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Firesign Theatre Lexicon [U-V-W]




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This article is from the Firesign Theatre: Lexicon FAQ, by Niles D. Ritter ritter@earthlink.net with numerous contributions by others.

Firesign Theatre Lexicon [U-V-W]

[U]
---

UNDERHILL: Susan Underhill -- Another of {NANCY}'s last names.

[V]
---

VIOLET DUDLEY: An American ingenue in {HEMLOCK STONES}.

[W]
---

WALL OF SCIENCE: Another ride in the {FUTURE FAIR}, describing the
evolution of the universe. "Man, woman, child, ALL are up against the
WALL OF SCIENCE".

Joes Hanes writes:

..an incisive parody of the 60's high school science films. The
recounting of the history of life makes many allusions to real
paleontology, e.g,

"... sand dollar, which shrank to almost nothing at the bottom of the
pool" refers to the fossil ancestors of all present day sand dollars,
which apparently escaped a mass extinction by virtue of their extremely
small size.

" ... in the late Devouring period, fish became obnoxious" In the real
late Devonian, fish became ubiquitous.

WDTPBLHEITA: Why Does The Porridge Bird Lay His {EGGS}s In The Air?
This question was asked by the character P in {ITWABOTB}, first directly
to the {PRESIDENT}, who broke, and then to {DOCTOR MEMORY},who became
confused, and shut down the whole {FUTURE FAIR}. Dr. Memory kept
getting the question wrong, for example:

"White dust 'n' perished birds leaves its hex in the air?" Nooo.
"Wise doves 'n' parish bards lazy leg in the Eire?" Nooo.
"Wise-ass the poor-rich Barney laser's edge in the fair?"

This question was posed to {EVERYMAN} by the Leprechauns, although
{BOB BUNNY} reported that he found it written on the Great Wall of Mars.
{BOB BUNNY} asked this question of {HIDEO GUMP}, Jr, during a segment
of {YOUNG GUY}, Motor Detective. Young Guy promised to answer the
question tomorrow!

Reports also indicate that in the record "Eat or Be Eaten", Laura asks
{PLAYER} the question at the end of the record, to which Player
replies, "Aw, that's the old Leprechaun scam... that's EASY!"

An FT fan writes:

This is definitely a classical reference, which I've been racking my
brains for, but can't remember. It seems to me that some Greek or
Roman historian (Herodotus?) describes a bird which does indeed lay its
eggs in the air, with the obvious unfortunate result...

WHIZ: See {BEAR WHIZ BEER}

WORDSWORTH: William Wordsworth, the poet. One of his poems is
referenced in {DWARF} "Intimations Ode" (also known as the
"Immortality Ode"), from stanza V, where he writes:

Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
*But trailing clouds of glory do we come*
From God, who is our home . . .

Let's Eat!

 

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