Without looking any further, before seeing what others may have said, what’s the first thing to pop into your mind when you think of “Omar”?
Honestly? “Omar the Tentmaker.” As is: “If I don’t lay off these donuts right now, I’m going to have to start having my dresses made by Omar the Tentmaker.”
I thought of other Omars right after (wish I could have said Omar Khayyam which would have been a lot more intellectual sounding) – but, truly, my very first thought was Omar the Tentmaker.
Not sure what that says about me.
Sydney Omarr, I think his name was. Astrologer whose column appeared in the Asbury Park Press when I was growing up.
peeking upthread
Uh, I mean Omar Khayyam. Yeah, that was first (not really).
Omar Sharif.
General Omar Bradley comin’!
“Maybe the tiger ate his ass like Omar”
“Why? What happened to Omar?”
“Nevermind, he’s not with us anymore”
Sharif
Which then turns into the chorus for Rock The Casbah.
That sounds too familiar but I can’t place the movie (or TV show) where that line was said very close to that. Does a specific reference come to your mind?
Omars I have thought might get mentioned here:
Khayyam (as you said)
Sharif (Dr. Zhivago)
Bradley (WWII General, one of very few 5-stars)
Epps (Dr. Foreman on House)
and the one that made me think to start this thread, Omar Little on The Wire, one of the best TV characters to come along.
A Yahoo! search on “omar” brings up a lot of names I never heard of, so we’ll just have to see where this leads.
Omar Sharif.
Omar Epps, and then Omar Bradley.
My friend Omar from high school.
Omar Sharif
Omar Khayyam
Omar and the Howlers
That’s all I got…
The Unsolved Mysteries episode with the teenage arsonist who taped his own work, with a whispered voiceover that he no doubt thought was menacing but ended up sounding rather silly.
LOOK AT IT BURN, OMAR!
THIS IS WHAT I BEEN DOIN’ ON YOUR WEEK’S VACATION!
I SAID I’D DO IT! I SAID I’D DO IIIIIIITTTTT!
GOOD NIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
I don’t think “Omar the Tentmaker” is a book or movie reference – just kind of a joke I’ve always heard about being so fat your dresses are as large as tents… I thought it was a pretty common silly usage. I’ve definately heard it fairly frequently throughout my life.
OK, I just Googled ‘Omar the Tentmaker’ and it would seem that Omar Khayyum’s name actually meant Omar the Tentmaker… like Bob Carpenter, I guess. Who knew?
Also, there was a popular novel in the late 1800’s titled “Omar the Tentmaker,” followed in 1922 by a silent film of the same name. I suppose that’s how the phrase moved into the lexicon, eventually becoming the joking exaggeration I mention above. The Urban Dictionary has my meaning as a definition.
My THird Period grammar class, he sits on my left. Why?
Omar Little,The Wire
Omar & the Howlers.
Omar’s motorcycle parts.
Unclviny
Post #16! Right you are!
To many years writing crossword clues, my first thought was “Sharif or Epps.”
