Riding the Airwaves

The Milwaukee Journal – May 21, 1942

Riding the Airwaves

With BCL

Yes, People Really ARE Funny

BEFORE “People Are Funny” became a national network feature Friday nights (NBC-WTMJ, 9 p. m.), it was a west coast feature for four years and in that time turned up some pretty funny answers.

On one aircast, Art Baker, who shares emcee duties with Art Linkletter, asked a contestant: “In what sport is ‘squeeze play’ used?” Art was referring to baseball.

The contestant’s answer, however, was “post office.”

Another time Baker queried, “What would you call your wide who has stood by your side all these years faithfully? Old what . . .?”

Instead of “Old Faithfull,” the answer was “Old Ironsides.”

Again a woman was asked, “What fish would you be reminded of if your husband came home with a saber in one hand and a daggar in the other?” Her answer, instead of swordfish, was “pickled herring.”

“People Are Funny” introduced a psychology section in which someone from the audience was sent out on the street to do certain things to test the average person’s reactions. The first such test had a man trying to give away silver dollars. Fifteen persons were approached, and only one actually took a dollar. They thought it was a gag.