"It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it"

[Jonathan Lighter]

This is no more than a lead, Barry, but the saying was definitely current during the Vietnam War (a friend of mine has just confirmed that this is his recollection too), and I have a distinct feeling (i.e., no evidence whatsoever) that it was also in use during WW II.   ( World War I ? No way ! )

At any rate, I have brain cells associating this with a war correspondent's dispatch. Ernie Pyle ?

Beats me.

JL

bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
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Subject: "It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it"
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Where does this come from?
...
...
(BLOG, discussing Manhattan Borough President's race)
Eduwonk has taken on the task of being Moskowitz?s apologist on the Internet, so you can read all of her ex post facto justifications for her poor showing there. [It?s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it, and Eduwonk seems constitutionally unable these days to exercise even minimal balance and perspective on matters involving teacher unions, so it seems like he is the man for the position.]

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