Ivy in Europe: Americans in Rome, ca 1959
"... Where have their Mennen-drenched, corpse-washed escorts and consorts gone with their raspberry-colored slacks, violently checkered clown jackets, snow-white moccasins on huge feet, and toilet-bowl-white porcelain teeth in their kissers, the Supermen of America's short-lived supremacy? ..."
Gregor von Rezzori, 'Memoirs of an Anti-Semite', Munich 1979
Two Jews down our main street yesterday. Took me back a fair bit. I think they might have been shop-fitters or something. The only Jews I know who live around here are more 'Jew-ish', to borrow Jonathan Miller's expression. Boy, how I loved Gam-Gam in Venice: potato latkes and lemon tea.
I believe it was Lenny Bruce who came up with the line about being "Jew-ish." It would have predated Jonathan Miller by a few decades if I am correct.
Just to clarify, von Rezzori is not describing Jewish Americans here.
The 'raspberry-colored slacks' probably are Nantucket Reds so beloved by Trads, 'violently checkered clown jackets' quite accurately describes the impression a madras jacket might make on an slightly down-at-heel Old European, but I confess to being stumped by the 'snow-white moccasins': might these be white bucks?
What does any of this 'matter', buster?
What does it matter with what names renegade Jews came up for each other?
Last edited by zuckermandl (2010-07-13 14:21:09)
Get me the citation on Miller's quote then do the math.
Sorry, I'm no good at maths- I'm not in trade, after all. You do it.
By the way- is the 'teplitz' in your SN referring to the town in Bohemia, or is it just a coincidence?
My family comes from there too, although the 'von' means rather more than 'from', if you get my drift.
In other news, Tuli Kupferberg died yesterday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qxFByBFQiw
If you're not good at math why dispute the calculation.
This thread is, how should I say? Fool-ish.
Unsubscribe.
Anyway, I'm sure you've got all your hands full trying to find Trumper's 'toiletries' at a 'nice price'.
I wonder what attracted someone like you to this thread in the first place?
oh boy. wheres ckav?