# Who is Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 2, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811 "2013-09-02T16:10:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/21 "2013-09-08T21:24:42Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > How many commercial products are called “Mr. ” or “Mrs. ” with respect to a human figure, real or fictional, who stands in relationship to the product as a sort of patron? I can’t think of even one. There are a few (Mr. Pibb, Mrs. Butterworth) where such a name refers to the product itself, but none that I can recall where the name refers to a person intended to be perceived as the creator or owner. Well recall that there aren’t that many commercial products that place a named human figure on their package, except as a temporary promotion. I don’t know a lot about the appearance of Duncan Hines, Mrs. Fields or Dr. Pepper. I do have a grasp of Mr. Clean (who I think is suppose to be a genie), Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima and Col Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/22 "2013-09-09T05:29:44Z")
The use of general honorifics, especially the masculine, is rare these days anyway, as I pointed out earlier. Even Mr. Gatti’s Pizza is now just Gatti’s Pizza, apparently. Unfortunately, I managed to miss the second part of JWK’s question entirely (“a human figure who stands in relationship to the product…”). The aforementioned [Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing](http://mrsstewart.com)is the only such product I can think of that’s still on the market. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/23 "2013-09-09T15:22:33Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Although, in the south, “Aunt” and “Uncle” aren’t uncommon forms of address for people older than you, black or white. That does not change the situation. > [@eastcheap](#): > > The use of general honorifics, especially the masculine, is rare these days anyway, as I pointed out earlier. Yes. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I do have a grasp of Mr. Clean (who I think is suppose to be a genie), Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima and Col Sanders. I was going to mention Colonel Sanders, who is both real and fictional now that he died and they use that cartoon Colonel. But the product is not actually named after him, so it’s a murky case. ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/24 "2013-09-12T15:57:03Z")
OP: Any thought of using a plural verb with a plural subject? ---
**Author:** ![zelskid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c4cdca/32.png) [@zelskid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelskid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/26 "2013-09-20T11:38:00Z")
How did I get to this silly discussion? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811.md?page=1)