Variations on a theme

[Bricker]

Question:

Please look at this:

**Dear Cecil:

For years those sugarless gum commercials have said, “Sugarless gum is recommended by four out of five dentists for their patients who chew gum.” What does the fifth dentist recommend? Gum with sugar? --Elizabeth E., Towson, Maryland**
As it turns out, the fifth dentist usually recommended no gum at all, but this is not advice that a chewing-gum company is anxious to convey to its prospective customers. The Warner-Lambert Company, makers of Trident sugarless gum, commissioned a market research firm to undertake the study under discussion in July 1976. By some arcane means the survey people came up with a list of 1,200 dentists who were supposed to represent a cross-section of their profession. These were then asked what they recommended to their gum-chewing patients, the choices being sugared gum, sugarless gum, or no gum at all. Sugarless gum won with 85 percent. Nobody seems to remember how many votes sugared gum got, but there’s bound to have been a couple – even dentists have a sense of humor.

This comes, verbatim, from The Straight Dope, © 1984, Chicago Reader; ISBN 0-345-333315-2.

Now observe:

**Dear Cecil:

For years those sugarless gum commercials have said, “Sugarless gum is recommended by four out of five dentists for their patients who chew gum.” What does the fifth dentist recommend? Gum with sugar? --Elizabeth E., Towson, Maryland**

Cecil replies:

Oh, sure, Elizabeth, why not? It’s like tire dealers scattering tacks on the road.

Fact is, the fifth dentist usually recommended no gum at all. Not the kind of advice a chewing-gum company wants to play up real big.

The Warner-Lambert Company, makers of Trident sugarless gum, commissioned a market research firm to survey dentists in July 1976.

The research people came up with a list of 1,200 dentists who were supposed to represent a cross-section of their profession. The dentists were asked what they recommended to their gum-chewing patients–sugared gum, sugarless gum, or no gum at all.

Sugarless gum won with 85 percent. Nobody seems to remember exactly how many votes sugared gum got, but I figure there had to be at least one. Cast by the same guy that in a real election always votes for Donald Duck.

This comes from the archived on-line columns.

I can’t help noticing that there is a slight variation in the responses – nothing material, of course, but still… is Cecil editing himself after the fact? Say it ain’t so!

• Rick

[JillGat]

I’d say this belongs in the forum, “Comments on Cecil’s Columns.”
Jill

[TubaDiva]

Jill’s correct; this really is a Comment on Cecil’s Columns.

That being said, it should also be mentioned that some of the online columns were edited. It’s a carryover from when we were on AOL and Cecil’s Wisdom had to conform to what was then AOL’s Terms of Service.

Sometimes columns get updated as well, when appropriate and when Cecil gets around to it.

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
The Straight Dope