Tag: Be a Work of Art
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Work
David Bruce Anecdotes Work • Mildred Burke, aka Mildred the Great, was an early pro wrestler of the 1930s through 1950s. Sometimes, she wrestled men, and in approximately 200 matches against men, she lost only once. She had lifted the challenger over her head and was throwing him to the ground when his knee hit her […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — War
David Bruce Anecdotes War • This is an example of underground political humor from the time when Lithuania suffered from Russian rule: A Lithuanian farmer once found an ancient lamp in a field. Because it was dirty, he rubbed it — and a genie appeared and granted him three wishes. The Lithuanian thought a moment about […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Travel, Umpires
David Bruce Anecdotes Travel • Irish playwright Brendan Behan spent time in prison, and he liked gallows humor. He used to tell a joke about a lawyer who boasted that he had gotten a client a suspended sentence — his client was hung. By the way, when traveling from Ireland through England to France, Mr. Behan […]
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David Bruce:Be a Work of Art — Sports, Theater
David Bruce Anecdotes Sports • The USSR was known for its men’s singles skaters and its pairs skating teams, but it never produced a really fine women’s singles skater until after its breakup. While the USSR was still together, pairs champion and coach Stanislav Zhuk was asked why. He joked, “Because I don’t coach them.” Theater […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Royalty, Signs, Success, Sports
David Bruce Anecdotes Royalty • In 1955, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson had dinner with Princess Margaret. As he talked to her, he noticed that he had gravy on his hand, so he reached under the table for a napkin and began to wipe away the gravy. Princess Margaret (who had a sense of humor) stared at […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Problem-Solving, Profanity
David Bruce Anecdotes Problem-Solving • Occasionally an actor forgets his lines. Once an actor was on stage when he forgot his lines while playing a king who was supposed to roar out his orders at another character. Instead of roaring out his orders, he motioned for the other character to come close to him, then whispered […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Problem-Solving
David Bruce Anecdotes Problem-Solving • In 2009, Roger Ebert and his wife, Chaz, attended the Cannes Film Festival, where credentials are expensive but are usually necessary to see movies. A man named Scott Collette, who faithfully read Roger’s essays on the WWW, emailed him: “I am currently in Cannes, working out of an office on the […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Practical Jokes
David Bruce Anecdotes *** Practical Jokes • Members of the Benson Company, a traveling Shakespearean troupe, often played practical jokes on newcomers to the company. Once, a newcomer arrived at the train station wearing a kilt because the company was crossing the border into Scotland that day, and he had been told that it was a […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Politics, Practical Jokes
David Bruce Anecdotes *** Politics • Senator Warren Magnuson, a Democrat from Washington, had the nickname “Maggie.” At a dinner with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he was referred to as “Maggie” constantly. Winston Churchill asked Senator Magnuson about the nickname, then told him, “Young man, if I were you, I wouldn’t resent it. I really think […]
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David Bruce: Be a Work of Art — Mothers
David Bruce Anecdotes Mothers • In 2010, Kate Ogg gave birth to premature twins in Australia. Because they were born after just 27 weeks of pregnancy, a real chance of death existed. Daughter Emily did well following the birth, but son Jamie was not breathing. After 20 minutes of trying to get him to breathe, medical […]