With work keeping me crazy busy, and life in general pulling me in all sorts of directions, it’s no wonder I feel I’m going a bit bananas. And what with yesterday’s big banana-related news, it’s no wonder I’ve got bananas on the brain. Seeing as I don’t have a whole lot of time tonight, this ThThTh list may be on the short side. So please feel encouraged throw in your own bananas.
A small bunch of bananas
banana split. An ice cream sundae characterized by a banana that has been split in half lengthways.
The Tattooed Banana: a blog devoted to “the emerging appreciation of banana art.”
Banana Yoshimoto. A Japanese author. Not actually a banana. Her first novel was Kitchen.
Bananarama. An 80s musical group. They weren’t bananas either. Actually, the members were all female.
“The Banana Boat Song.” A song made famous by Harry Belafonte. Here’s a clip from the movie Beetlejuice with the song:
top banana. An expression meaning “head honcho” or “big cheese.” Has origins in burlesque performances.
slipping on a banana peel. A common slapstick-type sight gag. (cf. this batch of cartoons.) For further insights into the phenomenon, check out this insightful post, which also led me to this fabulous banana-peel-slipping-related dialog from the 1966 Batman movie:
Batman: [reading a riddle] What has yellow skin and writes?
Robin: A ball-point banana!
Batman: [reads the second riddle] What people are always in a hurry?
Robin: Rushing people… Russians!
Batman: So this means…
Robin: Someone Russian is going to slip on a banana and break their neck!
Batman: Precisely, Robin!
Banana in the tailpipe: a prank involving shoving a banana up the tailpipe of a car, causing the engine to stop. Made famous by a scene with Eddie Murphy in the movie Beverly Hills Cop (1984).
This may come as a shock to you, but I find the word banana itself to be funny. (Yes, much like the word pants.) I might even go as far as saying that I find banana to be an inherently funny word. This may be part of why bananas are featured in a lot of jokes. Some of them remarkably silly. I found a page of banana jokes that someone posted on a joke blog, and lookie what I found there:
The “Chiquita Banana” song first hit the air waves in 1944 when Miss Chiquita made her debut.
It was written to help teach Americans how to ripen and use bananas, which were at the time an exotic tropical fruit. At its peak, the jingle was played 376 times a day on radio stations across the United States. (from Chiquita.com)
When I lived in Amsterdam there was a strip club in my neighborhood called Banana Bar. Suffice it to say that rather, er, questionable practices with bananas were rumored to occur there.
I just have a strange question and I couldn’t email you personally about this because I couldn’t find a contact address, but can you let me know where you got this awesome peeled banana image? I am interested in using it so and am wondering if its from a stock photography site, etc. Thanks!
collecting tokens 
considering you may not have watched that much tv, you may not know this one or you may have forgotten. either way it was a fun show Banana Splits
Hooray for bananas!
Banana pants!! I love it!!
We’ve been eating bananas a lot lately, actually. My son loves them, but when I cut up half a banana he can’t finish it..so I help. :)
Chiquita Banana!!
The “Chiquita Banana” song first hit the air waves in 1944 when Miss Chiquita made her debut.
It was written to help teach Americans how to ripen and use bananas, which were at the time an exotic tropical fruit. At its peak, the jingle was played 376 times a day on radio stations across the United States. (from Chiquita.com)
Every day here we sing the banana song:
Banana!
Banana!
Banana-nana-nana-
na-na-na-na-na!
(You have to imagine it with music …)
And don’t forget the iconic Andy Warhol banana for the Velvet Underground:
http://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Underground-Exclusive-Limited-Remaining/dp/B000JEBEB6
When I lived in Amsterdam there was a strip club in my neighborhood called Banana Bar. Suffice it to say that rather, er, questionable practices with bananas were rumored to occur there.
The Banana Stand: anchor of the Bluth empire on Arrested Development. It’s nicely phallic too…all things considered.
‘Banana Pants’ … how can I help but laugh?
I love Banana Yoshimoto. “Moonlight Shadow” remains one of my favorite stories … even if my students totally panned it!
Best banana post! And I love bananas. The perfect food. I eat at least one every day.
Banana pants. That joke was made for you.
banana pants?
i used to HATE the texture of bananas, but now i eat them quite often.
I just have a strange question and I couldn’t email you personally about this because I couldn’t find a contact address, but can you let me know where you got this awesome peeled banana image? I am interested in using it so and am wondering if its from a stock photography site, etc. Thanks!
كس امكم كلكم قحاب في قحاب