# President Bush does The Shocker (DEAR GOD, WHY?!)} **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761 "2008-11-14T20:20:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/1 "2008-11-14T20:20:57Z")
While perusing a gossip website for my daily fill of Britney/Lindsay/random celeb trash, I stumbled upon [this picture](http://img.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/20081112_d-0077-5-515h__oPt.jpg). Um. I’m sure they are trying to do a “W” or something, but that’s uh. . . the shocker (of “two in the pink, one in the stink” fame). :eek: Some things cannot be unseen. . . ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/2 "2008-11-14T20:31:59Z")
What the hell?! ---
**Author:** ![Undine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@Undine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Undine)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/3 "2008-11-14T20:38:09Z")
Apparently, that gesture does double duty as the Arizona State University “pitchfork” (the other people in the photo being the ASU men’s and women’s track team and them being the Sun Devils) [Handy animation from ASU](http://www.asu.edu/about/everywhere/) ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/4 "2008-11-14T20:44:02Z")
Even if they were doing the ASU “pitchfork” I shall believe they were all doing the shocker because that is just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/5 "2008-11-14T20:46:10Z")
I accept that the possibility of the gesture’s meaning might be different from my interpretation, but surely SOMEONE there could have been like, “Uh, Mr. President? You might want to not do that. . .” Then again, this seems like a [recurring theme](http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/large/shocker-35838.jpg) for the Bush’s. Hrmmm. . . ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/6 "2008-11-14T21:11:10Z")
You find that shocking? A hand gesture? That maybe one in a hundred people can interpret in a dirty way? Odd. Bush has done way more shocking things. War, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/7 "2008-11-14T21:17:05Z")
Lighten up, Francis! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/8 "2008-11-14T21:28:12Z")
I’m guessing the photog pulled the greatest prank. Make a ‘W’ with you hands! (everyone holds up the three middle fingers) No do the Sign language version of “W”, like this. Viola! ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/9 "2008-11-14T21:30:18Z")
This picture made the rounds at my work today. I think it was more like 1 in 100 who didn’t already know about the shocker. One of my friends was the shocker for Halloween: [http://www.buycostumes.com/The-Shocker-Adult-Costume/32433/ProductDetail.aspx](http://www.buycostumes.com/The-Shocker-Adult-Costume/32433/ProductDetail.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![ShermanAter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ShermanAter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShermanAter)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/10 "2008-11-15T01:06:58Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > While perusing a gossip website for my daily fill of Britney/Lindsay/random celeb trash, I stumbled upon [this picture](http://img.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/20081112_d-0077-5-515h__oPt.jpg). > > Um. I’m sure they are trying to do a “W” or something, but that’s uh. . . the shocker (of “two in the pink, one in the stink” fame). :eek: > Some things cannot be unseen. . . Also known as “Two in the goo, one in the poo” :eek: d&r ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/11 "2008-11-15T01:31:01Z")
It’s amazing how slang can make you never want to have sexual contact again. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/12 "2008-11-15T01:45:59Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > It’s amazing how slang can make you never want to have sexual contact again. Pictures of “Dubbya” aren’t exactly an aphrodisiac, **Opal**. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/13 "2008-11-15T01:53:00Z")
> [@Mike\_Fun](#): > > This picture made the rounds at my work today. I think it was more like 1 in 100 who didn’t already know about the shocker. That would be me. I had never heard of this gesture before. Huh. [The Museum of Hoaxes](http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/did_college_students_fool_president_bush_into_giving_the_shocker/) agrees with the ASU pitchfork explanation, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/14 "2008-11-15T01:58:13Z")
I just _knew_ Laura rolled that way! ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/15 "2008-11-15T03:22:49Z")
Maybe I’m too judgemental, but… In my mind, I automatically assume anyone who makes some sort of finger-sign while being photographed is a moron. Anyone else feel this way, or am I just a jerk? ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/16 "2008-11-15T03:50:57Z")
Doesnt the shocker have the forefinger and middlefinger together? This gesture in the picture has those two fingers spread apart, so it’s not really the Shocker. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/17 "2008-11-15T03:58:18Z")
Sorry, I tried to edit my post. I saw the Museum of Hoaxes link after I posted. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/18 "2008-11-15T05:18:43Z")
Why can’t you make a pitchfork with 3 other fingers? Which came first – the ASU gesture or the Shocker? I’ll bet it was drunken frat boys that came up with the ASU pitchfork. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/19 "2008-11-15T06:01:26Z")
You can see more photos [here](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081112.html), including what appears to be some sort of [shocker-blocker](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/11/images/20081112_d-0032-515h.html). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761/20 "2008-11-15T08:21:31Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Maybe I’m too judgemental, but… > > In my mind, I automatically assume anyone who makes some sort of finger-sign while being photographed is a moron. > > Anyone else feel this way, or am I just a jerk? I’d say that “douche” is more accurate, but yeah, I’m with you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-does-the-shocker-dear-god-why/472761.md?page=2)