# Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 28, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353 "2003-09-28T20:33:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/1 "2003-09-28T20:33:47Z")
So my perusings of the Pit have revealed that “Liar!” is the latest insult du jour. Where does this come from? Should I blame Al Franken? I just want to say…well…it’s admirable how many of you have suddenly become fearless seekers of truth. It really is. And I’m sure screaming “Liar!” serves to raise the quality of the debate. However, using “liar” as a slur lost a lot of its impact back on the playgrounds of third grade. How about you pick another word? Or at least add “Pants on fire” to the end, so we can mark the seriousness of your accusations. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/2 "2003-09-28T20:52:59Z")
Mendaciousness! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/3 "2003-09-28T20:53:58Z")
well, what’s wrong to me is that it’s being used as a synonym for “you’re mistaken” or “you’re wrong”. And it predates the bruhaha over Franken’s book, IMHO. there’s certain posters who seem to use it frequently, especially in the manner I"ve described. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/4 "2003-09-28T20:55:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \* > \*\*Mendaciousness! \*\* Skullduggery! ---
**Author:** ![Bugnorton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bugnorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bugnorton)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/5 "2003-09-28T20:56:42Z")
Prevarication! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/6 "2003-09-28T20:57:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \* > Mendaciousness! And its concomitant olfactory emanation. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/7 "2003-09-28T21:07:08Z")
Zooboomafoo! Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/8 "2003-09-28T21:10:32Z")
Meddlesome fool! ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/9 "2003-09-28T21:33:38Z")
Nah, for this one, I think you have to blame ambushed. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/10 "2003-09-28T22:04:53Z")
While I’m pulling out the cliches, I’ll be waiting over here for your apologies. Sitting in this chair. Just waiting. So you better apologize… ---
**Author:** ![Not\_In\_Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@Not\_In\_Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_In_Anger)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/11 "2003-09-28T22:10:10Z")
Not likely for apologies. Wait at you leisure. Jiggery-pokery! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/12 "2003-09-28T23:03:58Z")
Shennannigans? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/13 "2003-09-28T23:06:18Z")
No lies…they just misspoke. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/14 "2003-09-28T23:22:00Z")
And mistakes were made. Not _by_ anyone, they just sorta multiplied in the night, when everyone was asleep. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/15 "2003-09-28T23:25:00Z")
When, oh when, will you cease to mischaracterize and misrepresent my mendacity? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_In\_Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@Not\_In\_Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_In_Anger)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/16 "2003-09-28T23:35:45Z")
Lies just happen. You know, they happen. The mouth they come out of is just random. Please, don’t blame the liar. (Don’t kill me). ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/17 "2003-09-29T08:19:07Z")
“Marge, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen.” ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/18 "2003-09-29T13:22:39Z")
Actually, “liar” is not the insult du jour lately. It’s LIAR!!! On preview: Holy shit, I can’t believe that worked! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/19 "2003-09-29T13:36:52Z")
I have no recollection of the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353/20 "2003-09-29T15:10:39Z")
**GMRyujin** , they’re not just being called liars, they are also “truth haters,” have “loathesome contempt for simple honesty,” post “contemptibly dishonest rants that are beneath contempt,” and proclaim “stupid, laughably delusionary calumnies.” **Liar** is the basic gist, but the more colorful descriptions get layered on top of it for further delineation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/204353.md?page=2)