[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> In a message dated 9/12/2003 9:02:27 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> > Chicken Gumbo is funnier than Chicken with Stars.
> >
> > OK, I'll bite -- why?
>
> It all has to do with an old Campbell Soup commercial created by Stan Freberg
> for Ann Miller, who performed atop a giant replica of a soup can -- "Let's
> face the chicken gumbo and dance ...
>
> Campbell Soup wanted the giant six foot can to be Chicken and Stars, which
> was lagging in sales and needed a boost, so they had thought.
>
> The mere mention of the word "gumbo" is funny. "Stars" aint.
That's the crux of the matter, I think. The actual *word* "gumbo" is
somewhat funny, whereas there are lots and lots of other words, "stars"
among them, that are just, well, neutral.
When I played spades a lot in college and then for a few years
afterwards, when we were keeping score, some pairs would have silly team
names. None of them ever contained the word "stars". One standard was
a certain pair of women who always went by "gumbo lovers" when I was
playing with them. That was a nice name.
> After this, Stan Freberg wrote in a clause to any new advertising contract.
> The client cannot ask why something is funny.
>
> So if you now don't know why gumbo is funny, go listen to some jazz.
Gumbo is funny just by its existence alone. :) Even if it existed in a
universe without jazz.
Julia
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