The Sophie Tucker Reference You've Been Waiting For

Move over, Fred Ott! Just when I thought I had run out of things you have never heard of and don't care to hear of, along comes Kelly Hogan with a Sophie Tucker reference. Not only that, but she puts it in all caps and appends an exclamation point. That's the way we like to give this stuff to you. You'll take it and like it! For it seems that Hogan has watched (thanks to "instant viewing" on "the internet") the film version of our previous Doomed Book Club selection THE JOKER IS WILD. Hogan reports: "I watched it. The whole thing - but in pieces, given my aversion to all things Sinatra [!!!???!!! - ed.]. Sinatra AND the bad jokes! wow! I liked Beverly Garland though. And Mitzi Gaynor's 'drunk' scene! And all the ladies' waists were distractingly small! my favorite part by far was JACKIE COOGAN as Swifty Morgan, and a cameo by SOPHIE TUCKER! But wow. Like Cohn's book, the movie doesn't really explain the appeal of ol' Joe E. Lewis. Bless his heart. Sort of!"