AboutTom Expertise I can answer questions about The Capitol Steps, a political (mostly musical) satire group based in Washington, DC which performs in Washington, around the U.S., and four times a year on public radio. I can answer questions about who is performing which role in Capitol Steps sketches and songs on albumns and can help identify a routine (and which albumn or radio show includes it) based on partial lyrics. I can also provide tips and suggestions for those interested in writing and performing spoonerism-based comedy similar to the Steps` "Lirty Dies."
Experience I have been a Capitol Steps fan since about 1995. I own all the albumns and have listened to each dozens of times. I have particularly studied (and particularly admire) the "Lirty Dies" routines and I have written and performed material of this sort. Despite the fact that I live halfway across the U.S. from Washington, I've attended many live Capitol Steps performances, including several at their permanent locations in the DC area.
Question Hi Tom,
i heard that in the uk president bush is often ironically referred to as "dubya".
i read u have already been asked about this, but i have another question.
i already knew this is because his middle name is W.(alker), but i was wondering, wheres exactly the humour in the word "dubya"?
thanks!
Answer Mary Jane --
I've thought this over and I'm not sure that I can really put my finger on the answer. "Dubya" has, through usage, become well-known as a mocking nickname for the President, and so it's now kind of difficult to say what was originally funny about it.
It could be that it's a reference to the President's accent (i.e., that this is how he would pronounce the letter "W"); however, I'm from the Midwest and I pronounce "W" this same way if I'm speaking casually.
It could also be that this nickname, by emphasizing the middle initial, invokes the common image of the current President Bush as a substandard knock-off of the original President Bush (because the middle initial is how we distinguish the two of them). (This is an interesting topic in itself, because the elder Bush was not wildly popular, either, but now people portray him as better than his son.)
But my main conclusion is that I don't really know what (if anything) about the name "Dubya" is intrinsically funny.
