Has anyone really ever seen...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Years ago, when I was a kid, MAD magazine did this little piece where lots of cliches (both visual and verbal) were listed and asked "Has anyone really ever seen...".



I saw a comic today in the paper and it had an organ grinder and his monkey with a little cup.



And I started thinking that - due strictly to youth and all - there are lots of things like that which I (and most of you, I'd imagine) have never seen, but have always heard about or see in old movies or whatever.



- I've never seen an organ grinder and his monkey partner.



- I've never seen a newspaper reporter with a "Press" badge stuck in his hat.



- I've never seen two guys get into a fight and actually circle around, holding their "dukes" up.



- I've never seen anyone actually SCRATCH their head when they're perplexed by something.



- I've never seen a jug of whiskey with "XXX" on it.



- I've never seen a tattoo that just says "Mother"



- I've never seen anyone actually dance cheek-to-cheek (except in a cartoon)



- I've never known a woman to chase her husband around with a rolling pin (but I've seen it in a bazillion comic strips)



Are these just old cliches, from old movies and comics? Did all the above USED to occur and take place?



It's just funny to watch old movies and see people say and do stuff that you'd NEVER see today ("Don't get fresh with me, see?")







Any others?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    A lot of them used to happen. I saw an interesting PBS show the other day that talked about an area in NY where a lot of monkey skeletons were found buried. I think it was an Italian thing.



    Edit: Here's a link to the <a href="http://www.meccanoweb.com/boga/"; target="_blank">British Organ Grinder's Association</a>



    Edit: <a href="http://www.floraco.com/organs/monkey/"; target="_blank">more info on Italians with their monkeys in NY</a>



    [ 01-21-2003: Message edited by: giant ]</p>
  • Reply 2 of 9
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    Got more:



    From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable:



    [quote]X on beer casks formerly indicated beer which had paid the old 10s. duty, and hence came to mean beer of a given quality. Two or three crosses are mere trademarks intended to convey an impression of its extra strength.<hr></blockquote>



    I think a lot of this stuff has been abondoned by the progression of time, but they all have their origins.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    About the tattoo:



    [quote]Western Traditional started with service men, particularly sailors, who wanted permanent mementos of the exotic locales they had visited (hula girls, parrots, panthers), symbols of their military vocation (anchors, screaming eagles, sailing ships), a reminder of home ("Mom", pin-up girls) or mystical protection (horseshoes, crosses). Every port town was set up to accommodate service men with cheap entertainment, bars, flophouses and tattoo parlors. It wasn't uncommon for a successful sea-side parlor to have anxious servicemen lined up from noon till 3 or 4 in the morning, waiting for their turn in the chair. The thick outlines, simple coloring and "flash" designs of Traditional work made them quick and easy to do - thus increasing profits.

    <hr></blockquote>



    BTW: can you tell that I make a living from finding out random info?
  • Reply 4 of 9
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    No, that's cool. I love stuff like this!



  • Reply 5 of 9
    trumptmantrumptman Posts: 16,464member
    You should buy a few of the Uncle John's Bathroom reader series. All of them are thick with this type of information. I give several of them every year and they also make great gifts.



    Nick
  • Reply 6 of 9
    logan calelogan cale Posts: 1,281member
    I have seen people scratch their heads, and I've seen people with press badges on their lapel, but not on their hat.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    rodukroduk Posts: 706member
    [quote]Originally posted by giant:

    <strong>



    Edit: Here's a link to the <a href="http://www.meccanoweb.com/boga/"; target="_blank">British Organ Grinder's Association</a>



    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I'm British and like to grind my organ, but I can assure you no monkeys are involved :eek:
  • Reply 8 of 9
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    [quote]Originally posted by RodUK:

    <strong>



    I'm British and like to grind my organ, but I can assure you no monkeys are involved :eek: </strong><hr></blockquote>



    You're missing out



    .....did I say that out loud? :eek:
  • Reply 9 of 9
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    I scratch my head when I'm nervous. Back of my head to be precise. Odd condition indeed.



    I've never seen a car explode in a giant fireball from a collision, though I have seen one burn slowly.
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