GRGR 31 Shit'n'Shinola (is Re: Eminem (was: Influenced by GR?)

[Paul Mackin]

On Sun, 30 Jul 2000, David Morris wrote:

> 
> >From: Paul Mackin I don't know shit from shinola about who now stands for 
> >what in this discussion but the obvious problem with P's new interpretation 
> >of shit 'n' shinola is not especially that it is a complete antithesis of 
> >the traditional meaning of the phrase "shit FROM shinola" as just correctly 
> >defined by Seaman Bodine and which Malcolm would have known well and 
> >applied frequently to his Harvard student customers, but that no self 
> >respecting shoe shine boy would have allowed a product an execrable as 
> >Shinola into his shoeshine box. Shinola in case anyone has forgotten was a 
> >paint/dye like substance
> 
> Plus, don't forget it was the grease paint that the star of the first big 
> "talkie" used to make himself black!  Al Jolson broke the sound barrier as a 
> BLACK MAN!  Shinola all over your face!


Quite so and Shinola could well have served in a pinch to achieve the same
effect--back then when no one was thinking much about environmental
protection or skin cancer. The product came in light and dark brown and
black. As a child I resorted to it use whenever my mother
positively insisted I shine my shoes. It was much easier to apply than
regular wax shoe polish. There was a handy applicator to dab it on right
there in the bottle. Also it didn't require tedious polishing with that
rag Red miraculously snaps about.

			P.