Funny Names

Okay, folks, new entry. You can say I’m back with a vengeance.

Well, maybe vengeance is too strong a word.

Back with a?

With a?

Hmm. Well, I’ll think of something.

Funny Names Part One

When we first stayed in Israel, we stayed at the Absorption Center in Ra’anna. It was near a street called Pines. Now, being an English speaker, you would think of pine trees or pine cones and pronounce it like pines.

But that’s not how it’s pronounced here in Israel. I’m afraid not.

It’s pronounced like penis.

Yep. Oh, the thoughts that went through my mind.

Where do you live, son?

I live on Penis Street, sir!

Jaysus, Mary. If there were a street named Penis in the States, I don’t think I would ever want to walk down it.

I’m hearing Beavis and Butthead snickering their oversized heads off right now.

But what makes it funnier, I suppose, is that most streets in Israel are named after famous Jews and Israelis, so there are guys walking around Israel with that name. In fact, there is a television show here—back in the States it would be called a “magazine show”—called Good Evening with Guy Pines. Because the poor dude’s name is Guy Pines, again pronounced like penis. There is Penis, and then there is Guy Penis.

Poor guy.

Good Evening with Guy Pines doesn’t do hard news. Hard. Hehe. I’m sorry.  Anyhow. It does entertainment news. Soft.  Soft. I just can’t stop it, folks.  I think I just made Beavis’s head explode. 

Anyhow. Guy is smart enough to have figured out the cultural and humorous impact of his name, and he frequently interviews Americans—actors, musicians, and the like—and one of his running gags is how they react to his name. He cracked up Samuel L. Jackson one time, who said, “Really, dude? Your name is Penis? Guy Penis?”

He just laughed and laughed and laughed. Oh, the fun we have here.