Weekend Word Wrap: punny names
If you haven't entered our first-ever cartoon caption contest, there's still time. Go check out the cartoon and be sure to get your gag in before the end of the weekend. Then we'll go away and come back with 3 finalists for you to vote on.
Turning from single-panel gags to gag names, in today's Wrap we look at those humorous puns (or sometimes quasi-double entendres) that almost sound like actual names.
My brother taught me a good one recently: José Kanusee (I guess he's half American-Indian/half Latino?). If you're a fan of Car Talk, you already know that the end credits always include some terrific gag names. There's Paul Murkey of Murkey Research; there's the classic law firm of Dewy, Cheatham and Howe, and there's the Russian statistician, Marge Innovera.
Those brilliant Airplane movies have a pantload, too, starting with Ted Striker. And, of course, who can forget that classic Who's On First? exchange in the cockpit:
Roger Murdock: Flight 2-0-9'er, you are cleared for take-off. Captain Oveur: Roger! Roger Murdock: Huh? Tower voice: L.A. departure frequency, 123 point 9'er. Captain Oveur: Roger! Roger Murdock: Huh? Victor Basta: Request vector, over. Captain Oveur: What? Tower voice: Flight 2-0-9'er cleared for vector 324. Roger Murdock: We have clearance, Clarence. Captain Oveur: Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor? Tower voice: Tower's radio clearance, over! Captain Oveur: That's Clarence Oveur. Over. Tower voice: Over.
Of course, a gag name doesn't always have to be made up. Let's not forget about that great philanthropist from Texas: Ima Hogg.
So let's get to the interactive part of the Wrap already. I'll get the punny-ball rolling here with Warren Piece. Your turn"¦ and remember, 007-girls, Monty Python-esque, etc. are fun, but probably best kept to yourselves. Let's keep it clean here folks, okay? In other words: If it belongs on The Simpsons, our censors will most likely delete it.