I fell through the loops
Posted: June 2, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThe contributor’s wife found out that she was not scheduled for a surgical procedure and commented that she “fell through the loops”. This is a conflation of “fell through the cracks” (unintentionally ignored or neglected) and “out of the loop” (not privy to the most up to date information). Both idioms describe someone being left out. “Loophole” might also be in the mix as it has a similar meaning to “falling through the cracks.” A big thank you to whitedog4u for hearing this one and sending it in.
Did you enjoy this malaphor? If so, you’ll love my second malaphor book, “Things are Not Rosy-Dory: Malaphors from Politicians and Pundits“, available on Amazon, and currently a cheap $8.99 (regularly a cheap $10.99). Get it while it’s hot (and did I say cheap?). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C7GGMG5?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Sweating cats and dogs
Posted: May 30, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cats and dogs, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the You Tube show, Our Abandoned Home Renovation: A Year Later, a husband and wife are renovating a house and the wife comments on the amount of sweat. It’s at the 18:30 mark:
This is a mashup of “raining cats and dogs” (raining hard and a lot) and “sweating buckets” (sweating profusely). Both idioms describe intensity and copious amounts of something. A big shout out to Verbatim for spotting this one and sending it in.
Shaky waters
Posted: May 14, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Due South, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the podcast Due South, host Leonita Inge was talking about how tariffs are affecting the North Carolina furniture industry. Here is the relevant part of the transcript of the show:
This is a mashup of “shaky ground” (an argument or position that is weak) and “murky waters” (situation that is not well known and could be dangerous). This one is similar to a previous post, “he’s standing on shaky ice”. https://malaphors.com/2025/04/14/hes-standing-on-shaky-ice/
Kudos to Yvonne Stam for hearing this one and sending it in!
You come in all shooting for bear
Posted: May 12, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ABC news, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Terry Moran, Trump, words Leave a commentABC’s Terry Moran interviewed Trump recently. In the course of the interview, Moran asked Trump if he trusted Putin. https://abcnews.go.com/US/full-transcript-trumps-exclusive-100-days-broadcast-interview/story?id=121291672
TERRY MORAN: Do you trust him?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don’t trust you. I don’t trust — I don’t trust a lot of people. I don’t trust you. Look at you. You come in all shooting for bear. You’re so happy to do the interview.
TERRY MORAN: I am happy —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And then you start hitting me with fake questions. You start tellin’ me that a guy — whose hand is covered with a tattoo —
TERRY MORAN: Alright. We’re back to that.
This is a conflation of “loaded for bear” (fully prepared for a challenge) and “shooting from the hip” (speak recklessly or impulsively). A big thanks to Mike Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in!
Living in a fantasy tale
Posted: May 10, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Dave Portnoy, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, Meghan Markle, Megyn Kelly, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the podcast The Megyn Kelly Show, Dave Portnoy, president and founder of Barstool Sports, was being interviewed by Kelly. They were talking about Meghan Markle’s perceived entitlement and portraying herself as a victim. Portnoy said that Markle didn’t need to work or complain as she is “living in a fantasy tale.” You can hear this one at the 1:34:00 minute mark (May 1, 2025 show). This is a congruent conflation of “a fairy tale” and “fantasy land”, both referring to imaginary places of utter perfection and happiness. A big thanks to Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in.
Easy sailing
Posted: May 8, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, words Leave a commentTwo friends were discussing conflict resolution strategies that could be employed to get two other friends talking again. One said, “if we can just get them in the same room, it will be easy sailing” (to get them back on friendly terms). This is a congruent conflation of “smooth sailing” and “easy as pie” or perhaps “easy peasy”, all meaning for something to be easy and without problems. “Easy sledding” may also be in the mix, as “sledding” and “sailing” sound similar. Kudos once again to Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in.
Like a kid in a candy jar
Posted: May 5, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Office Ladies, words Leave a commentOn the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, they talked about some of the best mistaken idioms ever uttered by Angela because she’s prone to such things. One of her favorites was “like a kid in a candy jar.”
This is a mashup of “like a kid in a candy store” (many enticing options from which it is difficult to make a selection) and “caught with (one’s) hands in the cookie jar” (caught in the act of some wrongdoing). Cookies and candies seem to be the mental mixup here. Might be some Willy Wonka sh*t going on here. A big thanks to Jake Lauer for hearing this one and sending it in!
She doesn’t fly off the cuff
Posted: May 3, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentFlorida Senate Democrats elected a new leader, Lori Berman. She was praised by many in her party, including State Rep Kelly Skidmore: “Lori is super thoughtful. She really takes her time, gets to know the subject matter,” Skidmore said. “She moves at an appropriate pace. She doesn’t fly off the cuff.” https://www.gazettextra.com/news/nation_world/florida-senate-democrats-change-course-with-new-leader-lori-berman-she-doesn-t-fly-off/article_3942c979-4c90-5ab1-842e-ded936b4aa67.html
This is a mashup of “fly off (the handle)” (lose one’s temper suddenly and unexpectedly) and “off the cuff” (speak spontaneously and frankly). It’s a beautiful malaphor, expressing someone with sudden rage and outspokenness at the same time. The “off the cuff” idiom has been unintentionally blended in many ways, and you can find them on my website by typing “cuff” in the search engine. One of my favorites is “Trump shoots from the cuff”. https://malaphors.com/2015/09/05/trump-shoots-from-the-cuff/
A big thank you to Tom Justice for spotting this one and sending it in.
Kowtoe to the President
Posted: April 23, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, MSNBC, Trump, words Leave a commentThis one was heard on the MSNBC podcast All In with Chris Hayes. It is a mashup of “kowtow” (acting in a subservient manner) and “toe the line” (accept the authority of an individual or group). Both are about conforming in some manner. You can hear the malaphor at 40:26:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in-with-chris-hayes/id1314170606?i=1000703932677
Kowdos to Frank King for hearing this one and sending it in!
He’s shooting from the seat of his pants
Posted: April 16, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blended idioms, Chuck Schumer, Deadline: White House, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, Trump, words Leave a commentLast week on the show Deadline: White House, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was talking about Trump and his reckless behavior. He then uttered this nice congruent conflation of “shooting from the hip” and “flying by the seat of (one’s) pants”, both meaning to act or speak impulsively without planning in advance. Can’t help but think “shitting (one’s) pants” (to be extremely frightened) might also have been on the speaker’s mind. Kudos to Steve Messinger for hearing this one and sending it in!
Malaphors 
Recent Comments