I don’t know the answer. I’m just repeating the question. That’s as good an answer as any I’ve come up with. Maybe it’s just a riddle, without any answer. And why does the word “answer” have a “w” in it? I don’t know the answer to that one, either.
‘Most famous man in the world’ is pretty strong hyperbole. Suspect it’s a joke Jack Benny used to trot out occasionally, or else maybe a gag based on “Oh God!” w/ John Denver? H’mmmmmm.
It’s one of those sneaky implied compound sentences like ‘when did you stop beating your wife?’ The proper response is: “Objection! Foundation!” Or “Oh God You Devil”, to quote John Denver.
When Burns turned 90 in 1986, the city of Los Angeles renamed the northern end of Hamel Road “George Burns Road.” City regulations prohibited naming a city street after a living person, but an exception was made for Burns. In celebration of Burns’ 99th birthday in January 1995, Los Angeles renamed the eastern end of Alden Drive “Gracie Allen Drive.” Burns was present at the unveiling ceremony (one of his last public appearances), where he quipped, “It’s good to be here at the corner of Burns & Allen. At my age, it’s good to be anywhere!”
I know Benny and Burns once played a benefit in Chicago and shared a suite together. Apparently (in private) Burns went in for practical jokes and he drove Benny insane on this particular trip. Just this once, (as Benny told it) Benny tried to “turn the tables on him” (leaving phony wake-up calls for each other when they were both dog-tired) but he just couldn’t get the better of him. I heard Benny narrate this either on Carson; maybe Cavett, or maybe one of Dino’s roasts.
Re: msg #7 and #8 –excellent. I myself am the world’s worst hand at telling a joke but here’s mine
He’s the most famous man in the world because George Burns, but doesn’t smoke?
I should be hung from a lamppost for this but in my defense, this is exactly the kind of joke that would have been around when he was around. His cigar was never lit.
I found this on the internet Q&A forum called Quora, posed at the time without an answer as I replied to Barry. Intrigued by the question, one that would never ever have occurred to me, I posted it here, hoping to stir up some discussion (which it seems to have done) and maybe even an answer of two (which it seems to have done as well).
I’d like now to post some of the answers back on Quora (duly credited, of course), but alas I can’t find where the question has disappeared to. Unless someone can assist, we shall have to leave the answers (as well as the discussion) between ourselves.
He pretty much outlived everyone else who came out of vaudeville and remembered everyone’s music. He knew the bridge and introduction to just about every song written before 1950.
February 26th, 2024 at 10:46 pm
His working career was the longest?
February 27th, 2024 at 1:48 am
I don’t know the answer. I’m just repeating the question. That’s as good an answer as any I’ve come up with. Maybe it’s just a riddle, without any answer. And why does the word “answer” have a “w” in it? I don’t know the answer to that one, either.
February 26th, 2024 at 11:19 pm
‘Most famous man in the world’ is pretty strong hyperbole. Suspect it’s a joke Jack Benny used to trot out occasionally, or else maybe a gag based on “Oh God!” w/ John Denver? H’mmmmmm.
February 27th, 2024 at 1:50 am
You have a clever mind, Lazy, and a good memory. You might be right.
February 27th, 2024 at 3:38 am
‘And why does the word “answer” have a “w” in it?’
Because there is a “B” in “both”.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Y not.
February 27th, 2024 at 7:36 am
Easy – he’s not.
February 27th, 2024 at 7:57 am
Because his name is a sentence.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
Jeff and Dan
Paradoxically I think you are both correct. One of you more than the other.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
It’s one of those sneaky implied compound sentences like ‘when did you stop beating your wife?’ The proper response is: “Objection! Foundation!” Or “Oh God You Devil”, to quote John Denver.
February 27th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
From George Burns’ Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burns
When Burns turned 90 in 1986, the city of Los Angeles renamed the northern end of Hamel Road “George Burns Road.” City regulations prohibited naming a city street after a living person, but an exception was made for Burns. In celebration of Burns’ 99th birthday in January 1995, Los Angeles renamed the eastern end of Alden Drive “Gracie Allen Drive.” Burns was present at the unveiling ceremony (one of his last public appearances), where he quipped, “It’s good to be here at the corner of Burns & Allen. At my age, it’s good to be anywhere!”
February 27th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
re msg #4 kind compliment indeed, thx!
I know Benny and Burns once played a benefit in Chicago and shared a suite together. Apparently (in private) Burns went in for practical jokes and he drove Benny insane on this particular trip. Just this once, (as Benny told it) Benny tried to “turn the tables on him” (leaving phony wake-up calls for each other when they were both dog-tired) but he just couldn’t get the better of him. I heard Benny narrate this either on Carson; maybe Cavett, or maybe one of Dino’s roasts.
Re: msg #7 and #8 –excellent. I myself am the world’s worst hand at telling a joke but here’s mine
He’s the most famous man in the world because George Burns, but doesn’t smoke?
I should be hung from a lamppost for this but in my defense, this is exactly the kind of joke that would have been around when he was around. His cigar was never lit.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:33 pm
I found this on the internet Q&A forum called Quora, posed at the time without an answer as I replied to Barry. Intrigued by the question, one that would never ever have occurred to me, I posted it here, hoping to stir up some discussion (which it seems to have done) and maybe even an answer of two (which it seems to have done as well).
I’d like now to post some of the answers back on Quora (duly credited, of course), but alas I can’t find where the question has disappeared to. Unless someone can assist, we shall have to leave the answers (as well as the discussion) between ourselves.
Which is probably just as well.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Fudge. Now we need a Comment #14. I guess this will have to do.
March 1st, 2024 at 11:59 pm
He pretty much outlived everyone else who came out of vaudeville and remembered everyone’s music. He knew the bridge and introduction to just about every song written before 1950.