View source for Shtick

{{Short description|Comic theme or gimmick}}
{{for|the game|Schtick (disc game)}}
{{dist|Stick (disambiguation){{!}}Stick|Schick (disambiguation){{!}}Schick|Thick (disambiguation){{!}}Thick}}
{{refimprove|date=December 2024}}

A '''shtick''' is a comic theme or [[gimmick]]. The word [[loanword|is borrowed]] from {{langx|yi|{{wikt-lang|yi|שטיק}}|shtik|rtl=yes}}, [[cognate|related to]] {{langx|de|{{wikt-lang|de|Stück}}}}, {{langx|pl|{{wikt-lang|pl|sztuka}}}}, {{langx|ru|{{wikt-lang|ru|штука}}|štúka}}, all ultimately from {{langx|gem-x-proto|{{wikt-lang|gem-x-proto|stukkiją}}}}, all meaning {{gloss|piece}}, {{gloss|thing}} or {{gloss|[[theatre play]]}}; {{wikt-lang|de|Theaterstück}} is the German word for {{gloss|play}} (and is a synonym of {{itco|{{wikt-lang|de|Schauspiel}}}}, {{lit|viewing play}}, in contrast to {{itco|{{lang|de|[[Singspiel]]}}}}).{{zwj}}<ref>{{cite book |last= Rosten |first= Leo |author-link= Leo Rosten |title= [[The Joys of Yiddish]] |publication-place= New York |publisher= [[Pocket Books]] |year= 1970 | orig-year = First published 1968 | edition= Paperback |page= [https://archive.org/details/joysofyiddish0000rost/page/376 376] |isbn= 978-0-671-72813-7 |ol= 22949843M |lccn= 68029915 |oclc= 317665350 |id= {{ARK|ark:/13960/s2r3gh34d7t}} }}</ref>

The English word ''piece'' is sometimes used in a similar context: for example, "a musical piece". In a [[stand-up comedy]] context, a near-equivalent term is a "bit". Another variant is "bits of business" or just "bits". ''Shtick'' may refer to an adopted persona, usually for comedy performances, that is maintained consistently (though not necessarily exclusively) across the performer's career. In this usage, the recurring personalities adopted by [[Laurel and Hardy|Laurel{{nbsp}}and Hardy]] through all of their many comedy films—although they often played characters with different names and occupations—would qualify as their ''shtick''. A comedian might maintain several different shticks of this sort, particularly if appearing in a [[variety show]] encouraging development of multiple characters, such as ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.

In common usage, the word ''shtick'' has also come to mean any talent, style, habit, or other eccentricity for which a person is particularly well-known, even if not intended for comedic purposes. For example, a person who is known locally for an ability to eat dozens of [[hot dog|hot{{nbsp}}dog]]s quickly might say that it was his shtick. Among [[Orthodox Jews|Orthodox{{nbsp}}Jews]], "shtick" can also refer to [[wedding shtick]], in which wedding guests entertain the newlyweds through dancing, costumes, juggling, and silliness.

Because of its roots in show business, ''shtick'' has taken on the connotation of a contrived and often-used act. For this reason, journalists and commentators often apply the word disparagingly to stock replies from politicians.{{zwj}}<ref>{{cite web | last= Ayers | first= Michael D. | url= https://www.vulture.com/2007/07/the_white_stripes_and_their_on.html | title= The White Stripes and Their One-Note Shtick | website= [[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] | publisher= [[New York Media]] | date= July 18, 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121018211343/www.vulture.com/2007/07/the_white_stripes_and_their_on.html | archive-date= 2012-10-18 | url-status= live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Trope (disambiguation)|Trope]]
* [[List of English words of Yiddish origin]]

==References==
{{Wiktionary|shtick}}
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Comedy]]
[[Category:Yiddish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Jewish comedy and humor]]

{{comedy-stub}}