MOOK; what it means and short history

[BKBASSER]

MOOK; a brief history on how it started to get used in South Brooklyn

The Honeymooners; In the 50' there was an episode of this popular weekly comedy, about a couple in Brooklyn, who lived in an apartment building, Ralph Cramden ( a bus driver) and his best friend Norton,(  a sewer worker) played respectively by Jackie Gleason and Art Carney had a scene to do:
In the scene Norton was supposed to refer to Ralph as a moax (not sure of the correct spelling), some kind of word to do with lumbering big kind of fat and clumsy fella
Norton entered the scene and said what are you a Mook?
The word kind of caught on as a kind of goofy, pain in the but kind of person, you know like me.
Anyway it was used heavily for a while, if you notice it was used and continues to be used by a lot of Brooklyn People, such as Spike Lee and even written into the Sopranos, in a scene that was supposed to be about Brooklyn. It was used in a very small corner of the world then something revived it

1973; In NYU, some cinematic students: Robert De Niro, and Martin Scorsese
oh and another future star Harvey Kietel, appear in what was to be  a small school project movie, instead it put them all on the map they make the movie
  MEAN STREETS; a film about some, well mooks growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and their interactions, as wanna bes, with the local wise guys
In one scene De Niro owes like a Grand to a Bookie named Paulie, Kietel lends DeNiro the money because Paulie is gonna take De Nero's head off, because he is habitually late.
They go to pay Paulie his money, in a Pool Hall , as they are entering the pool hall, DeNiro confesses to Kietel, he has spent the money Paulie gets upset, f a fight ensues and this gorilla working for Paulie is punching Di Nero who is laughing, at which point the gorilla says " Hey you can't call me a MOOK, HEY APULIE WHATS A MOOK?" and wouldn't you know it but in the back of the scene there is a TV on and it is showing the HONEY MOONERS

Artistic touch or coincidence MOOK took off again and is the most widely used slang word in my Neighborhood
It has many generic uses depending on how you use it

What's Up Mook? Is how a neighborhood goombah is greeted every morning, slightly more affectionate that What's Up A** H***E?
This is a good thing, considered loved on the block.

Mook Labor: an unskilled laborer, on who cleans and hauls (any kind of physical work is considered noble in my neighborhood)

Suit Mook: A Lawyer or Politician, not to insult any here, this is well not a good thing


Stoop Mook: One who is unemployed and stays on the front stoop (porch) all day gossiping about everyone else

That was a MOOK MOVE; You did something funny, goofy or dumb

you get it, this can go on for pages

The Mook Of the Week: some one who either really messed up or made a group of friends share an extremely funny moment
That's just a start: Me I am the A** H***E variety and loving it on a daily basis

[coldfront]

how is a Mook different from a 'Jamoke'?

[BKBASSER]

Thats an interesting question,one Inever thoguht of! Very good cold front, I have to ask a few friends who use Jamoke, they are mostly from the Bronx, maybe that has something to do with, but that is a great question.


addendum: According to one Mitch the Stich ( wears nice cloths), from da Bronx origianlly Jamoke: is always negative, burnt out, buzzed out, brain damaged. It also is associated with a certain male anatomical part and it is thwe same as calling someone a D**K, if you get my meaning and you get my drift.

[Uncle Leo]

A Jamoke and Mook are the same. At least on the South Side of Chicago. Aint' that right Mook?