A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

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.

Recent entries:
“Don’t be a chaser, be the one who gets chased. You are the tequila, not the lime” (3/28)
“Shoutout to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
“Thank you, ATM fees, for allowing me to buy my own money” (3/27)
“Anyone else boil the kettle twice? Just in case the boiling water has gone cold…” (3/27)
“Shout out to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
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Entry from November 30, 2006
“Chile Today, Hot Tamale” (or “Chili Today, Hot Tamale”)

What’s the food forecast? “Chili ( or ‘chile’ or ‘chilly’ ) today, hot tamale.” The joke has been cited in print since 1926, when it was published in the New York City humor publication Life.
 
   
Newspapers.com
6 August 1926, Kansas City (MO) Times, pg. 9, col. 2:
The Shanghai Jester
From Life.
“How do you like the climate?” we asked John Chinaman, as he handed him our laundry check.
 
“Chile today and hot tamale,” he replied, as he blew an opium ring over the clothespin.
 
10 March 1928, Los Angeles Times, pg. 11:
The Shanghai Jester
“How do you like the climate?” we asked John Chinaman, as he handed him our laundry check.
 
“Chile today and hot tamale,” he replied, as he blew an opium ring over the clothespin.
   
22 March 1931, Helena (MT) Independent, pg. 7, col. 5:
“Chili today and hot tamale.”
 
24 July 1938, Port Arthur (TX) News, pg. 11:
Weather Forecast
Chili today and hot tamale.
 
28 September 1956, Daily Review (Hayward, CA), pg. 18:
All the new gimmickry on Groucho’s show even made the normally deadeye Marxman so panicky he used one of the oldest jokes in captivity: “Chile today and hot tamale.”
 
21 November 1966, New York Times, “From a Taste of a Taco, a New Shop” by Craig Claiborne, pg. 58:
THE sign in the window says “Chile Today and Hot Tamale” and one of the owners, Mrs. Helen Swenson, explains that it’s only a joke.
   
16 October 1975, Los Angeles Times, pg. I1:
That old joke, “Chilly today, hot tamale,” amounts to a threst in the chile growing country around Oxnard.
 
21 January 1998, New York Times, pg. F2:
Super Bowl Sunday is super-snack Sunday. And among the most addictive snack items to come along recently are the chipotle pretzel nuggets from Chile Today-Hot Tamale, a mail-order company.
   
(Trademark)
Word Mark CHILE TODAY - HOT TAMALE
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 030. US 046. G & S: spices and seasonings, namely packaged dried and smoked chile peppers. FIRST USE: 19920400. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19920400
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Design Search Code
Serial Number 74556315
Filing Date August 2, 1994
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition September 19, 1995
Registration Number 1940727
Registration Date December 12, 1995
Owner (REGISTRANT) Chile Today-Hot Tamale, Inc. CORPORATION NEW JERSEY Commerce Center 2227 U.S. Highway 1, #139 North Brunswick NEW JERSEY 08902
(LAST LISTED OWNER) DAVID HIRSCHKOP INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 2000 MCKINNON AVE., BUILDING 428 #5 SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA 94124
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Alan S. Nemes
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR).
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Cancellation Date September 16, 2006
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark CHILI TODAY HOT TAMALE
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 042. US 100. G & S: restaurant services
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Design Search Code
Serial Number 74512539
Filing Date April 14, 1994
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition December 27, 1994
Owner (APPLICANT) ORAZI, KAREN INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 297 Spruce Drive Brick Town NEW JERSEY 08723
Attorney of Record CLIFFORD G. FRAYNE
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date March 24, 1995

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