Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Entry in progress -- B.P. Lawyers with TroublesTrust Advice; Old Joke – Who goes to jail at the end of the day?; Cameras – get you canned – NSFWPosted on August 15, 2013 by Ted Waggoner(...)I…
"Coachspeak" (also "coach speak") is the language of sports coaches. The language often contains hidden messages for the team's players and for other teams; rarely is it…
Papa John's (a take-out and delivery pizza chain) introduced "Chiffalo" (buffalo chicken pizza) in September 2013. The term had not then been trademarked. "Chiffalo" had…
"Did I Eat That" is a jocular backronym (back acronym) that is sometimes given for the word "diet." The backronym was popularized in the book title D.I.E.T.: Did I Eat That :…
Entry in progress -- B.P.NRABill Maher Wikipedia: National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization[5] founded in 1871 that promotes…
A joke cited in print from at least 1973 is: Q. What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhino.A. An elephino. (Hell-if-I-know -- ed.) The joke is also told with RINO (Republican In Name…
Entry in progress -- B.P. TwitterDennis Pang@DennisPangOohh, I remember that day! "Tomtato"? ½ tomato, ½ potato? LoL ;P RT @VanFoodTour: In remembrance of @theCornerSuite…
"Persiastroika" (Persia + perestroika) was used by Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show on September 26, 2013. Stewart was describing Iran (Persia) and its new attempts at…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksThe NationVolume 2361983Pg. 388:An Oxford professor meets a former Ph.D. student and courteously inquires what he's working on these days. “l'm…
American comedian and actor Robin Williams (1951-2014) said: "Ah yes, divorce, from that Latin word meaning to rip out a man's genitals through his wallet." It's uncertain when…
Entry in progress -- B.P. TwitterChris Maloney@maloneydigitalNew Maloney on Marketing Post: Emerging Baby Boomer Trends - Maturialism & Spending the Kids Inheritance http://bit.ly/d5FAP4:18…
Entry in progress -- B.PFrench Republican Wikipedia: Vichy FranceVichy France, officially the French State (l'État français), was France during the regime of Marshal Philippe Pétain, during…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Audacity Oven25 THINGS I’VE LEARNED SINCE MOVING TO NYCMarch 8, 2013 · by Eric Baker(...)4. There is a strange magic that evaporates anywhere from $20 to $40 from your…
Bar jokes have existed probably as long as bars have existed. In the 1950s, the jokes began with animals (such as a dog or a kangaroo) coming into a bar and asking for a drink. By the 1970s, the…
Dunkin' Donuts had an advertising campaign (1982-97) that featured "Fred the Baker" (actor Michael Vale). In one memorable 1983 commercial, Fred was shown to get up very early in the…
"Clowngress" (clown + Congress) is a derogatory nickname for the U.S. Congress -- although some might jokingly say it's an insult to honorable clowning profession. "In the…
"Just add water" is a popular direction on simple recipes or product instructions. "I bought powdered water, but I don't know what to add to it" is a joke that has been…
A Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming of age ceremony. In the United States, the religious part is often followed by a big party (that includes a bar). The joke that the modern Bar Mitzvah is "more…
Boxing between two men can have its less than manly moments. The two men are half-naked, wear silk shorts, and fight over a belt and a purse. American actor and writer John McGivern might have…
The joke about the "golden rat" has been told since at least 1994. The punchline usually involves a lawyer, but some versions substitute "liberal" or "Republican."…