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"Will it play in Peoria?" is an old expression, important enough to have a Wikipedia entry.
The question derives from a theme repeated by characters in Horatio Alger, Jr.'s novel Five Hundred Dollars; or, Jacob Marlowe's Secret, which was first published in 1890... In the book, a group of actors play in Peoria, occasioning utterances such as "We shall be playing in Peoria" and "We shall play at Peoria"....
The phrase originated during the vaudeville era and was popularized in movies by Groucho Marx. The belief was that if a new show was successful in Peoria, a main Midwestern stop for vaudeville acts, it would be successful anywhere...
The phrase subsequently was adopted by politicians, pollsters, and promoters to question the potential mainstream acceptance of anything new. Currently, the stereotype of non-humorous people has been around for many decades. Although vaudeville left Peoria many years ago, the slogan was revived in 1969 when John D. Ehrlichman said to a newsman, "Don't worry, it'll play in Peoria," in reference to a decision by President Richard M. Nixon that seemed calculated to upset Easterners.
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10 comments:
They must have the most sincere pumpkin patch around.
Don't worry — I know how to smash pumpkins.
That's the wrong Peoria.
I hear that the Trump Airforce's Jetliner is circling Peoria now looking for a place to land and give em hell. He will be speaking at the famous Urology School's Auditorium where he will urinate on Bush.
Remember, Richard Pryor and Sam Kinnison were both from Peoria.
My uncle, a former Peoria resident and son of an Irish immigrant, told me that midnight mass for Sunday in Peoria got eliminated because of all the parishioners coming to mass on Sunday 12 a.m. who were recovering from a Saturday night bender.
I work in the midwestern Peoria. I hate the saying "will it play in Peoria." This Peoria should be best known for Mayor Ardis and Twittergate.
If only Charley Brown had lived in Peoria, he would have been able to see the Great Pumpkin touch down.
"This Peoria should be best known for Mayor Ardis and Twittergate."
Peoria is also known for Jesse Jackson going there to complain that black boys were expelled and suspended from school more frequently than white boys.
Obviously white Peoria boys need to start acting like Sacramento students "of color."
Wrong Peoria. "Will it play in Peoria" referred to Peoria, IL, in northern Illinois. The Peoria with the runaway pumpkin was Peoria, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix.
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