Citizen Chaplin speaks

From Jack Oakie (via Shush)

<< Oakie was surpised to hear Chaplin confess that it had been a mistake, he felt, to make 'Modern Times' as a silent film. 'I only made ten million dollars on it,' he said.>>

Sarcasm or straight? The words in themselves are at best highly ambiguous. What did Oakie mean to convey by repeating the quote? What point was Chaplin making when he said it?

Context is supremely significant in extracting meaning. We were offered none.

True enough. The copy of the Oakie book isn't mine, but I'll borrow it and reprint the whole passage when I get the chance.

(I knew George was going to love that one! )

Spin or denial?

He's expressing his surprise that Chaplin could blithely dismiss his 'artistic decision' to make MODERN TIMES as a silent film because more money might have been made if the film had been a talking picture.

What

Expressing regret that he didn't extract more $pondulicks out of it

Perhaps Shush can provide that from the book.

It doesn't have anything to do with the truth, either. George thinks that if he can repeat his mantras (CC as Citizen Chaplin, CC did it to himself, liberals forced CC from the U.S.) enough times, people will begin to believe them. But, frankly, he just seems like an endlessly dripping faucet. Richard Carnahan

On the contrary, it's dead on

Did I just hear the ghost of Dan Quayle talking about unwed mothers and Murphy Brown?

And don't try and tell me he's not dead. I saw the results of the Iowa straw poll.

Richard Frick:

David Frack:

OK, Lou, you now have an opening to mention Bill Clinton.

Wrong, George. They're *both* mine.

Brown?

You are correct. Apologies to Richard. The combined post made it seem like first the comment was Richard's.

But, nevertheless, Lou is still entitled to one Clinton/Gore crack.