Reference in a Wapo article says that Martha Raye made an “unprintable” comment upon first seeing a Ford Edsel. I can’t find any reference to it but I’m curious. Anybody know?
Don’t know about Martha Raye, but I saw an old Perry Mason episode a couple days ago, where someone drives up in an Edsel. No one was giggling or making unprintable comments.
It’s in the book according to the review. There’s a preview on Amazon but I didn’t notice any mention of Raye.
The book is It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time by Bruce Villanch.
p. 121. The quote is “cunt with headlights.”
Yes, I have the book.
Thanks. Interestingly enough, I thought that might be the realm of the comment. I’m old enough to remember the car and the look of it from the front. I told my wife it would turn out to be something like that
Much was made of the fact that the Edsel grille resembled a vagina. I doubt that it originated with Martha Raye.
As much as automobile styling changes with time and what was once considered stylish looks dated or even ugly today, the look of the Edsel was just bizarre in a timeless sort of way, making you wonder “what were they thinking?”. It’s not the only reason it was a flop, but it sure didn’t help.
Speaking of which, incidentally, there’s a building in San Diego that was designed as a kind of slim oval shape. Bill Maher couldn’t resist showing a picture of their emergency fire exit poster:
Holy crap, there’s an answer to everything on the Dope.
Visual aid.
Argghhh!!! I repeat, what were they thinking when they designed this montrosity? It looks especially horrifying in fire engine red!
It’s not that the styling is obsolete, it’s that it’s objectively F-ugly. Here, for instance, is a 1959 Mercedes 200S from exactly that era. Still looks fine.
Although less scatological than Raye’s comments, the Edsel description “Like an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon” is better.
I remember another common comment comparing it to a toilet seat.
First thing I thought was “The Scream”.
Me too.
What I remember being used for comparison was a horse collar. Of course that dates to a time when many people knew what horse collars looked like.
“Horse collar” is what I remember most. And the Edsel collectors are a fun bunch. About 25 years ago a car show (the one featuring Dennis with the big mustache) attended an Edsel convention. I thought it was funny that every owner claimed his car was worth some Big Bucks 
like $20,000 at the time but they all bought their cars for like $1800.
They’re collectable now, but I remember when they could be picked up for almost nothing. In good shiny condition they were ok, but with a few dents and rocker panel rust, they were just another stupid looking old car.
Here’s a convertible version of a slightly different model – a 1959 Mercedes 220S Cabriolet.
Think about it. In 1959 Ford’s idea of a terrific car was that monstrosity in the picture. Meanwhile, in exactly the same year, the Germans were producing this:
An Edsel with the high beams on was a hot item.
Yeah, that Mercedes is like a classic Chanel suit or a London Fog trench coat. It will always be beautiful and will never go out of style.
OTOH that car is so classy that if I owned it, before I could drive it, I’d have to have a complete wardrobe and hair makeover and possibly a facelift. It way outclasses me. 
Well, get your face on, I can’t wait here forever! 
(Sorry, the Cabriolet is in the shop today.)
