People forget that years ago people could laugh at themselves & have a sense of humor about themselves. Nowadays Jerry would get sued the producers of the show would get sued. It's a pity that things have to be so politically correct.
if people stopped being snowflakes all the time they would see being funny isnt illegal now lmao if anything if this happened nowadays itd probably make top 20 trending and end up in more “try not to laugh” clips than a family feud vid
We’re too sensitive? Women literally took speed to lose weight for extra pounds so they would be regarded as equal human beings and they shamed a woman more than once for her look.
You think humiliating that woman on National television is funny???? You’re a bigger A-hole than he was. I really hope you are humiliated like that someday. Let’s see if you still think it’s funny.
Jerry Lewis was freaking awesome!!! What a funny, spectacular, dynamic, super talented guy he was! And being absolutely killer handsome didn't hurt at all!!
Everybody saying this is rude or offensive, you people are exactly the reason why TV and almost everything in general is so toned down and everything has to be politically correct on it. "Oh no don't make a joke about the lady, you might hurt her feelings", everybody is so sensitive nowadays. Look how much fun they're having in the video, he's joking around, the audience is laughing, she's loving it herself! You people really must be the life of the party.
It's not comedy or insult to say you're a hectoring fool who does not recognize that the reason the woman was on the show in the first place was precisely because of the weight-based humor involved, and she was in on the joke. Did you even see the show, Missy? No. But you have an opinion about everything, don't you? And you type fat. (Now, that's comedy.)
Has it occurred to ANYONE that the lady might be able to laugh at herself and not take someone saying a simple joke at her expense as "humiliating". I have friends who make jokes at my expense and I just laugh right along with it. All these comments saying "humiliating! humiliating! humiliating!". She didn't look "humiliated" to me; she seemed fine. She seemed like someone who could take a simple joke and be fine with it. She wasn't "humiliated", someone told a joke about her. She's fine.
Ms Lawrence was on national tv interacting with the stars and she was awarded the full $50 for being a good sport about it. It worked out fine for her.
It can't be denied that the way he reacted could certainly have hurt the lady's feelings but it's obvious that it came from his heart, spontaneously i mean. And i think everybody on this show was thinking the same but today noone would ever say such a thing in public.
Of course she was embarrassed, you D*ck. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed if he said On National television that you were so fat that with a little more weight you could play for a football team???
More than most What's My Line clips on UA-cam, this one illustrates why WML was so popular for so long. Here is a contestant with an offbeat interesting job who also makes a funny visual comparison contrast. Next, they put on her live TV with a smart comic panel member who is great at spontaneous humor. The producers then hope for the best and Jerry Lewis did not disappoint. He probably thought he was being a wise guy and that makes the result more funny. Thanx for posting this classic
LMFAO!! I remember the first time I saw this on GSN. The reaction on Jerry Lewis's face when he realized he was right had me rollin 3:00 in the morning!! And for the record she does not look bad at all. Perfectly fine in my 21st Century mind of course.
The woman's obviously enjoying herself. Anytime a fat person comes on a game show who makes diet pills, they're obviously going to be ready to be made fun of a bit--even if nowadays it wouldn't happen in our hyper-PC world.
They were prescription weight loss pills, but maybe they were. "Are you going to take some at any time?" I bet Jerry found his tires slashed when he went to his car.
hilarious! i don’t know about offending her....it seems obvious the visual of a larger person and diet pills is part of the joke/puzzle going into it. in any case, his wit and reactions are priceless.
Classic stuff. This was in a time when a sense of humor was valued by all. If someone tried Lewis's jokes today, an apology would be demanded, and there would be a bidding war among lawyers.
Something quite similar happened to Buddy Hackett when he was on the panel one night. The mystery guest was Liberace and during the questioning, when it was his turn, he cried "Liber'ace'!" And boy was he surprised when he found out he was right.
Ms Lawrence could have gotten all insulted and angry on national TV and could have went home with just the $5 and a not too good reputation to trying to sell her pills but she took things well enough on camera and Mr Daly awarded her the full $50 for being a good sport. Lewis got his laughs in, the panel won the round, and Ms Lawrence got some promotional time and still got the full cash win out of it. It worked out well enough.
ELsie was a good sport for taking it on the chin from Jerry. She should have said to him, " I can see that Dean Martin is the one with all of the talent". LOL
@ameroux--Nobody thinks twice about insulting bald people, either. It truly is, and always has been, open season on bald headed men, and if they happen to be fat as well, so much the better. The targets of these insensitive remarks are always supposed to smile and be "good sports" about it, because the jokers are "just kidding".
aw that wasnt nice, it was funny but twas kinda mean jerry lewis has been known to be quite an asshole but i do think hes very funny and he does do very nice things towards people with muscular distrophy (if thats even how you spell it lol)
Fates wrote that the producers would provide a funny line of questioning -- "gambit" -- only to comedians, only to bright comedians, and only to bright comedians whose egos inclined them to laughs rather than solutions. They would do this only with one game in a broadcast and they would not tell the comedian what the line was. From 1954 to 1959, when Daly calls upon a guest comic to start the questioning, you can bet that the producers have provided him with a gambit.
@Lunarmoonbase2 There are ugly and attractive people everywhere... which should not surprise since nearly anyone can be attractive with the proper attitude and healthy lifestyle.
lol at some of the comments here...very touchy people. I thought it was funny and if that lady had any appreciation for irony, she probably thought it was funny as well...:P
When I watch this clip and listen to Jerry Lewis - I can see where today's comedian, Mario Cantone gets some of his inspiration. They are very similiar in mannerisms and delivery,.
Jerry was just being Jerry and while his comment was rude and very un-PC it was very in character for Jerry and for the times. Clearly Mrs. Lawrence was not upset by the jokes and the smile on her face throughout the entire segment is a testament to it. It was clearly a joke on Jerry's part because his reaction when he is revealed to be correct is more of shock. You see him break character before getting back into form.
I've just have to say I happen to be short, fat, and sometimes lazy and I make fun of myself all the time. People need to lighten/toughen up and learn to take a joke. Jerry is a hilarious guy. I don't believe comics mean it maliciously when they "insult" someone. We live in such a PC world now days, there is no such thing as funny anymore. Now we have to be vulgar, because that's the only way to keep from hurting someone's feelings. It's sad, really, that comedians aren't funny anymore.
Yeah, there's a definite meanness to his comedy. You can be very funny and still be gracious and warm: just look at Arlene! Recently, on Mad Men, there was a total jerk of a comic that seemed to be based on Jerry Lewis. Anybody else notice the similarity?
Fates wrote that John Daly was not a part of the gambit, and Fates claimed that he was not sure that Daly knew it was going on. (Daly was observant, I suspect he knew what was going on behind his back.) The gambits worked because the producers could count on Daly reacting to any question with a completely literal interpretation.
The guest was very polite and did play along, but think about it: what other choice did she have? She could be a "good sport" or make herself the target of more abuse.
Bennett certainly is diplomatic -- robust healthy, versus Jerry who can be best described as rude, which is unusual for WML, which was known for its urbanity and good manners.
Notice that Daly started with Kilgallen (who never needed a gambit even on her worst day) and not with Lewis, so this game has no gambit. Lewis's ego would incline him to solutions anyway.
@Indygoguy Not crystal meth, actually it was a weak form of amphetamines. My grandma apparently used to take them, and she said that her house had never been so clean.
@karlakor-- That's so true! I hadn't thought of that when I said this was the "last acceptable prejudice". It seems as though the balding stigma is getting better, with lots of guys shaving their heads. Well, we can hope, anyway.
Lewis's guessing the occupation was not rocket science. Cerf almost had it. Lewis adding the zinger was brilliant. It worked because the contestant was laughing too. After all, she added that she had already lost 40 lbs, which actually topped Lewis's line. Had she acted hurt, there would have been a problem that the always firm and classy Daly would have taken care of. (See his reaction when Henry Morgan disses Daly's friend Cerf on another clip.)
![What's My Line? - Walt Disney; Jerry Lewis [panel] (Nov 11, 1956)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7FRpJZWhxso/mqdefault.jpg)
Jerry's expression when he realized he was correct, cracked me up.
People forget that years ago people could laugh at themselves & have a sense of humor about themselves. Nowadays Jerry would get sued the producers of the show would get sued. It's a pity that things have to be so politically correct.
Oh come on. People kid around all the time and nobody gets sued. I think you’re too sensitive.
if people stopped being snowflakes all the time they would see being funny isnt illegal now lmao
if anything if this happened nowadays itd probably make top 20 trending and end up in more “try not to laugh” clips than a family feud vid
We’re too sensitive? Women literally took speed to lose weight for extra pounds so they would be regarded as equal human beings and they shamed a woman more than once for her look.
OMG!!!! LOL. "doesn't she take em at any time?"
hahaha i lLLOOOVEEE jerry. only he could get away with saying that!
You think humiliating that woman on National television is funny???? You’re a bigger A-hole than he was. I really hope you are humiliated like that someday. Let’s see if you still think it’s funny.
Jerry Lewis was freaking awesome!!! What a funny, spectacular, dynamic, super talented guy he was! And being absolutely killer handsome didn't hurt at all!!
Everybody saying this is rude or offensive, you people are exactly the reason why TV and almost everything in general is so toned down and everything has to be politically correct on it. "Oh no don't make a joke about the lady, you might hurt her feelings", everybody is so sensitive nowadays. Look how much fun they're having in the video, he's joking around, the audience is laughing, she's loving it herself! You people really must be the life of the party.
+MxJx S Added to which she (through John) put Jerry in his place when it was revealed that she had lost forty pounds..
We would like it, if there were some element of humour to it. Please learn the difference between comedy & insulting.
It's not comedy or insult to say you're a hectoring fool who does not recognize that the reason the woman was on the show in the first place was precisely because of the weight-based humor involved, and she was in on the joke. Did you even see the show, Missy? No. But you have an opinion about everything, don't you? And you type fat. (Now, that's comedy.)
Has it occurred to ANYONE that the lady might be able to laugh at herself and not take someone saying a simple joke at her expense as "humiliating". I have friends who make jokes at my expense and I just laugh right along with it. All these comments saying "humiliating! humiliating! humiliating!". She didn't look "humiliated" to me; she seemed fine. She seemed like someone who could take a simple joke and be fine with it. She wasn't "humiliated", someone told a joke about her. She's fine.
Ms Lawrence was on national tv interacting with the stars and she was awarded the full $50 for being a good sport about it. It worked out fine for her.
i LOVE jerrys face at 4:43 when he looks at her in horror
It can't be denied that the way he reacted could certainly have hurt the lady's feelings but it's obvious that it came from his heart, spontaneously i mean. And i think everybody on this show was thinking the same but today noone would ever say such a thing in public.
Also, how good does he look?!! She wasnt offended so lighten up.
Of course she was embarrassed, you D*ck. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed if he said On National television that you were so fat that with a little more weight you could play for a football team???
Jerry Lewis is among the great artists of the 20th century.
This show seems like a lot of fun to have been involved with.
so ironically, Jerry got fat in old age ( albeit medication caused ) Old Jerry did not always think before he spoke.
Get a life
More than most What's My Line clips on UA-cam, this one illustrates why WML was so popular for so long. Here is a contestant with an offbeat interesting job who also makes a funny visual comparison contrast. Next, they put on her live TV with a smart comic panel member who is great at spontaneous humor. The producers then hope for the best and Jerry Lewis did not disappoint. He probably thought he was being a wise guy and that makes the result more funny. Thanx for posting this classic
"Doesn't she take 'em at any time?" Lol.
LOL!
Thought I come on here and watch my favorite WML Reaction. RIP JERRY LEWIS THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS!!!
this shows his great comedian acting and style Rest in peace jerry the world has lost another great Actor and Person
He was a major A-hole. Just like you for thinking humiliating that woman on national television was funny.
PC sucks. Apparently comedy now requires 4 letter words to be funny but truth has no place. He was correct - not rude.
well, also add to the fact that Daly mentioned that she had already lost 40 pounds.. I think that was a nice comeback..
04:40 ooohh I love his face!!
LMFAO!! I remember the first time I saw this on GSN. The reaction on Jerry Lewis's face when he realized he was right had me rollin 3:00 in the morning!!
And for the record she does not look bad at all. Perfectly fine in my 21st Century mind of course.
RIP Big guy :'( You could always make me laugh.
The look on Jerry's face
Thanks for the video. TV was so much better back then. People actually had TALENT.
Well, I think the other genleman on the panel was rude with the lady but Jerry was only gofing as usually.
And his surprised face is priceless!
I hear ya. Say, if so many of us feel this way why is the world like this? Must be those loud-mouthed liberals ;) Love Jerry SO adorable!
The woman's obviously enjoying herself. Anytime a fat person comes on a game show who makes diet pills, they're obviously going to be ready to be made fun of a bit--even if nowadays it wouldn't happen in our hyper-PC world.
Jerry Jerry Jerry.. Hahaha he always makes me laugh
i love this woman! she was such a great sport about everything
They were prescription weight loss pills, but maybe they were.
"Are you going to take some at any time?" I bet Jerry found his tires slashed when he went to his car.
I wonder if these "pills" were the pre-cursor to the whole amphetamine housewife thing...
They were!
hilarious! i don’t know about offending her....it seems obvious the visual of a larger person and diet pills is part of the joke/puzzle going into it. in any case, his wit and reactions are priceless.
But Mrs. Lawrence was polite and played along.
This episode aired November 11th, 1956. That's the only Jerry Lewis clip I have.
And it’s a doozy :)
Seems like the women are little embarrassed by Jerrys behavior.
JUST GREAT! I LOVE JERRY!
This is not Jerry perse, but more "the kid" character he used to portray in the Martin & Lewis partnership.
Classic stuff. This was in a time when a sense of humor was valued by all. If someone tried Lewis's jokes today, an apology would be demanded, and there would be a bidding war among lawyers.
The free wheelin' '50's, devoid of political or any other correctness!
Jerry Lewis: "Doesn't she take them at any time?" LMAO!
I think Arlene said something to him right before the second ohh that makes him realize how mean he came across.
"She's lost 40 pounds!"
Something quite similar happened to Buddy Hackett when he was on the panel one night. The mystery guest was Liberace and during the questioning, when it was his turn, he cried "Liber'ace'!" And boy was he surprised when he found out he was right.
Ms Lawrence could have gotten all insulted and angry on national TV and could have went home with just the $5 and a not too good reputation to trying to sell her pills but she took things well enough on camera and Mr Daly awarded her the full $50 for being a good sport. Lewis got his laughs in, the panel won the round, and Ms Lawrence got some promotional time and still got the full cash win out of it. It worked out well enough.
Celeb panelists in tuxes and pearls!! Not ripped jeans and mesh shirts! LOL Classy time!
When did anyone ever wear mesh shirts and ripped jeans on a game show?
ooh, that was so funny, and so nostalgic, which is kinda strange since I wasn't born yet !
I don't think she went on the show not knowing the irony. She was obviously in on the joke.
ELsie was a good sport for taking it on the chin from Jerry. She should have said to him, " I can see that Dean Martin is the one with all of the talent". LOL
@ameroux--Nobody thinks twice about insulting bald people, either. It truly is, and always has been, open season on bald headed men, and if they happen to be fat as well, so much the better. The targets of these insensitive remarks are always supposed to smile and be "good sports" about it, because the jokers are "just kidding".
--- I want to know if that nice lady lost those final 55 pounds --- 02MAR22
oh and i love dalys reaction to jerrys laugh at 5:00.
k im done.
:D
aw that wasnt nice, it was funny but twas kinda mean
jerry lewis has been known to be quite an asshole but i do think hes very funny and he does do very nice things towards people with muscular distrophy (if thats even how you spell it lol)
Fates wrote that the producers would provide a funny line of questioning -- "gambit" -- only to comedians, only to bright comedians, and only to bright comedians whose egos inclined them to laughs rather than solutions. They would do this only with one game in a broadcast and they would not tell the comedian what the line was. From 1954 to 1959, when Daly calls upon a guest comic to start the questioning, you can bet that the producers have provided him with a gambit.
Doubt that, its just the quality of the celebrities that has been reduced.
@Lunarmoonbase2 There are ugly and attractive people everywhere... which should not surprise since nearly anyone can be attractive with the proper attitude and healthy lifestyle.
lol at some of the comments here...very touchy people. I thought it was funny and if that lady had any appreciation for irony, she probably thought it was funny as well...:P
When I watch this clip and listen to Jerry Lewis - I can see where today's comedian, Mario Cantone gets some of his inspiration. They are very similiar in mannerisms and delivery,.
I read that in real life, Jerry Lewis could be brutal. Guess this little performance proved that because he was just was downright disrespectful.
The 'average' American home. Not found in the 'average' American home back then but these days what with the obesity epidemic? Yup.
She was teed off so that she didn't even bother to shake the hands of the panel at the end. She just got the heck out of there.
I love Jerry and he's just doing shtick, but I wouldn't take too hard from a guy who had a decade plus addiction to pain killers.
The contestant didn't seem to be hurt by the jabs, maybe people back then weren't as uptight and sensitive
@203207ab Fifty dollars was a lot of money in those days; it would be about the same as about $400 in today's money.
Before Jerry Says What The Woman Does For Work, The Guy Asking the Questions Calls Him "GARY" Listen Closely....
Lucky she wasn't that self concious because Jerry Lewis was exceptionally rude. funny but rude.
@646guy Pretty dead on. Yes, it was only a joke. If a person can't take a joke that's their problem.
4:25: "She makes DIET PILLS!"
I think Jery Lewis's comments were fine -- they were funny and not offensive in my opinion.
I never thought Jerry would say something so hurtfull. It's not funny, it's rude.
Now wait a minute guys, she could have been 40 lbs heavier..give her a break will ya??
Naww that was pretty funny but I felt sorry for that lady. How humiliating
I have posted this on tumblr and it's my most popular post at this moment.
Was this the same episode as the one with Walt Disney?
I just have one, well two questions, who's fates, and whats a gambit???
its jerry lewis!!!!! what do you expect!!!! lol
I agree and this comment made me laugh hysterically.
Hahaha.
RIP Jerry...
i loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Jerry hahahahah
there wasnt as much of a stigma about it back then
I love Jerry Lewis but I was horrified by him humiliating Elsie on national TV like this.
sorry that should be montgomery clift 1963
hahahaha!! freaking histerical!!
LEWIS IS VERY ANNOYING.
WHAT'S HER JOB
they should play reruns of this!
I never thought Jerry Lewis was very funny.
Bennett, who was almost always impeccably gentlemanly, seems a bit uncomfortable after Lewis' fat jokes... like at 5:05. lol
Wow...no political correctness here.
NICE LAAADYY!!
Jerry was just being Jerry and while his comment was rude and very un-PC it was very in character for Jerry and for the times. Clearly Mrs. Lawrence was not upset by the jokes and the smile on her face throughout the entire segment is a testament to it. It was clearly a joke on Jerry's part because his reaction when he is revealed to be correct is more of shock. You see him break character before getting back into form.
I've just have to say I happen to be short, fat, and sometimes lazy and I make fun of myself all the time. People need to lighten/toughen up and learn to take a joke. Jerry is a hilarious guy. I don't believe comics mean it maliciously when they "insult" someone. We live in such a PC world now days, there is no such thing as funny anymore. Now we have to be vulgar, because that's the only way to keep from hurting someone's feelings. It's sad, really, that comedians aren't funny anymore.
Yeah, there's a definite meanness to his comedy. You can be very funny and still be gracious and warm: just look at Arlene!
Recently, on Mad Men, there was a total jerk of a comic that seemed to be based on Jerry Lewis. Anybody else notice the similarity?
Jerry is so handsome
It appears to me that Arlene Francis tells Jerry Lewis to cool it at 5:02. He did ... for a bit.
Fates wrote that John Daly was not a part of the gambit, and Fates claimed that he was not sure that Daly knew it was going on. (Daly was observant, I suspect he knew what was going on behind his back.) The gambits worked because the producers could count on Daly reacting to any question with a completely literal interpretation.
The guest was very polite and did play along, but think about it: what other choice did she have? She could be a "good sport" or make herself the target of more abuse.
Bennett certainly is diplomatic -- robust healthy, versus Jerry who can be best described as rude, which is unusual for WML, which was known for its urbanity and good manners.
Notice that Daly started with Kilgallen (who never needed a gambit even on her worst day) and not with Lewis, so this game has no gambit. Lewis's ego would incline him to solutions anyway.
I take it she didn't use them.
@Indygoguy Not crystal meth, actually it was a weak form of amphetamines. My grandma apparently used to take them, and she said that her house had never been so clean.
@karlakor-- That's so true! I hadn't thought of that when I said this was the "last acceptable prejudice". It seems as though the balding stigma is getting better, with lots of guys shaving their heads. Well, we can hope, anyway.
Lewis's guessing the occupation was not rocket science. Cerf almost had it. Lewis adding the zinger was brilliant. It worked because the contestant was laughing too. After all, she added that she had already lost 40 lbs, which actually topped Lewis's line. Had she acted hurt, there would have been a problem that the always firm and classy Daly would have taken care of. (See his reaction when Henry Morgan disses Daly's friend Cerf on another clip.)