> I didn't understand the comment about Groucho Marx. If it's suppose to
refer
> to me personally, please take it to a higher level, you really don't know
me
> well enough, nor do I know you well enough for that to be appropriate.
Well, this will either clarify or muddy your understanding of the Groucho
Marx quote. (I don't know the context in which it was used, but the
application tells which great quote it was)
At one point in his career, Groucho Marx, having worked hard for years to be
an accomplished performer was receiving some of his due rewards. However,
his heritage was, at that time, somewhat persecuted by the mainstream of
Americans, and so he often found himself barred from certain things because
of this. So, when a certain golf club offered to relax its membership
standards in his case only(Their idea, he did not ask to join) so as to
allow him in as a "token" representative, he was somewhat annoyed at the
concept in the first place. His one line rejection of their offer was that
he would "refuse to join any club that would have me" thus meaning if his
heritage was not good enough under normal conditions, he wished no part of
the group's bigoted membership when he had celebrity status, as that would
tend to cast a false light on the group as a tolerant one.
Many people these days use the reference as a casual remark to put off
questions about why they don't wish to join an organization. I use it often,
but have heard the real story behind it in biographies I've seen of Groucho,
and the Marx Brothers, so I know the history of the remark.
Say the magic word, and you win a duck.
Scott
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