Re: Just a cigar

Posted by ESC on March 26, 2005

In Reply to: Re: Meaning of a phrase posted by karan on March 26, 2005

: : Hi Pleas let me know what is the meaning of the phrase "Wedding card is a wedding card"
: Or the meaning of a phrase "Cigar is just a cigar". This quoted in New York times.
: : Thank you

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" is attributed to Sigmund Freud. But there is no evidence that he actually said it. It means that sometimes a cigar is what it is and not a phallic symbol -- an elongated object representing a penis. "This line is beloved by showboat psychology professors who imitate Groucho Marx while telling students that Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." From "Nice Guys Finish Seventh: False Phrases, Spurious Sayings, and Familiar Misquotations" by Ralph Keyes (HarperPerennial, 1993).

(They probably imitate Groucho because he was another cigar smoker. The cigar story associated with him is that a woman explained her many children by saying, "I love my husband." And Groucho responded, "I love my cigar but I take it out once in a while." But I don't think Groucho actually said that.)

So, sometimes a wedding card is just a card. And not representative of something else.

• Re: Just a cigar Smokey Stover 26/March/05
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