Negotiating with Trump is like trying to talk to Jello
Posted: January 11, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cnn, humor, idioms, language, malaphor, nail jello to the wall, Richard Blumenthal, talking to a wall, Trump, wordplay, words Leave a commentSenator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) uttered this gem on CNN January 4, 2019. The context is regarding the recent Government shutdown over Trump’s proposed wall. This is a conflation of “like talking to a wall” (a futile conversation because the other party is not listening) and “like nailing Jello to a wall” (a futile attempt at something). Both idioms contain the word “wall” (appropriate in context, right?) and both concern something that is futile (a conversation or an attempt). A hat tip to Tom Justice for hearing this one!
Even-headed
Posted: March 23, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Ari Melber, even handed, expressions, humor, language, level headed, malaphor, malaphors, Richard Blumenthal, Trump, words Leave a commentOn the MSNBC show The Beat with Ari Melber, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D – CT) decried the loss of H.R. McMaster by saying that there are now “fewer even-headed, mature individuals in this administration”. This is a mashup of “even-handed” (impartial or equitable) and “level (or calm)-headed” (calm and practical). This is almost a perfect malaphor. The words “even” and “level” both relate to equity, and “hand” and “head” are body parts and similar sounding words. Was this perhaps a Freudian slip, with the speaker thinking that the current Trump administration has some “odd heads” in it? A shout out to “my ol’ pal” Beatrice Zablocki for hearing this one and sending it in!


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