# Lawrence of Arabia was NOT Arabian **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616 "2013-01-09T11:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/21 "2013-01-09T16:32:04Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > We really think this concept is funny enough to support a second spoof thread? We’re having a 2-for-1 special on spoof threads today. Hence the Immaculate Conception fiasco. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/22 "2013-01-09T16:37:02Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > We’re having a 2-for-1 special on spoof threads today. Hence the Immaculate Conception fiasco. Hey, I’m going to report you hijacking this thread! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/23 "2013-01-09T16:40:41Z")
Y’know that “No Prisoners!” massacre-scene near the end of the movie, that Lawrence was supposed to be so ashamed of afterwards, and so disgusts the photojournalist who is following him? I never got that. In context, I found myself very glad that not a single one of those Turkish soldiers lived to see the sun go down that day; they had just massacred a whole village of civilians. And how are guerrilla-irregulars supposed to take prisoners anyway? Better to send them to Hell with Lieutenant Calley than let them just walk home. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/24 "2013-01-09T16:48:34Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Well he did in the white pajamas and hood thing. Most Arabs have blue eyes don’t they? Well, he wasn’t exactly passing for Arab . . . I remember when he’s arrested and brought to the Turkish officer (who apparently is predatory-gay), who asks, “You’re very fair. Are you [Circassian?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adyghe_people)” “Yes, Effendi.” The Ottomans had a huge multinational empire with a lot of fair-skinned blue-eyed peoples in it, no surprise to find one such wandering around in Arabia. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/25 "2013-01-09T17:32:40Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > We really think this concept is funny enough to support a second spoof thread? On to dumb: ask us! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/26 "2013-01-09T17:58:13Z")
> [@digs](#): > > In the village my grandparents came from, the O’Toole family never failed to point out that the name (“Of The Tool”) referred to the patriarch of their family being one of the first to be conceived by artificial insemination. Back then, I’m sure it was just a turkey baster, but that didn’t stop them from bragging. I guess they felt that meant they were ahead tech-wise since Ye Olden Dayes. Would that make it an immaculate cxonception? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/27 "2013-01-09T18:01:22Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > After all, in Arabia he was legally obliged to be Sober. It’s my understanding he was into Prison Sex. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/28 "2013-01-09T18:19:15Z")
It’s a reference to his horse – an _Arabian_ Stallion. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/29 "2013-01-09T18:20:42Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Groucho Marx once commented on Peter O’Toole’s name being redundant. It’s a stage name. His real name was Rod O’Steele. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/30 "2013-01-09T18:23:11Z")
You guys are missing the real issue here. It’s not Peter O’Toole. It’s Alec Guinness playing Faisal. As everyone knows Guinness was not an Arab. He was a Jedi. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/31 "2013-01-09T18:25:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s a stage name. His real name was Rod O’Steele. Ah. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/32 "2013-01-09T18:46:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You guys are missing the real issue here. It’s not Peter O’Toole. It’s Alec Guinness playing Faisal. As everyone knows Guinness was not an Arab. He was a Jedi. He was a spy for the Circus. And a damn good one. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/33 "2013-01-09T20:08:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You guys are missing the real issue here. It’s not Peter O’Toole. It’s Alec Guinness playing Faisal. As everyone knows Guinness was not an Arab. He was a Jedi. Who is the bigger fool? The fool, or the fool who follows O’Toole? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/34 "2013-01-09T20:11:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s a stage name. His real name was Rod O’Steele. Known for the film: _Lawrence Does Arabia._ ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/35 "2013-01-09T20:14:13Z")
I can see the confustion, though, Lawrence being such a common name in Arabia. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/36 "2013-01-09T22:41:53Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > I can see the confustion, though, Lawrence being such a common name in Arabia. In Arabic: _Alla’ah Rensah_, which translates as “God’s Bitch”. I thought this place _fought_ ignorance. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/37 "2013-01-10T01:52:20Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Hurray! Another stupid fucking ass thread in the pit. Odd how you’re in every single one of them, innit? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/38 "2013-01-10T03:41:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Known for the film: _Lawrence Does Arabia._ _Lots_ of anal in that one. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/39 "2013-01-10T05:04:50Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > It’s my understanding he was into Prison Sex. He cultivated that kink hiring a Hooker with a Penis. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616/40 "2013-01-10T05:14:31Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Hurray! Another stupid fucking ass thread in the pit. Please sir, what is an “ass thread”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawrence-of-arabia-was-not-arabian/646616.md?page=3)