Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 06:57:25 -0800

From: SETH SKLAREY crissiet[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IX.NETCOM.COM

Subject: Re: Straight Wo/Man First?



Maybe the rule is that the straight-man is listed first?





Which Smothers Brother is said first?



Oops, it's Tommy.







Martin and Lewis

Abbott & Costello

or is it the other way around?

Laurel & Hardy





and how about those classics:



Gallagher & Shean (Sheen?)

Gilbert & Sullivan

and the classic Groucho Marx law firm of

Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger & McCormick



and the slogans:

Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!

wing and a prayer

praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

the lame & the halt

hops, rice and best barley malt



And, what is the politically correct name for the "straight man" in a

lesbian comedy team?





SETH SKLAREY

Wittgenstein School of the Unwritten Word

Coconut Grove, FLorida

crissiet[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ix.netcom.com



======================

I suppose the traditional male dominance or "power" factor is responsible

for the fixed order of

Fibber McGee and Molly

George Burns and Gracie Allen

though when duos like this are announced on stage, typically the master of

ceremonies gives greater prosodic prominence to the second of the two.



Rudy

--Rudy Troike (rtroike[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ccit.arizona.edu)