A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from February 28, 2017
“The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they’d turn over by themselves”

“The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they’d turn over by themselves” is frequently credited to American comedian and actor W. C. Fields (1880-1946), but only since about 2000. It’s doubtful if he ever said the line.
 
“The laziest person I know is the one who puts popcorn in pancakes so that they will turn over by themselves” was cited in a June 1927 newspaper. “The laziest woman in the world is the one who puts popcorn in her pancakes so they’ll turn over by themselves” was cited in a syndicated newspaper column in July 1928.
   
       
27 June 1927, Brazil (IN) Daily Times, “Shaken from the Brazil Nut Tree,” pg. 6, col. 6:
“The laziest person I know is the one who puts popcorn in pancakes so that they will turn over by themselves.”
 
3 July 1928, Greensboro (NC) Daily Record, “Office Cat” by Junius, pg. 13, col. 2:
The laziest woman in the world is the one who puts popcorn in her pancakes so they’ll turn over by themselves.
 
27 June 1937, The Sunday Oregonian (Portland, OR), Magazine, pg. 8, col. 5:
The laziest woman in the world is the one who puts popcorn in her pancakes so they’ll turn over by themselves.—Montreal Daily Star.
 
Google Books
The Stay-at-Home Book for Boys and Girls
By Robert Cleveland
New York, NY: Greenberg
1944
Pg. 165:
“I caught him putting popcorn in the pancakes to make them turn over by themselves.” ’
     
7 November 1985, Jewish Advocate (Boston, MA), “Silver Linings” by Herb Abramson, pg. 9, col. 8:
Heard about the pancakes with popcorn in them? They turn over by themselves.
 
4 June 1989, The Sun (Baltimore, MD), “A Little Bit of Humor,” comics sec., pg. ?, col. 3:
Restaurant Owner: Why are you putting popcorn kernels in that pancake batter?
New Cook: To make the pancakes turn over by themselves.
 
Google Books
Classic Jewish Humor in America
By Henry D. Spalding
Middle Village, NY: J. David Publishers
1995
Pg. 335:
“Today he told me he’s putting popcorn on his pancakes so they should turn over by themselves. Oy, is mein Harold lazy!”
 
Google Books
Steve Allen’s Private Joke File
By Steve Allen
New York, NY: Three Rivers Press
2000
Pg. 122:
She’s so lazy she puts popcorn in the pancakes so they’ll turn over by themselves.
 
27 January 2000, The Daily Herald (Tyrone, PA), “Cryptoquote,” pg. 11, col. 8:
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: THE LAZIEST MAN I EVER MET PUT POPCORN IN HIS PANCAKES SO THEY WOULD TURN OVER BY THEMSELVES.—W.C.FIELDS
 
31 December 2007, Pittsburgh (PA) Tribune-Review, “New Year’s resolutions” by Ralph Reiland, pg. ?:
On efficiency, from W.C. Fields: “The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves.”
 
Twitter
Greg Fowler‏
@fowgre
@rebelliousgirl “The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes fo they’d turn over by themselves” - W.C. Fields
9:12 AM - 8 Jun 2008
 
Google Books
The Biteback Dictionary of Humorous Business Quotations
By Fred Metcalf
London: Biteback Publishing
2014
Pg. ?:
The laziest man Iever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves.
W. C. Fields, American actor and comedian

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Tuesday, February 28, 2017 • Permalink


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