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Minstrel Skits

Is The Pope Polish?

Minstrel show skits often included political commentary on issues of the day. Judging by the topics, and their context, in the minstrel skit "Is The Pope Polish?," it is easy to infer the date of origin to be somewhere around April 22nd, 2005.

Interlocutor

Would you say blackface is "back?"

Unnamed

Back? Is the Pope Polish, child?

Interlocutor

Actually, as of today, the Pope is German. Pope Benedict XVI.

Unnamed

Mmm. Pope Bent Dick! Well I'll be a monkey's uncle!

Interlocutor

It's Benedict. He's the oldest Pope in 75 years.

Unnamed

I reckon dey be anuddin pretty soon then. I tell ya what though... I thought he'd looked more like his father or at least be named for him or somethin.

Interlocutor

Father? That's absurd, the Pope is celebit.

Unnamed

Mmmm, now I had a cousin who used to sell a bit...

Interlocutor

Celebit means no sex whatsoever.

Unnamed

Well, dat ain't what it was foe her!

Interlocutor

No, no, no! Listen, Pope John Paul II, was merely the predessesor to Benedict XVI. The new Pope's real name is Joseph Ratzinger.

Unnamed

Ratzinger! Sounds more like a rabbi.

Interlocutor

I assure you the Pope is not Jewish! He is the world leader of Catholicism.

Unnamed

Mmmm, now I done heard of an embolism...

Interlocutor

Yes.

Unnamed

And I heard of an aneurysm...

Interlocutor

That's right.

Unnamed

But I ain' NEHHHHHH-VUH [never] hearda no Catholicism!

...and who knows what else...

Interlocutor

So do you understand?

Unnamed

Does the Pope shit in the woods?

Interlocutor

Actually, I don't guess I know... but I think you get the point.

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