H. L. Mencken? Louis B. Mayer? Arthur L. Mayer? David Ogilvy? P. T. Barnum? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A sardonic comment about the general public has been credited to the famous journalist curmudgeon H. L. Mencken. Here are two versions: (1) No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public. (2) …
Tag Archives: P. T. Barnum
Say Anything You Like About Me, But Spell My Name Right
George M. Cohan? P. T. Barnum? Mae West? Elinor Glyn? Babe Ruth? Damon Runyon? James J. Johnston? Charley Murphy? Max Schmeling? Walter Winchell? Oscar Wilde? Samuel Johnson? Ed Sullivan? Dear Quote Investigator: A person once planned to write an article or book containing derogatory material about a celebrity. The unruffled response of the celebrity to …
Continue reading “Say Anything You Like About Me, But Spell My Name Right”
When You Don’t Promote, a Terrible Thing Happens . . . Nothing
P. T. Barnum? Pat Williams? Billboard? Ford Saeks? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: Human attention is a scarce commodity. Considerable effort is required to attract potential customers to a new business or product. Here are two versions of a pertinent saying: Without advertising, a terrible thing happens . . . Nothing. Without promotion, something terrible happens …
Continue reading “When You Don’t Promote, a Terrible Thing Happens . . . Nothing”
Quote Origin: There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute
P.T. Barnum? Hungry Joe Lewis? Artemus Ward? Mike McDonald? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A famous saying about gullibility is usually attributed to the well-known showman P. T. Barnum. Here are two versions: There’s a sucker born every minute. There’s a fool born every minute. Whether Barnum actually used either of these expressions is …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute”
If I Shoot at the Sun, I May Hit a Star
P. T. Barnum? Britney Spears? George Herbert? Jane Russell? W. Clement Stone? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Norman Vincent Peale? Les Brown? John McEnroe? Dear Quote Investigator: There exists a collection of sayings that uses celestial bodies to illustrate advice about setting goals. Here are three examples: If I shoot at the sun, I may hit a …