One Big Happy by Rick Detorie for July 21, 2020

I’m pretty sure Bennett Cerf checked out long before 2010.

Bennett Cerf probably would have been interested

I would think Bennett would be off copyright by now! And out of print.

I’d imagine that was a reference that went over a lot of readers’ heads even back in 2010.

I haven’t heard that name in decades.

Bennett Alfred Cerf was an American publisher and co-founder of the American publishing firm Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearances lecturing across the United States, and for his television appearances in the panel game show What’s My Line?He died 1971

The role of “Ruthie” will now be played by Susan Lucci…

Ah, Bennett Cerf … when I was 8 or so, I checked out his “Book of Riddles” from the library. One entry stumped me — Q: What kind of insect hangs out around a gas station? A: an Esso Bee4 or 5 years later, as my father was cursing out another driver, I finally got the joke. That memory still makes me smile 50+ years later.

“Is it a type of service that you are involved in, Ms. Lucille?”

I don’t believe her story. Lucille couldn’t survive 13 days without talking.

I’ve still got one of his joke books somewhere.

I am so happy there are so many folks here familiar with Bennett Cerf!This one was so cute, but made me a little sad, because I think my late mom is the only other person I knew who’d have ‘got it’ – Y’all rock, OBH commenters! (As does Rick Detorie, of course!!)