I’ve got better fish to fry
Posted: August 2, 2013 Filed under: fish, fry | Tags: Batman Returns, better things to do, bigger fish to fry, blended idioms, Catwoman, Christopher Walken, expressions, fish, fry, humor, language, malaphors, Max Shreck, mixed idioms, Tim Burton, words 2 CommentsThis one comes from the Christopher Walken character in the movie Batman Returns:
Charles ‘Chip’ Shreck: Dad, you buy that “blurry” business?
Maximillian’Max’ Shreck: Women. Nothing surprises me, Chip, except your late
mother. Who’d have thought Selina had a brain to damage. Bottom line,
she tries to blackmail me, I’ll drop her out a higher window. Meantime, I
got better fish to fry.
I’ve opened up a can of beans
Posted: July 31, 2013 Filed under: bean, can | Tags: beans, blended idioms, can of worms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, spill the beans, words, worms 1 CommentThis is a mash up of “”can of worms” and “spill the beans”. Of course, by itself it could be meant literally as opening a can of beans, but in the context the speaker meant to say “I’ve opened up a can of worms”. This malaphor is similar to a previous malaphor post – “That’s a real ball of worms” (12/18/12), mixing “can of worms” with “ball of wax”. Thanks to Denita for sending this one in!
Things roll off my shoulders
Posted: July 28, 2013 Filed under: back, roll, shoulders | Tags: blended idioms, broad shoulders, conflation, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, roll off my back, words Leave a commentI think this is a mash up of “letting things roll off ones back” and “having broad shoulders”, both meaning to accept criticism and not worry. Shoulder rolls (or shrugs) also may come into play. A tip of the toque to Sam Edelmann for hearing and sharing this one.
He was known to get hot off the collar
Posted: July 24, 2013 Filed under: collar | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hot off the press, hot under the collar, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Pittsburgh, words, WPXI Leave a commentBreaking malaphor news!! This is a mix of “hot under the collar” (angry) and “hot off the press” (just released or freshly printed). It was heard by the keen ears of Mike Kovacs when he was watching the local news on WPXI in Pittsburgh. The WPXI correspondent reports that neighbors say the suspect was known to get “hot off the collar.”
I have a lot of balls in the fire
Posted: July 17, 2013 Filed under: ball, fire, irons, THINGS | Tags: air, balls, balls in the air, blended idioms, expressions, fire, humor, irons, irons in the fire, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOuch! This is a mix up of “irons in the fire” (a number of jobs or possibilities at the same time) and “balls in the air” (many things happening at once). A big thanks to Martin Pietrucha for sending this one in.
They deserve a good clap on the back
Posted: July 10, 2013 Filed under: back, slap, wrist | Tags: blended idioms, clap, conflations, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, pat on the back, slap on the wrist, WESA, words Leave a commentI heard this one today on our local public radio station, WESA. The speaker was referring to the ACLU pursuing lawsuits against Pennsylvania laws supporting DOMA in response to the recent Supreme Court decision. He meant to say “pat on the back” (praise), but seems to have confused “slap on the wrist” (mild punishment) and “clap your hands”. Certainly clap as used as a noun has another meaning so my guess is he meant to say “pat”.
You still need boots on the pavement to gather the facts
Posted: July 7, 2013 Filed under: boots, pavement | Tags: blended idioms, boots, boots on the ground, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, pavement, pounding the pavement, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was uttered by Carl Hiassen while being interviewed on Orlando’s local public radio station, WMFE. He was referring to the fact that even though many persons are now getting their news information from the internet instead of print newspapers, “you still need boots on the pavement to gather the facts.” This is a nice mash of “boots on the ground” (troops in place) and “pounding the pavement”.(walking the streets, particularly in looking for employment). A big thanks to Tom Justice for hearing this one!
We have a few dark sheep in the family
Posted: July 2, 2013 Filed under: horse, sheep | Tags: black sheep, blended idioms, dark horse, expressions, horse, humor, language, Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti, malaphors, mixed idioms, sheep, Sopranos, words 2 Comments
The Sopranos title screen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is a mash up of “black sheep” (disreputable member of a group) and “dark horse” (something or someone who is little known and rises to prominence). It was uttered in The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti, the eighth episode of the first season of The Sopranos.:
Dr. Reis: You know, on my mother’s side, we have a few dark sheep.
… Louis “Lepke” Buchalter, you know, Murder Incorporated. My mother’s
uncle was Lepke’s wheel man, his driver.
Not the brightest tool in the shed
Posted: June 24, 2013 Filed under: bulb, shed, tool | Tags: blended idioms, bulb, conflations, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, sharpest tool in the shed, shed, tool, words 2 CommentsThis is a mash up of “not the sharpest tool in the shed” and “not the brightest bulb in the chandelier” (or “not the brightest”), both idioms describing someone lacking in intelligence. Of course it had to be me who uttered this one to my wife who promptly pointed out the mix-up. It reminded me once again that I really am not the brightest tool in the shed.
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