Half a pair of buttoxes

Thu Feb 14 17:44:30 UTC 2008

On Feb 14, 2008, at 8:46 AM, Joel Berson wrote:

> At 2/14/2008 11:07 AM, Arnold M. Zwicky wrote:
>> On Feb 14, 2008, at 7:40 AM, Larry Horn wrote:
>>
>>> At 10:31 AM -0500 2/14/08, Dennis R. Preston wrote:
>>>> Why go for them French guys when there are good examples in
>>>> AmerEng?
>>>
>>> I note dInIs's use of the sex-neutral referential "guy" here, since
>>> as we all know the single-buttocked character in Candide was of the
>>> female persuasion.  (Did she have a name, or was she just "la
>>> Vielle"?)
>>
>> just "la vielle Dame" in the broadway show.  played wonderfully by
>> Irra Petina in the original broadway case.  "I Am Easily Assimilated"
>> is her star turn.
>
> Did she do the turn to show off the ... um ... defining
> characteristic?

alas, i didn't get to see either of the versions on broadway, so i
don't know how this bit was managed visually -- probably not at all.

the relevant bit comes in "Quiet":
   ... life has its black side
   I've been starved in the ditch,
   I've been burned for a witch.
   And I'm missing the half of my backside.

Petina also shines in "What's the Use?"

arnold

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