January 29, 2005

8:58 PM

What's the original source of the phrase "we lose more [noun] that way"? Googling has failed me, since I'm not sure which of the many nouns I've heard inserted in there is the correct one.
posted by Johnny Assay to (6 comments total)

Not sure of the origins, but I remember it from the old classic cartoons as one of those smart-alecky things that Bugs Bunny (and possibly other Looney Tunes characters) would say.

Google search for "we lose more * that way"
posted by spock at 9:07 PM on January 29, 2005

My oldest memory of it (not that old, mind you), is in Disney's Robin Hood. After King John gets his jewels robbed from him by Robin Hood's band masequerading as gypsies, he gives an archery tournament in which (I believe) another character dressed up offers to kiss his ring. He yanks it away, saying "I lose more jewels that way..."

Most definitely not the first usage, but just in case it was what you were looking for...
posted by ontic at 10:48 PM on January 29, 2005

It's definitely at least as old as Looney Tunes. I can remember Bug Bunny saying it, but I also have no idea where it comes from.
posted by interrobang at 11:20 PM on January 29, 2005

A specific Looney Tunes reference is in Plane Daffy (1944, Frank Tashlin). The situation is that Daffy Duck has swallowed a secret document, rather than let it slip into the hands of the spy Hatta Mari. She slaps him in an X-ray machine, revealing the secret message to be "Hitler is a stinker!" "That's not a secret!" says Hitler. To which Goebbels (I think) replies, "Ja! Everyone knows that!" Realizing that he has betrayed his party with this error, Goebbels (as well as Goering and one other guy) promptly shoots himself. Then Daffy says, "We lose more darn Nutzis that way!"

This film was scripted in May, 1943 (but not exhibited in theaters until September 1944), so the reference is at least as old as that; I can't off the top of my head think of any earlier or other Looney Tunes lines that use this phrase.

You could post this question to the discussion boards on Cartoon Research and, I bet, get a definitive answer.
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:12 AM on January 30, 2005

That quotation predates motion pictures, Vaudeville shows and midway carnival barkers; it's been used to comic effect in numerous contexts ("I/We lose more assistants/customers that way"), and may well be one of the older snark memes in the book.

Given the number of related gaglines ("good help is hard to find", "two weeks...that's the law!", "you couldn't get me to ___ even if you paid me", "you can't buy that in a store, folks"), the "we lose more" quote may well be...almost as old as dirt, and half as valuable.
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:45 AM on January 30, 2005

You might also ask in the Toon Zone Forum. The line "We lose more Uncle Toms 'dat way" came up in this thread, which seems to indicate a pretty good knowledge of old 'toons from the group there.

I think the Vaudeville guess is a good one. It is sort of low humor and clearly delivered to an audience who is in on the joke.
posted by spock at 6:24 AM on January 30, 2005