“Excuses are like armpits. Everyone has them, and they all stink” is a saying that has been printed on many images. “All excuses are like armpits: We all have them and they call stink” was printed in a 1983 newspaper.
It is not known who originated the saying.
12 April 1983, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN), “Parents get the inside dope about drug use by youths” by Mary Fastenau, pg. B1, col. 3:
People make excuses for using alcohol, but (William I.—ed.) Essex said “all excuses are like armpits: We all have them and they call stink.”
7 November 1986, Jackson (TN) Sun, “Jokes,” pg. 6A, col. 2:
“Excuses are like armpits—everybody’s got a couple, and they stink.”
10 December 1992, Springville (NY) Journal, “The Family Room” by Pat Dahl, pg. 8, col. 3:
Every time he borrows the family car, teenage Bryan manages to come home late. And he always has excuses, but they are so lame that his dad finally said to him out of frustration, “Bryan, your excuses are like armpits. You always have two, and they usually stink.”
Google Groups: rec.arts.marching.band.high-school
Cool Quotes
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7/22/95
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*Excuses are like armpits-we all have them, and they all stink!
17 May 1997, Waikato Times (Hamilton, New Zealand), “Fat lot of good” by Paul Thompson, pg. 13:
The class leader, Weight Watchers’ central North Island manager Colleen Stairmand, is warm and funny but lobs barbed jokes at her clients to keep them off cream puffs and on the grated marrow.
“Excuses are like armpits,” she tells them. “Everyone has two and they stink.”
Google Books
Fitness One Day at a Time:
Overcome the Nine Most Common Barriers to Exercise
By Tim Lencki
Lincoln, IN: iUniverse, Inc.
2004
Pg. 135:
Excuses are like armpits…they all stink!
Google Books
Resurrection of Your Inner Hero:
Rendering Passivity Obsolete
By Jim Snyder
Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press
2014
Pg. ?:
“Excuses are like armpits, everybody has them and they all stink”– Anonymous
Google Books
Lessons from My Father:
77 Mini Life Lessons from Dear Old Dad and Historical Fathers
By Allan G. Hedberg Ph.D.
Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press
2015
Pg. ?:
EXCUSES ARE LIKE ARMPITS, EVERYBODY HAS TWO AND THEY ALWAYS STINK
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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