Greetings from the Borscht Belt: The Best Broads of Comedy

Before the women of Sex and the City dished about their dates or Sarah Silverman provoked on just about every topic, the Jewish-American women of the Borscht Belt were leading their own sexual and social revolution. Following in the footsteps of actresses and storytellers like Molly Picon, these funnywomen performing in New York City, Las Vegas, and of course the Catskills from the 1920s to the 1960s openly discussed sex, gender, and religion during a time when women were seen and not heard, only to fade into obscurity (with the exception of performers like Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller) when the freedom of the late '60s emerged. Greetings from the Borscht Belt: The Best Broads of Comedy collects performances from 16 of comedy's most daring dames, many appearing on CD for the first time, along with rare photographs and detailed liner notes. Fans of Silverman and Roseanne's outspoken comic stylings should not miss selections like Belle Barth's "too blue for Ed Sullivan," million-selling "If I Embarrass You Please Tell Your Friends" and Sophie Tucker's ode to the world's oldest profession, "There's No Business Like That Certain Business."