Henry Winkler Shows Off His Yiddish Vocabulary
Joyful Henry Winkler. Image by Getty Images
Who would have predicted that Henry Winkler, who became a household name in America as Arthur Fonzarelli (“The Fonz”) on “Happy Days” over 40 years ago, would be one of the most charming men in America in 2018? In an interview last week with People, the 72 year-old Winkler went on to quietly prove, as he has done in appearances on comedies like “Parks and Recration” and “New Girl” in the last decade, that his appeal has outlasted both 70’s biker chic and his own hairline.
In a cheerfully reflective feature, Winkler said, “I am now 72 years old, only recently did I become the actor that I thought about, that I talked about when I was 27.” The star of the new HBO hit “Barry,” (created by Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader and Seinfeld writer Alec Berg,) called himself “a late bloomer.” But now, Winkler said, “I am living my dream.”
And here’s the money quote:
I was so fershimmeled inside as a human being. Like a fruity blend, so I was still chunky, I never quite got the blend and now, honest to God, not hyperbole not humility, just now I am becoming that smoothie.
Now, here’s the thing — that is the cutest quote we’ve ever read. However, Winkler’s use of “fershimmeled” is controversial. People defined the word as “confused,” adding a paranthetical to Winkler’s quote. Forward Yiddishist Jordan Kutzik says that “fershimmeled” is not Yiddish at all.
“It’s gibberish,” he says. “I assume they mean ‘farshimlt’ which means moldy.”
Could Henry Winkler have been describing his 27 year-old psyche as moldy? Maybe. Smoothie ingredients can certainly be moldy, though they are no less moldy when blended, only less obviously moldy. On the other hand, unblended smoothie ingredients are really less “confused” than blended smoothie ingredients. Now I’m fershimelled/fershimlt.
Back to the Yiddishist.
Kutzik says that he’s not sure what Winkler may have intended. “The only thing I can think of is that old men’s brains are sometimes called “farshimlt” if they’re demented, so maybe that migrated into English as a synonym for confused?” he wonders.
Here’s to clarity of thought and hoping that Henry Winkler’s brain and smoothies remain mold-free. Amen.
Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
