Jacek Niecko wrote:

> I think it's rather stupid--total lack of creative imagination and
> silly play on words that mean nothing when used as personal names--a
> name is a name is a name--in case someone failed to notice that simple
> fact

A name is a good source for a pun.  I use mine that way often enough.


> It's amazing to see that people who can stretch their brains for hours
> in order to reach what is meant to suggest the highest level of
> sophistication in analyzing the most insignificant minutiae imaginable
> in a poem (viz. the recent post on the Archduke's cousin)

I don't see why it is so insignificant, in a poem filled with sexual
failing, to allude to what may have been the 19th century's biggest
sex scandal.


> wd see humor in the fact that someone's given name is Rice or Bush or
> Hu or Shu.

The world hasn't quite come to an agreement on how humorous punning
is but Bush has.  I've seen a tape of him being asked THAT question
"If you were a tree what type of tree would you be?" and him answering
"I'm not, I'm a Bush."

But, anyway, I think you've missed the allusion to the old Abbot and
Costello comedy routine "Who's on first?"


Regards,
    Rick Parker


Bush quote:
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/news/nation/4193877.htm

Where the quote was shown
(contoversial behind the scenes video of the Bush campaign):
JOURNEYS WITH GEORGE A home movie by Alexandra Pelosi
http://www.jasonandco.com/george/reviews_body.htm

"Who's on first?"
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/humor4.shtml