The theme song from the movie New York, New York (1977) was popularized by singer Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) and begins:
   
“Start spreadin’ the news, I’m leaving today
I want to be a part of it: New York, New York.”
   
“Start spreading the gnus” was printed in the Boston (MA) Herald on September 18, 2004. “How did the wildebeest herder announce his retirement? ‘Start spreading the gnus, I’m leaving today…’” was posted on Twitter on December 15, 2009. “I’ve just invented wildebeest pâté. Start spreading the gnus” was posted on Twitter on April 7, 2012. “I’m off to New York to market my wildebeest pâté. Start spreading the gnus” was posted on Twitter on September 4, 2013.
 
“Frank Sinatra’s son has invented Wildebeest Pâté - start spreading the gnus” was posted on Twitter by Pundamentalism on June 22, 2015, and again on Twitter on October 9, 2015.
 
   
Wikipedia: “Theme from New York, New York”
”Theme from New York, New York” (or “New York, New York”) is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York (1977), composed by John Kander, with lyrics by Fred Ebb. It was written for and performed in the film by Liza Minnelli. It remains one of the best-known songs about New York City. In 2004 it finished #31 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.
 
History
In 1979, “Theme from New York, New York” was re-recorded by Frank Sinatra for his album Trilogy: Past Present Future (1980), and has since become closely associated with him. He occasionally performed it live with Minnelli as a duet. Sinatra recorded it a second time for his 1993 album Duets, with Tony Bennett.
 
The first line of the song is:
 
Start spreadin’ the news, I’m leaving today
I want to be a part of it: New York, New York.
 
The song concludes with the line:
 
If I can make it there, I’m gonna make it anywhere,
It’s up to you, New York, New York.
     
18 September 2004, Boston (MA) Herald, pg. 9 photo caption:
Start spreading the gnus
Mom, Wanita, keeps her new gnu close by as they wander the wilderness at the Franklin Park Zoo yesterday.
         
Twitter 
Paul-Gabriel Wiener‏
@hataroni
How did the wildebeest herder announce his retirement? “Start spreading the gnus, I’m leaving today…”
4:13 AM - 15 Dec 2009
 
Twitter
DrFidelius‏
@DrFidelius
I’ve just invented wildebeest pâté. Start spreading the gnus.
10:11 AM - 7 Apr 2012
 
Twitter
Andy Dutton‏
@Andy_Dutton
I’m off to New York to market my wildebeest pâté. Start spreading the gnus.
3:17 PM - 4 Sep 2013
 
Twitter
Ian Tamburello‏
@tambo2806
Just bought a Frank Sinatra branded pate made of antelopes. Start spreading the gnus.
2:52 PM - 25 Jan 2014
 
Twitter
Pundamentalism‏
@Pundamentalism
Frank Sinatra’s son has invented Wildebeest Pâté - start spreading the gnus.
4:42 PM - 22 Jun 2015
 
Twitter
Pundamentalism‏
@Pundamentalism
Frank Sinatra’s son has invented Wildebeest Pâté - start spreading the gnus.
4:50 AM - 9 Oct 2015
     
Arnold Zwicky’s Blog
July 17, 2017 at 10:27 am
Start spreading the gnus
Today’s ouchrageous pun (passed on to me by Chris Hansen):
CHEF: MR. SINATRA, WE JUST GOT AN ORDER FOR 100 WILDEBEEST SANDWICHES.
FRANK SINATRA: WELL THEN..START SPREADING THE GNUS!
(#1) By Dan Thompson (DT Page on this blog here)
 
Wildebeests, gnus, whetever — they’re all ungulates.
 
Takes some work to set things up for the punchline, an absurdist pun on the first line of the song “New York”, which Frank Sinatra took on as one of his signature tunes.
 
Twitter
James Baker‏
@JB_MusicComic
Little-known fact: you can buy Frank Sinatra-endorsed wildebeest pate. Start spreading the gnus… #1Pun
12:17 PM - 24 Jan 2018
 
Twitter
🤣 The Dad Joke Man 😉‏
@DadJokeMan
A new product has hit the supermarket shelves ! You can now buy wildebeest pate’ endorsed by Frank Sinatra…..
Start spreading the gnus…
12:42 PM - 24 Jan 2018