# Mrs. Chief: Whadda Maroon\*! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369 "2007-12-17T19:16:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/1 "2007-12-17T19:16:15Z")
Or “The Obliviousness of My Wife Never Ceases to Amaze Me” Often during the Christmas season, my wife likes to sit down with Li’l Chief and me to watch one of her Christmas DVDs. By now we know 'em all by heart, but it’s a “family thing” in the “spirit of the season,” so’s Li’l Chief and I normally give her a pass and settle in for an evening of cracking on Capt. Pikkard as Scrooge or Burl Ives as the funkadelic snowman. Last night my wife says we’ll be watching Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. No sweat, thinks I. “I love Mr. Magoo,” my wife asserts, “He’s _so_ funny! He’s one of my favorite cartoon characters.” We get past the lame, circa 1960’s opening number and Mr. Magoo enters a restaurant mistakenly thinking it’s the stage entrance. My wife asks, “Why do they show a sign for restaurant when Mr. Magoo is reading a sign aloud that says ‘Stage Door Entrance’?” \ “He’s blind, mom. It’s a joke,” my son explains using a tone of voice usually reserved for addressing the mentally handicapped. “No, he isn’t,” my wife says, not wanting to have her leg pulled yet again by the ChiefScott and Li’l Chief Comedy Troupe. You have _got_ to be shitting me! Li’l Chief looks at me, and with just a glance tells me to do _something_ with my wife. “Dear,” says I, “Mr. Magoo can hardly see. His poor eyesight is the basis for just about \*every single \* joke in a Mr. Magoo cartoon.” “Really? I never noticed before.” “How could you not notice?!! Do you remember the beginning of every Mr. Magoo cartoon when he’s driving his old-fashioned car?” “Yes.” “Where was he driving?” “In traffic and up on a building being built.” “Did you think that was funny?” “Yes.” “Why?” “I don’t know.” “_I_ thought it was funny because his eyesight was so bad that he didn’t know he was causing traffic jams, didn’t know he was driving on telephone wires, didn’t know that he’d driven onto a beam being carried up to a building under construction and all the while he was oblivious to the danger he was in!” I explained. “Oh. I never got that. So he can’t see too good, huh? Let’s watch the movie now.” How in the Hell, can Mr. Magoo be one of your most favorite cartoon characters and you not know that he’s as blind as a bat! My son and I were kee-rackin’ up! And he did me proud by piling on: “Hey, mom? Didja ever notice that whatever the coyote sets up to catch the roadrunner backfires on him?” “Hey, sweetie? Didja ever notice that Elmer Fudd never caught that wascally wabbit?” Whadda hoot! Anyhow, we eventually settle down and begin to leave her alone. After the four ghosts had visited him and Scrooge becomes a new man, he grabs a bag of coins and gets ready to leave his house in his nightshirt. He then says something to the effect that he’d forgotten to get dressed. He returns to his room, then reappears still dressed in his nightgown but now wearing a top hat! He stops at a bust of a Scooge forefather who’s also wearing a top hat and mutters (Jim Baccus was great at the muttering) “Ah, yes. That’ll do.” Mrs. Chief then says, “Oh, I get it. He thinks he’s looking in a mirror.” Not much gets past that wife of mine… \*Note about the use of the word ‘maroon’ in the thread title in case **Contrapuntal** peeks in. ‘Maroon’ is not used in it’s defined sense of a reddish-hued color or a person who is marooned, but in its “Looney Toon” sense of a moron. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/2 "2007-12-17T19:34:58Z")
Apparently your wife never read [this little volume,](http://www.amazon.com/Nearsighted-Mr-Magoo-Henry-Saperstein/dp/B000JCQ3TG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197919534&sr=1-3) whose title capitalizes on Magoo’s nearsighted nature. I had a couple of Magoo books, and the cartoons make the nature of his problem obvious. One I remember features a furniture store called “Decorator’s Showcase”. Our man Quincy sounds out the name as “Doctor Showkasser”, enters, lies down on one of the couches that are for sale, and mentions a neurosis or two to the salesman (whom Magoo mistakenly believes to be a psychiatrist!), who of course looks at our hero in confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/3 "2007-12-17T19:39:17Z")
Damn, that’s funny! I was _so_ hoping for the pile-on, and you and the wee bairn did not disappoint. Mind if I share it with my wife, just to let her know there’s a bigger jerk of a husband out there than hers? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/4 "2007-12-17T20:09:10Z")
My girlfriend was up late the other night and saw a show that she thought was a hilarious reality show. She told me about it and said that we should watch it when we have her 16 year old son staying with us for the last couple weeks of the year. When we got ready to watch it we saw that it was _Reno 911_. She thought it was real! We have been giving her endless shit about it. “There’s this really great documentary called _Desperate Housewives_ that you’ll love.” and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/5 "2007-12-17T20:16:55Z")
I once had a co-worker whose favorite song was Elton John’s “[Candle in the Wind](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/elton+john/candle+in+the+wind_20046284.html).” One day he was waxing eloquent about the song, and I made some comment about Marilyn Monroe, and he was confused. Further conversation revealed that he was _totally unaware_ the song was about Marilyn Monroe, despite the clearly-enunciated lyrics, including “sees you as something…more than just our Marilyn Monroe,” which you’d think would be a hint. I totally would understand the average listener not realizing what the song was about…_unless_ you were obsessed with the song. _Then_ it’s pretty bizarre. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/6 "2007-12-17T20:25:02Z")
Mr. Magoo is blind? Next you’ll be telling me that Clark Kent is really Superman! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/7 "2007-12-17T20:35:46Z")
Just for the record, someone has to point out that they call him “The Nearsighted Mr. Magoo” because he’s not Blind, but Nearsighted. (Says the myopic-himself CalMeacham) The humor doesn’t come from his being blind, or even from being nearsighted. It comes from his being stubborn. He refuses to admit that he’s got a problem, and insists on behaving as if he sees normally, which results in his ad-libbing and fooling even hiomself about what he imagines he sees. And, as I’ve noted before, although I grew up on Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol, the Mr. Magoo Classics of Literature, and the syndicated TV cartoons, Mr Magoo made his name with a decade’s worth of theatrical cartoons, aklmost none of which I’ve seen. I’ll bet that, despuite your wife’s saying he’s her favorite characte, she hasn’t seen them either. They DON’T begin with Magoo driving his car around on railroad tracks, telwephone wrires, and the wrong way in traffic – those are alll made-for-TV cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/8 "2007-12-17T20:43:19Z")
I’m with ya, **Chief**. The other night my husband and I were at a hockey game and one of the linesmen was introduced as [first name] Magoo. I started reflexively giggling, but no one - including my husband understood the cause of my amusement. After reading your post I’m glad I didn’t try to explain. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/9 "2007-12-17T21:13:48Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Woo] I’m with ya, **Chief**. The other night my husband and I were at a hockey game and one of the linesmen was introduced as [first name] Magoo. I started reflexively giggling, but no one - including my husband understood the cause of my amusement. After reading your post I’m glad I didn’t try to explain. [/QUOTE] McGeough - a homonym though. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/10 "2007-12-17T21:24:53Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Damn, that’s funny! I was _so_ hoping for the pile-on, and you and the wee bairn did not disappoint. Mind if I share it with my wife, just to let her know there’s a bigger jerk of a husband out there than hers? [/QUOTE] +1 - **Chief** , I completely get your point, but if I tried that when my wife did something boneheaded, I can’t even imagine the trouble I would get into - deservedly, from my point of view. I may get Mr. Magoo, but my grasp of the obvious is not always as tight as I’d like and I wouldn’t want to get nailed on it by my family… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/11 "2007-12-17T21:39:54Z")
Yeah, Word Man. My brain farts are fair game for jocularity. But giggle at one of my wife’s slips of the mind and it’s Go Time! for her. Oof. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/12 "2007-12-17T23:13:27Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] McGeough - a homonym though. [/QUOTE] I would think that his sexual orientation is irrelevant. I do hear that he is a Mick, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/13 "2007-12-18T00:45:10Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Woo] I’m with ya, **Chief**. The other night my husband and I were at a hockey game and one of the linesmen was introduced as [first name] Magoo. I started reflexively giggling, but no one - including my husband understood the cause of my amusement. After reading your post I’m glad I didn’t try to explain. [/QUOTE] That would be Mick McGeough. I have on occasion questioned his eyesight. I have nothing else to add to the thread, but thought the OP was hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/14 "2007-12-18T04:35:01Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] “Hey, sweetie? Didja ever notice that Elmer Fudd never caught that wascally wabbit?” [/QUOTE] Did too. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/15 "2007-12-18T12:45:03Z")
Did Tiny Tim ever get is razzleberry dressing? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/16 "2007-12-18T12:56:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Did Tiny Tim ever get is razzleberry dressing? Of course he did. Near the end he’s got it smeared all over his face. Dontcha recall? ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/17 "2007-12-18T19:55:40Z")
That razzleberry song (sung by the entire Cratchit Clan) sucked too. I remember as a kid thinking what a razzleberry was. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Thalia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba8739/32.png) [@Northern\_Thalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Thalia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mrs-chief-whadda-maroon/430369/18 "2007-12-18T20:24:44Z")
I just had a moment like that myself. My boyfriend, a friend and I were talking about [Polkaroo from the Polka Dot Door](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polka_Dot_Door) . When someone constantly misses someone, or misses out on something, I often say, “He’s/It’s her Polkaroo!”. So I made that comment, and then we started (naturally) discussing the Polka Dot Door. The premise is that there are two hosts, and whenever Polkaroo comes, one of the hosts had to go somewhere, and always misses him. I _thought_ that this was just a part of Polkaroo’s mystery and charm. Until the laughter started. Boyfriend: Wait… wait, you can’t be serious??? Me: What? It’s a part of Polkaroo’s charm! His one on one time with the host… WHAT!!! Boyfriend: The missing host IS Polkaroo. Me: ???..NOOOOOOO… Followed by much laughter.