The English language is infinitely flexible, providing multiple synonyms for almost every word. While that is helpful in most situations, it can also contribute to some confusing and embarrassing slips of the […]
One of the favorite sons of the state of Kansas is former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. He is admired for his service to the country and for his brilliant sense of humor. […]
While Abraham Lincoln was living in Springfield, Illinois, one of his neighbors looked out the window and saw a curious sight. The tall, lanky lawyer was walking down the street with his […]
Nicolas Ferrial, also known as Le Févrial or Triboulet (1479–1536), was one of the most celebrated jesters in history. He served two French kings: Louis XII and Francis I. He had all […]
Erma Bombeck (February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) started writing weekly newspaper columns in 1964 for $3 apiece. By the 1980s, she was one of the most popular columnists in the […]
Despite a hard-fought campaign and a narrow loss to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 Presidential election, Richard Nixon was able to maintain some sense of good humor. In congratulating the newly-inaugurated […]
President Ronald Reagan spent his entire political life warning against the dangers of ever-growing federal government. He once summed up his philosophy about government, saying, “Government is like a baby. An alimentary […]
No President understood the power of humor better than Abraham Lincoln. His longtime political opponent Stephen A. Douglas complained that Lincoln’s jokes were “like a slap across my back. Nothing else — […]
Weighing in at well over 300 pounds, President William Howard Taft was accustomed to being on the receiving end of many jabs about his girth. He also knew how to reply in […]
When Alex Mitchell laughed himself to death while watching a comedy skit, it was a tragedy, but it certainly was not the first time anyone died from a fatal case of belly […]
Senator Robert Dole, upon seeing a picture of former presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Richard Nixon lined up at an official event, pointed them out and identified them, in turn, as […]
Pope John XXIII (1881-1963) had an impatience for bureaucracy and a wonderful sense of humor. Sometimes these two qualities came together with memorable results. When asked how many people work at the […]
President Ronald Reagan devoted his presidency to combating an ever-growing and intrusive federal government. He recounted his days in the Army Air Force during World War II when he first faced the […]
“Our nation’s capital is really getting into the holiday spirit. Yesterday I saw Tip O’Neil with a beard and red suit, shimmying down the Washington Monument.” — Bob Hope Tip O’Neil, […]
President Abraham Lincoln liked to joke about the well-to-do background of his wife’s family. “The Todds spell their name with two d’s, which is pretty impressive, considering one d is good enough […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 