# The dingo ate your baby... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289 "2003-12-27T19:17:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![labmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@labmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/1 "2003-12-27T19:17:18Z")
Anyone know the origins of this quote/saying? The Elaine character on Seinfeld used it in an early episode and the audience laughed like they were in on the joke. I believe I’ve heard it other places, but this is the one that stands out…from whence dingos eating babies, and why is it humourous? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/2 "2003-12-27T19:19:59Z")
The Straight Dope on [Dingoes Eating Babies](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000922.html). ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/3 "2003-12-27T19:43:12Z")
I think the humor in that particular scene from Seinfeld is derived from Elaine mocking the accents of both Meryl Streep in the movie and the woman at the party who is looking for her husband. And if you don’t see the humor in dingoes eating babies, howzabout [babies eating dingoes](http://www.inet.ca/strangertimes/1/dingoes.html) ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/4 "2003-12-27T19:50:05Z")
> [@](#): > > And if you don’t see the humor in dingoes eating babies… Correct. I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/5 "2003-12-27T20:01:46Z")
No one asked you if you did, but it’s a fact of human nature that tragedy is a source of humor. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/6 "2003-12-27T20:11:35Z")
It’s also a fact that a very real little girl lost her life violently, and for some of us at least, that didn’t happen on the other side of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Ice97531](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@Ice97531](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice97531)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/7 "2003-12-27T20:25:18Z")
huehh…ok…guys…shake hands ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/8 "2003-12-27T21:33:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by donkeyoatey \* > **I think the humor in that particular scene from Seinfeld is derived from Elaine mocking the accents of both Meryl Streep in the movie and the woman at the party who is looking for her husband.** What movie? Was this line also in the movie _Quigley Down Under_? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/9 "2003-12-27T21:35:50Z")
“The dingoe ate my baby,” is like the tyke who forgot to do his homework and tells the teacher, “The dog ate my homework.” Bothe are attempts to excape consequences of bad behavior. * * * “Beware of the Cog” ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/10 "2003-12-27T21:49:42Z")
The movie, starring Meryl Streep and Sam Neill as the Chamberlains, was called _A Cry in the Dark_. ---
**Author:** ![CheekyMonkey613](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/11 "2003-12-27T22:05:14Z")
The “dingo ate my baby” quote was used by Lindy Chamberlain, when in 1982, her daughter Azaria mysteriously disappeared, whilst they were camping at Ayers Rock in Australia. After being convicted of Azaria’s murder, and subsequently pardoned, a movie starring Meryl Streep and Sam Neill was made. The quote nowadays would be used synonymously as an expression of a tall tale. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/12 "2003-12-27T22:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CheekyMonkey613 \* > **The “dingo ate my baby” quote was used by Lindy Chamberlain, when in 1982, her daughter Azaria mysteriously disappeared, whilst they were camping at Ayers Rock in Australia. After being convicted of Azaria’s murder, and subsequently pardoned, a movie starring Meryl Streep and Sam Neill was made.** No, they were not pardoned. Their conviction was overturned on the basis of new evidence, primarily the finding of the infant’s jacket with tears consistent with a dingo attack. ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/13 "2003-12-27T22:29:30Z")
This thread makes me feel old. “A dingo ate my baby” is now probably more associated with the seinfeld episode than it is with the movie, which was based on the event itself. ---
**Author:** ![CheekyMonkey613](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/14 "2003-12-27T22:39:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*No, they were not pardoned. Their conviction was overturned on the basis of new evidence, primarily the finding of the infant’s jacket with tears consistent with a dingo attack. \*\* [From The Australian:](http://www.theaustralian.com.au/extras/toohey/s1s1.html) > [@](#): > > **In 1987, the NT Administrator pardoned Alice Lynne Chamberlain and Michael Leigh Chamberlain** , but that wasn’t good enough for them. A pardon still carried the inference that they had been forgiven for murder. They went to the NT Court of Criminal Appeal, which in 1988 quashed their convictions and acquitted them. Twelve years after Azaria had disappeared, the NT Government paid the Chamberlains $1.3 million, plus $396,000 for legal costs. And $19,000 for a totally dismembered Torana. ---
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/15 "2003-12-27T22:39:37Z")
I’m surprised how many people don’t seem to know the origins of this. [This link](http://www.crimelibrary.com/fillicide/azaria/) will give you more information. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/16 "2003-12-27T22:51:01Z")
I’m not sure whenthe _Seinfeld_ episode aired, but the earliest pop-culture reference I know of was in a 1995 _Simpsons_ episode. Bart has made a long distance collect call to Australia, and the homeowner is investigating: [phone rings, waking Bart up] Bart: [sleepy] Hello? Bruno: Right! I’m calling all the way from Squatter’s Crog, Australia and I want to speak to, er, [reading phone bill] Dr. Bart Simpson right now. Bart: Uh…[plugs nose] hold, please. Bruno: All right, but I don’t – Bart: [low voice] Payroll, Bert Stanton speaking. Bruno: Oy! I said “Bart Simpson”. What kind of a company is this? Bart: [high voice] Bart Simpson’s office. Bruno: Thank the great good Lord. Look, I was just say – Bart: One moment please. [hums “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”] Bruno: Who do they think I am, some stupid Aussie drongo? Bleedin’ yanks, I oughta – Bart: This is Bart Simpson. Can I help you, ma’am? Bruno: Yeah, er – hey! My name is Bruno Drundridge, right? You owe me $900, mate. Bart: No, you owe _me_ $900! Bruno: [stammers] I…you…ooh! You’re just some punk kid, aren’t you? Ooh, you picked the wrong guy to tangle with here, mate. Bart: [chuckles] I don’t think so. You’re all the way in Australia. Hey! I think I hear a dingo eating your baby. [hangs up] ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/17 "2003-12-27T23:15:46Z")
[This online comic](http://www.goats.com) did a multi-part strip about Ringo Starr teaching a pottery class, and one of the strip’s characters making a bee for him, and about the disappearance of that sculpture, all so that they could end the last strip of that series with the line “Perhaps the Ringo ate your clay bee.” I don’t really think dingoes eating babies is terribly funny, but in an Australian accent, it does lend a nice air of the surreal to any conversation when you’re otherwise at a loss for words… ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dingo-ate-your-baby/221289/18 "2003-12-28T02:07:40Z")
And, of course, let us never forget Gary Larson’s “disaster waiting to happen” strip: The Tick-Tock Nursery School next door to Bob’s Dingo Farm (the names have been changed to protect my failing memory).