# Buster Crabbe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904 "2010-04-04T14:06:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/1 "2010-04-04T14:06:11Z")
[Buster Crabbe](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185568/) was one of my childhood heroes. He was in quite a few Westerns, played Flash Gordon, made many of those serials they played on Saturdays, was a Tarzan, and had many other appearances that had him ranking with Johnny Weissmuller as far as I was concerned. Just letting you know, if you didn’t, that there really was such a person. What made me think of him though is the ridiculous nickname! His birthname was Clarence Linden Crabbe and among his IMDB biography items there is > [@](#): > > Trivia > Was on the 1928 and 1932 US Olympic swimming teams. Won gold medal in the 400 Meter Swimming Freestyle at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Also won a bronze medal in the 1500 Meter Freestyle at Amsterdam. > > In 1971 Crabbe broke the world swimming record for the over sixties in the 400 meters free style. > > Is the only actor who has played Tarzan, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon - the top 3 pulp fiction heroes of the 1930s. But I’m not here to praise Buster. I’m here to ask one simple question: **Can you name anybody else with as unsuitable a nickname?** ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/2 "2010-04-04T14:15:18Z")
😕 What’s wrong with _Buster_ as a nickname? ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/3 "2010-04-04T14:16:16Z")
What’s so unsuitable about it? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/4 "2010-04-04T14:31:08Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > 😕 > > What’s wrong with _Buster_ as a nickname? > [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > What’s so unsuitable about it? Think about it: Bust Her Crab(s)! To me that’s cruel and unusual nicknaming! ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/5 "2010-04-04T14:36:07Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Think about it: Bust Her Crab(s)! Sorry, I was distracted by all those Zels getting Darred. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/6 "2010-04-04T14:39:15Z")
And in this case, _crab_ is a euphemism for what, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/7 "2010-04-04T14:40:55Z")
My ex-husband (shares the name, so I had to live with it for years) was a relative of Buster Crabbe. And that there’s my brush with greatness. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/8 "2010-04-04T14:44:14Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > And in this case, _crab_ is a euphemism for what, exactly? Of all Dopers I would have figured you to know about [Crabs!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_louse) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/9 "2010-04-04T14:45:17Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Sorry, I was distracted by all those Zels getting Darred. Not even close, as I see it. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/10 "2010-04-04T14:50:03Z")
Makes about as much sense, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/11 "2010-04-04T14:53:44Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Makes about as much sense, though. Come on. Surely you’ve heard somebody’s nickname that when coupled with their real name (surname most likely) makes a phrase that’s very unbecoming? Mike Hunt for example. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/12 "2010-04-04T14:55:35Z")
Sorry, Zeldar. Buster Hymen? Yes, very inappropriate. Buster Crabbe? Reeeeaaaalllly a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/13 "2010-04-04T14:58:25Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Of all Dopers I would have figured you to know about [Crabs!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_louse) I know plenty about the human infestation known as crabs. I’m unaware of any euphemism about the “busting” of crabs. A regionalism, perhaps? Even my years in Maryland, where I spent much time both catching and eating Chesapeake Bay crabs didn’t introduce me to the term. So I fear that I too don’t _get_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/14 "2010-04-04T15:02:13Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I know plenty about the human infestation known as crabs. I’m unaware of any euphemism about the “busting” of crabs. A regionalism, perhaps? Even my years in Maryland, where I spent much time both catching and eating Chesapeake Bay crabs didn’t introduce me to the term. > > So I fear that I too don’t _get_ it. Never mind, then. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/15 "2010-04-04T15:04:07Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I know plenty about the human infestation known as crabs. I’m unaware of any euphemism about the “busting” of crabs. A regionalism, perhaps? Even my years in Maryland, where I spent much time both catching and eating Chesapeake Bay crabs didn’t introduce me to the term. Maybe you shoulda listened more, instead of letting your mercenaries sunbathe. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/16 "2010-04-04T15:48:51Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Think about it: Bust Her Crab(s)! > > To me that’s cruel and unusual nicknaming! Not to mention busting her keatons and her douglas 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/17 "2010-04-04T15:51:53Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > Not to mention busting her keatons and her douglas 😃 That’s the spirit. What about Charles Waggoner? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/18 "2010-04-04T15:57:06Z")
It’s official. Beavis and Butthead have destroyed American civilization. :eek: Heh, heh. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/19 "2010-04-04T17:03:10Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s official. Beavis and Butthead have destroyed American civilization. :eek: > > Heh, heh. Meh. Western civilization was wearing out, anyhow. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904/20 "2010-04-04T19:52:18Z")
Duke Wayne? … implying a member of the British peerage? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-crabbe/534904.md?page=2)