“You can’t coach speed” (“You can’t coach height”)
"You can't coach speed" and "You can't coach height" are popular sayings in football and basketball, respectively. A football coach can't make his running back…
Twinkies (Twin Donut’s donut holes)
Twin Donut has about 20 stores in the New York City area. The donut holes at Twin Donuts are called "Twinkies." "Twinkies" is also the name of the "Golden Sponge Cake with…
“Rebounding translates (from college basketball to the pros)”
NBA scouts always look for basketball skills that "translate" from the college level to the pros. A college player might block shots against shorter players, but might struggle against…
Rong Aid (Rite Aid nickname)
Rite Aid pharmacy stores began in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1862 as Thrif D Discount Center. Rite Aid's chief national competitors include Walgreens (which purchased the New York City-founded…
“Just because you don’t take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t in you”
"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you" has been attributed to Greek leader Pericles (495 BC-429 BC), but only…
“Too soon!” (comedy saying)
Entry in progress -- B.P. "Comedy is tragedy plus time." Wikipedia: Gilbert GottfriedGilbert Gottfried (born February 28, 1955) is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian,…
“Comedy is tragedy plus time” (theatre adage)
Entry in progress -- B.P. 21 July 1958, Bakersfield (CA) Californian, pg. 21, col. 1:Allen (Comedian Steve Allen -- ed.) also has another formula for laughs: "Tragedy plus time plus the will…
“The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys”
"The difference between men and boys is the cost/price of their toys" is a saying that is frequently used on Father's Day and on birthdays. The saying dates to at least July 13,…
“Voice, voice and more voice” (three requisites for an actor or singer)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Tommaso SalviniTommaso Salvini (January 1, 1829 in Milan – December 31, 1915 in Florence) was an Italian actor. His father and mother were both actors, and…
“Dying is easy; comedy is hard” (theatre adage)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Edmund KeanEdmund Kean (17 March 1789 – 15 May 1833) was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever.(...)He died at Richmond, Surrey where he…
“Actor can read the telephone book” (actor’s saying)
An old saying is that an entertainer is so good or so popular that he or she can "read the telephone book/directory" and the audience will still be satisfied. The saying appeared in print…
“Don’t quit your day job” (show business adage)
"Don't quit your day job" (or "Don't give up your day job" or "Keep your day job") is advice to an actor/artist/model/musician/writer who probably won't…
“Hide from wind, run from water” (hurricane adage)
"Hide from (the) wind, run from (the) water" is a saying that has been used from Florida to Texas by emergency management teams for hurricane preparedness. The author of the saying is…
“Litter Stops Here”
"Litter Stops Here" is the slogan that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority developed in 2011 to advertise on its black trash cans. New York (NY) Times -- City RoomApril 18, 2011,…
Condé Nasty (Condé Nast nickname)
Condé Nast Publications is a worldwide magazine publishing company located in the Condé Nast building (4 Times Square). The Condé Nast nickname of "Condé Nasty" has been frequently…
Austerian (austerity + Austrian school of economics)
The word "austerian" (sometimes capitalized as "Austerian"), meaning someone who advocates "austerity" measures, became popular in June 2010. "Austerian"…
Troika (European Commission, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund)
"The Troika" (the three) is the nickname of the European Commission (EC), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The "troika" received this…
Chernobyl Death Obligation (Collateralized Debt Obligation or CDO nickname)
Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) became so toxic that by August 2007 Ian Kerr dubbed them "Chernobyl death obligations" (after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster). The CDO…
Whiskey-taw Falls (Wichita Falls nickname)
The city of Wichita Falls, in the early 1900s, had about one saloon in every five businesses. By at least 1914, Wichita Falls was nicknamed "Whiskeyta Falls" (or "Whiskey-taw…
“Never screw up on a slow news day”
"Never screw up on a slow news day" is a popular political/public relations saying. On a slow news day, a small screw-up could be the lead news story, causing great embarrassment. The…