The Republicans run cover for Trump
Posted: December 5, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Charlie Sykes, give cover, Hardball, humor, language, malaphor, MSNBC, run point, Trump Leave a commentPolitical pundit Charlie Sykes uttered this one on MSNBC’s Hardball (hosted by the Malaphor King, Chris Matthews – see website for the many contributions). This is a mashup of “run point” (take the lead) and “give cover” (protect from attack). Perhaps Mr. Sykes was thinking (or hoping) about “running for cover”, but there is no indication any Republican is doing that at this point. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one and sharing it.
He tried to steal the wind out of your sails
Posted: December 4, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: humor, language, malaphor, s thunder, steal one, take the wind out of one's sails Leave a commentThe submitter’s wife was talking about someone who was going to upstage him. This is a nice mashup of “steal your thunder” (garner the attention or prasie that one had been expecting for some accomplishment) and “take the wind out of your sails”(diminish one’s enthusiasm about something). Both phrases involve taking away something from someone. Also, sails and wind often are accompanied by thunder, right? A big thanks to Martin Pietrucha for hearing this one and passing it on.
What a flash from the past!
Posted: December 2, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blast from the past, expressions, flashback, humor, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentThis was uttered in response to finding a cake topping used in childhood. It’s a congruent conflation of ‘blast from the past” and “flashback”, both describing something that evokes a sense of nostalgia. “Blast” and “past” are similar sounding. A big thanks to Nick Mamalis for saying this one and Elaine Hatfield for sharing it.
We’re as thick as two thieves in a pod
Posted: November 18, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, like two peas in a pod, malaphor, malaphors, Scrubs, thick as thieves, words Leave a commentThis one comes from the tv show Scrubs. While intentional, it’s a classic malaphor and worth posting (although it does go against the rules that the malaphor spoken or written should be unintentional). Still, too good to pass up. It’s a mashup (of course) of “thick as thieves” (a close alliance or friendship) and “like two peas in a pod” (similar interests or beliefs). This one works on many levels – similar idioms, and the rhyme of “peas” and “thieves”. A big thanks to Elly Pietrucha for spotting this one on a rerun.
The doors are closing in
Posted: November 16, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: doors are closing, Gregory Meeks, humor, idioms, language, malaphors, The Last Word, Trump, walls are closing in Leave a comment
Quid pro quo is one of these things to muddy the works
Posted: November 11, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, gum up the works, humor, Jim Himes, language, malaphor, malaphors, Meet the Press, muddy the waters, Trump, words Leave a commentThis gem was uttered by Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) yesterday on Meet the Press, talking about the Trump impeachment inquiry. It is a mashup of “muddy the waters” (to make a situation less clear) and “gum up the works” (to interfere with the proper functioning of something). Both expressions refer to degrading something, and “works” and “waters” might have been jumbled by the phrase “water works”? A big shout out to Bruce Ryan who heard this one and passed it on. @jahimes @MeetThePress
You can hear this malaphor just about at the beginning of the video:
The top kahuna, Donald Trump
Posted: November 7, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: big kahuna, humor, language, malaphor, Nick Akerman, top dog, Trump Leave a comment
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