When was the phrase, Is the Pope Catholic? first used.

Posted by Bob on July 22, 2005

In Reply to: When was the phrase, Is the Pope Catholic? first used. posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 22, 2005

: : : : When was the phrase, Is the Pope Catholic? first used.

: : : I don't know. How about the phrase, "holier than the Pope"? SS

: : Or maybe it's "more Catholic than the Pope." SS

:
: "Is the Pope a Catholic?" is one of a group of similarly-constructed rhetorical questions with the identical meaning, including "Can a duck swim?" and "Do bears s**t in the woods?" I've no idea which is the original question on which the others are modelled, but they are just too similar to have arisen separately. (Incidentally there is an advertisement currently appearing on the London Underground system with the slogan "Do bears relieve themselves in tree-rich environments? which I rather enjoy.) (VSD)

I've also heard "is a frog's a** waterproof?" which I found amusing. And I have been know to say "Is a bear Catholic? Does the Pope s**t in the woods?"