He would have been driven out of this town on a stake
Posted: January 17, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: burn someone at the stake, Donald Trump, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, run out of town on a rail, Sean Spicer, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, words 2 CommentsOh my. This beauty was uttered by Sean Spicer, President-Elect Trump’s Press Secretary, talking on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Here is the context:
“If my boss at the time, Reince Priebus, had gotten the debate questions, and handed them off, he would have been driven out of this town on a stake, and Donald Trump would have been vilified.” http://64.147.104.30/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/312361-spicer-questions-if-clinton-should-be-punished-for-receiving
This is a mash up of “run out of town on a rail” (punish someone by public condemnation or ridicule) and “burn someone at the stake” (to chastise or denounce someone severely). “Head on a stake” might also be in the mix.
In case the Donald is reading, he should check out my “Politics” section on my website and in my book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” (available on Amazon!). He will find malaphors uttered not only by himself but by other politicians, including Obama, McCain, and the unforgettable Herman Cain. @realDonaldTrump
I received this malaphor from two people at virtually the same time, a first on this website. So kudos to John Pekich and Mike Kovacs for hearing this one on the Sunday talk news shows and sending it to yours truly!
Cameras blazing
Posted: November 23, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cameras rolling, Donald Trump, expressions, Hamilton, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, with guns blazing, words Leave a commentThis one was tweeted last week by President-elect Donald Trump in one of his many tweets: “Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!” https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/799972624713420804
It is a mash up of “with (your) guns blazing” (doing something with a lot of force or energy) and “keep the cameras rolling” (staying on the record after intending to end a discussion or video). However, perhaps Mr. Trump really intended to use the mixed idiom to convey many cameras having great force or effect. Or, perhaps he was emphasizing that a trip to the theater should not be in the press? Maybe many phones lighting up at once creating a fiery effect? What do you think? Not sure what he really meant, but I do know he formed a very nice malaphor for this website! A big thanks to Yvonne Stam, frequent malaphor contributor for spotting this one and sending it in!
Enjoyed this malaphor? Check out my book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205. Lots of mixed idioms in the political world, and a few from Mr. Trump as well!
He’s open game
Posted: November 7, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, fair game, humor, Jeb Bush, language, malaphor, malaphors, open season, words Leave a commentTrump said this when referring to Jeb Bush. He invoked his former Republican rival because “he’s open game” for not standing by his pledge to support the GOP nominee. “So he signed the pledge, right? But he didn’t honor it,” Trump said. “How do you — how do you live with yourself, you know?” http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/donald-trump-jeb-bush-230358
This is a mash up of “open season” (a period of time when everyone is criticizing someone) and “fair game” (someone that is considered permissable to attack or abuse). Both idioms involve criticizing someone or something which is the cause of the mix up. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one and sending it on!
Some are riding the fence
Posted: September 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, riding it out, sitting on the fence, Washington Post, words Leave a commentThis well-crafted mixed idiom appeared in the Washington Post. The author, Callum Borchers, was discussing the issue of where Republicans who are seeking office stand on supporting Donald Trump. “In future elections, Republicans seeking office will have to answer an important question: Where did you stand on Donald Trump? Some seem acutely aware of this looming litmus test and are riding the fence.”
This is a mash up of “sitting on the fence” (not taking sides in a dispute) and “riding it out” (continue working through something unpleasant or dangerous). The author might also have been thinking of “riding the pine” (in sports, to remain sitting on the bench), as it involves sitting. In researching this curious malaphor, I found that the idiom actually is used in St. Maarten. On that beautiful island, the airport is situated right off the beach. Tourists hold onto a fence as the planes take off and land just feet above them, hence the expression “riding the fence.”
A tip of the hat to frequent malaphor contributor John Costello for spotting this one and sending it on!
Don’t ride the fence any longer: Buy the new malaphor book, He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors, available NOW on Amazon! Click here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
Hillary Clinton is in the process of refudiating everything that Mr. Trump says
Posted: September 19, 2016 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, Hardball, Hillary Clinton, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, MSNBC, refuting, repudiating, Sean Jackson, WORD BLENDS, words 1 CommentThis nice word blend malaphor was uttered by Sean Jackson, chairman of the Florida Black Republican Caucus and Trump supporter, on MSNBC’s Hardball. Mr. Jackson stated, “Hillary Clinton is in the process of refudiating everything that Mr. Trump says by trying to make him out to be the bigot.” See http://www.msnbc.com/transcripts/hardball/2016-08-26
This is a mash up of “repudiating” (rejecting the validity or authority) and “refuting” (proving or saying that something is not true). Word blend malaphors are an interesting subset of idiom blend malaphors. There are quite a few posted on this website. A shout out to Sam Edelmann who heard this one and passed it on!
If you liked this malaphor from the political world, you will want to get the book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon! There is a whole chapter devoted to mash ups from politics.
Clinton is selling them down the tubes
Posted: August 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Anderson Cooper, Donald Trump, expressions, going down the tubes, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed metaphors, selling them down the river, words Leave a commentDuring an interview with Anderson Cooper this week, Donald Trump responded to a question from Anderson on why he called Hillary Clinton a bigot. Referring to African Americans, Trump said that Clinton is “selling them down the tubes.” This is a mash up of “selling them down the river” (harming or disappointing people who trusted you) and “going down the tubes” (to become much worse). “Down” is the culprit here, as it appears in both idioms. Also, I suspect the image of tubing down the river might have floated in Donald’s mind.
For the first time, I received a malaphor spotting from two people, both who are loyal malaphor watchers and followers, Mike Kovacs and Sally Adler. A yuuuge thanks to Mike and Sally for hearing this timely mixed idiom and sending it in!
If you liked this one from the political world, I have a whole chapter of malaphors uttered by politicians in my new book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon now!!
The man is a nut cake
Posted: August 10, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Hayes, Donald Trump, expressions, Gordon Humphrey, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, MSNBC, nutcase, nutty as a fruitcake, words Leave a commentOn MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes” show last night, former New Hampshire Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) said Trump is a “nut cake”. This is a congruent conflation of “nutcase” and “nutty as a fruitcake”, both obviously meaning to be crazy or insane. Here is an excerpt from the transcript, courtesy of Breitbart News (trying to stay apolitical here):
In the common parlance, the man is a nut cake, he is a looney bird. And it would be the height of irresponsibility to elevate him to the presidency. It would be recklessness to make him commander in chief. I’ve issued a call to members of the RNC this afternoon to demand an emergency meeting of the Republican National Committee to strip Donald Trump of the nomination and to replace him with someone of sound mind.
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/08/09/fmr-nh-senator-trump/
As followers know, malaphors are spoken by all, including Republicans and Democrats. Who can forget Obama’s excellent “my opponent would like you to think I am green behind the ears when it comes to foreign policy”, or Hillary Clinton’s recent “the creme de la resistance”? A big thanks to Sam Edelmann who heard this one and passed it on to Malaphor Central.
Things are not rosy-dory
Posted: August 1, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, humor, hunky-dory, malaphor, malaphors, peachy keen, rosy, Rosy Dory, words Leave a commentI usually post my malaphors in the order I receive them, but this one is an exception. Donald Trump was condemning the optimistic picture of the nation that Hillary Clinton painted at the Democratic National Convention. Speaking at a rally in Denver, Trump said Clinton was “talking last night about how wonderful things are. She made it sound like everything is rosy-dory,” Trump said. “Things are not rosy-dory, folks.” See https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/the-latest-trump-slams-clintons-rosy-dory-optimism/2016/07/29/2e11a79c-55f8-11e6-b652-315ae5d4d4dd_story.html This is a congruent conflation of “hunky-dory” and “rosy”, both meaning happy and content.
Interestingly, the Rosy Dory is a cute little fish found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Not sure Mr. Trump was thinking of this or the Disney movie but it certainly could have been part of the mix up. The malaphor reminds me of an earlier one I posted, “that’s just peachy-dory!”, combining hunky-dory and peachy keen. https://malaphors.com/2014/03/16/thats-just-peachy-dory/
A major shout out to Sam Edelmann for spotting this one and also linking the Rosy Dory fish as well!
Our spouses and our children are off bounds
Posted: April 19, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, off limits, out of bounds, Ted Cruz, words Leave a comment
He says whatever rolls off the top of his head
Posted: April 15, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, off the top of my head, roll off the tongue, words 1 CommentThis gem was picked up on a radio show. A caller said Trump “says whatever rolls off the top of his head”. This is a mash up of “off the top of one’s head” (without much thought) and “roll/trip off the tongue” (easy to say). “Heads will roll” (people will get into severe trouble) also might be in the mix, given the bombastic nature of the subject. Given the sweeping nature of the subject’s hair, the image of something “rolling off the top of the head” might also have been in the speaker’s mind. A big thanks to Donna Cosentino for hearing this one and sending it in!
If you liked this malaphor, you will LOVE the book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” that can be purchased on Amazon for a measly 6.29. This link to to get this collection of mash ups is http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205. In Canada it’s http://www.amazon.ca/dp/0692652205 and in the UK it’s http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0692652205.
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