[Ads-l] Snowclone: Can a (derog) X get a Y?

[Ben Zimmer]

I feel like the canonical example is a guy trying to get the attention
of a bartender or other drink-server. From Google Books:

"'Can a guy get a drink around here?' he said, turning and motioning
to the waiter."
William Heffernan, _Caging the Raven_ (1981)

"Can a guy get a Scotch on the rocks around here, or do I have to
choose between beer, beer, and beer?"
Eugenia Riley, _Where the Heart Is_ (1987)


On Sat, Apr 18, 2015 at 10:01 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
> I've heard the innocuous "Can [or "Can't"] a guy get an X around here?"
>
> Can't say just when. '80s?
>
> On Sat, Apr 18, 2015 at 2:26 AM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> My apologies. Obviously "Jew" is not derogatory.
>>
>> Looking for "Arab," I found two hits for the same quote by mprs: can an
>> arab get a ban over here?
>> 2002: http://bit.ly/1b6GIT4
>> 2006: http://bit.ly/1aFnV0I
>>
>>
>> > Benjamin Barrett <mailto:gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>> > April 18, 2015 at 12:02 AM
>> >
>> > Today, a Jewish friend said to his wife while holding their infant, "Can
>> > a Jew get a bib?"
>> >
>> > According to http://snltranscripts.jt.org/96/96edefjam.phtml, Chris Rock
>> > said on Saturday Night Live in 1996, "Scalpel! Scalpel! [ yelling ] Can
>> > a nigger get a SCALPEL up in this [ bleep ]!! [ the wrong instrument is
>> > handed to him ] I said SCALPEL, you [ bleep ] [ bleep ] [ bleep ]"
>> >
>> > In 1999 (http://bit.ly/1EV1eSQ,
>> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigger_%26_Blacker), Chris Rock's "Bigger
>> > and Blacker" evidently has a song "Can a Nigger Get a Tabledance" (which
>> > is unfortunately also the name of a song by what looks to be a racist
>> > named Johnny Rebel). See also http://bit.ly/1b6CmeW for "Can a nigger
>> > get a table dance or there is no sex in the champagne room" by shadowcat.
>> >
>> > There are not a lot of hits for this snowclone, but there are a few out
>> > there. Here is what I found:
>> >
>> > 24 December 2009: http://bit.ly/1DtOujJ
>> > moneymcbags writes: 12/24/09 Mid-Morning Report: It's Christmas Eve, can
>> > a jew get a table dance?
>> >
>> > No earlier than 2009: http://bit.ly/1CXeCB5
>> > Matthew "Baller on a Budget" R. writes: "Can a Jew get a ham sandwich up
>> > in this?"
>> > Extra snowclone points for "up in this."
>> >
>> > 2010: http://bit.ly/1O1J1cf
>> > SlickMoneyXL writes: Can a spic get a link please?
>> >
>> > 2011: http://bit.ly/1ORO6kl
>> > jesus1 writes: Just like Cinco de Mayo...can a spic get a break?
>> >
>> > Late 2014/early 2015: http://bit.ly/1b6AhQ1
>> > hosaycore writes: Can a spic get a care package?
>> >
>> > 02/01/2015: http://bit.ly/1OplBZc
>> > skellettes writes: can a homo get a promo on their birthday?

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