# Blue People **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 3, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314 "2014-09-03T01:13:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/1 "2014-09-03T01:13:31Z")
[Obligatory link](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1272/is-there-really-a-race-of-blue-people) I think Cecil is a little too dismissive of the Ainu report. Back in my own days as an anthropology student several decades ago, I distinctly recall the Ainu described as having a bluish cast from their intricate tattoos. ---
**Author:** ![GOLD5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce7236/32.png) [@GOLD5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GOLD5)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/2 "2014-09-03T22:19:19Z")
Thanks for the interesting factoid articles. I just want to say that for one thing the Ainu people are definitely depicted as blue skinned in ancient Japanese paintings. [![](https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_aliens/watchers05_11.jpg) ](https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_aliens/watchers05_11.jpg) Like that one. Also, if you are sad and describe yourself as “feeling blue,” you are using a phrase coined from a custom among many old deepwater sailing ships. If the ship lost the captain or any of the officers during its voyage, she would fly blue flags and have a blue band painted along her entire hull when returning to home port. PS - I find that Cecil is often a bit rude in his condescension towards people who write in, Ill never write him, thats for sure… I hope I dont get called a stupid head for writing this post… ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/3 "2014-09-03T23:29:10Z")
> [@GOLD5](#): > > Also, if you are sad and describe yourself as “feeling blue,” you are using a phrase coined from a custom among many old deepwater sailing ships. If the ship lost the captain or any of the officers during its voyage, she would fly blue flags and have a blue band painted along her entire hull when returning to home port. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/4 "2014-09-04T02:52:18Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > Cite? It’s yet another theory from [Evan Morris](http://www.word-detective.com/)’ CANOE - the **Committee to Assign a Naval Origin to Everything**. Famous from such debacles as the Brass Monkey, Jump the Gun, Three Sheets in the Wind, The Whole Nine Yards and so many, many more. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/5 "2014-09-09T04:01:38Z")
Not mentioned, [argyria](http://www.sodahead.com/fun/colloidal-silver--do-you-take-it/question-3644081/) which can turn people bluish-grey. Not a race of people, but if someone can mention the Picts, I’m allowed to throw this one out. Also, there was that girl in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” who turned into a blueberry. And the Smurfs. How come nobody’s mentioned the Smurfs? And also, there’s the Smurfs. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/6 "2014-09-09T04:35:42Z")
> [@GOLD5](#): > > Thanks for the interesting factoid articles. I just want to say that for one thing the Ainu people are definitely depicted as blue skinned in ancient Japanese paintings. > > [http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes\_aliens/watchers05\_11.jpg](http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_aliens/watchers05_11.jpg) > > Like that one. I don’t think the person looks so much blue but rather just really white. ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/7 "2014-09-09T14:17:11Z")
> [@Vashbul](#): > > Not mentioned, [argyria](http://www.sodahead.com/fun/colloidal-silver--do-you-take-it/question-3644081/) which can turn people bluish-grey. Not a race of people, but if someone can mention the Picts, I’m allowed to throw this one out. > > Also, there was that girl in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” who turned into a blueberry. > > And the Smurfs. How come nobody’s mentioned the Smurfs? > > And also, there’s the Smurfs. And, of course, [Blue Man Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Man_Group). There are about 60 to 100 performers in Blue Man Group (they have shows all around the world, and multiple shows per day). I think that’s more than the number of Smurfs in the cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/8 "2014-09-09T14:48:17Z")
Um, I think the issue is real people who really are blue-tinted. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/9 "2014-09-09T15:50:39Z")
Nitrates in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia, particularly in infants. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/10 "2014-09-10T17:44:08Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > And, of course, [Blue Man Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Man_Group). There are about 60 to 100 performers in Blue Man Group (they have shows all around the world, and multiple shows per day). I think that’s more than the number of Smurfs in the cartoons. The number of Smurfs was originally 99, but then you add Baby Smurf, Grandpa Smurf, Smurfette, and Sassy and the total is 103. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/11 "2014-09-10T21:12:30Z")
Smurfette wasn’t one of the original 99 smurves? ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/12 "2014-09-10T23:21:05Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > The number of Smurfs was originally 99, but then you add Baby Smurf, Grandpa Smurf, Smurfette, and Sassy and the total is 103. > Powers &8^] I’m not buying that. According to Wikipedia, they all look alike. I have a feeling that many play multiple rolls just to double dip into that royalty pot they must get for all of the endorsement deals, etc… But, I guess you could make the same claim with Blue Man Group too. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-people/697314/13 "2014-09-17T14:20:22Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Smurfette wasn’t one of the original 99 smurves? That’s correct. Smurfette was a creation of Gargamel. Powers &8^]