PT Barnum Didn't Say "there's a sucker born every minute"

[Eos of the Eons]

http://www.historybuff.com/library/refbarnum.html

This may not be news to some, but I found this story really interesting. One faker starts something, and another tries to steal the thunder. So the first faker admits to being a fake, revealing that the other faker is also a fake.

Also, by the time the hoax is revealed, both of the fakers have made a hefty profit. I also noted that the court case didn't address the con game, but was only about name-calling. Both fakers got clean away with making their money in the end. Barnum ended being credited with a famous quote, but that doesn't really benefit him much. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded though.

 

[Tumblehome]

It was news to me. Thanks for pointing that out.

I'll bet, though, that even if he didn't say it, he thought it, given his line of work.

 

[paximperium]

I've known that for years but am still surprised that it is still so often passed around as fact.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

This way to the egress.

 

[Monza]

There are several famous quotes that were never actually said. Sometimes the wording is different, or the quote was said by someone else, as happened here. Off the top of my head I can think of the following examples that were never actually said:

"Play it again, Sam" - Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca)

"Elementary, my dear Watson" - Sherlock Holmes

"Just the facts, ma'am" - Jack Webb (Dragnet)

"Yo, word up peeps" - Abraham Lincoln

 

[cj.23]

As Barnum was fond of stealing any good idea I bet you he did say it, repeatedly! He just did not originate it, that was David Hannum. I've read the story before I think about the Giant, but never knew about later events. I'll see what I can find out now! Interesting stuff...

cj x

 

[LarianLeQuella]

Darn, so if said and repeated by enough people, it doesn't become true? Those fundies are going to be ticked off!

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

There are several famous quotes that were never actually said. Sometimes the wording is different, or the quote was said by someone else, as happened here. Off the top of my head I can think of the following examples that were never actually said:

"Play it again, Sam" - Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca)

"Elementary, my dear Watson" - Sherlock Holmes

"Just the facts, ma'am" - Jack Webb (Dragnet)

"Yo, word up peeps" - Abraham Lincoln

"Any man who hates kids and dogs can't be all bad," wasn't said by W.C. Fields. It was said about Fields by Leo Rosten.

 

[Jeff Corey]

And JFK never said, "I am a jelly donut."
http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

"Play it again, Sam" - Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca)

Here's a whole collection of movie misquotes:

http://www.filmsite.org/moments0.html

 

[ravdin]

One of the more famous misquotes: Marie Antoinette never said "Let them eat cake".

 

[NobbyNobbs]

http://www.historybuff.com/library/refbarnum.html

This may not be news to some, but I found this story really interesting. One faker starts something, and another tries to steal the thunder. So the first faker admits to being a fake, revealing that the other faker is also a fake.

Also, by the time the hoax is revealed, both of the fakers have made a hefty profit. I also noted that the court case didn't address the con game, but was only about name-calling. Both fakers got clean away with making their money in the end. Barnum ended being credited with a famous quote, but that doesn't really benefit him much. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded though.

You guys believe this story??

Suckers.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

You guys believe this story??

Suckers.

Which part of the story isn't true? Would love to hear it! I'm curious now, so don't leave me hanging, or I might have to believe it is true since there is no evidence to the contrary...

Always willing to believe there is more to the story, so post it!

Man, I just keep finding that the story is true:
http://freaks.monstrous.com/barnum_stories.htm#giant

Sighs. Oh sure, tease me and get me looking to see if the story isn't even true. Sigh. I fell for it. The story is true afterall. No fun. Oh well.

 

[Brainster]

Vince Lombardi didn't say "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing," supposedly it was "Winning isn't everything but wanting to win is."

James Cagney never said "You dirty rat!"

 

[AliasN]

Gracie Allen never said "Goodnight, Gracie" after George Burns said "Say goodnight, Gracie." She only ever said "Goodnight." Shocked the heck out of me when I first saw an old episode of the show.

 

[EHocking]

For more of the same, Snopes is always a good read (and source), as is the Official FAQ site for alt.folklore.urban, where I first discovered a number of "truths" I had believed and repeated for years, weren't necessarily so.

 

[dudalb]

Darn, so if said and repeated by enough people, it doesn't become true? Those fundies are going to be ticked off!

PT Barnum did not say it, but that does not mean the statement does not state pretty basic truth about how gullible people are.

 

[EvilSmurf]

Voltaire never said "I disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it". Never verbatim anyway.

 

[Jeff Corey]

Sacre bleu cheese! 'e did notta sayez dis?
I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
Voltaire

 

[EvilSmurf]

Sacre bleu cheese! 'e did notta sayez dis?
I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
Voltaire

Nope, the phrase "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" is widely attributed to Voltaire, but cannot be found in his writings. With good reason. The phrase was invented by a later author as an epitome of his attitude. It appeared in The Friends of Voltaire (1906), written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall under the pseudonym S[tephen] G. Tallentyre.

From Hall's book:

The men who had hated [the book], and had not particularly loved Helvétius, flocked round him now. Voltaire forgave him all injuries, intentional or unintentional. 'What a fuss about an omelette!' he had exclaimed when he heard of the burning. How abominably unjust to persecute a man for such an airy trifle as that! 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,' was his attitude now.

Info from here