Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Appy Polly Logies

When I awoke this morning, the first thing that ran through my mind (after look at all the fishies) was “Holy crap – I accidentally plagiarized another writer.” The third thing I wondered was how to spell “plagiarize.”

Sometime in the distant past, or maybe it was this week, I left a comment on Leesa’s blog advising her to end her posts with “There’s a weasel chomping on my privates.” She took my advice and that seemed to go over well with her and some of her frequent commenters (we’re a weird lot), but now I remember ooh Asian office-usagi sighting pretty pretty where was I?

Oh, yeah. I remembered that was part of a classic Dave Barry article I read years ago. A web site that was attempting to use a computer to calculate humor was taking submissions and ratings for jokes, so Dave encouraged everyone to submit a joke ending with the punch line “There’s a weasel chomping on my privates” and to give jokes with that phrase the highest rating. As a writer, I know it’s okay if you get your ideas by reading other peoples work, just as long as you don’t steal their words and use them as your own. So, to Dave and Leesa and everybody else: appy polly logies. I can say that because it’s totally original.

If only I had gone with my original thought: “There’s a badger nipping at my nipples.”

4 comments:

Spider Girl said...

Ah, serendipity---I read that Dave Barry weasel-biting-your-privates article not two days ago.

paul said...

how about crazed ferrets chomping on your face? no... wait... that was weird al yankovic.

nevermind.

kudos for giving dave credit where credit is due.

Grant said...

spider girl - obviously I telepathically picked it up from you.

messiah - thanks. I try not to rip off others on purpose.

Leesa said...

okay, grant, I have been contacted by Mr. Berry's legal advisors of Levi, Levi, Levi and Roberts.

In order to clear my name, I told the law clerk (I didn't even rate a real lawyer) that I purchased the phrase from you. Not sure you will be hearing from them or not - I mentioned the demonic nature of your blog. Funny, that may not deter lawyers - seems they may have made deals with the devil already.