The random thoughts of a genius...er...gene nash.
oh... never mind...
Published on June 21, 2005 By Gene Nash In Humor

If you're old enough, you may remember Gilda Radner's Saturday Night Live character Emily Litella.

Emily would regularly appear on the news segment to rebut something she had heard during the broadcast. It always quickly became evident it was something she had misheard.

For instance, instead of railing against a Supreme Court decision on the death penalty, Emily thought they were picking on the hearing impaired with a "deaf penalty." In another instance, Emily took a story about bussing children to be about "busting children," and thought it was horrible that police would be arresting little kids. We won't even discuss "protecting endangered feces."

At the end, the Weekend Update host would inevitable point out her mistake and Emily would say, "Oh, that's very different. Never mind."

 

Maybe you've had your own Emily Litella moment with song lyrics. As one comedian said after going to a Tina Turner Concert, "I paid four hundred bucks to hear the fat guy next to me scream 'What's A Glove Got To Do With It'?!"

 

I may have just had my ultimate Emily Litella moment.

For years I've been watching the overly serious Allstate Insurance spokesman do his little spiel and end each commercial by saying, "That's Allstate, Stan!"

Great, I'd think, "That's Allstate." Good for them. But who the @%$# is "Stan"?! Why are you talking to him? Why should he care? Why should I care? What a stupid affectation!

Then last night a moment of clarity burst through. While watching the latest Allstate commercial I suddenly realized something.

He's not saying, "That's Allstate, Stan," he's saying, "That's Allstate's Stand."

 

Oh... Never mind....


Comments
on Jun 21, 2005

Are you busting school children again?

Thanks for the Emily Latella!

on Jun 21, 2005
I don't have any funny misheard lyrics. (I mishear lyrics, just not inadvertently comically.)

I do usually prefer my versions, though.
on Jun 21, 2005
funny gene, and brought back many sweet memories of the single greatest show that ever was, the original sat. nite. live. thank you!
on Jun 22, 2005
Reply By: Dr. Guy
. . .
Thanks for the Emily Latella!


Reply By: Moderateman
. . .
thank you!


You're welcome x2.
on Jun 22, 2005
What I've always found amusing is that when someone insists the lyrics are what they think they heard and their version of what they think they heard doesn't even make any sense.

Personally I've always liked Weird Al's versions of many songs. He often takes someone's mistaken hearing of lyrics and makes an entirely hilarious song from it.
on Oct 05, 2005
Well...it's good to know I am not the only one who thought he was saying "Stan". Geeez....I kept thinking that sooner or later I'd get the inside joke and figure out who Stan was. It wasn't until last night that I broke down and asked my girlfriend who the hell is Stan? After explaining the story and watching the commercial she pointed out what I guess everyone else in the world already knew. STOOPID STAN!
on Oct 05, 2005
LOL...To hell with Stan and his special relationship with Allstate!

~Zoo