“If all the girls attending the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”. Source
This zinger, dripping with wit and double entendre, is famously attributed to the legendary writer Dorothy Parker. It perfectly captures her sharp, cynical, and hilarious view of the world. The line cleverly plays on two different meanings. First, there is the literal image of people lying in a long line. Then, there is the colloquial, sexual meaning that needs no explanation. This combination of innocence and insinuation is a hallmark of Parker’s style. For decades, this quote has been a go-to example of her caustic humor.
However, the story behind this famous one-liner is more complex than it first appears. It reveals a fascinating journey through literary history. The phrase evolved significantly over time. Furthermore, its connection to Dorothy Parker Biography – Academy of American Poets is not as straightforward as many believe. Tracing its origins takes us back long before Parker was even born. It begins not with social commentary, but with simple mathematics.
From Calculation to Comedy
The foundation of this joke structure is surprisingly mundane. It first appeared in a completely different context in the 19th century. In 1843, the Liverpool Mercury published a factual observation about its own production. It noted that if all its printed columns were laid end to end, they would stretch from Liverpool to London . This was a simple, literal statement meant to impress readers with the newspaper’s scale. There was no hint of the humor that would later define the phrase. Source. Judge Magazine Archive – Cornell University Library
Nearly a century later, American college humor magazines adopted the formula. They transformed it from a dry statistic into a tool for comedy. For example, a 1927 issue of Judge magazine credited Cornell University’s humor publication with a new version. It read: “If all the college boys who slept in class were placed end to end they would be much more comfortable.” This marked a crucial shift. The phrase was now used for observational humor about student life. The joke’s potential for social commentary was beginning to emerge, setting the stage for more sophisticated variations.
The Joke Gets an Edge
The phrase continued its evolution throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s. Humorists kept finding new subjects for the “laid end to end” template. In December 1927, Judge magazine offered another take: “If all the people who stay out most of the night were laid end to end they wouldn’t get up until noon.” The jokes were becoming more pointed and observational. Subsequently, the theme shifted from general behavior to romantic and sexual exploits. A 1931 advertisement for the book Kiss and Tell featured a line that moved even closer to the Parker version. It quipped, “If all Ruby’s lovers were laid end to end, it would put them in a very awkward position.” This version explicitly introduced the romantic innuendo that would become central to the famous quote.
. Dorothy Parker Society – Official Website
The Dorothy Parker Connection
The first documented link between Dorothy Parker Society – Biography and Works and this witticism appears in 1934. The influential critic Alexander Woollcott published his essay collection, While Rome Burns. In a profile of Parker, Woollcott directly attributed a version of the quote to her. He claimed she made the remark about a Yale prom. This is the earliest and most significant piece of evidence connecting Parker to the saying. Woollcott’s prominence helped cement the attribution in the public’s mind. His account gave the quote a credible origin story tied to a famously sharp-tongued personality.
After Woollcott’s book, the attribution gained significant momentum. In 1945, Samuel Hopkins Adams repeated the story in his biography of Woollcott. This further solidified the link between Parker and the Yale prom comment. That same year, The New Yorker magazine acknowledged the quote’s association with Parker. It even noted a variation used in an operetta. Over the following decades, the quote appeared in numerous books and articles. Authors consistently credited Parker, though the specific details often changed. Some versions swapped Yale for Princeton, while others mentioned colleges like Smith or Bennington. These variations highlight how oral tradition can alter minor details while preserving a story’s core.
A Case of ‘Quote Magnetism’
So, did Dorothy Parker actually say it? The evidence is compelling but not conclusive. While Alexander Woollcott’s account is strong, no one has found proof that she was the absolute originator. The joke’s structure and themes were clearly developing in American humor before the 1934 attribution. This situation is a classic example of a phenomenon known as “quote magnetism.” Witty, famous figures often attract credit for clever lines they never uttered. Personalities like Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, and Oscar Wilde are magnets for misattributed quotes.
This happens because the quote fits their established persona perfectly. The Yale prom line sounds exactly like something Dorothy Parker would say. Therefore, people readily accept the attribution. Whether she invented the phrase or simply perfected it, the quote has become an inseparable part of her legacy. It encapsulates her unique ability to blend high-society observation with biting, cynical humor. The journey of this single sentence, from a mathematical fact to an iconic piece of wit, is a testament to how language and humor evolve. Ultimately, the mystery of its true origin only adds to its enduring charm and fascination.