Posted on 12/18/2005 6:39:00 AM PST by NorthEasterner
Jumping the shark By Salena Zito TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, December 18, 2005 Pop culture, like politics, has a language all its own, adopted from a multitude of sources. The most influential is television, which provides news, information and cultural influences in a constant stream. So it's fitting that we often use pop slang to describe political milestones.
"Jumping the shark" refers to the moment when something once-great ends, or even tumbles into free-fall. Its origin is the "Happy Days" episode in which the Fonz, on water skis, jumps a shark, marking the decline of the show.
Now take a moment to think of some Washington Beltway types who jumped the shark.
First up might be former President Jimmy Carter. Some would say he jumped the shark when he sat with Michael Moore at the 2004 Democrat convention -- a worthy moment, to be sure, but his demise actually was of a more serious nature. Carter's jump came with his inept handling of the hostage-taking in Iran, which in turn laid the groundwork for today's Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
Aaaayyyyy!!!!
Man, Carter had so many JTS moments, you'd think he was The Fonz or Evel Knievel. The gas lines, addressing the nation in a cardigan and asking us to turn down our thermostat, getting advice from Amy, the swimming, attacking rabbit......on and on. He was a treasure trove of the ridiculous.
ha yeah you are so right!
As far as I'm concerned Carter still IS a TT of Ridiculous...Have you heard any his asinine statements lately?
Good column. There should be a web site for the Shark-Jumpers' Hall of Fame (Shame?).
Dan
[snip]
First up might be former President Jimmy Carter.
"once-great", "Carter"? Bwahahahahaha!
Carter walked up the shark tank and was pulled under without jumping.
"Catch the waaaabittt...CATCH THE WAAABBBITTT..."
(Sung to the tune of "Flight of the Valkyries" in an Elmer Fudd voice...:)
ah come on now, carter was once great...as a peanut farmer
Oh stop it. Everyone knows Billy was the brains behind the outfit down there...
I admit it. I ALWAYS wondered at the origin of that saying, "Jump the Shark"...:)
i actually remember watching the episode and thinking wow this is like when the brady bunch formed a band that sounded frighteningly like the archies...
I would suggest that Clinton jumped the shark when, during his first campaign, when asked about drug use, he replied "I broke no laws of the United States." That careful formulation became the pattern for eight years of evasion and deception."
yeah i would line clinton up with carter and specter multiple shark jumpers
You mean about using a psychic to find a lost airplane and having seen a red, white and blue UFO?
... lusting for women other than Roselyn ...
I was in the USN while Carter was president. The Navy was hurting those years, doing the best they could with what they had. God Bless Ronald Reagan.
I wouldn't venture near the incompetent former "president" with a handle like yours...You might get an oar on the instep...:)
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