forty million pun

[Paul Mackin]

John M writes:

what is the source of the original 
famous statement about the forty million frenchman?  The statement is so well known, but I don't know what it refers to.john m

It harks back to the reputation of an American nightclub performer
named Texas Guinan. The French authorities wanted to deport
her but public opinion in her favor prevailed.

There is a more thorough and accurate account of this in
Steven Weisenburger's excellent book.

For younger listers, "forty million frenchman can't be wrong" used
to be a fairly common saying in America. It was uttered by way of 
affirmation--like "natch" or "is the pope Italian?"

				P.