Origin of 'Change for a nickel?' - Taxi Driver movie or Jackson Hole powder day story

**Skis4Fun** · 11-08-2006, 06:37 PM

1. Is the origin of TGR "Change for a nickel?" maggot greeting either A) a scene from the Taxi Driver movie (1976) www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314 by Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro as the NYC cabbie Travis Bickle or B) Jackson Hole powder day story by an unknown author or C) other

2. Please vote and post why you think we use this TGR maggot greeting/call out. If you voted for C) other, post the details.

3. Does anyone know whom the author is of the Jackson Hole powder day story (see option B below) that was originally posted on the Jackson Hole website jacksonhole.com/mountain/powder?

4. Who started the use of the following terms and what do they mean to you (The search function suggests multiple answers)? JONG, MAGGOT, MANG, GNARNIA, ULLR FEST

5. What other terms/abbreviations have you been introduced to as part of the TGR community?

A) Taxi Driver movie scene

www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/quotes

Memorable Quotes from
Taxi Driver (1976)

Wizard: Hey Travis, this here's Doughboy. We call him that 'cause he'll do anything for a buck.
Doughboy: Hi Travis. Got change of a nickel?

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_s...ue-quotes.html

Travis, you know Doughboy, Charlie T. ?
Got change for a nickel?
We call him Doughboy 'cause he'll do anything for a buck.
So, how's it hangin'?

www.evil-g.com/edwood2.html

Taxi Driver--Part 1

The next evening at the all-night cafeteria, Ed found a few of the drivers sitting around shooting the bull. At the center of the table was Criswell, whom the drivers started referring to as The Amazing Criswell, because of all his great advice. Also at the table was Bela, who Ed knew from the movie business, before Bela's heroin jag landed him in the garage. Also there was Bunny--who always made Ed feel comfortable by dressing even more outlandishly than he did--Connie and Paul. Criswell was telling a story when Ed pulled up to the front door.

Ed orders some coffee from the waitress, and looks despondently at his feet.
"Ed, you know Bela the cop, and Bunny B. We call him Bela the cop, because he'll do anything to cop some H."
"Eddie, do you have change for a nickel?" chimed Bela, good naturedly.
"How's it hanging? I predict it's hanging well," asked Criswell.

Taxi Driver trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqLyTdcMLhc

Taxi Driver montage www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfygxTaz3tA

Best Of Taxi Driver www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp8lXLrsdsQ

B) Jackson Hole powder day story by an unknown author (The story below comes from a screen capture of the Jackson Hole website jacksonhole.com/mountain/powder from February 11, 2001 by the Wayback Machine aka Internet Archive at archive.org). If you know the name of the author of this Jackson Hole powder day story and/or when it occurred, please post that info. Has anyone seen this guy with the word "Nickel" taped to the back of his helmet?

http://web.archive.org/web/200102110...in/powder.html

Powder Gallery
the 2000-2001 Photo of the Day Archive
will begin in early December

Because they are such amazing shots, we have built this archive for the Photo of the Day. Special thanks to our excellent web-photographer, Chris Figenshau.

A few years ago, I was skiing this huge powder day with a couple of friends. We were riding a lift up when we heard a few people talking about the snow,
"Check out these freshies!"

"This is awesome pow-pow!

Right then I just got annoyed. Not at the people, or the conditions, but the verbiage. I thought to myself, skiers and snowboarders have been using the same dumb expressions for quality powder snow since glaciers carved the Tetons. Hell, my dad says "pow-pow."

So anyway, my friends and I decided that we needed a new word, one that had nothing to do with powder, or snow, or fresh, because they were all used up anyway. Right then, I blurted out the first word that came to mind -

N I C K E L !

Yep, Nickel Baby. After I had said it, I wondered why that word popped into my head. I still have no idea, but as the word began to grow on me (and my friends) it just seemed so appropriate. All day long the expressions just started flowing: "The mountain is freshly minted!!" (translation: There is a blanket of fresh nickel on the hill) "I had spare change flying all over the place!! " (Translation: HUGE face shots!) "An untracked chute is a "Nickel Slot!" "Jackpot!" means you "Cashed in" on a bank of Nickel. "There is so much Nickel we have a dollar!" "Jesse James" is someone who just stole your line. "I'm spent" brings on a whole new meaning, and "We're broke!" means no new snow last night.

I would hardly say that the word caught on like wildfire in the skiing community, but I still use it. So, when you come on out to Jackson Hole, and you see a guy with the word "NICKEL" taped to the back of his helmet, that's me. Tap me on the shoulder, and say "Nickel, Baby!" I'll think you are pretty cool

C) Other. Please post the details.

**gorms** · 11-08-2006, 06:54 PM

George Carlin uses it in a bit in "What Am I Doing in New Jersey"

the rant is about how to keep other people alert.

.....Stand on line at a bank for a really long time...when you finally get up to the window...just ask for change of a nickle

**Twoplanker** · 11-08-2006, 08:10 PM

There is also a classic Mose Allison (orig. Ella Fitzgerald) song called "I ain't got nothing but the blues" that goes

"Ain't got the chaaaaaange of a nickel...

ain't got no bounce in my shoes.

Ain't got no fancy to tickle...

I ain't got nothing but these blues."

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/ella+fi..._20045754.html

**hutash** · 11-08-2006, 08:39 PM

Okay, so "Change for a nickel?" has been around for a while, but how did it become part of the TGR lexicon?

And while I am at it, where the terms maggot and mang come from. I have searched, and waited for the answers to pop up some where, but no luck.

**Twoplanker** · 11-08-2006, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Okay, so "Change for a nickel?" has been around for a while, but how did it become part of the TGR lexicon?

And while I am at it, where the terms maggot and mang come from. I have searched, and waited for the answers to pop up some where, but no luck.

Pinner and I argue back and forth about which one of us coined the term Maggot. Pretty sure it was me, and it referred to PowderMAG.com.

But that was in the time before The Great Powder Exodus and during the Age of the Fistful of Maggots.

**Blurred** · 11-08-2006, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Okay, so "Change for a nickel?" has been around for a while, but how did it become part of the TGR lexicon?

And while I am at it, where the terms maggot and mang come from. I have searched, and waited for the answers to pop up some where, but no luck.

This has been discussed ad naseum...search. I'll throw you a bone though JONG.

Maggots=magazine (Powder) reader

mang=go watch Scarface.

Also, in this historic thread, I will once again take credit for using the Acronym JONG, while others were calling you a jack off newbie gaper.....(and NO, it's not Jerk off)

**The Suit** · 11-08-2006, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

And while I am at it, where the terms maggot and mang come from.

I don't know about the TGR usage, but I first heard the word "mang" uttered by a character named Izzy on Miami Vice.

**72Twenty** · 11-08-2006, 09:45 PM

I first heard mang from Sandler's bafoon skit on his album. "Fackun Sheet, Mang!"

**powstash** · 11-08-2006, 10:04 PM

getting in early on this ground breaking thread

**nesta** · 11-08-2006, 11:37 PM

I first heard and used mang with my mtn. biking buddies Mel, Tony, Frank and Manny, mang. From Scarface, but if it was heard on the TV show Miami Vice, that probably pre-dates Scarface. Must be the Miami Cuban thang.

**leroy jenkins** · 11-08-2006, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by gorms

George Carlin uses it in a bit in "What Am I Doing in New Jersey"

the rant is about how to keep other people alert.

.....Stand on line at a bank for a really long time...when you finally get up to the window...just ask for change of a nickle

I hope George Carline meets a maggot someday, and gets shitfaced with him.

George Carline would be fun to party with.

**nesta** · 11-08-2006, 11:48 PM

George Carlin makes me laugh, especially his old stuff. He would be outrageous to party with.

**iceman** · 11-08-2006, 11:49 PM

One of the two Seans came up with "maggots", but that and the origin of "change for a nickle" are lost to history, thank you Daniel.

Brett's probably right about JONG, although I must say I've always thought "jerk" was correct and "jack' incorrect. Shows what i know.

**Ripzalot** · 11-09-2006, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by Skis4Fun

I would hardly say that the word caught on like wildfire in the skiing community, but I still use it. So, when you come on out to Jackson Hole, and you see a guy with the word "NICKEL" taped to the back of his helmet, that's me. Tap me on the shoulder, and say "Nickel, Baby!" I'll think you are pretty cool

yet your TGR handle is Skis4Fun. what gives?

**TeleHoar** · 11-09-2006, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by nesta

From Scarface, but if it was heard on the TV show Miami Vice, that probably pre-dates Scarface.

**Stone-Free** · 11-09-2006, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by 72Twenty

I first heard mang from Sandler's bafoon skit on his album. "Fackun Sheet, Mang!"

You could give this up to Scarface, but I credit my using 'mang' to Sandler.

**AntiSoCalSkier** · 11-09-2006, 09:20 AM

Someone has to do it, so I guess it will be me.

At some point in the deep dark, pre-Daniel past, there was a thread where someone suggested that there should be a way to identify other Maggots on the hill. There were a number of different ideas including duct tape on the ski tips, stickers, etc. Then someone suggested that we should come up with some sort of question (since asking someone if they were a "Maggot" was mildly insulting). After much discussion, the phrase "Do you have change for a nickle was decided on". I don't think there was any mention of Taxi Driver, although it is possible that the original poster was inspired by the movie.

**MarsB** · 11-09-2006, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by leroy jenkins

I hope George Carline meets a maggot someday, and gets shitfaced with him.

George Carline would be fun to party with.

I met George Carlin once, in Vegas. He was walking down the steps of the casino as we were walking up. Me and my buddies had one of those elbow-each-other-and-whisper "Hey, isnt that George Carlin?" moments. "Hey Kids!" George replied. He was a little dude. And he was carrying a small dog. Sure enough, his name was on the marquee for that evening at the hotel next door.

That's all I got, unfortunately. Not the best of stories.

And Telehoar, that gave me a chuckle too. Youngsters.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 11-09-2006, 10:36 AM

it doesn't have to do with pennies on your skis?

**hutash** · 11-09-2006, 10:39 AM

So I did a search on mang, and yhis is what i found:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mang

This is how Tony Montana says MAN, but in a comradery/get outta my face way.

ju tink I a communiss, Mang....uh?

ju tink I wanna live ing some fucking caige, mang....uh?

who da fuck u tink put dis togetta, uh?
ME, dass who, mang !!

Plain and simple, this was started by the Mexicans. It's their way of saying "Man".. This is due to the Mexican accent converted to English. Now people say 'mang' because it's (1) different and (2) humorous.

"What's up, mang?"

made popular by Al Pacino in Scarface, "mang" is the term for "man", but skewed into sounding like "mang" when said with the cuban accent of "Tony Montana"

"fuuhck you mang!"

"It helps me sleep go at night mang."

A Japanese Male Prostitute. Also used as an insult.

Your a mang!
Why be such a mang?
Dont be a mang
Your a mang child

I was going to wait until after my 500th post to ask about the TGR lexicon in the hopes of avoiding the JONG, but this seemed like a good time.

I did manage to avoid being JONGed for 471 posts though, not bad.

And I honestly did try to find an answer, but I expected be be JONGed.

**Skis4Fun** · 11-09-2006, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Ripzalot

yet your TGR handle is Skis4Fun. what gives?

Ripzalot - Please see question #3. The author of the Jackson Hole powder day story is unknown to me. I was hoping that someone might know whom the author is. The Jackson Hole powder story is a screen capture of a page on from the Jackson Hole website by the Wayback Machine aka Internet Archive from February 11, 2001.

3. Does anyone know whom the author is of the Jackson Hole powder day story (see option B below) that was originally posted on the Jackson Hole website jacksonhole.com/mountain/powder?

**Blurred** · 11-09-2006, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by TeleHoar

Dude, when I think about Miami Vice, I think of the 70's....

**irul&ublo** · 11-09-2006, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by leroy jenkins

I hope George Carline meets a maggot someday, and gets shitfaced with him.

George Carline would be fun to party with.

As much fun as George Carlin?

**willywhit** · 11-09-2006, 08:16 PM

You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well, I'm the only one here. Who do the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh, yeah? Ok.