# Why "Algore"? Is there some joke I'm missing?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 4, 2000, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608 "2000-10-04T12:55:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/1 "2000-10-04T12:55:41Z")
Why do Gore opponents call him Algore, like Al Gore mushed into one word? I feel like there’s a joke here I don’t get. Is it some Dennis-Millerian reference to a character or historical figure that I’m unfamiliar with?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/2 "2000-10-04T13:10:51Z")
From Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, found at [http://www.onelook.com/](http://www.onelook.com/)
**AL’GOR** , n. [Lat.] Among physicians, an unusual coldness in any part of the body.
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/3 "2000-10-04T13:13:22Z")
Perhaps its a reference to _algorithm_. While the definition isn’t that insulting (“some special process of solving a certain type of problem, particularly a method that continually repeats some basic process.”), the term is most often associated with computers and automated machines.
So basically, I think they’re calling Al a robot. Which is silly, because he’s an android. :D:D
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/4 "2000-10-04T13:17:58Z")
**Johnny LA** , that sounds better than mine. I wouldn’t’ve replied had I seen your explanation.
And yes, **Revtim** , it is a rather _Millerian_ reference. (I like that coined term. 🙂 ) Speaking of which, _[hijack]have you seen the website that explains all of Dennis Miller’s MNF comments? It’s pretty funny. But darn it all, I can’t find the link anymore. ☹[/hijack]_
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### Author:  [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/5 "2000-10-04T13:25:11Z")
I heard “Algore” on Rush Limbaugh’s radio program years ago. “Algore” was portrayed as a kind of mad scientist’s assistant, so “Algore” was inspired by the traditional mad scientist’s assistant’s name, “Igor”.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/6 "2000-10-04T13:34:10Z")
“Algor” as “Igor”. Makes sense coming from Bosh! Rimshaw! (_S_. reference. ;))
Al Gore as an automaton? Makes sense too.
Al Gore as a chilly personality? That kind of goes along with the robot theory. He seems cold as a public person, but that on-stage snogging of his wife…
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### Author:  [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/7 "2000-10-04T14:12:05Z")
It always makes me giggle because I think of the scene in “Top Secret.”
“Is this the potato farm?”
“Yes, I am Algor Potato.”
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### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/8 "2000-10-04T14:15:53Z")
actually, I think that’s “Albert Potato” which in a cheezy French accent comes out “Al-bear”.
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### Author:  [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/9 "2000-10-04T14:31:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by AWB \*
> _[hijack]have you seen the website that explains all of Dennis Miller’s MNF comments? It’s pretty funny. But darn it all, I can’t find the link anymore. ☹[/hijack]_ \*\*
[Try here](http://www.britannica.com)
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### Author:  [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/10 "2000-10-04T14:39:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by scratch1300 \*
> \*\*I heard “Algore” on Rush Limbaugh’s radio program years ago. “Algore” was portrayed as a kind of mad scientist’s assistant, so “Algore” was inspired by the traditional mad scientist’s assistant’s name, “Igor”. \*\*
THat’s it. Mad-scientist Clinton and Algore.
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/11 "2000-10-04T14:42:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Starbury \*
> \*\*[Try here](http://www.britannica.com) \*\*
That’s it! Thanx!
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### Author:  [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/12 "2000-10-04T17:03:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Gunslinger \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by scratch1300 \*
> > \*\*I heard “Algore” on Rush Limbaugh’s radio program years ago. “Algore” was portrayed as a kind of mad scientist’s assistant, so “Algore” was inspired by the traditional mad scientist’s assistant’s name, “Igor”. \*\*
>
> THat’s it. Mad-scientist Clinton and Algore. \*\*
Wasn’t the Clinton character “Taxula”? Sucking the blood out of the taxpayers and all that. Algore was his trusty assistant.
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### Author:  [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/13 "2000-10-04T18:22:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \*
> \*\*…that on-stage snogging of his wife…
> \*\*
Maybe Lt. Cdr. LaForge implanted a snogging chip so he could simulate emotions.
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### Author:  [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/14 "2000-10-04T18:44:40Z")
Right you are, **wring** –I looked it up at IMDb and indeed I had misremembered.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2000, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/15 "2000-10-04T20:33:33Z")
Maybe he could write Science Fiction under the name Algore Trout,
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/16 "2000-11-15T00:26:47Z")
“Al”, when used at the beginning of a word in Arabic, means “The”.
Just thought y’all’d like to know that.
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### Author:  [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2000, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/17 "2000-11-15T03:01:16Z")
I remember seeing an episode of Animaniacs back in the day where they did a Winnie the Pooh spoof. Instead of Eeyore (sp?) they replaced it with Algore. He was a pretty boring indeed, and full of hot air to boot.
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/18 "2000-11-15T13:39:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SouprChckn \*
> \*\*I remember seeing an episode of Animaniacs back in the day where they did a Winnie the Pooh spoof. Instead of Eeyore (sp?) they replaced it with Algore. He was a pretty boring indeed, and full of hot air to boot. \*\*
It was when “Pinky and the Brain” did the “Brainy the Pooh” episode. I couldn’t believe that a blatant political snub like that was allowed to be aired by the studio. And it was pretty funny to boot - although he kept rambling about Clinton’s “bridge” thing.
BTW, the show also featured a young, very creepy Christopher Walken as “Christopher (Robin)”
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### Author:  [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2000, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/19 "2000-11-15T13:43:48Z")
IIRC, wasn’t there an Animaniacs episode spoof of 2001: A Space Odyssey, with the monotone ‘Al’ the computer revealed to be ‘Al’ the Vice President?
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### Author:  [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2000, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-algore-is-there-some-joke-im-missing/35608/20 "2000-11-15T14:06:28Z")
I know this isn’t the answer to the OP, but there is a fairly popular piece of Finite Element Analysis software (used in engineering) called [Algor](http://www.algor.com). Years ago (like, before 1992), they ran advertisements in trade publications that were in a comic strip format. These comics featured the protagonist **Al Gor** , who had the cover identity of a mild-mannered engineer. Whenever his super-hearing detected anyone crying out for finite element analysis (or moaning about their current FEA program), he would immediately speed to the rescue, delivering copies of Algor software to the downtrodden, who thanked him profusely (of course).
Like I said, Algor abandoned that ad style circa 1992, but whenever I see the VP’s name written “Algore”, I still picture him as a software-delivering superhero. And the image still makes me laugh.
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