“Dignity is one thing that can’t be preserved in alcohol”
"Dignity is one thing that can't be preserved in alcohol" is a saying that dates to the Prohibition era in 1928, when it appeared in the newspaper comic strip "Flapper Fanny…
“Death rides with the drinking driver”
"Death rides with the drinking driver" has been cited in print since 1935 and was one of the first slogans against drinking and driving. The slogan achieved popularity in the late 1930s,…
“Call me anything, but don’t call me late for dinner”
"Call me anything you like, but don't call me too late for/to dinner" is an old joke that has been cited in print since at least 1833. A farce by Richard Jones called Too Late for…
“Like riding a bike” (once learned, never forgotten)
"Like riding a bicycle" is an expression meaning that once something is learned, it is not forgotten. "It's like riding a bicycle, You never forget" was cited in print in…
“Chalk it up to experience”
"Chalk it all up to experience" is what is sometimes said after a loss. Chalk boards were used in sports to keep score, but it is not clear if the expression comes from sports.…
“‘Tis the taste that tells the tale”
"'Tis the taste that tells the tale" is a slogan that has been associated with several products and restaurants. "The Taste -- That Tells the Tale" was cited in a 1906 ad…
Pedestal Complex (Hall of Fame obsession)
Charles W. Colson (1931-2012) wrote in The Body: Being Light in Darkness (1992): "Today this mentality translates into what we call the pedestal complex; it is rampant throughout the church.…
“Make yourself at home—clean my kitchen”
"Make yourself at home! Clean my kitchen" is a joculat statement that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters and bumper stickers. The saying has been cited in print since at…
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted”
"Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted" is a popular saying that became even more popular when it was used by Randy Pausch (1960-2008) in his book speech…
“A bicycle can’t stand alone; it is two-tired” (pun)
"A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two-tired" (a pun on "too tired") is a frequently told bicycle pun with a long history. "Unless the wheel is two tired it…
“Man with one chopstick go hungry”
The joke about "eating with one chopstick" has several variations. "Who eats with one chopstick goes hungry" was cited in print in 1967. "I've got a sure-fire diet…
“Santa’s helpers are subordinate clauses”
"Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses" (that is, subordinate Santa Clauses) is an annual Christmas pun that's frequently included in Christmas joke collections. "Regards…
“It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it”
"It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it" (or, "it's dirty work, but someone's gotta do it") is a popular cliché said about difficult jobs. In 1955,…
“The toughest job you’ll ever love” (Peace Corps; teaching; nursing; parenting)
The Peace Corps has used the slogan "The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love" since 1978. Parenting is often called "the hardest/toughest job you'll ever love," and a 1990s…
“Instant human—just add coffee”
"Instant human -- just add coffee" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters, T-shirts and coffee mugs. The saying has been cited in print since at…
“Do I look like a freakin’ people person?”
"Do I look like a (freaking/fucking) people person?" is a jocular statement that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, bumper stickers and posters. The saying is popular…
“Journalism: A profession to explain to others what it personally does not understand”
"Journalism — a profession whose business it is to explain to others what it personally does not understand" is a quotation credited to Lord Northcliffe (1865-1922), a British newspaper…
“Journalism is literature in a hurry”
"Journalism is literature in a hurry" has been credited (since at least 1973) to British poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), but there's no evidence that he said it.…
“There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and shame the devil”
Newspaper columnist and author Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) wrote in Liberty and the News (1920): "There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and shame the devil." The…
“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war” (Spanish-American War)
Entry in progress -- B.P. William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951)Frederic Remington (1861-1909) Wikipedia: Yellow journalismSpanish-American WarPulitzer and Hearst are often adduced as the cause of the…