# Old (1940s) product with a blue jay on the container? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443 "2019-01-09T03:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/1 "2019-01-09T03:46:22Z")
I’m listening to the Feb 5, 1946 radio episode of “Fibber McGee and Molly” and they made a joke a didn’t understand. Doc Gamble says something like: “I wouldn’t recommend strapping anything on your feet that doesn’t have a blue jay on the container.” Does anyone have an idea what product this might be? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/2 "2019-01-09T03:54:24Z")
There’s a Bluejay cigar that came in a can with a bird on it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/3 "2019-01-09T03:56:09Z")
[Old ads for Blue Jay](https://www.ebay.ie/sch/sis.html?_itemId=171345112749&_nkw=1941+Bauer+Black+Blue+Jay+Foot+Talc+Moleskin+Protect+O+Pads+Foot+Products+Ad&_mPrRngCbx=1) corn pads and other foot products. Nothing that can be “strapped on”, though. Amazon-[Blue Jay Leg Lifter](https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Jay-Adjusted-Manually-Reinforced/dp/B01N5HIJ0F) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/4 "2019-01-09T03:58:51Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Old ads for Blue Jay](https://www.ebay.ie/sch/sis.html?_itemId=171345112749&_nkw=1941+Bauer+Black+Blue+Jay+Foot+Talc+Moleskin+Protect+O+Pads+Foot+Products+Ad&_mPrRngCbx=1) corn pads and other foot products. Nothing that can be “strapped on”, though. That’s got to be it, thanks. He just used the term “strapped on” because the original topic was ice skates. I.e., “your body is in such bad shape that you’re better off putting on a pair of corn plasters instead of ice skates”. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/5 "2019-09-20T03:40:14Z")
I just listened to the March 18, 1947 episode of “Fibber McGee and Molly” and they made another joke about Blue Jay corn plasters (specifically mentioning corn plasters this time). This time it was Wallace Wimple going to the drug store to birdwatch on a rainy day, looking at the blue jays in the corn plaster aisle. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/6 "2019-09-20T04:53:23Z")
Did these episodes include commercials? Sounds like that was one of their sponsors (old radio shows had no shame when it came to incorporating sponsor mentions into their scripts). ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/7 "2019-09-20T07:28:42Z")
heh a lot of shows on early tv and radio were basically infomercials to the point of the sponsors would send the writers outlines with what products would be used/mentioned in the show and the writers would fill in the blanks … ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/8 "2019-09-20T11:14:40Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > heh a lot of shows on early tv and radio were basically infomercials to the point of the sponsors would send the writers outlines with what products would be used/mentioned in the show and the writers would fill in the blanks … Not really. Most radio shows had a single sponsor. An ad for that product would often be integrated into the story, but as an ad, with the announcer doing a spiel (“Let me have another cup of Maxwell House coffee, Gracie.” “Of course. It’s always good to the last drop.” “That’s because Maxwell House only uses the finest coffee beans.” ) TV added an alternate sponsor. The would be three commercial breaks; one sponsor would get two of them one week and one the next as the two sponsors alternated the number of slots. It wasn’t until the late 50s that the networks switched to a “magazine” concept, where they sold individual ads during a show. More money for them. The didn’t allow ads during the show because that might conflict with the ads they sold. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/9 "2019-09-20T11:44:47Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Did these episodes include commercials? Sounds like that was one of their sponsors (old radio shows had no shame when it came to incorporating sponsor mentions into their scripts). The official name of the radio program is “The Johnson Wax Program, starring Fibber McGee and Molly”. There’s a Johnson Wax commercial (including Johnson’s Glo-Coat, Johnson’s Car-Nu, Johnson’s Cream Wax, etc.) at the beginning, middle and end of each episode. The commercial in the middle is weaved into the plot of the episode (and they usually make jokes about how awkwardly it’s weaved in, as well). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/10 "2019-09-20T19:49:11Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Did these episodes include commercials? Sounds like that was one of their sponsors (old radio shows had no shame when it came to incorporating sponsor mentions into their scripts). Do you think it’s any different now? Look up ‘product placement’ in movies. Or just look at some movie plot points. _ET_ and Reeses Peanut Butter, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/11 "2019-09-20T21:50:47Z")
[Shoes.](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VTG-1940s-Childrens-Shoes-2-Tone-Oxfords-Blue-Jay-Juniors-SZ-1-Used-Great-Box/362593866587) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/12 "2019-09-21T02:31:51Z")
Guess I’m the only one who remembers this jingle: ♪♫ ♪♫ If you’ve got corns, callouses, bunions or sore feet Corns, callouses, bunions or sore feet Blue Jay brings you fast relief, fast relief, fast relief From corns, callouses, bunions or sore feet! ♪♫ ♪♫ It aired on Nashville and Chattanooga TV stations through the mid - 80’s. Can’t find an audio link. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/13 "2019-09-21T03:03:16Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > Do you think it’s any different now? > > Look up ‘product placement’ in movies. Or just look at some movie plot points. _ET_ and Reeses Peanut Butter, for example. Product placement in movies was rare in the 40s. It was strongly condemned by critics and by filmmakers, who both looked own on it and also had the studio to deal with finances. In radio, any reference to a brand name (other than the sponsor) was something that came up in the writers’ room, without any payment or product placement. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-1940s-product-with-a-blue-jay-on-the-container/827443/14 "2019-09-21T12:19:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > In radio, any reference to a brand name (other than the sponsor) was something that came up in the writers’ room, without any payment or product placement. For instance, with Molly’s (drunk) uncle Dennis, they made lots of jokes related to brands of alcohol. -Uncle Dennis’s favourite colours? [Black & White](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_%26_White_(whisky)) –Uncle Dennis was a great supporter of higher education. He always had a fondness for [Teachers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher's_Highland_Cream). -When Uncle Dennis went missing, they used a bird dog to track him down because he was full of [Old Crow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Crow) when he flew the coop.