Before Bo

Before there was the Obamas' Bo, there was Jimmy Stewart's Beau.

Below this little paragraph you'll see a clip of Jimmy reciting his poem about Beau on the Johnny Carson Show in 1981. This poem is something oh so pleasant, and I recommend it.



I don't want to read too far into names, but there's something to be said for the different spellings of Bo/Beau. "Bo" is a lighthearted reference to the singer Bo Diddley, related by sound to Michelle's father Diddley. But to those who might not know that, "Bo" sure does resemble President Obama's initials.

Jimmy named his pup Beau, and he was Jimmy's furry dandy, his escort with a tennis ball. It comes from the Latin bellus, -a, -um, meaning handsome, beautiful. I consider this a very good and generous name for a dog, with no tinge of selfishness or pretension in it either real or perceived.

But we already knew Jimmy was good at choosing names for his animals friends, even when he was on film. Just watch him deliver this back alley monologue as Elwood P. Dowd in 'Harvey.' It's even more pleasant than the poem clip. Or so I think.