She’s driving the show

A couple were talking about another married couple where the husband does pretty much whatever his wife wants even when he doesn’t want to, prompting the malaphor: “She’s driving the show.” This is a congruent conflation of “running the show” and “in the driver’s seat”, both meaning to have authority or control of something. A big thanks to Barry Eigen for sending this one in!

That’s a load off my back

On the PBS Newshour, Cincinnati State was being highlighted for its accelerated two year program. Participants receive stipends to help with getting to school, etc. One participant, Blessing Henderson, said that the program really helped relieve a lot of stress and allowed her to complete her degree more quickly. She said of the assistance, “that’s a load off my back”. This is a congruent conflation of “load off (one’s) mind” and “monkey off (one’s) back”, both meaning to end a persistent problem or burden. A big thank you to Elaine Hatfield for hearing this one and letting me know!

Get back to snuff

This malaphor was overheard in a conversation. It is a mash up of “get back to basics” (return to the fundamental aspects of something) and “up to snuff” (meeting the required standard). Both phrases involve achieving a certain baseline, creating this mixup. A tip of the hat to Vicky Clancy-Yolton for hearing this one and sending it in!

Cash it home

During the NBA playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, ESPN commentator Jeff Van Gundy described a Laker basket in the first quarter where the player went through traffic to score. He said the player was able to “cash it home” despite the defense. This is a mash up of “send/take home” (win some sort of achievement) and “cash in” (to take advantage of a situation or moment). “Drive home” (to make a point) may also be in the mix as the player was driving to the basket and made a point (literally a couple). A big thanks to Bruce Ryan for hearing this one and sending it in!

Draw their own opinions

During a National Public Radio (NPR) station’s fundraising, the host read a donor’s statement that was complementing NPR news reporters, stating that they are neutral and “allow listeners to draw their own opinion.” This is a subtle mash up of “draw (one’s) own conclusion” (to decide what to believe after considering the facts) and “air/voice (one’s) opinion” (to make one’s argument known). A big thank you to David Barnes for hearing this one and sending it in.

I have to jump through all those bells and whistles

It’s hard to keep track these days of all those bells, hoops, whistles, and hurdles.  This was heard in a conversation.  It is a mash up of “jumping through hoops” (having to do extra things in order to do something you want) and “bells and whistles” (fancy add-ons or gadgets).  Both phrases refer to “extra things” which I think is the cause of the conflation. Kudos to Bob Edwards for uttering this one and Susan Edwards for promptly reporting it!

DeSantis has taken on more than he can bite off

On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Steve Rattner was doing his charts about DeSantis fighting with Disney and uttered this nice malaphor. It is a congruent conflation of “bite off more than (one) can chew” and “take on more than (one) can handle”, both meaning to take on more responsibility than one can handle. A big thanks to Ruth Dilts for hearing this one and sending it in!

We want to stick our hands in the sand

On the MSNBC show “Ana Cabrera Reports”, Eddie Glaude said, “Oftentimes, we want to stick our hands in the sand and say it’s not about race”. This is a mashup of “stick (one’s) head in the sand” (avoid a particular situation by pretending it does not exist) and “throw up (one’s) hands in the air” (express frustration or despair), “Hand” rhymes with “sand” so that may have misled the speaker, as well as “hand” sounding similar to “head”. Also, “stick your hands up” may have been in the mix. A big thank you to Jim Kozlowski for hearing this one and sending it in!

The answer’s in the pudding

In the documentary Stand, about NBA player Chris Jackson, this malaphor was uttered. It’s a mashup of “the proof’s in the pudding” (the real worth of something can only be determined by putting it to the test) and “the answer is blowing in the wind” (Bob Dylan lyric – “something we can’t grasp’?).

Speaking of the phrase, “the proof is in the pudding”, here is a nice exchange on NPR about the origin:

BEN ZIMMER: Well, the proof is in the pudding is a new twist on a very old proverb. The original version is the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And what it meant was that you had to try out food in order to know whether it was good.

INSKEEP: Zimmer adds that the word pudding itself has changed. In Britain, dating back centuries, pudding meant more than a sweet dessert.

ZIMMER: Back then, pudding referred to a kind of sausage, filling the intestines of some animal with minced meat and other things – something you probably want to try out carefully since that kind of food could be rather treacherous.

INSKEEP: OK. So, over the years, the original proverb has evolved. The original was the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It was shortened to the proof of the pudding, and then here in America, it morphed again to the proof is in the pudding. Apparently, the proof of the listening is in the correcting.

A big thanks to Mike Ameel for hearing this one and sending it in.

What really turns the coin…

On CBS Sunday Morning, to mark the 75^th anniversary of Harry Truman’s executive order ending segregation in the U.S. military, David Martin reported on the years-long struggle of Black Americans in uniform. This malaphor appeared:

This is a mashup of “turn the page/tide” (to make a transition to something, usually positive) and “other side of the coin” (opposing view). “Flip a coin” (give something over to chance) might also be in the mix. A big thanks once again to Steve Grieme for hearing this one and sending it in!