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Q: Trivia ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Trivia
Category: Arts and Entertainment
Asked by: stosh1-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 29 Dec 2002 11:40 PST
Expires: 28 Jan 2003 11:40 PST
Question ID: 134659
What celebrity coined the phrase "Yowza, Youza, Youza.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Trivia
Answered By: pinkfreud-ga on 29 Dec 2002 13:30 PST
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
This was a fascinating quest. My Google search strategy began with Web
searches using the variant spellings "yowza," "yowsa," "yowzah," and
"yowsah." I then searched Google Groups with the same keywords. This
brought me to the following series of posts in the alt.usage.english
newsgroup:

Newsgroup posts, alt.usage.english
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&th=5bb6326231aa6d8b&rnum=8

From the above thread, I obtained the name "Ben Bernie" as a possible
lead. Further investigation confirms that this bandleader and radio
personality was the celebrity who popularized the phrase "Yowsah
yowsah yowsah."

Here's an entertaining thread on the subject, in reference to a
mention of the phrase in a Frank Zappa song:

Notes and Comments (formerly the free opinions appendix to
alt.fan.frank-zappa newsgroup FAQ)
http://www.arf.ru/Notes/Sheik/dfool.html

From a bio of Ben Bernie, here is a bit of information about the
history of the phrase:

"During these days, he first uses a strange word a lot to describe a
feeling. Yowsah. Yowsah. 'Yowsah' is not in my desk dictionary. It is
clear to be Bernie's invented word which eventually became a trademark
of his radio persona... yowsah yowsah yowsah...au revoir chil'en, this
is Ben Bernie and all the lads... God bless you and pleasant
dreams..."

A few more mentions of "yowsah" in connection with Ben Bernie:

Dreklind Jazz Age Page: Ben Bernie
http://www.btinternet.com/~dreklind/bernie.htm

"Bernie's hallmark was his saying 'Yowsah, Yowsah' at the beginning
of, and all during his radio or stage performances."

Big Bands Database Plus: The Great American Big Bands 
http://64.33.34.112/.WWW/b5.html

"After (Buddy) Clark left the Goodman band he was mostly a fixture on
network radio. He was a staff vocalist for the CBS network for a time,
appeared as part of the regular cast on the Ben Bernie Show ("Yowsah
Yowsah Yowsah") for NBC Blue Network."

Jaymar41: Interlude Era
http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/bclark.html

"...Or what about Ben Bernie saying 'Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah'?..." 

Elimae Books: A Review of Gordon Lish's Dear Mr. Capote
http://www.elimae.com/reviews/lish/capote.html

"The Ben Bernie Show
Star: Ben Bernie 
Sponsors: Mennen, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, American Can, Lady Esther,
Half and Half Pipe Tobacco, Bromo Seltzer, Wrigley's Gum
Network: NBC (Red), CBS 
Aired: 1930-1943 
Theme Song: "Au revoir, Pleasant Dreams" 
Type of Show: Music 
CLOSING:  Au revoir, pleasant dreams! 
Au revoir, pleasant dreams! 
Think of us when requesting your themes 
Until next Tuesday when 
Possibly you may all tune in again, 
Keep the Old Maestro always in your schemes (yowsah, yowsah,
yowsah...)
Au revoir, this is Ben Bernie, ladies and gentlemen, with all the lads
Wishing you a bit of pleasant dreams 
May good luck and happiness, success, good health attend your schemes.
And don't forget, should you ever send in your request-uh, 
Why, we'll sure try to do our best-uh, (yowsah...) 
Au revoir, a fond cheerio, a tootle-doodle, a bit of a tweet-tweet,
God love you,
And pleasant dreams!"

The LoyalTubist Webpage
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/loyaltubist/OTR_b.html

I hope this is helpful. If anything I've said is unclear, please
request clarification, and I'll gladly offer further assistance.

Best wishes,
pinkfreud
stosh1-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars and gave an additional tip of: $2.00

Comments  
Subject: Re: Trivia
From: pinkfreud-ga on 29 Dec 2002 17:09 PST
 
Many thanks for the five-star rating and the nice tip!

~Pink

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