# "Band name" "Jump the shark" And other moronic cliches **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 19, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523 "2002-11-19T14:13:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/41 "2002-11-19T19:39:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Of course, what everyone neglects to mention is that “jump the shark” is irrelevant because **Happy Days** (the series that spawned the “jump the shark” episode) was never cool in the first place. It always sucked. That said, > > “Ayyyyyyy!” (with both thumbs up) \*\* That’s what gets me about JTS. It’s one thing if you are actually looking at a show with a good start and trying to figure out when that start went wrong. But nowadays I see two bastardizations of the concept. First, shows that were never good. How can you talk about the turning point for a show that sucked from day one? Secondly, I like me a good bitch session as much as anyone, but now it seems like there’s this big rush to be the first to declare that something has “jumped the shark”. Shows that are barely into their first season have people falling over themselves to declare the turning point, without any evidence that the show is good to begin with or that a decline in quality is actually as tragic as the term supposedly indicates. Am I thinking about this too much? I think this response jumped the shark around the third sentence. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/42 "2002-11-19T19:39:20Z")
**tomndebb,** thanks for the clarification. During the spate of shark attacks here in Florida a couple of years ago, (last year?) one of the surfers was quoted as saying there were so many sharks in the water that he and his buddies had to jump over them in order to surf. I thought the phrase took its origins from that piece of idiocy. Life is a learning experience. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/43 "2002-11-19T20:19:49Z")
Ay Carrumba! ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/44 "2002-11-19T20:40:27Z")
So…where _is_ the beef? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/45 "2002-11-19T20:51:53Z")
What **Legomancer** said. Shit, I should just make “What **Legomancer** said” into my sig. “Jump the Shark” is an unfunny catchphrase spawned by an unfunny website in reference to an unfunny show, which poorly describes a phenomena that’s already perfectly easy to describe. What I want to know is, where is the violent backlash? Where are all the people who were pitching frothing fits over “All your base” on this issue? This is at least 15x more annoying than “All your base,” and twice as played out. People, please, for the love of Jesus and cute furry puppies, please stop! Think of the children! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/46 "2002-11-19T20:57:00Z")
An actual rebuttal to the OP … Re: “Band Name!” - towit - “nobody is laughing.” Bullshit. I’m laughing my ass off. Every. Single. Time. I love that bit. Always have, always will. Even before I read my first Dave Barry article I was alway’s thinking of things in terms of Band Names. It just so happens that he turned it into a cliche. And I don’t care. I think it’s funny as shit. I’ll continue to use it whenever the fuck I feel like it. Call me Jack Batty and Braying Assholes for all I care. I still think the shit is funny. * * * “Jump the Shark” has gone past cliche and has practically worked its way into the public lexicon. So … untwist your undies. And that’s my two cents. So there. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/47 "2002-11-19T20:59:48Z")
Jack Batty and Braying Assholes! Playing Sunday at Stinky Pete’s Saloon Liquor in the front, Poker in the rear Yep, that one works! ---
**Author:** ![SpasticKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@SpasticKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpasticKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/48 "2002-11-19T21:04:26Z")
I was having a late night online conversation with my boyfriend, when out of nowhere he says this: “I wanna start a band called Monkeys Throwing Feces at Each Other” I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Owww! But seriously, wouldn’t that be a that be totally bitching band name? When come back, bring pie:D ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/49 "2002-11-19T21:05:23Z")
I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of making band names. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/50 "2002-11-19T21:11:12Z")
Those poor, poor puppies. ☹ You people are heartless. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/51 "2002-11-19T21:12:40Z")
Hmmmmm puppy pie. Now theres a lark. ---
**Author:** ![jesuslynch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jesuslynch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesuslynch)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/52 "2002-11-19T21:14:02Z")
Can I still yell “Cocaine” when listening to Señor Slowhand? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/53 "2002-11-19T21:29:00Z")
This thread has failed to achieve synergy and therefore will not serve the new paradigm. In other words, it’s lame-o. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/54 "2002-11-19T21:31:05Z")
> [@](#): > > This thread has failed to achieve synergy and therefore will not serve the new paradigm. But is it proactive at this juncture? ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/55 "2002-11-19T21:42:46Z")
I don’t just get band names but CD titles and track listings too. Hell, I sometimes imagine Casey Kasem’s voiceover as he counts down America’s top 10: > [@](#): > > …And up 3 places to #4 is Braying Jackasses with Worthless Drivel, the latest track from their CD; Proactive at this Juncture… Then there’s the cool Behind The Music specials you could have. The fun is endless. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/56 "2002-11-19T21:50:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*But is it proactive at this juncture? \*\* At least they are in the process of ramping up third generation threads, so soon the solution will be ours bwhahaha! ---
**Author:** ![Azure\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@Azure\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azure_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/57 "2002-11-19T22:26:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*I think, but I’m not sure, that they’re alluding to the Fark cliche of inserting Admiral Akbar (from Return of the Jedi) into photoshops, complete with his signiture “It’s a trap!” line. \*\* I don’t know about Fark, but it’s definitely a [Something Awful](http://www.somethingawful.com) bit, to the point where the person in charge of Photoshop outlawed any Akbar pictures whatsoever - or tried to, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/58 "2002-11-19T22:53:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Azure Eternity \* > \*\*I don’t know about Fark, but it’s definitely a [Something Awful](http://www.somethingawful.com) bit, to the point where the person in charge of Photoshop outlawed any Akbar pictures whatsoever - or tried to, at least. \*\* Just migrated from one to the other. Who’s to say where it started? The best will always be in some shopping thread where he was put next to a large blue sheet. “It’s a tarp!” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/59 "2002-11-19T23:06:59Z")
elf6c and the Heartless Puppies. Band Name! ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523/60 "2002-11-20T00:06:47Z")
(1) There are two expressions that I’ve learned in the past few years that would be overused and irritating if it weren’t for the fact that they were actually darned useful. One of them is “24/7”. The other is “jumped the shark”. If someone says “I think that _The West Wing_ has jumped the shark”, that simple statement carries with it a wealth of implications that no other statement of equal brevity could. (Whether _Happy Days_ was ever cool to begin with is irrelevant). (2)And, like some others, I still laugh at the occasional band name. (3) And there’s one other SDMB cliche that still strikes me as amusing. But I can’t remember what it is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-name-jump-the-shark-and-other-moronic-cliches/137523.md?page=4)