# I'm Not Getting all of these Lemony Snicket References **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 7, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545 "2005-01-07T12:16:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/1 "2005-01-07T12:16:33Z")
I’m a few pages into Book the Seventh right now. I’ve noticed a few times where Sunny will say a gibberish word that actually means something funny. “Armani” when she produced a few dozen neckties. “Akrofil” (“acrophile”) when talking about not being afraid of heights. But for every one reference that I get, there are two dozen that I don’t get. So, does every one of Sunny’s gibberish words mean something, or is Mr. Handler only throwing in a few to keep me guessing? Also, I know I’ve heard the words “Duncan and Isadora” in the same breath somewhere before. Perhaps characters in an opera? I’ve also heard “Bass and Remora” and “Jerome and Esmé” in the same breath, IIRC. Where do these come from? Any others I’m missing? Please indicate what book the reference is from, and use a spoiler box. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/2 "2005-01-07T12:40:46Z")
[Isadora Duncan](http://www.isadoraduncan.org) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/3 "2005-01-07T14:30:01Z")
My favorite Sunnyism is when asked what she saw in the mouth of the fish statue: “scheiss” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/4 "2005-01-07T14:31:27Z")
And I now apologize for lack of a spoiler box there…not sure what book it was from, but it’s not like I gave away the secret ending of book 8 where the Baudelaire parents are found alive. Oops! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/5 "2005-01-07T14:50:07Z")
> [@Max Carnage](#): > > My favorite Sunnyism is when asked what she saw in the mouth of the fish statue: “scheiss” I don’t get it. (“Scheiss” as in the German word for “Shit”?) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/6 "2005-01-07T14:50:38Z")
Well, Bass and Remora are both types of fish…I don’t recall those names coming up in the LS books though. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/7 "2005-01-07T14:55:38Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Well, Bass and Remora are both types of fish…I don’t recall those names coming up in the LS books though. Book the Fifth, _The Austere Academy_. Klaus’ teacher is Mrs. Bass, and Violet’s teacher is Mr. Remora. Or vice-versa. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/8 "2005-01-07T16:11:24Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > “Jerome and Esmé” in the same breath, IIRC. Where do these come from? Daniel Handler took the name Esme Squalor (from _The Ersatz Elevator_) from J.D. Salinger’s “To Esme With Love and Squalor” in [Nine Stories](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316769509/qid=1105114593/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9840503-4369438?v=glance&s=books). J.D. Salinger’s first name is Jerome. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/9 "2005-01-07T16:13:02Z")
Let me clarify - he took the name “Esme Squalor” from the _title_ of J.D. Salinger’s “To Esme With Love and Squalor.” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/10 "2005-01-07T17:46:00Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I don’t get it. (“Scheiss” as in the German word for “Shit”?) :eek: Exactly. They were looking for pages to a book. Violet held Sunny up to the statue to look inside. After Sunny reported her findings, Violet told Klaus “Sunny says she didn’t find anything.” ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/11 "2005-01-07T18:03:22Z")
Sunny also says merd at some point. I can’t remember where. Sometimes she says things in Japanese or Spanish. A lot of times they’re spelled so funny that you really won’t notice it’s a word unless you say it out loud. I’m pretty sure that a lot of times they are just gibberish too. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/12 "2005-01-07T18:08:41Z")
I seem to recall Sunny participating in a discussion of something unethical, in which she came out with “bushcheney”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/13 "2005-01-07T18:17:55Z")
> [@Necros](#): > > I seem to recall Sunny participating in a discussion of something unethical, in which she came out with “bushcheney”. 😃 I think it was in The Grim Grotto, where it was translated something like “You are an evil person with no regard for anyone but yourself.” Dang, now I’m going to have to go look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/14 "2005-01-07T18:19:57Z")
> [@Bren\_Cameron](#): > > I think it was in The Grim Grotto, where it was translated something like “You are an evil person with no regard for anyone but yourself.” > > Dang, now I’m going to have to go look it up. Excuse me, I meant the Slippery Slope. And I’m still going to have to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/15 "2005-01-07T18:21:31Z")
Found it! And by complete luck, too. The Slippery Slope, p 107 of my paperback edition. > [@](#): > > “Busheny,” Sunny said, which meant something along the lines of, “You’re an evil man with no concert whatsoever for other people.” ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/16 "2005-01-07T18:24:22Z")
Yup, that’s the one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/17 "2005-01-07T19:14:55Z")
The first time I caught onto Sunny’s words-but-not-really-words was when the orphans were discussing how to heal…something… (Hostile Hospital?) and Sunny came out with “echinacea!” which Mr. Snicket kindly transcribed as “Or well-regarded herbal remedies!” ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/18 "2005-01-07T19:34:15Z")
I hate to hijack but hey… I just got done listening to the “Grim Grotto” on audiotape. On the other (regular books) I remember there being a little snippet at the end saying something like at the book one : [spoiler]To My Kind Editor; I am writing to you from the London branch of the Herpetological Society, where I am trying to find out what happened to the reptile collection of Dr. Montgomery Montgomery following the tragic events that occurred while the Baudelaire orphans were in his care. An associate of mine will place a small waterproof box in the phone booth of the Elektra Hotel at 11 P.M. next Tuesday. Please retrieve it before Midnight to avoid it falling into the wrong hands. In the box you will find my description of these terrible events, entitled THE REPTILE ROOM, as well as a map of Lousy Lane, a copy of the film Zombies in the Snow., and Dr. Montgomery’s recipe for coconut cream cake. I have also managed to track down one of the few photographs of Dr. Lucafont, In order to help Mr. Helquist with his illustrations. Remember, you are my last hope that the tales of the Baudelaire orphans can finally be told to the general public. ``` With all due respect, Lemony Snicket ``` [/spoiler] Was there something like that at the end of book the eleventh? ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/19 "2005-01-07T19:57:00Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I hate to hijack but hey… > > Was there something like that at the end of book the eleventh? Several pages of something. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545/20 "2005-01-07T20:23:37Z")
> [@Bren\_Cameron](#): > > Several pages of something. And very incoherent, to me at least. I’ve always been able to find the title of the next book in the end of the previous. But not from the Grim Grotto. Also, Esmé Squalor’s full name is Esmé Gigi Genevieve Squalor. E.G.G.S.actly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-getting-all-of-these-lemony-snicket-references/283545.md?page=2)