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September 20, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and slow dancing”

“Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades” is a saying that has been cited in print since at least 1965. "Dancing" is often added to the expression. "'But you know…

April 22, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Comedy doesn’t travel well”

"Comedy doesn't travel well" is an entertainment adage that has been applied to plays, films, television shows and stage performers. Comedy depends on language and culture, and other…

January 24, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Comedy is a serious business” (theatre adage)

"Comedy is a serious business" has been attributed to the actor David Garrick (1717-1779), but cited in print from only 1894. Garrick allegedly said that tragedy was much easier to play.…

June 22, 2011
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Comedy is tragedy plus time” (theatre adage)

Entry in progress -- B.P. 21 July 1958, Bakersfield (CA) Californian, pg. 21, col. 1:Allen (Comedian Steve Allen -- ed.) also has another formula for laughs: "Tragedy plus time plus the will…

February 9, 2005
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Copacabana (At the Copa)” (1978)

"Her name was Lola. She was a showgirl." So begins Barry Manilow's 1978 Grammy-winning song, "Copacabana (At the Copa)." The lyrics are by Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman.…

August 26, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Could Blazing Saddles be made today? No. It’s hard to make a film in a day”

The movie Blazing Saddles (1974) is a comedy classic. Many people say that the movie couldn't be made today because some of the humor is not "politically correct" and could…

January 9, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Country music is just farm emo”

"Country music is just farm emo" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "RT @pajamajams: country music is just farm emo" was posted on Twitter by Erik Casarez on May…

July 23, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Country music is just land shanties”

There are sea shanties, but what about land shanties? "Country Music is just land shanties" was posted on Twitter by manic pixie dudebro on January 18, 2020. "Country music is just…

January 27, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Critics are like eunuchs in a harem”

Irish poet and playwright Brendan Behan (1923-1964) is often credited for saying, "Critics are like eunuchs in a harem: they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but…

January 28, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Critics are the stupid who discuss the wise”

Russian author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) wrote in the essay "What Is Art?" (1897; English translation 1898): "A friend of mine, speaking of the relation of critics to artists, half…

March 23, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Curry OK?”/“Sorry, I hate singing in public.” (karaoke joke)

"Karaoke" sounds a bit like "curry OK." A joke has someone enter an Indian restaurant and the waiter asks, "Curry OK?" The diner responds, "Sorry, I hate singing…

March 18, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dance enables you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time”

"Dance enables you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time" is a saying that has beenprinted on many posters. The quote has been cited on Twitter since August 18, 2011. The…

May 25, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dance is a series of three-minute romances” (“three-minute love affair”)

Dance (especially the tango) has been called "a three-minute love affair (with a stranger)" and "a three-minute romance." It's not known who originated the descriptions.…

June 24, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dance like no one is watching. Because they are not. They’re checking their phones”

The song "Come from the Heart" (1987) by Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh contains the lyrics: "Sing like no one is listening.Love like you’ve never been hurt.Dance like nobody’s…

October 1, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dance like people wish they weren’t watching”

The song “Come from the Heart” (1987) by Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh contains the lyrics: “Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s…

September 8, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dance like your vagina is on fire”

"Dance like your vagina's on fire" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as bumper stickers and T-shirts. "Dance like your vaginas on fire!" was cited…

August 25, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dancers count 5-6-7-8 because musicians took 1-2-3-4”

"Dancers count 5-6-7-8 because musicians took 1-2-3-4" is a saying that has been printed on an image. There are several technical answers. "Wondering why drummers usually start songs…

January 22, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dancing cheek-to-cheek is really a form of floor play”

The song "Cheek to Cheek" (1935) by Irving Berlin (1888-1989) popularized "dancing cheek-to-cheek." A joke is: "Dancing cheek-to-cheek is really a form of floor play."…

February 1, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire”

"Dancing is a perpendicular/vertical expression of a horizontal desire/idea/intent/urge" has been credited to playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), playwright Oscar Wilde…

June 24, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Did you hear about the 25 Irish people that drowned? They were river dancing”

The show Riverdancing doesn't involve Irish dancing in a river, but there are jokes. "Did you hear about the 25 Irish people that drowned? They were riverdancing" was posted on…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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