# Amusing name-calling...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-name-calling/606536>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 17, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-name-calling/606536 "2011-12-17T15:15:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SDMBKL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdmbkl/32/7297_2.png) [@SDMBKL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SDMBKL)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-name-calling/606536/1 "2011-12-17T15:15:45Z")

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I would like to give a comment on Cecil Adam’s name-calling, which I find very amusing.

Names that Cecil Adams have used:  
[ul]  
[li]birdbrain[/li][li]chum (used in a sarcastic manner)[/li][li]muttonhead[/li][/ul]

The name-calling is usually followed by long explanations, though. I find the existence of having a word that is typically used to make fun of someone and a detailed, factual explanation paradoxical and therefore amusing. I appreciate the factual explanations, but the name-calling makes the whole response loaded with sarcastic humor.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-name-calling/606536/2 "2011-12-17T17:24:52Z")

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One of the things that distinguishes Cecil from his (grossly inferior) competitors is that he does engage in barbed wit. One of his most famous was from 1984:

> [@](#):
>
> If ignorance were cornflakes, John, you’d be General Mills.