Monday, October 25, 2010

Coming soon: fun

Coming later today soon: a 1940s advertisement for a product that promises fun, fun, fun for all. If anyone would like to play Twenty Questions in the comments, here are a couple three hints:

It’s not an alcoholic beverage.

It’s not a cigarette (or other tobacco product).

It may be enjoyed by adults and children.

Update, 9:32 p.m.: Questions are now piling up in the comments, so I’ll wait until tomorrow to reveal the ad. Ask away, if you dare!

Update: October 26, 12:18 p.m.: The mystery product is liverwurst, and it’s Gunther of Lexikaliker for the win. He guessed “sausage.” Thanks to everyone for playing.

[“A couple three”: that’s an Illinoism.]

comments: 20

Eustace Bright said...

Is it something you would do inside your house (as opposed to the backyard or at some different location)?

Michael Leddy said...

It’s a product that could be had indoors or outdoors. (But not something you would do.)

Daughter Number Three said...

Does it have sugar in it?

stefan said...

I'm guessing that because the third hint seems to cover the first two, the first two are themselves somehow a hint. Am I at all warm?

Eustace Bright said...

"could be had" hmmm....

Is it a food?

Elaine said...

My guess is RAISINS. The sun, from 93-million miles away, dries out the grapes and bestows the joy of raisinhood upon us, the consumers.

Either that, or it's a moon pie.

Michael Leddy said...

I knew that as soon as I was away from a computer for a few hours (showing a film to students), the questions would come.

It is a food. It’s not a fruit, not a dessert. It’s not known for having sugar in it, but who knows? — it has all sorts of things in it. (I think that’s another hint.)

The smiling globe is just our world, made joyful by this foodstuff, supposedly.

Michael Leddy said...

Stefan, I’m sorry to say that alcohol and tobacco were the first things that came to my mind when thinking of “fun.” I was just trying to rule out likely 1940s suspects.

Daughter Number Three said...

Is it all one piece that's eaten as is, or does it become multiple pieces when divided?

Michael Leddy said...

It’d be divided into several pieces.

Michael Leddy said...

More accurately, slices.

Elaine said...

So it IS a moon pie?

BTW, the captcha is 'whoofies.' Is that a hint to the answer?

Michael Leddy said...

Huh? See above: it’s not a dessert.

Amelia said...

It must be Pizza!

Michael Leddy said...

Good guess, but it’s not pizza. Here’s another hint: the slices are circles, not wedges.

Mindy said...

Pepperoni, perhaps?

Michael Leddy said...

Getting close. But you need to travel north.

Gunther said...

Is it a kind of sausage?

Michael Leddy said...

Yes. I think that’s close enough. The fun food is liverwurst. Yes, liverwurst. The advertisement will now follow.

Elaine said...

Moon pies are not dessert; they are a main dish. Served with RC Cola.

Or so I hear.

My kids called it 'Brown Tiger,' which probably kept them eating Braunschweiger far longer than they would otherwise have consented to ingest a liver product.