# Origin of the Danny Kaye "glass coffee table" story? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642 "2012-03-23T21:46:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/1 "2012-03-23T21:46:05Z")
If this has been answered before, it defied my ability to search it out, so please bear with me if this has already been addressed by the Teeming Millions. (Also, please forgive me in advance for what must truly be a deplorable question to some.) What is the origin of the infamous Danny Kaye “glass coffee table” story? As I always heard it, there was a rumor afoot about Kaye during his heyday, that he enjoyed watching women… er, defecate onto the top of a glass-topped table as he laid underneath it. As with any story of its type, it is probably not based in any kind of truth, but I wonder about the circumstances of such a trope, and how it would have gotten around so widely in the pre-internet days. A cursory Google search gives us a few random pages of people repeating their knowledge of the rumor, but nothing concrete, and certainly nothing that says where the story might have originated. Is there any kind of evidence that this rumor was even partially true? Or is it, like many Hollywood stories, based entirely on rampant speculation that got out of control? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/2 "2012-03-23T22:03:41Z")
I have no idea but I think you mean Danny Thomas. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/3 "2012-03-23T22:17:34Z")
I first heard this story applied to Sylvester Stallone. I have since heard it in connection with various other celebrities. It doesn’t appear in the Celebrity Sex category on Snopes, but it certainly seems like one of those stories that gets applied to the celebrity du jour. I have to say that I was surprised to see Danny Kaye referenced in the OP, but I’m not sure Danny Thomas makes any more sense. No idea about the origin, but it’s certainly possible that someone, at some time, engaged in this behavior, and then the story developed a life of its own. As far as these types of stories spreading pre-internet, Snope has the story of wild rumors about [Clara Bow](http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/clarabow.asp) in the 1920’s. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/4 "2012-03-23T22:56:24Z")
I’ve only heard of it regarding Danny Thomas. I can’t find any real hits on Kaye but plenty on Thomas. There are several entries about it in the Urban Dictionary for Thomas and Sarah Silverman has often noted that the Danny Thomas sandwich at Canter’s Deli is suspiciously called the “# 2”. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/5 "2012-03-23T23:09:14Z")
The same story is told about pro wrestler Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant. It is claimed that the incident was witnessed by the Rock and Roll Express. Allegedly, they walked in on the action, Ricky Morton immediately threw up and left, but Robert Gibson stayed to watch. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/6 "2012-03-23T23:23:40Z")
> **[The Famous “Danny Thomas Legend”?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=289628)** > > I sometimes listen to the syndicated Bob and Tom radio show. On more than one occasion they have alluded to the “famous Danny Thomas legend” but refuse to do anything more than mention it by name, not even giving the vaguest hint as to what it might... That’s our thread on the subject from 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/7 "2012-03-24T04:32:55Z")
Annnnnnnnd that would explain why I didn’t find it under a search for Danny Kaye. Thanks, samclem. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/8 "2012-03-24T13:30:06Z")
The confusion is understandable. After all, isn’t that something that we ALL enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/9 "2012-03-24T14:32:03Z")
“For Christ’s sake, use a coaster!” ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/10 "2012-03-24T15:08:31Z")
It was Hollywood. He was looking for his hamster. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/11 "2012-03-24T16:22:37Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > “For Christ’s sake, use a coaster!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/12 "2012-03-24T16:26:49Z")
The disturbing thing is what he called it. ‘Hey, baby, do a "marlo’.’ ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/13 "2012-03-25T02:28:38Z")
…you know, the weirdest thing to me about this rumor is that it actually _seems_ like it _should_ be a kink, but I’ve never heard a reference to it from anybody discussing actual paraphilias. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/14 "2012-03-25T05:29:32Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > …you know, the weirdest thing to me about this rumor is that it actually _seems_ like it _should_ be a kink, but I’ve never heard a reference to it from anybody discussing actual paraphilias. I initially had the same thougt. Then I realized it doesn’t exist because the glass table is a half measure. People that are into this wouldn’t want the separation. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/15 "2012-03-25T09:06:58Z")
What does it say about me that I don’t even find this very strange as far as kinks go. :o I usually scoff when someone starts talking about animals. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/16 "2012-03-25T09:16:07Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Annnnnnnnd that would explain why I didn’t find it under a search for Danny Kaye. > > Thanks, samclem. Thanks to Google indexing, this problem will soon be rectified. Congrats - you’ve created a new piece of Danny Kaye folklore. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/17 "2012-03-25T16:57:02Z")
At least it wasn’t a screen door. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-danny-kaye-glass-coffee-table-story/616642/18 "2012-03-25T19:27:00Z")
He could have had her use the chalice from the palace -