"A plateau is a high form of flattery” (or “A plateau is the highest form of flattery") is a “flattery” pun that has been printed on many images. “A Plateau is the highest form of flattery” was posted on the newsgroup rec.games.programmer on October 19, 1997. “A plateau is a high form of flattery” was posted on the website Pun of the Day in June 1999.
The one-line saying was popularized on many websites in 2002,
Google Groups: rec.games.programmer
Help! Watcom!
Steve McAndrewSmith
10/19/97
(...)
A Plateau is the highest form of flattery.
Pun of the Day
Great One Liners of the Month
Current Positions for June 1999
(...)
5. A plateau is a high form of flattery.
13 April 2002, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC), “Keep on the punny side of life” by Elsa McDowell, pg. 1:
- A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Puns of the Weak 04/26/02
Stan Kegel
4/26/02
(...)
A plateau is a high form of flattery. (Jerry Ulett)
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Puns of the Weak 10/25/02
Stan Kegel
10/27/02
(...)
A plateau is a high form of flattery (Pun of the Day)
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Puns of the Weak 11/15/02
Stan Kegel
11/15/02
(...)
A plateau is a high form of flattery. (Joan Adams)
Google Books
E-Mail Humor
By Louis G. Morton
Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing
2005
Pg. 6:
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Twitter
Brandon Danger Hill
@Gutshot
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
10:36 PM - 29 Sep 2008
Twitter
Spills
@spillsmusic
#CORNYjoke: Why is imitation like a plateau?
They’re both the highest form of flattery.
10:36 AM - 26 Aug 2009
Twitter
José
@bebi59
A Plateau is the highest form of flattery.
2:40 PM - 31 Dec 2009
Google Books
Once Apun A Time:
A Rich, Historical and Sometimes Earthy Collection of Puns
By Robin Leech
Victoria, BC: FriesenPress
2015
Pg. ?:
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Google Books
Dr. O.K.’s Wit, Wisdom and Whatever
By Otis LoVette
New York, NY: Page Publishing, Inc.
2016
Pg. ?:
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
15 February 2016, News Mail (Bundsberg, Queensland), “Last Laugh,” pg. 11:
How is imitation like a plateau? They’re both the highest form of flattery.
14 November 2016, The Advertiser< (Adelaide, Australia), “The Last Word” by Marty Smith, pg. 20:
Wordplay: A plateau is the highest form of flattery.
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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Entry in progress—BP (6/7)
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“Cheez-Its are goldfish for adults” (6/7)
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“Tread on those who tread on you” (6/7)
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“Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things” (6/7)
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Entry in progress—BP (6/7)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps.
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.
This site is edited by Barry Popik.