Dave’s note: With today’s post, we welcome everyone’s new favorite Funny Names Blogger, Kerbey, to the team! Kerbey has been wowing us with her comments ever since she and Liz bonded over Tom Selleck, and we’re tickled to add her to our list of esteemed experts in the field of Funnynameology! She will be posting every fourth Wednesday. Today, she grabs the bull by the horns and takes on a name we have wanted to cover for quite some time, but hadn’t gotten around to – she’s already making waves. Give Kerbey a warm welcome!
http://blog.prinz.de/grand-prix (Reynolds and Humperdinck)
Engelbert Reynolds. That would be a great Wheel of Fortune “before and after” puzzle, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as Engelbert Reynolds, as far as I know. But there is an Engelbert Humperdinck, and he’s in the spotlight today.
First of all, I want to thank BoFN for allowing me to guest-post on this April day. Having a non-traditional name has allowed me to sympathize with others in my position. So when I had to come up with a curious name, it was a no-brainer: singer Engelbert Humperdinck.
It’s not even the fact that his name is odd, as that he had a perfectly normal name and chose to cast it to the wind, discarding it in favor of a less easily-pronounced name–a name that, as we’ll see, wasn’t even original.
In a bid for fame and glory, the man who lived the first 22 years of his life as Arnold George Dorsey stole chose the moniker of a dead man, the 19th century composer, famous for having written Hansel and Gretel. Both awesome names, you would agree. Here’s the original Engelbert Humperdinck.
Not only do his smooth, majestic forehead and silk bow tie command attention, but check out that ‘stache. Wow. He is indubitably a candidate for the The Mustache Humor Summation, which to be brief is:
Mustache + Funny Name = Awesome Person
Honestly, I wasn’t aware that you could just steal the name of a deceased person, but apparently you can.
Best known for his number one hit, “Release Me,” the second Engelbert denied the label of “crooner,” telling The Hollywood Reporter, “No crooner has the range I have. I can hit notes a bank could not cash. What I am is a contemporary singer, a stylized performer.” Wow. Notes a bank could not cash? He’s the pre-Kanye West! But don’t tell that to the Humperdinckers of the world. Yes, that’s the legit term for his hardcore female fans. It has a ring to it, no?
And he’s grateful, calling his fans “the spark plugs of my success.” Having sold 150 million records worldwide during his 50-year career is a testament to many spark plugs. As his singing career waned in the 70s, he tried to remain relevant with appearances on both The Love Boat and Fantasy Island (what a coup!) .
And lest you find that “Humperdinck” is ringing a bell, but you’re sure it’s not the British Indian pop singer, you may be having a Princess Bride flashback, recalling Prince Humperdinck, played by Chris Sarandon.
But Prince Humperdinck, although royalty, can never be the 77-year-old “King of Romance” that Engelbert is. No contest.
Stop. Collaborate and listen.
The Blog of Funny Names 
Reblogged this on I Don't Get It and commented:
Hey, guys, today I did a guest-post over at the Blog of Funny Names. If you get a chance, check it out:
A Princess Bride reference on your first day here !!! As if I didn’t love you enough already. Well played, my friend, well played.
Thanks, Amb.
Kerbey, you’re making all us BoFN add-ons look bad. You’re s’pozed to start with kind of a tentative, meandering, semi-apologetic “gee thanks for asking me on I’m so honored” type of post.Your gradually work in a little spiffiness and edge month by month. After about eight months you’re s’pozed to start “finding your voice” as they say and post with somewhat more confidence, and a slight dash of pizzazz, perhaps. But, however you pace this long, drawn out, painstaking process, you should at least not come barelling out of the gate on day one and write like a veteran BoFNite who’s been doing it for years in the first post, fer cryin’ out loud!!!! Sheesh.
My apologies.I wanted the teacher to give me an “S” for Satisfaction, so I tried my hardest. I suppose I went backwards in full-on Benjamin Button mode. And now it can only go down from here? At the end of my term, I’ll be posting on John Smiths, the unfunniest of them all.
At the rate you’re going, I suspect we’re going to be convulsing on the floor over your John Smiths post. And Benjamin Button? That’s brilliant! How did you just pop that one off so casually?
When I think of going backwards, I think of Benjamin Button growing younger. Isn’t that how we all think?
No. The rest of us think of bumping into the side table and knocking off Mom’s flower vase and she gets really really mad.
It’s not that she has control issues; it’s just that she likes nice things. And is it too much to ask for you kids to pay attention?
Being older (probably a lot) than you, when I think of going backwards I think of Merlin, who youthened. Much better than just going backwards, eh? And when you get to be my age, youthening is what one hopes for. Oh, and btw, please tell me that is NOT a true picture of Englebert today? Geez, from The Hunk to The Hump–see what I mean about youthening?
I’m afraid that’s the Dinck recently. Golly, he had a good run, though. Benjamin Button youthens until he turns into a baby. Is that what Merlin does? All I recall is Mickey Mouse as Merlin–or was that a sorcerer?
Supposedly, that’s what Merlin does. He is a sorcerer, older than Mickey Mouse, I’m afraid. I’ll have to do some research to see how far back Merlin goes (in the myths as well as his age).
Haha, well done Diddy with the flower vase comment!
are we making Brady Bunch flower vase references here? Because if yes, I want to play, too. Though there’s also the possibility that you’re talking about something I don’t have a clue on. Though I could talk BB–creeped me out big time. A grown woman rocking her infant lover? Come on guys, that’s not gonna work with me.
Talk about not having a clue, Liz! I don’t remember a scene in the Brady Bunch where a grown woman was rocking her infant lover in a flower vase.
But I admit that would creep me out, too.
Yeah, now I am totally clueless. I thought we were speaking in vague generalities, but now I’m very curious.
I was just trying to tease Liz. BB means Benjamin Button and I was pretending it meant Brady Bunch. I just threw the flower vase in because . . . because it was there!
ohhhh, now I get it 😉 Though you’ll be so proud of me to learn that as I was driving today, I had an “ah ha” moment when I realized BB could stand for both Brady Bunch and Benjamin Button, as you say. Ah ha!
It could also stand for Beach Boys, or Betty Boop!
My O My you do get around. I’m telling you-write the book. Isn’t he the guy that the ladies threw their undies at,when he was on stage? I guess they could have thrown worse things. Or am I thinking of Tom Jones? No matter. I always wondered why he chose that name. It always sounded more like a porn star than a singer. Twice now you have alluded to an uncommon name. We already know that Kerby was a family dog. So naturally that makes me curious. But all great writers need a pen name. And super heroes need anonymity as well. So ’nuff said.
We’ll just stick with Kerbey for now. 🙂 Funny that you should ask about Tom Jones, though (to whom women did throw their panties–it always made me wonder if they carried a back-up pair? Because GROSS.). EH’s former roommate was Tom Jones’s manager, and it was the manager (Gordon Mills) who suggested this ridiculous name. Apparently TJ and EH were friends for many years, then had a falling out, and only last May, did EH tweet (yes, that old man can tweet!): “@RealSirTomJones Hey Tom I think we should put our differences aside and record a duet in the honour of Gordon Mills. what do you think?”
Well Kerby for now aren’t you a fountain of info. I had no idea those two cats even knew each other much less were feuding. I always wondered when they took them off. Before the show or during. Or maybe they brought along an extra pair just for throwing. I gotta’ get out more.
I agree about Kerbey being a fountain of info! That’s a lot of knowledge! As for the panties… I have never given it much thought. It just seemed so odd to me…
Well, even Tom Jones the pantylord is over it at this point. He said in 2005, “I want it to end because it has lost all meaning.” Poor Tom and his First World Problems. Although what if you’re trying to hold a note, and you get some STDs thrown at your cheek?
Yes they should! That’d be awesome!!!
When I saw Engelbert perform I was struck at the thick layer of brownish makeup on his face. It was a magnificent feat for him to move his cheeks and sing, Kerbey. I liked Tom Jones’ performance live much more, just as an aside to the previous comment.
I should have known you have seen all the people who have ever sung in the last 40 years. I think that last pic attests to your brownish makeup comment. This makes me wonder if he has a Madame Trusseau wax figure (he must), and who looks more real?
Dialogue possibly heard in EH dressing room. Wax on. Wax off. You got it, Kerbey!
Kerbey! Hats off to an outstanding first post. Diddy wasn’t kidding when he said you’re putting the rest of us to shame. But I like you too much to be sour at you for it.
Learned a lot–way more than I needed to know, really (the panties? arrrrgh), but am wiser just the same and that’s never a bad thing. Your chosen images were awesome. (totally should have tagged this one “not-hot guys”) AND you referenced a funny-named theory, which means you did real research! Oh, and you describe things so well–that “majestic forehead” thing was spot-on. So much clever here. It’s almost like you have an English degree.
Then the comments, where readers learn about said panties (am with you on the ewwwww) and also a feud and twitter and who suggested stealing the name from a dead person in the first place.
If I were the teacher, I would give you an E for Excellent, shooting right over that S. Or maybe I’d bump it up to the F for Fantastico (that’s what it stands for, yes?). I’m with Benson on his command to “write that book.”
Hooray! I passed! Happy to have visited the humble circle of BoFN bloggers. Will sit at the kid’s table for now…
You cannot deny the majesty of his forehead, no? And this will blow your mind about EH:
Elvis told the Colonel that in Engelbert he felt he had found the twin brother he lost at birth. His lost Indian British twin brother.
!!!!!!!
What a bunch of weirdos. (EH, TJ, EP, etc. not our humble BoFN crowd.) Kid’s table always more fun anyway.
I agree, but Arto and I bonded over Tom Jones (and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) in Calgary, so TJ holds a special place in my heart!
This is why I come here. The sound of laughter echos through this blog regularly. xoxo
Glad to have you here! We do our best to keep it fresh, and Kerbey is doing a great job of that!
The best medicine! And no co-pay!
No hang over either!
I’m not a witch; I’m your wife!
Humperdinck! Humperdinck! Humperdinck!
I knew it was coming. 🙂
Kerbey–great intro post! This is one of those times where I can’t decide which I enjoy more, the post or the comments.
Can’t wait to see what else you have up your sleeves besides your arms. 🙂
Welcome aboard!
The comments, definitely the comments. Thanks, Fannie.
great post kerbey, good to see you here, and i love that last eng. hum. picture )
Thank you! Yeah, he’s super handsome there.
Yay, Kerbie…Kurby…Kerby…QB……………Kerbey!!!!
Thanks, little white dog with extraordinary keyboard skills.
I could swear I read this somewhere else.
Really? Do tell.
What a magnificent post. Notes a bank couldn’t cash, hah!
That’s some hubris right there, isn’t it? A little full of himself?
With a name like that, how could he not be?
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Engelbert is sure awesome…great singer, beautiful man and person. Should hear Engelbert Calling Duets CD/Download just released. Engelbert is even better after 47 years ….
Like a fine wine!
Yes, in the case of Engelbert, truly like a fine wine. His voice is excellent and he uses it so well and so sensitively. The choice of his music at live shows and on Engelbert Calling is exceptional and excellently performed. He looks very good too: beautiful and with such soft features. Lovely to hear him and to know him. A fine example to the world and likely the greatest singer ever.
fine wine blushes when compared to Engelbert. his talent is awesome and his voice is like golden honey. he puts on a magical concert and should be seen to be appreciated fully. A gentlemen and a beautiful person as well.
Perfectly put.
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