Jews are, perhaps, the originators of the modern
Nerd stereotype. Why? Maybe their long, scholarly tradition, maybe their immigrant past (comparable to
Asian and Nerdy and the
Bollywood Nerd), maybe their
overbearing Education Mamas, maybe for some other weird reason. But for whatever reason, you will rarely see a stupid Jew on TV (unless they're more of a
Ditzy Genius or
Genius Ditz).
Compare
Asian and Nerdy and
Bollywood Nerd, two other ethnic nerd stereotypes; and
Hollywood Nerd for the general appearance. Contrast
Matzo Fever and
Black and Nerdy, both inversions of a more prevalent ethnic stereotype. Intelligence as a character trait may lead to instances of
Ambiguously Jewish, thanks to this trope.
Examples:
Anime and Manga
Comic Books
- Billy/Wiccan from Young Avengers. In a team where every member is some degree of Ascended Fanboy, he's still one of the biggest nerds, and goes from Ambiguously Jewish to canonically Jewish during The Children's Crusade.
- Gert(rude Yorkes) from Runaways
- Kitty Pride from X-Men; in the comic she wears a Star of David necklace.
Film
Literature
- Butters from The Dresden Files is also a total geek and mentions in Dead Beat that he is Jewish.
- Everybody in The Chosen.
- Simon Lewis from The Mortal Instruments.
Live-Action TV
Theatre
Video Games
- The entire Emmerich family line from the Metal Gear series, but Otacon most of all.
Western Animation
- South Park: Kyle's cousin from New York, who is also named Kyle. Kyle himself is the smartest kid in the group, but he's cool enough to avert the trope. He also hates his cousin's stereotypical nerdiness.
- Mort Goldman, his wife Muriel, and their son Neil from Family Guy all fit this trope to a T.
- Snot from American Dad
- Ron Stoppable from Kim Possible.
- Sheldon Klutzberry from The Replacements.
Real Life
