George Jessel was an extremely annoying performer whose work has dated badly. In vaudeville, his speciality was a monologue in which he supposedly had a telephone conversation with his mother: this unfunny gimmick required him to ask questions into a prop 'phone and then repeat (for the audience's benefit) all the ostensible answers that his mother was saying down the line. The single most impressive credit on Jessel's CV was that he starred on Broadway in 'The Jazz Singer', in the role later played by Al Jolson in the film version. Jessel bitterly claimed that Jolson had stolen the role from him, but this seems unlikely: clearly, Jolson was a much better choice for the role.

In his later career, Jessel revealed some ability as a toastmaster at testimonial dinners, and became so popular in this capacity that President Truman informally appointed him 'Toastmaster-General of the United States'. Long after his performance style had fallen out of fashion, Jessel remained in demand as a moderator at celebrity functions.

'It Might Be Worse', a thoroughly unfunny comedy short, is at least useful as a record of Jessel's performing style. IMDb's synopsis is incorrect: Jessel does *not* talk a friend out of suicide; instead, Jessel encourages the friend to make a false confession -- taking responsibility for Jessel's own crimes -- and *then* commit suicide, so that Jessel will be off the hook.

The film begins in the rooms of John Stephens (Allen Connor), a rather effeminate-looking playboy, as he mixes a cocktail of whisky and carbolic acid -- we see a close-up of his manicure -- and then he languidly telephones the police to inform them that he's about to top himself. Then Jessel shows up, hoping to cadge. Stephens moans that he's lost all his money and his girlfriend (no comment), so his only option is to commit suicide.

Like several other showbiz personalities (step forward, Mel Brooks), George Jessel seemed to feel constantly compelled to remind his audience that he was Jewish ... as if his Yiddisher speech patterns were likely to make us forget this. The funniest line in this movie occurs when Jessel informs his buddy: 'In the language of Benjamin Franklin, you're a schlemiehl.' To which I reply: Oy, vey! Eventually Jessel's wife (played by Mary Breen) arrives, and at this point the movie degenerates into a shouting match ... becoming even more unpleasant than previously. I'm tempted to rate this movie absolutely zero, but -- as it does provide a record of a performer who hobnobbed with the biggest showbiz names of his era -- I'll rate it one point in 10.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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George Jessel tries to talk a friend out of committing suicide.

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It Might Be Worse

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