BLUNDERS OF THE WORLD/Churchill tunes in to the wrong Berlin

[emad]

Churchill tunes in to the wrong Berlin

During the second world war, Winston Churchill avidly read the weekly political summaries written for him by the Oxford academic Isaiah Berlin, who was based at the British embassy in Washington, DC. When Churchill heard that the academic would be in town in the spring of 1944, he decided to invite him to lunch. An invitation was delivered — but to the wrong "I Berlin".

A few weeks later, the songwriter and musical director Irving Berlin sat down for lunch next to the British premier. "Mr Berlin, what's the most important piece of work you've done for us lately?" asked Churchill. The writer of 30 Broadway shows, 17 Hollywood musicals and nearly 3,000 songs replied innocently: "White Christmas." Churchill looked baffled; then, hearing the thick American accent, asked his guest to confirm his nationality. The premier followed this with: "Do you think Roosevelt will be re-elected this year?" Irving Berlin replied that, although he'd voted for Roosevelt that year, he wasn't sure he would do so at the next election. Churchill tried again: "Mr Berlin, when do you think the European war will end?" Berlin replied: "Sir, I'll never forget this moment. When I go back to my country, I'll tell my children and my children's children that in the spring of 1944 the prime minister of Great Britain asked me when I thought the European war was going to end." Vexed, Churchill ended the lunch. Later, Berlin met a friend at the Savoy hotel and told them: "I don't know what it was — but I somehow felt we didn't click."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1741000,00.html

[zbdent]

1. Whew! I thought you were going to say that he wanted to bomb

Berlin, Ohio . . .

[On the Road]

2. That is a Great Story