The Popcorn Stand: Only Laurel and Hardy could do this routine

The old fuddy duddy is having as difficult of a time as ever trying to keep up with what’s hip, fleek or whatever and what such significant pop culture stuff is in the news.

I found out the Yanny vs. Laurel debate was so last week. Of course I have no idea what the Yanny vs. Laurel debate was but apparently it was right up there with the pending Trump-Kim talks when it comes to world diplomacy.

Apparently some people heard Yanny, not to be confused with Yani, and some people heard Laurel, not to be confused with Laurel and Hardy. When I first heard about this debate that’s what I thought as I thought how could you mistake elevator music for a black and white comedy?

But now the debate is between brainstorm and green needle. There’s an audio clip in which apparently if you think about the word brainstorm you hear brainstorm and if you think about the words green needle you hear green needle. Or you could hear brain needle or green storm.

We humans have too much time on our hands and apparently I have too much time on my hands because I’m writing about this stuff.

Of course I could imagine Laurel and Hardy doing a routine arguing about what they heard Yanny or Laurel or brainstorm or green needle.

Or how about Abbott and Costello. Yanny’s on first, Laurel’s on second and green needle’s on third.

Then again maybe I’m just green needling you. Did you hear that?

­— Charles Whisnand