Chief Wahoo ("Low man on totem pole"); Stick your neck out; TLTL

[Barry A. Popik]

CHIEF WAHOO ("LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE")

     The cartoon CHIEF WAHOO began in November 1936 as THE GREAT GUSTO, then
became BIG CHIEF WAHOO, then CHIEF WAHOO, then CHIEF WAHOO AND STEVE ROPER,
then STEVE ROPER AND WAHOO, and, in 1947, simply STEVE ROPER.
    A character J. Mortimer Gusto sold a universal panacea known as Ka-Zowie
Kureall.  ("Kazowie" is not in the RHHDAS.)
    Wahoo's sweetheart was called Minnie-Ha-Cha.
    A popular exclamation was "OSKEE-WA-WA!"  (Not in the RHHDAS.)
    I saw many totem poles in the cartoons--"low man on the totem pole" was
probably used in this strip.

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DON'T STICK YOUR NECK OUT

     We have two different neck theories--I must break the neck tie:

RANDOM HOUSE DICTIONARY OF POPULAR PROVERBS AND SAYINGS:
_Don't stick your neck out._  Don't take unnecessary risks.  Originally used
in boxing as advice to the fighter to keep his neck and chin drawn in or
protected.  The proverb originated in the U.S. and has been traced back to
_Murder in House with the Blue Eyes_ (1939) by J. N. Darby.  (...)  The main
entry is listed in major dictionaries of American proverbs.*** (Very frequent
use--ed.)

Christine Ammer's AHDOI:
_stick one's neck out_  Make oneself vulnerable, take a risk, as in _I'm
going to stick my neck out and ask for a raise_.  This expression probably
alludes to a chicken extending its neck before being slaughtered.
(Colloquial, early 1900s)

     Ammer's probably right.
     I didn't find "stick your neck out" in THE RING slang list of 1926.
     This cartoon was in the Brooklyn Eagle, 7 July 1943, pg. 10: "STICKING
HIS NECK OUT."  Adolf Hitler sticks his neck out, like a chicken, locked up
in the "OREL FRONT."  A "RUSSIAN ARMY" bayonet is near his neck.

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TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

    Two people wore hats with "TOO LITTLE" and "TOO LATE" in the editorial
cartoon in the Brooklyn Eagle, 21 March 1943, pg. 22.

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JOIN THE CLUB! (or, WELCOME TO THE CLUB!)

    Christine Ammer's AHDOI has:

_join the club_  A phrase used to express sympathy for a common experience.
For example, _You waited three hours for the doctor?  Join the club!_  (c.
1940)

     The Brooklyn Eagle, 9 April 1943, pg. 14, had: "WELCOME TO THE BRUSH-OFF
CLUB, PAL!"  Ed Flynn (who was not "in like Errol Flynn" and withdrew from
consideration for ambassador to Australia) greets Mayor La Guardia, who
returns from an unsuccessful trip to Washington.
     The RHHDAS doesn't have any "club" phrase.

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PERSONAL "LA VIDA LOCA"

    I wasn't planning on going to the Dictionary Society of North America's
meeting in Berkeley this week, but I was thinking about it.  (Anyone else
going?)  I could also research "womyn" and "herstory" in Berkeley, and maybe
finally swing down to Edwards AFB for "Murphy's Law."
    But no.  I had planned a nice, quiet Memorial Day holiday alone--snuggled
up with "new words" and finally finishing my musical, EVEREST.  I would maybe
even prepare for my June 10th IRS audit.
    I was checking my e-mail today, and I got a message from my girlfriend in
Argentina (who I met on a bus to Washington).  While I was reading that, I
got an e-mail from another girlfriend, who just went back to Singapore (who I
met on a plane to Turkey).
    As I read the two e-mails, I got an AOL Instant Message from a woman in
California.  She sent a great photo, then phoned me, then panted that I come
there right away!!
    This DSNA thing is tax deductible, no?