I was flying by the edge of my seat

Posted: December 7, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This one was said on the Food Network show “Cooks vs. Cons” (season 2, episode 5).  It is a nice mashup of “flying by the seat of my pants” (to rely on one’s instinct instead of following a set plan) and “on the edge of my seat” (very excited and giving your full attention to something).  “Seat” is the common word here, and the source of the mixup.  A big thanks to Hillary Harding for spotting this one!

It’s trial by error

Posted: November 27, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This might be another “freudian slip malaphor” (see “I have nothing to hide but the truth”), when considering it was spoken by a physician.  This is a mash up of “trial by fire” (ability to perform under pressure) and “trial and error” (trying repeatedly for success).  It’s also the title of  a “Murder She Wrote” and  a “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” episode.  Who knew?   Thanks to Barry Eigen for sending in this gem.

There’s no use crying over fish in the sea

Posted: August 27, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: ANIMALS, cry, fish, milk | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Don Draper of Mad Men works on Madison Avenue

Don Draper of Mad Men works on Madison Avenue (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This beauty, a mash up of “no use crying over spilled milk” (don’t be unhappy about things that already happened and cannot be changed) and “there are plenty of fish in the sea” (other choices), was spoken by the character Don Draper in the tv show Mad Men (Season 4, episode 7 – “the Suitcase“).  After Peggy talks to her boyfriend on the phone, she tells Don that she thinks she just broke off the relationship.  Don replies with this malaphor.   A big thanks to John Costello for spotting this one.

 

I had a sneaking hunch

Posted: August 9, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: hunch | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments
Publicity photo of American Bandstand host Dic...

Publicity photo of American Bandstand host Dick Clark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This congruent conflation mixes “I had a sneaking suspicion” and “I had a hunch”, both meaning to have a feeling or premonition.  This beauty was found by Laszlo Veres on a You Tube video of an old Dick Clark Bandstand show.  Dick was interviewing the Chordettes (Lollipop) and you can hear the malaphor at 3:21 of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fty3Nzc-oiY

That’s hogcock

Posted: March 13, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments
Jack Donaghy

Jack Donaghy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This word blend malaphor was uttered on the t.v. show 30 Rock by Alec Baldwin’s character, Jack Donaghy.  In fact, it was the title (Hogcock!)  of  the first part of the one hour series finale.  It is a blend of “hogwash” and “poppycock”, as the character says.