PAGING THE LATE WILLIAM SAFIRE: You know the cliched closing line from standup comics: "Thank you! I'll be here all week! Try the veal! Don't forget to tip your waitresses!"
Here's what I couldn't help but wonder: why veal? Did this derive from some particular comic's routine? A particular venue's ability to prepare the meat of young calves? I'll take your best answers, whether well-researched or off the top of your head.
It probably comes from the old school Pocono resorts where stand up comedy has its roots. The shows were usually post dinner, and the comics were probably told to suggest items that weren't being selected off the pre-paid menus.
ReplyDeleteHow's that for off-the-top-of-my head bullcrap?
I wonder how tightly associated the "veal" line is to the rest of the cliche. Could it have been a latter-day addition, influenced by Bill Murray's line in Meatballs ("Attention. Here's an update on tonight's dinner. It was veal. I repeat, veal. The winner of tonight's mystery meat contest is Jeffrey Corbin who guessed 'some kind of beef.'")? I know I've associated "veal" with "funny" ever since.
ReplyDeleteProbably veal because it's a more expensive cut of meat and would profit the venue more?
ReplyDelete<span><span>I never felt veal was the only or most preferred option here, but it clearly is:
ReplyDeleteAn inexhaustive list of Google's results count for "all week try the []"
veal: 182000 </span></span>
<span><span>fish: 15200
roast beef: 5220
chicken: 5110 </span></span>
<span><span>steak: 2310
beef: 1540
salmon: 1180
prime rib: 929
pork: 387
tofu: 34
also:
waitresses: 1150
waitress: 740
waiters: 1
waiter: 1
also:
veil: 915
veel: 23</span></span>
Was veal seen as particularly exotic in the 1950s/60s?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea where it came from, but last Sunday night a friend actually used the line "We're here all week," as part of a conversation, which I of course immediately followed with "Try the veal," which then started us all wondering where exactly that came from. And then less than 48 hours later I see this thread. Life moves in mysterious ways, my friends.
ReplyDeleteI think that's pretty compelling top-of-the-head bullcrap, although I think of that as more a tradition of the Catskills "borscht belt" than the Poconos.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say that I always thought of it as more of a cruise ship thing, but then I realized: on a ship, you're damn right you're here all week. So another vote for Borscht Belt, et al.
ReplyDeleteI always assumed it came from the "Try the veal- the best in the city" line in "The Godfather," right before Michael shoots Solazzo and McCluskey.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with Adam C.'s contention that the "veal" part was a latter-day addition, but I'd trace that addition back to the first "Shrek," where Mike Myers uses the line. Up to that point, I had always heard comics use "chicken."
ReplyDeleteI have no better theories on the origin, but will agree with Adam that the line is a staple of the Borscht Belt comedy that originated in the Catskills, rather than the Poconos.
ReplyDeleteOf all the meats, veal may have the most inherently funny sounding name. Try the steak? Try the chicken? Try the veal? Veal has an internal rhythm that's looser and may just be funnier than any other menu item.
ReplyDeleteAdam, I always thought that line was "some kind of meat." Funnier my way?
ReplyDeleteI have friends who say this quite a bit, and it's veal for them. Also, they add, "pick her back up, ba dum bum" after tip your waitress.
ReplyDeleteFunnier, but not accurate! Still, you can come down and pick up your brand new Chrysler Cordoba at Morty's office.
ReplyDeleteAs a recognized expert in top-of-the-head bullcrap, as well as bullcrap likely or rightly associated with other areas of the anatomy, I am pleased to testify that Mr. Girard31's theory is entirely plausible. [add cite to Kumho Tire with leading authorities from this jurisdiction]
ReplyDeleteShrek certainly popularized it, but Tim Allen used "Try the veal" co-hosting the 1992 Emmys (and then in two 1990s books), so it didn't originate with Shrek. I don't see "try the chicken" and "here all week" being all that common.
ReplyDelete