The Catskills Humor of Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy

A Catskills resort where comedy team Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo probably killed.

What a lot of people — including probably even their own families — don’t know about Boston Red Sox television broadcasters Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy is that they are not actually trained broadcasters but rather a famous Borscht Belt comedy team from the 1930s.

While the pair has ably concealed their true and respective identities for years, they accidentally slipped into an old bit last night (called “Mittens and Gloves”) that used to get huge laughs at the Concord Hotel, I’m telling you.

Said bit is transcribed below (and available in Technicolor video).

DON: [Holding up gloved hands] How ’bout the mittens?

JERRY: Nice. [Beat] They’re gloves.

DON: They’re mittens!

JERRY: They’re gloves!

DON: They’re mittens!

JERRY: Mittens? Mittens don’t have fingers. [Pauses, looks incredulous] Mittens do not have fingers.

DON: But they’re knit… I think of gloves as being leather gloves. There’s knit gloves?

JERRY: They’re knit gloves.

DON: Oh.

JERRY: Mittens. Don’t. Have. Fingers.

DON: [Laughing.] Really? I didn’t know the difference.

JERRY: [Grabbing forehead dramatically] Oh, God.

DON: [Still laughing] Well, this is great. Whatever they are — mittens, gloves — they feel great. And I’m warm.

JERRY: Eleven years of this!

DON: Yes. This is the 12th year.

JERRY: This is 12?

DON: This is 12.

JERRY: [Defeated spiritually] Oh, God!