On 5 August, 1999, A.Word.A.Day News listed one of my email addresses as an interesting one:
>4. E-mail Address of the Month AWArD
>
> This section highlights an interesting email address on the AWAD list.
> This month the AWArD goes to:
>
>Johann_Gambolputty_de_von_Ausfernschpledenschlittscrascrenbonfriediggerdin
>gledangledonglebursteinvonknackerthrasherapplebangerhorowitzgrandlickgrumb
>elmeyerspelleriactuallycutabitoutdankerkalbsfleischmittleraucher_Von_Haupt
>kopt_of_Ulm@meta-labs.com [Adam Lindsay]
>
This got a large response, with about 75 emails coming in over the next 72 hours. I made a mass-reply to all, which explains some of the origins of the email address.
The email address derives from a comedic sketch from a show ("It's the Arts") in the first season of Monty Python's Flying Circus. The scene consists of an interviewer tracing the life of a little-discussed German artist:
"Why is it that nobody remembers the name of Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nurnburger-bratwustle-gernspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shonedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm?"
©1999, Adam T. Lindsay
9 August 1999