To amuse

[Cow Poke]

An interesting claim, coming as it does from someone who consistently imputes underlying motives to so many posts: and of course, along with the claim that a contributor is engaging in mind reading. One could be forgiven for thinking that she considers herself to be the sole legitimate possessor of such skills.

Well said.

[Cow Poke]

I always qualify my observations with terms such as "suspect" or "suggest". I do not make emphatic statements that I know a person's thoughts.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

It was actually Robin Williams' idea^[1]. He did it as a prank knowing it would make it past the censors because it wasn't a naughty term in American English (there were several terms that were allowed in US television that would never make it in Britain).

My emphasis. Your comments show that Sparko was incorrect where he wrote that the same meaning was understood at the time in the USA

Yes. Even back then.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

You make imputations; they are not observations - observations would require paying due attention to the probable range of meaning for what is written.

I offer suggestions. I do not claim to know what another is thinking.

[rogue06]

My emphasis. Your comments show that Sparko was incorrect where he wrote that the same meaning was understood at the time in the USA

Yes. Even back then.

Once again you "snipped for relevance" the part that immediately followed, which falsifies your claim

It was actually Robin Williams' idea^[1]. He did it as a prank knowing it would make it past the censors because it wasn't a naughty term in American English (there were several terms that were allowed in US television that would never make it in Britain).

And yes, an awful lot of Americans "got it."

[tabibito]

Once again you "snipped for relevance" the part that immediately followed, which falsifies your claim

It was actually Robin Williams' idea^[1]. He did it as a prank knowing it would make it past the censors because it wasn't a naughty term in American English (there were several terms that were allowed in US television that would never make it in Britain).

And yes, an awful lot of Americans "got it."

And of course the character in Lost in Space, one Zumdich, merely a euphonic shift from the correct pronunciation.

[Cow Poke]

Once again you "snipped for relevance" the part that immediately followed, which falsifies your claim

It was actually Robin Williams' idea^[1]. He did it as a prank knowing it would make it past the censors because it wasn't a naughty term in American English (there were several terms that were allowed in US television that would never make it in Britain).

And yes, an awful lot of Americans "got it."

...and if I really say it, the radio won't play it, unless I lay it between the lines...

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Once again you "snipped for relevance" the part that immediately followed, which falsifies your claim

It was actually Robin Williams' idea^[1]. He did it as a prank knowing it would make it past the censors because it wasn't a naughty term in American English (there were several terms that were allowed in US television that would never make it in Britain).

And yes, an awful lot of Americans "got it."

I find that difficult to believe in the late 1970s nor have you provided any actual evidence from the period to support your allegation. If, indeed, it was so well known, I imagine there would have been complaints from the public given that it was going out on a "family" show..

I would also question the notion that the entire film crew, producers, other actors etc. were so innocent and unworldly that they did not know the British English meaning.

[rogue06]

And of course the character in Lost in Space, one Zumdich, merely a euphonic shift from the correct pronunciation.

Williams was notorious for slipping some of them into Mork and Mindy,

[CivilDiscourse]

I find that difficult to believe in the late 1970s nor have you provided any actual evidence from the period to support your allegation. If, indeed, it was so well known, I imagine there would have been complaints from the public given that it was going out on a "family" show..

I would also question the notion that the entire film crew, producers, other actors etc. were so innocent and unworldly that they did not know the British English meaning.

Your incredularity does not render it false.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Your incredularity does not render it false.

The provide some reliable evidence from the period.

[rogue06]

I find that difficult to believe in the late 1970s nor have you provided any actual evidence from the period to support your allegation. If, indeed, it was so well known, I imagine there would have been complaints from the public given that it was going out on a "family" show..

I would also question the notion that the entire film crew, producers, other actors etc. were so innocent and unworldly that they did not know the British English meaning.

An awful lot of double entendres and the like made it into family shows -- even ones explicitly aimed at children.

Please don't make me explain this rather notorious one from on the Flintstones done well over a decade prior to Mork and Mindy

[Cow Poke]

An awful lot of double entendres and the like made it into family shows -- even ones explicitly aimed at children.

Please don't make me explain this rather notorious one from on the Flintstones done well over a decade prior to Mork and Mindy

One of my favorites was

rocky.jpg

LOTS of politics and adult content there.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

An awful lot of double entendres and the like made it into family shows -- even ones explicitly aimed at children.

Please don't make me explain this rather notorious one from on the Flintstones done well over a decade prior to Mork and Mindy

Not according to one commentator on Reddit.

Member Join Date Jan 2009 Location universe USA Posts 70 Mentioned 0 Post(s) Sorry to be late to the discussion, I just noticed this thread. Of course The Flintstones had a number of adult themes and jokes--but this isn't one of them. It was common at the time to refer to drawings as being a certain number of "heads" tall. A realistic figure would be six or seven heads tall, a cartoon figure probably four. Barney is making a joke about being short, that he's only two heads tall and adding another head would make him three heads tall.

Not the funniest joke in the world, but it would be understood in the 1960s.

**** I believe Pirate Mud mentioned this in this thread as well. I have to agree with this explination. As an artist, I have heard many times comments referring to head size, "the woman in your painting is about 5 heads tall

[CivilDiscourse]

Not according to one commentator on Reddit.

Member Join Date Jan 2009 Location universe USA Posts 70 Mentioned 0 Post(s) Sorry to be late to the discussion, I just noticed this thread. Of course The Flintstones had a number of adult themes and jokes--but this isn't one of them. It was common at the time to refer to drawings as being a certain number of "heads" tall. A realistic figure would be six or seven heads tall, a cartoon figure probably four. Barney is making a joke about being short, that he's only two heads tall and adding another head would make him three heads tall.

Not the funniest joke in the world, but it would be understood in the 1960s.

**** I believe Pirate Mud mentioned this in this thread as well. I have to agree with this explination. As an artist, I have heard many times comments referring to head size, "the woman in your painting is about 5 heads tall

Of course, in trying to discredit a specific example you provide support for the point being made. Though, you seem to be appealing to literally a random person on the internet for that evidence.