Something Ain't Kosher HereFrom 1989 through 2002 there was an unprecedented surge in American sitcoms featuring explicitly Jewish lead characters, thirty two compared to seven in the previous forty years. Several of theseMad About You, The Nanny, and Friendswere among the most popular and influential of all shows over this period; one programSeinfeldhas been singled out as the defining series of the nineties. In addition, scriptwriters have increasingly created Jewish