Back when I was in middle school, I often would travel to my parents’ workplace from our house. It was roughly 40 minutes, and one of the stops along the way was this gas station. If I wanted a snack, I’d pick up a drink and a newspaper, preparing for my afternoon of hanging out in the backroom. Because of this, there was a very brief window where I also bought Mad Magazine. I never loved it, though its reputation made me believe that in those pages was supposed to be the funniest satire ever conceived. I don’t think I ever felt that way, but it did leave me with a few jokes that I’ve never forgotten.
Among them was a fake countdown of the reasons that comedy was dying. The cover playfully suggested: Chris Rock (is holding one of the answers). Inside was the various answers. I don’t remember any except for one where they depict Adam Sandler singing a hacky variation of “The Chanukah Song” where he rhymes “Penelope Cruz” with “I’m running out of Jews.”
At the time I loved Adam Sander and, to some extent, I still like him. I think that his style of comedy has resonated in different ways over my life. However, it’s weird to think of “The Chanukah Song” as something resembling nostalgia in my heart. There were endless years where I listened to it every winter season. Then again, I’ve listened to his comedy albums more than I care to admit here. I can recall some of those bits from memory. Say what you will about some of the terribly juvenile ones, but they at least were packed with an original idea. Compare that to Sandler’s calling card, and you wonder why this is the one that took off.
Of course, it’s a passage of time that every Saturday Night Live actor gets one memorable bit that they’ll forever be remembered by. For Sandler, that was creating these broad stereotypes that were sometimes very one-note. I think of Opera Man talking about how he thinks Eddie Vedder is hot, or how Cajun Man only answered in words that ending with “-on.” He had his regular bits, too, but he was part of the early-90s class of Bad Boys that sought to deconstruct what everyone had known. He took a baseball bat to conventions, and that included adding his own musical flair with songs like “Lunch Lady Land.”
But here’s the thing. Why does “The Chanukah Song” have any endurance? It is arguably his most dated work immediately, relying more on name recognition than any deeper meaning. You will not learn a single thing about Chanukah or those eight crazy nights. This is no “Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel” where you at least learn what things are made of. No, this is a series dedicated to listing off dozens of Jewish celebrities in an act to make people feel less alone. Sure, there’s an occasional circumcision or sex joke in there, but it’s largely designed to make you raise your eyebrows and say “Really? Him?”
As I’ve grown older, I’ve found a greater issue with people simply rattling off pop culture references. While I think they can be organic to someone’s identity, it’s often done for a cheap laugh of recognition. Because art can be subjective, I’m not opposed to the idea of anyone quoting a work that speaks to them dearly. I just have to believe that mentioning it will provide some deeper context to this narrative. Most people miss this mark, though I have to wonder… does “The Chanukah Song” fall victim to this?
It’s tough to honestly say. In a time of celebrity obsession, where some people turn to Twitter to celebrate random actors’ (living or deceased) birthdays, Sandler feels like he came up with the original Buzzfeed article. If you had to rephrase everything, “The Chanukah Song” is basically: Here’s 10 People You Won’t Believe Are Jewish (And One Who’s Not). There is so little other substance that at best this is providing name recognition to people who have left their mark on pop culture.
As a lapsed Catholic, I can’t really speak to the Jewish experience. There is a lot that I do not understand about their personal traditions. That is why I have trouble telling if Sandler singing this is as sincere as he claims:
So when you feel like the only kid in townWithout a Christmas treeHere’s a list of people who are JewishJust like you and me
For the sake of argument, I will go with Sandler’s hypothesis. When he performed the song originally on Saturday Night Live, he claimed that there needed to be a new song for Jewish kids to sing. He wanted something cool, where you get to sing “so drink your gin and tonic-a, and smoke your marijuana-ca” and feel like you’re edgy. This was the late-20th century reformed Jew and this was going to be the awesome validation that you were more than Fiddler on the Roof. After all, if the goys get dozens of Christmas movies annually, why can’t Jews get something new and shiny?
Because of how many times I’ve heard these songs (especially the first three), I’m almost subconsciously realizing that Bowser from Sha Na Na is Jewish. I remember my father even being surprised when he learned that Johnny Ramone was Jewish because of these songs. I think at its best, the song’s universal appeal comes from introducing the world to a listicle of people who make great art. The world would be less interesting if they weren’t out there doing their own thing.
Sure, it’s doubtful that anyone who listens to all four will recognize every name. I think that Part II in particular is full of artists that were popular at a very specific time. The song was released on “Stan and Judy’s Kid” in 1999, and it was quite a trip to hear a crowd laugh at combining Courtney Love and Lenny Kravitz (because they’re both half). Similarly, hearing him name drop Veruca Salt really took me back. Of everyone across these four songs, I think few have disappeared unceremoniously from public consciousness quite like them.
I suppose at its core, the thing that may be the most interesting is that Sandler became more than a flash in the pan. Compared to other 90s comedians, he was able to top the box office and to this date holds some level of respect. It was with Uncut Gems (2019) that people felt he was robbed of an Oscar nomination. He has this permanence that escapes his negative critics, and part of it is just his general bent towards gratitude and thankfulness. He may make the occasional mean joke, but he has incredible inclusiveness. He invites his friends to be in everything, dropping recurring bits into his movies for fans to pick up on. Love or hate him, he knows how to appeal to his demographic.
So what is “The Chanukah Song” but his ultimate note of inclusion? Sure, it’s an excuse to hear him say that Rob Schneider is Jewish (along with many other actors he’s personally worked with), but it’s this attempt to alter the conversation. Why isn’t Jewish culture more celebrated in the mainstream? I won’t claim that he singlehandedly fixed that, but he definitely created a radio staple that got secular audiences to nod and feel like they were learning something. It didn’t matter if you thought Winona Ryder being Jewish was the most groundbreaking thing in the world. For the next four minutes, it was a chance to suggest that these people made a difference, and a new generation will rise up and join them.
I think it’s the only thing that really works about making Part IV, which came out in 2015 and name drops a lot more familiar names. Anyone who has been around since 2007 will be well-aware of the impact Judd Apatow has made on the film industry, which included giving artists like Seth Rogen (who is so Jewish that he wore a Star of David sweater in The Night Before (2015)) a platform. Again, the audience sounds like they’re mostly cheering because of name recognition. It’s definitely the least interesting if just because of how familiar this routine is.
That is to ignore that these songs work best live. As far as I know, every installment has a popular version recorded with a crowd singing along and having a good time. There is something far more endearing to this song when you can have a crowd singing along to “eight crazy nights,” feeling the unity that the song seeks to reach. It’s the way that they cheered when he sang “O.J. Simpson, not a Jew.” It’s a very simple joke, but it works as a set-up for the next part. With Part III, he updated to the timely Osama Bin Laden, and the cheers on that one definitely echo through time. The only disconcerting thing is wondering what Sandler’s correlation between these two men could mean.
Though of course, it’s all a joke. You’re supposed to just pull out a glass of egg nog and sway to the soothing melodies. These are innocent, comforting songs with just enough naughtiness to make you feel special. They’re reliable, even if none of the songs have enough vagueness to ever become a standard on par with “All I Want for Christmas is You.” You’re not going to get people going door to door singing these songs. It may take a while to even memorize the order of events.
What’s incredible is not only that the song has spawned four entries, but also was the partial inspiration for Eight Crazy Nights (2002), which was also based on his “Whitey” skit. It was his first animated movie and one that sought to add another edgy installment to the Chanukah season. More than the songs, I’ve noticed more of a divide on this film if just because it’s far more crass and unpleasant. There are other reasons, but I know critics like David Ehrlich hate it solely because of how it became the stereotypical answer for Chanukah movies when there should be much better options out there.
The limitations of Sandler met their match here. He may have been a generation-defining comedian, but one has to wonder why. What was it about those goofy voices and inconsequential songs that spoke to Generation X? I can only speak for myself (a Millennial), but he was genuinely funny at his best, capturing the frustration of the common man and their unwillingness to be taken in by systems they disagreed with. He may be a divisive figure, but I can’t deny that what’s brought me back to him in the past few years is things like 100% Fresh, where he feels like he’s become warm and accepting. His jokes are still foul, but they’re not as egregious as they sometimes were throughout the early 2010s.
Does there really need to be more entries in “The Chanukah Song”? I frankly don’t know if anyone realizes that there are four of them. For all I know, there could be more. I’m too old to keep track of things like this. He does seem like he will at some point, but I think it’s more that he sincerely enjoys it. This isn’t a matter of being a dated or irrelevant exercise, it’s about recognizing those that have made the world a better place. This isn’t like “The Thanksgiving Song” where you understand the holiday flavor. This is just a chance to sing along with a crowd and have a good time. They may lose their widespread appeal, but I doubt they’ll ever lose the special place in his heart, cracking up as he starts the next verse, preparing to find somebody else who is not a Jew for a quick laugh.
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