Shenanigans Is Out
Yes, it was funny at one time. It really was. A carefully dropped ’shenanigans’ was always enough to get at least a smirk out of the coldest of people. But those days are long gone. The word has lost all comedic sense, transforming into one of the most overused, unfunny expressions I’ve heard in a long time. Shenanigans, you had your day. Time to give it a rest.
I remember back in the day when my friends and I would be doing something as simple as playing wiffleball in the backyard and one of my friends would call his shot like the Babe himself. Then inevitably, the right fielder would yell, “Shenanigans!!” We’d all laugh and times were merry. And then, out of nowhere, every single person in the world incorporated this once-awesome word into his/her vocabulary.
Where did this start? Was it a movie? A tv show? I mean, these days anything that’s funny or quoted with frequency comes from some Apatow bro-mance or that Sasha Baren Cohen creep. Apparently it’s still funny to be disgustingly ugly and speak with an accent about dirty things. But I guess more than anything, I’m sad. I’m sad that such an awesome, unique, original word has become fingernails to the blackboard.
I yearn for the days of yore when it was funny to be the beer pong team that came up with a name incorporating ’shenanigans’. When doing something ridiculous was further amplified by a ’shenanigans’ classification. It was an honor. A real treat of the English vernacular. And now, it’s nothing but annoying.
It’s now fallen into the same category as things like “I know, right?”. Or when you and your buddies are cracking some beers, the guy who cleverly quips, “It tastes so good, once it hits the lips.” Or anyone who quotes anything from Anchorman with frequency. Dangerously close to this doomed grouping is “that’s what she said.” It’s not there yet, but I’ll be damned if I don’t hear this once a day from someone who then laughs at himself after saying it. Like he achieved some pinnacle of brilliance by making a sexual pun.
But I guess my point is this. Stop saying ’shenanigans’. Period. It’s not funny anymore, and anyone that uses this saying just sounds ridiculous, like you’re four years behind the curve or something. Although, if you’re wearing a pair of cargo shorts and a white college mascot hat while saying it, maybe you’ve got other problems to worry about.
So what do you think fellow Birdies? What other sayings are out there that are grossly overused? Do you think ’shenanigans’ is out? I know there are some that have been driving you nuts…
I am calling shenanigans on this post. Mostly because if you are reading this outload, as I did, it does feel so good once it hit’s your lips. “That’s what she said!”
Har, har!
Good one kids, keep up the good work!
First time I remember hearing it was on South Park. Yeah, it did seem funny then, but everything on South Park was funny then. It’s over.