Okay, ladies. That’s your cue. It’s time to bounce.
Take five to book a mani/pedi, or text your daughter, or wash your lingerie. Any girlie thing you want to do right now, because I guarantee you’re not going to give a darn about today’s post.
But guys, listen up. It’s time to pay homage to Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Moe Howard- and okay- Shemp Howard.
AKA The Three Stooges.
As as kid, I liked the Stooges.
Special Favorite Memories Sidebar: Curly inside the radio, the plumbers making all the water come out of every appliance, the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe, the witty dialogue- Larry: “I lost my bah-LANCE.” Moe: “Oh, yeah? Well, go and find it.” Shove into the water.
But my brother Kenny LOVED them. Every afternoon at four he would hunker down in front of our TV set, cross his fingers that it wasn’t a “Shemp,” and then he would get hysterical. I mean howl with non-stop laughter.
And to this day, all I have to hear are the opening notes of “Listen To The Mockingbird,” or “Three Blind Mice,” and I start to laugh. That’s a result of all my early conditioning.
Let’s not even talk about the sound effects of the group slap, the Moe Eye Poke, or the sound of Larry’s head getting hammered.
And while we’re at it, who could ever forget Curly? With his special finger-snap-hand hitting his other hand gesture along with his famous “nyuk nyuk nyuk” and “why soitanly!” Along with his backwards, one-legged moon walk/skip- all of which I can do perfectly- for a girl. (But I can’t quite seem to describe.)
Anyway, you have to see Curly in action to believe him.
But that’s the thing about The Three Stooges. You really have to possess a Y chromosome to dig them. It’s issued at a baby boy’s birth- along with the mitt, the fascination with boobs, and cars- and an indifference towards ballet.
Stereo-typing, you say? Oh, yeah? Well, I seldom meet a guy who knows who Diaghilev is.
But they always know Jules White.
I could go on and on. How the Stooges quit that drunk Ted Healy, struck out on their own and became stars. How they never got a pay raise in twenty-three years from Harry Cohn, Columbia’s CEO and resident SOB. (Cohn kept their wild success a secret and always threatened to fire them. Cowed and intimidated, the guys always re-upped one more year for a pittance. Sad.) How they had to tour all the time and never really knew how beloved they all were.
But enough Stooge-deconstructing. As Moe would snarl, “Spread out!”
And watch this.
I can hear Kenny laughing already.
(Alright, ladies, you can come back now.)
Happy and safe Fourth, everyone.
And don’t get hit with any cream pies.
Hmmm, maybe I should go back for genetic analysis. As proof, try Sacre Bleu!, which pays tribute to an event that occurred 101 years and a month and a couple of days ago (can you guess even without solving the crossword puzzle?). But Ellen, did you ever notice that NYUCK (5 letters) x 3 = 15? Before I know it, you’ll probably be asking me to write a puzzle that’s totally outside of my comfort zone?!
No need for testing, Doc. Mad scientists have their own gender: XY=E=MC2. I will check out the puzzle- but I can guess what it is about. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised if soon a (Screen) Gem of a puzzle emerged from our collaborative genius. Thanks -and get back to work!
Ellen,
Your wish = my command.
See: http://tinyurl.com/spreadoutpuz
And thanks so much for dumbing down my original clues.
Sorry this took so long to write, but I was slowed down trying to solve your captchas.
Soytenley!
I was going to write to say that, though I was a huge Stooges fan (and I totally agree about Shemp), I somehow also got the ballet gene. (Our — OK, Andi’s — close friendship with Jacques D’Amboise proves it.). But, I digress.
My real reason for writing is to answer the Mad Hungarian Crossword genius: The Rite of Spring, the Stravinsky modernist masterpiece, premiered in Paris on May 29, 1913, to a riot. Diaghilev, the major domo and practical dictator of Ballet Russes, brought the piece to Paris, and, between the dance and the music, changed the world’s view, ushered in 20th century modernism in music and established Stravinsky as a genius. By the way, the original dance choreography has only been reconstructed, but never actually remounted. Sacre Bleu, indeed!
But, it isn’t Three Blind Mice!
Oh, Michael, you get an A in everything. Brilliant comment performance. Take a bow, Nijinsky. And George will be thrilled that you knew your stuff. (Btw, I loved Mr. D’Amboise’s inspiring lecture at Andi’s symposium. He is an American national treasure.). Merci beaucoup, Monsieur.
My brothers and I loved the Stooges. Watched religiously. Kenny and I still do. I think that’s why we first liked each other. Not for boys only. Hold hands you lovebirds!
I knew you had the gene, too. (Maybe it comes environmentally from having brothers?) And yes, you would have to have the same anti-Shemp bias to have had a marriage that has lasted this long. Thanks, ML! Very nice.
Moe, Larry, CHEESE!
Soitanly!
As Gina said to Jerry, “Who are these stooges you speak of?”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzLREBbP3N8
Very nice Stooges-Seinfeld mashup this morning,Fred. You’ve classed up this post. I am in your debt. Can I pay it off with a bowl of soup- or do I have to buy you a suit?
Soup is not a meal.
You are correct. Please read this. And thanks for the segue. https://www.letterfromelba.com/soup-nazi/
I would have replied earlier but I was watching the episode. I can never miss a Curly!!! I’m in Des Moines with Andrew and we are staying at the Hotel Costa Plenty:-)
Thanks for the nyuk nyuk nyuk!!
Glad I could be of soivice! I loved the part where Curly lit the stove- and stepped back. He knew it was going to blow. SOP. Have fun you guys.
Moe was one of my early role models. Everything I know about management style I learned from Moe.
No wonder you’re such a success. (So did Neutron Jack.)
I thought ballet was what we looked at when we voted??
Dr. Howard, Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine…
I SO approve this comment. LOL, Doctor.
I loved the boys, my wife not so much. My grand kids(1 girl and 3 boys) all love the Stooges with Curly definitely their favorite. Their influence has been felt long after they past. I remember a reference in an episode of M.A.S.H when Winchester referred to 3 North Korean Doctors as Moe, Larry and Curly. Of course they treated him for some back ailment and one Doc said ” not bad for 3 stooges huh”. Little kids still get a kick out the hitting your fist and bringing it all the away around and hitting your head.
And ” Oh a wise guy eh?” No, “I’m a victim of soicumstance”
So poifect! Don’t need to add anything. Thanks, Mitch.
I never enjoyed the Three Stooges. See you tomorrow at LSCC?
Herbie
I could have guessed that. Bet you like hmmm….cameras. And yes, see you there.
Has anyone forgot, “I turned to my right and came face to face with…..(pie in the face)….another lion”?
Classic pie fight at a sophisticated party.
And to this day, people say, “There’s no difference between boys and girls”.
Notice how every comment except one is from a male and only one from a female.
Thanks, Bernie. It is a classic. And I swear I’m going to write a post that will get my women readers commenting like crazy. But I knew this wasn’t the one. Happy Fourth. Catfish Lake later this month?
Yes!!! Catfish Lake in just 27 days. Ken has his silk PJs ready!!!
You mean Hef.
Curly Howard is buried several plots up from my grandparents. Someone glued “Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck”, in pennies, onto his grave marker. Moe, and Larry Fine, are also in the cemetery but in the wall in the large crypt. When any of us visit the family, we always make a point of stopping by Curly’s grave to say thanks for the laughs.
This is just great, Judith. So glad you chimed in here. (So glad I was wrong about women commenters.) My readers will be glad you did, too! Thank you.
Thanks to Judith and Mitch Klein for this. Check it out Curly fans.
http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2001/222/howardjerome2.jpg
I can’t believe you used the phrase “… But I can’t seem to describe.” This is the antithesis of all that is you. Your descriptions of everything – life, love, death, movies, food, family, everything is why I read your blog. You tell me what I am thinking before I think it. So describe the feeling you get when you can’t describe something!
Thanks for the props, Jimmy. Me describing what you’re feeling? Is that a medical condition JAMA should know about? BTW, I saw the editor just died.Should I apply for his job?
I was fortunate to meet the Stooges in the early 60’s…they were a half time show for the circus in St. Louis. We got to meet them after their performance and being a young fan, I was thrilled. Of course Curly and Shemp had already passed on, but at that time Joe DeRita played the third Stooge. I still love to watch their old movie shorts…I always felt that they never got the recognition from Hollywood that they deserved. Thanks for the tribute Ellen.
Wow! Lucky you. What a great opportunity. They brought so much laughter to so many. And yes, the recognition came way too late. Thanks, Steve, for this first person Stooge close encounter.