From where does the saying, "Who is that schmendrick?" come and what does it mean?

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 10 Dec 2003 10:31 PST

I'd be glad to tell you the meaning and origins of the word
"shmendrick," but I don't know of a specific source for the phrase
"Who is that shmendrick?"

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Clarification of Question by then8-ga on 10 Dec 2003 11:37 PST

This phrase came from a NY Times article
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/10/dining/10POWE.html?8dpc) in the
following context:

-- BEGIN QUOTE --

"You can attain status at any of these places by being a loyal
patron," said Mr. Schwartz, who is a regular at Michael's. "You can
get a good table by virtue of your standing or just by showing up all
the time. People will look and see the owner fawning all over someone
and say, `Who is that schmendrick?' and what it comes down to is that
this is a patron who is loyal in good times and in bad."

-- END QUOTE --

I am most interested in the meaning of the word shmendrick in this context.

Hello then8,

I assume that you are referring to the following statement from an
article in today's New York Times:

'"You can attain status at any of these places by being a loyal
patron," said Mr. Schwartz, who is a regular at Michael's.  "You can
get a good table by virtue of your standing or just by showing up all
the time.  People will look and see the owner fawning all over someone
and say, 'Who is that schmendrick?' and what it comes down to is that
this is a patron who is loyal in good times and in bad."'

"The Powering Up of the Power Lunch", by David Carr (December 10,
2003) [second page of web version]
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/10/dining/10POWE.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5062&en=319d2d0c5fafe16a&ex=1071637200&partner=GOOGLE

"Who is that schmendrick" is not a common phrase, but "schmendrick" is
a reasonably common word -- especially if you search for variants. 
"Schmendrik" is the most common with about 8,970 results currently on
Google, followed by "schmendrick", then "shmendrick", and finally
"shmendrik".

Searched the web for "schmendrik", "schmendrick", "shmendrick", and "shmendrik"
Google
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=schmendrik
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=schmendrick
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=shmendrick
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=shmendrik

Schmendrick (however spelled) has several meanings -- the most
applicable here are "no-account" or "nobody".

"shmendrick", by Len Berlind (24 Nov 1994)
The AFU and Urban Legends Archive
http://www.urbanlegends.com/language/shmendrick.html

Online posting, "Re: Schmedrick?", by Mjacobslaw (1997/07/04)
<soc.culture.jewish> via Google Groups
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=19970704160101.MAA02765%40ladder02.news.aol.com

In the context of the New York Times article, the meaning is "Who is
that insignificant little nobody who's somehow getting such great
treatment?"

- justaskscott


Search terms used on Google, Google Groups, and Google News:

"who is that schmendrick" [and other versions of "schmendrick"]
schmendrick [and other versions of the word]
rosten

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Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 10 Dec 2003 12:01 PST

Obviously, you posted your clarification as I was working on my
answer.  I'm glad that I found the correct reference and was able to
provide an answer to your satisfaction.

Excellent work. Prompt, thorough and good references.

A sweet story about a shmendrik's luck:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0199/shmendrik1.asp

You might ne interested in the information on "schmedrick" that is
contained in Leo Rosten's great book, "The Joys of Yiddish."  Note
that Rosten traces the word to a character in an operetta by Abraham
Goldfaden.

http://www.urbanlegends.com/language/shmendrick.html

markj-ga