gunsel

[Laurence Horn]

At 1:34 PM -0600 1/11/05, Mullins, Bill wrote:
>  > Yes. Even if the Duke himself had no idea, it's possible that
>>  the scriptwriter and MG got together for a little inside
>>  joke. Like the "Mongo! Santa Maria!" bit in Blazing Saddles.
>>
>Okay, you'll have to explain that one to me.
>
>Blazing Saddles rewards the careful viewer. I just recently found out
>the origin of
>of the name of Mel Brooks' character: Gov. William J. LePetomaine
>(Le Petomaine was a French music hall performer who could play tunes by
>expelling
>gas from his lower GI tract, or blow out candles from a few feet away --
>them French are _so_ cultured!)

I think the governor's name must be a blend of Le Petomane (the
actual sobriquet of Pujol, the professional flatulist) and ptomaine.

Larry