Winning Words 4/12/11
“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.” (W.C. Fields) As one whose business included regular public speaking, I had to smile at what misanthropic W.C. had to say. I don’t want to imply that all preachers try to dazzle and baffle. In fact, this is advice for everyone. We need to be careful to keep our words true, avoiding the bull. Fields wasn’t all bad. He loved his grandchildren. ;-) Jack

FROM HS IN MICHIGAN: Do you send these just for me? Ha. FROM JACK: I'm the first one who reads them.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: I thought you stayed away from political theory on WW's. FROM JACK: Are you referring to the brilliance or the bull?

FROM MOLINER CF: (From the musical: Chicago)
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?
FROM JACK: I never saw that show, but it sounds like a good one, and Razzle Dazzle fits with today's WWs.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: W.C. Fields must have been a great actor. Wasn't he the old curmudgeon who, in one of his movies, said he didn't like kids? And so convincingly. As a kid, I loved watching his persona. FROM JACK: Actor means, one who puts on and act. I don't know if WCF was putting on an act.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Are you still doing"public speaking?" or have you retired completely? Grandchildren love to hear their grandparents' stories, especially when the grandparent is chauffeuring them. By the way. on Sunday Ann, our oldest daughter, her husband, and our 25 year old grandson were trading stories about our life in Moline with Shirley Briere Parker and her husband, and they sure all remembered things a lot differently from me. And we only got up to 6th grade. They all made up a lot of things out of thin air, in my opinion. We were enjoying some bruschetta at a beach bistro, which might account for some of the memories. FROM JACK: In fact, I preached last Sunday...no bull! My grandchildren seem to like hearing about my behavioral escapades from the Moline days...even beyond the 6th grade.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Fields did have a way with words...cuts right to the point! I have heard a lot of "bull" from people and even pastors and have stated some bull too. But these words made me laugh. So many, including myself, would be better off not saying anything sometimes! FROM JACK: Focussing on the positive side...I've heard quite a few dazzlers, who were also brilliant. I'll let the others R.I.P.

FROM JL IN MICHIGAN: Remember, WC's first profession was being a juggler. I'm sure he dazzled his audiences. FROM JACK: I should have mentioned some dazzling attorneys that I know.

FROM CWR VISITING IN MICHIGAN: .....awh.....a little "bull" now and then fertilizes the field and helps the crops to grow. FROM JACK: The problem arises when the listeners begin to put on hip boots.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: Jack, I'm 2/3 the way thru a nonfiction I'm writing about my experiences as a small business owner. It's easy to throw in some bull, but it wouldn't make a true story for me. FROM JACK: It's been said that, as one ages, the memory isn't as good as it once was. I'm not saying this problem applies in your case.

FROM JK IN MICHIGAN: Regarding W.C. Fields; A gentleman I work with says it is not as important what you say as how you say it. The point you make is your body language and delivery. You can give a bad report expressing confidence, or you can give a good report with showing trepidation.

FROM JK IN MICHIGAN: Regarding W.C. Fields; A gentleman I work with says it is not as important
what you say as how you say it. The point you make is your body language and delivery. You can give a bad report expressing confidence, or you can give a good report with showing trepidation. Which is worse?
FROM JACK: In my opinion, truth, however it is presented, is the most important.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: Whooopee! FROM JACK: I don't know if I've heard anyone say that in church.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: I would guess that most public figures have gotten the hang of this advice. In fact wasn't it Hitler who said, "The larger the lie, the easier believed?" Dazzle or Baffle: Do most of us discern the difference?? FROM JACK: Indeed, it is a quote attributed to Hitler and his propaganda expect, Goebbles. Some political figures still use that tactic.