Friday, May 8, 2015

Doll

johnny optimism, medical, humor, sick, jokes, boy, wheelchair, doctors, hospital, stilton jarlsberg, doll, chatty cathy, string

Readers-  It now dawns on me that no one under the age of 60 is likely to get this joke. Here's a commercial from about a half century ago (sigh...) that not only explains the gag, but also explains why I should have my name and address stitched into my clothing in case I wander off.


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't get it.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Anonymous- The good news is you're probably young. The bad news is I'm getting way too old.

When I wrote the cartoon, I was thinking of the old "Chatty Cathy" dolls - there was a string (with a ring pull) coming out of her back, and if you pulled it she would speak.

I just checked online and Chatty Cathy originally appeared in 1959, meaning this joke probably would have been deemed hilarious 56 years ago. (Sigh...)

They'll probably be carting me off soon to go live with Johnny and his friends. I'll be put in the Senior Ward, which is coincidentally what the Mexican gardener called Beaver Cleaver's father.

I know, I know - you don't get that joke, either (wry grin).

Pete (Detroit) said...

Sheriff Woody (Toy Story) had a string - "Reach for the SKYYYYYYYY"

SC said...

Hey Stilt! Hilarious...I remember, I had one. Wonder what ever happened to her? Probably worth some $ now.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Pete (Detroit) - Hey, you're right! So now my joke is only about 20 years overdue instead of 50!

@SC- I'd like to think that all the old Chatty Cathys are now in retirement homes, chain-smoking and (when someone pulls the string) sharing ribald memories.

chester arthur said...

I remember my parents buying broken toys that I fixed to save money.Strangely enough,they bought me,a little boy usually fixing broken helicopter toys and toy cars missing wheels,a Chatty Cathy doll.It put out a horrible screechy noise like a tape recorder on crack.It was too funny to fix,so I used it to freak out my baby sister.It's probably still packed away some where,waiting to be found by some future generation of toy archeologists,who will scream and run into closed doors like my little sister did.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@chester arthur- Yeah, when those old "pull string" talking devices went off the rails, they produced horrifying sounds.

And speaking of talking toys, here's a wonderful bit from Albert Brooks...

Wahoo said...

Had a talking Howdy-Doody with pull-string...also a Davy Crockett outfit and coonskin cap that I insisted on wearing, in the heat of summer, the entire time during a family beach vacation.

JoAnn in VA said...

I had a Chatty Cathy, and like her I also made my appearance in 1959. A couple years back for a song challenge about a favorite toy, I wrote one called "Perfect Place" about a child playing hide and seek who brings her doll with her. It gets...dark. I suspect you would like it; you can hear it and see the lyrics on https://spintown.bandcamp.com/track/perfect-place.
I know the perfect place to hide –in here!
We’ll get inside this box and disappear!
While Tommy hides his eyes, he’ll never know we’re
Inside this place!
I’m the best hider in hide and seek
I bet they won’t find us if they look all week!
But we’ll be here, Cathy, waiting cheek to cheek
Until somebody opens
The fridgerator door…

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@JoAnn in VA- YIKES! "Dark" barely describes your song. Very nicely done - it genuinely gave me the creeps. Have you ever considered visiting Johnny's hospital to entertain the kids? (grin)

JoAnn in VA said...

Well, my clown name is "Bubblemum" and I do face painting...when I am not doing horror SFX for films, usually with zombies or vampires. If you ever need another clown in the group, feel free to add me!

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@JoAnn in VA- You SO need to do a film in which dozens of zombie clowns come out of a single colorful car.