeah, that's what I'm calling him out on.  It's not really a stereotype if it applies to everyone.

[#55 :]

 

Also if you remember from "Fry and The Slurm Factory" Zoidberg bought a t-shirt with Jewish writing.

That wasn't a joke at judaism, it was a joke at Israel. I'll spare you the details.

[#56 :]

Israel loves soda? Plese, tell me the details... I don't get it.

[#57 :]

I don't know how many of you own family guy season 2 on dvd but there is and episode (deemed unfit for T.V) that mocks jews do the two shows share and writers?

[#58 :]

No.

[#59 :]

 

Originally posted by DrThunder88:
 Yeah, that's what I'm calling him out on.  It's not really a stereotype if it applies to everyone.

So... are you saying those Jewish "stereotypes" aren't stereotypes because they apply to everyone? Ok... love your logic.

[#60 :]

Billy West has always said that Zoidberg's voice is based off of a Vaudevillian actor. Also, I don't really see many Jewish "stereotypes" in Zoidberg's other mannerisms or behavior, but maybe that's just me.

[#61 :]

As I said before and forgot to put in the latter post, it's not a strictly Jewish stereotype if it's also a gentile stereotype.  It's a human (particularly American) stereotype and that makes it irrelevant or at least very unhelpful to the discussion.

[#62 :]

His accent does seem quite Jewish and for all those who've played his level of the video game, he says many common Jewish expressions, such as oy and tuccas

[#63 :]

 

Originally posted by ebotron:
I don't know how many of you own family guy season 2 on dvd but there is and episode (deemed unfit for T.V) that mocks jews do the two shows share and writers?

that is pretty slack. it is just implying that jewish people r good with money. but at the end of the ep the catholic nuns bash peter n chris with rulers

[#64 :]

Are you seriosly tring to tell me that a nun has never beaten you with a ruler? I think we've all been there 

[#65 :]

I'm so glad I'm not Catholic.

[#66 :]

   

Originally posted by ArchdukeChocula:
Billy West has always said that Zoidberg's voice is based off of a Vaudevillian actor. Also, I don't really see many Jewish "stereotypes" in Zoidberg's other mannerisms or behavior, but maybe that's just me.

It may (but shouldn't) surprise you to learn that many vaudevillians were Jews.

[#67 :]

 

Originally posted by TwistedMetalKat:
I'm so glad I'm not Catholic.

There's nothing wrong with Catholics... we can be just as oppressed or money-hungry as any Jew!

[#68 :]

As a jew, with many stereotypical jewish relatives, I can say he is obviously an old jewish man stereotype. The episode where he goes to become an actor his uncle had an even more stereotypical voice. That being said, there is no problem with it. Its no different than the Robot Police Officer having the voice of a black man. I personally LOVE the character, and think this is one of the funnier parts of the character  .

[#69 :]

Yea people, embrace the Jewish Lobster Alien...  Yeez...

[#70 :]

Hi

Oi, Gevalt:  Lemme run it down here:

Dr. Z. is a lobster.

Dr. Z. is Jewish.

Lobsters are TREF (forbidden under Jewish dietary law)

:-)  See:  It's a JOKE!  :-)

(Maybe why it was he couldn't get into the botmitzvah, too, maybe it was?)

(Freedom, freedom, freedom, OI!  Freedom, freedom, freedom, OI!)

[#71 :]

 

Originally posted by FemJesse:
 There's nothing wrong with Catholics... we can be just as oppressed or money-hungry as any Jew!

Still doesn't make me wanna be catholic.

[#72 :]

I love the Freedom dance! 

[#73 :]

 

Originally posted by futz:
You guys are wearing me out. I need a prescription for some deep fat and nicotine.

sign me up!

[#74 :]

Zoidy is a hilarious jewish doctor! that was Cohen and Groenings intention! but who cares, they make fun of christanity all the time!

[#75 :]

What makes it a crack at Jews? Isn't Zoidberg allowed to be Jewish? It doesn't make it an insult just because he's a lobster, a  lot of characters have backgrounds.

[#76 :]

This matter comes into play when Zoidberg sets up his home in the sea when Fry stays in Atlantis.  Zoidberg asks him something like "You can come visit me maybe?", in front of the old southern colonel father (sorry, I suck with names.)  The colonel shakes his head "no" and Fry says something like "Sorry, I'm trying to join the golf club."   

[#77 :]

How does that have anything to do wit Zoidy being Jewish? Also it is ATLANTA not Atlantis. By the way Welcome to PEEL

[#78 :]

That had nothing to do with Zoidberg being Jewish. It was about Zoidberg's unpopularity.

[#79 :]

That would actually have -everything- to do with Zoidberg being Jewish. Country and golf clubs were (and still occasionally are) hotbeds of institutionalized racism, usually aimed at the jews.