# Danny Kaye was a freaking genius **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947 "2007-04-13T13:44:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/41 "2007-04-14T11:05:47Z")
[QUOTE=pinkfreud] The brief clip to which I linked doesn’t include those lyrics, but the full song does. Be a tree, be a sled, Be a purple spool of thread. Be a storm, a piece of lace, A subway train, an empty space. For another shot at listening to the clip, it’s the fourth track [here](http://www.samgoody.com/Kid-From-Brooklyn-Front-Page_stcVVproductId2987411VVcatId463278VVviewprod.htm). [/QUOTE] Thank you, thank you! I’ve been trying to fiind out the name of that piece for YEARS! ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/42 "2007-04-14T12:51:33Z")
[QUOTE=Will Repair] I had his LPs! [/QUOTE] Broke into his house, eh? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/43 "2007-04-14T14:06:46Z")
[QUOTE=RandMcnally] I also heard that he never once read a book. He just always stared the book down and demanded it give its information to him. [/QUOTE] He also taught Chuck Norris everything that Chuck knows, but not everything that Danny knew. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/44 "2007-04-16T15:16:46Z")
[QUOTE=BMalion] Broke into his house, eh? [/QUOTE] 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/45 "2007-04-16T15:41:18Z")
[QUOTE=rowrrbazzle] Ellison was not pleased with the casting. [Ellison Webderland: Harlan Talks About Writing 'Paladin'](http://harlanellison.com/iwrite/aboutpal.htm) [/QUOTE] Harlan Ellison is a complete schmuck. If he wrote, starred in, directed, produced and scored an adaptation of his own work he would complain that craft services ruined the production. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947/46 "2007-04-16T19:04:59Z")
Good timing - I was just watching **The Court Jester** yesterday. My favorite bit isn’t the well-known “vessel with the pestle”, but rather the other great tongue twister in the film about the Italian court: _The Duchess dove at the Duke just when the Duke dove at the Douge. Now the Duke ducked, the Douge dodged, and the Duchess didn’t. So the Duke got the Duchess, the Duchess got the Douge, and the Douge got the Duke!_ Puts me in hysterics every viewing. What a talent that man was. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danny-kaye-was-a-freaking-genius/399947.md?page=2)