Radio Hall of Fame 450225

DavidinBerkeley · Joined: Aug 10, 2009 Posts: 107

Another joke I don't understand

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Ed ("Archie") Gardner invites Frances Langford to visit Duffy's Tavern on Friday nights.

EG: ...that's USO night... We decorate the joint to give it that Army flavor.

FL: You mean you hang banners on the walls?

EG: No we just put MP vans around the cuspidors.

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I only understand that a cuspidor is a spitoon, and MP is "military police".

edronuk · Joined: Oct 23, 2006 Posts: 45

USO is an organisation that gives moral support and recreation to servicemen.
During WWII it was the G I's "home from Home" It also provided live shows e.g. Bob Hope and other big stars, some times in the fighting zones.

It is a private non-profit organization so USO nights would raise funds.

To give an authentic military atmosphere Duffy's had Military Police(MP's) stationed around the spittoons. (cuspidors).

DavidinBerkeley · Joined: Aug 10, 2009 Posts: 107

edronuk wrote:

To give an authentic military atmosphere Duffy's had Military Police(MP's) stationed around the spittoons. (cuspidors).

Well, yes, I did get this far in understanding it, but there does still seem to be some element I'm missing to get the joke as clearly as the audience did.

Rupert · Joined: Aug 27, 2005 Posts: 7284 Location: Charlotte, NC

I think that they are saying that they put "MP Bands" around the cuspidors (not "vans"). I think what they mean is that MP armbands are being put on the spittoons to show the enlisted man's contempt.

harleyrider · Joined: Aug 27, 2005 Posts: 13353 Location: Big Sky Country

I believe Rupert got it right Laughing