As NewsBusters readers are infinitely aware, the use of the word "delicious" has been a source of some controversy at this website.
Either by e-mail, private message, or in comments sections, some have requested an immediate cessation of the appearance of this adjective in my articles.
There have even been some blog posts at other websites concerning this matter, including one Canadian liberal that strongly recommended I get a thesaurus.
On the other hand, many readers have commented that they like this descriptive, and see it as being one of my signatures. In fact, some have voiced satirical frustration at its absence.
With this in mind, I almost fell out of my chair this morning when Howard Kurtz on CNN's "Reliable Sources" said the following:
Here we go again: somebody at CBS keeps leaking outtakes of Katie Couric. First there was the delicious footage of her imitating Dan Rather.
This raises an interesting question: Is Kurtz a NewsBusters reader, or is my favorite adjective beginning to sweep the nation?
I'm verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Delicious
January 20, 2008 - 15:38 ET by ChaitealoverIt's an adjective that can change its meaning, depending on the sentence in which it is used, and the tone of voice.
It can mean "juicy" when spreading gossip and/or speaking somewhat snarkily, as in "first there was some delicious footage of her."
Or it can mean "hot" as in 'that guy/gal across the room looks really delicious.'
Somehow, I don't think Kurtz was using the second example in speaking of Ms. Couric
Chai
“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” —Groucho Marx
Noel, why don't
January 20, 2008 - 15:48 ET by Nortonalecyou throw in a couple of delicioso's every now and then. It might attract some of our like-minded Latino friends, and confuse your critics at the same time.
Nortonalec
Am I the only one
January 20, 2008 - 16:04 ET by DEVILDOCMOMwho had to look up "verklempt"? For those who do not know the meaning (as I did not) here it is: "Verklempt - choked with emotion". Good word and certainly fits here. :)
DDM
January 20, 2008 - 16:14 ET by Noel SheppardDDM,
This is actually a quote from the old "Saturday Night Live." Mike Myers did a character called Linda Richman on a mock show called "Coffee Talk." Whenever something emotional would occur, he would get all choked up and say, "I'm verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves." :-) ns
Thanks, Noel, I knew the
January 20, 2008 - 16:17 ET by motherbeltThanks, Noel, I knew the whole phrase went together, but couldn't remember where it started.
Ah, thanks,
January 20, 2008 - 18:18 ET by DEVILDOCMOMI have always worked pretty early day jobs, except for the early days of SNL, I have not seen it. Sounds like a good bit.
Verklempt
January 20, 2008 - 16:16 ET by raiderdavHere's a video clip which exemplifies 'verklempt':
http://video.aol.com...
I'm always eager to educate...
Thanks...funny skit.
January 20, 2008 - 16:22 ET by motherbeltThanks...funny skit.
raiderdav
January 20, 2008 - 16:23 ET by Noel SheppardRD,
I looked for that on YouTube and couldn't find it. Thanks.
BTW: Are you the raiderdav that's been calling in to Gary Radnich's show on KNBR for more than a decade? ns
Rosa Klebb
January 20, 2008 - 16:31 ET by Jack BauerFor some reason whenever I see verklempt I always thinks of a Bond villainess called Vera Klempt, along the lines of Rosa Klebb from Dr No.
Update
I mean From Russia With Love, of course!
I never knew there was
January 20, 2008 - 16:16 ET by motherbeltI never knew there was controversy over "delicious." I just think of it as a kind of "delightful." Oh well, different things offend different people.
You're a trendsetter, Noel!! LOL
ns -- maybe you should
January 20, 2008 - 16:17 ET by Jack Bauerns -- maybe you should retire "delicious" and draft in...
or possibly
or possibly
JB
January 20, 2008 - 16:26 ET by Noel SheppardJB,
Never deviate from what works. :-) ns
True ns. Look what
January 20, 2008 - 16:29 ET by Jack BauerTrue ns.
Look what happened when they messed around with Coke in the 80s!
JB
January 20, 2008 - 16:34 ET by Noel SheppardJB,
What, you mean removing a carbon atom by adding baking soda and cooking it so that it could be smoked instead of snorted? :-) ns
I'd like to teach the world to zing
January 20, 2008 - 16:39 ET by Jack BauerAh -- so that was New Coke! And I thought the recipe was secret.
JB
January 20, 2008 - 16:44 ET by Noel SheppardJB,
Well, actually, the first change was the Richard Pryor iteration that required ether. Unfortunately, too many people ended up burning themselves along with the finished product.
So, someone came up with a solution that ended up creating a whole new drug epidemic in our nation that more than twenty years later sadly still has no sign of concluding. ns
Right, Noel, if it ain't
January 20, 2008 - 16:35 ET by motherbeltRight, Noel, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Log on and find out What the heck is so yummy over here!
January 20, 2008 - 16:49 ET by Free StinkerNoel: Keep using Delicious!
My new tag came after reading ChenZhen's Forum about your "favorite adjective" after he stated: Of course, I couldn’t help but ponder the question: What the heck is so yummy over here?
:-)
Newsbusters. Log on and find out What the heck is so yummy over here!
FS
January 20, 2008 - 16:52 ET by Noel SheppardFS,
Imagine that. Someone actually created a forum topic to discuss my use of "delicious."
Now THAT's really delicious!!! ns
How about Bodacious?
January 20, 2008 - 17:43 ET by directorblueAs an aside, I find it difficult to believe that the mainstream media has ignored Judicial Watch's shocking revelations regarding HillaryCare '93 and the fact that the Clinton Library won't release the vast amount of information they've hidden away.
How can this person expect to be elected president when she won't reveal this critical information nor her husband's mysterious financial backers?
Why is no one raising a stink about this?
Köstlich Sheppard
January 20, 2008 - 17:47 ET by Lame CherryKöstlich Sheppard might be your Newsbuster's handle from now on or perhaps Kost or short as that is all German for "delicious".
The way to see if liberals copy you is to always mispell something in what you write and to "delicious" them. Köstlich if it shows up in Howie's column will be a telling thing.
I though am more interested in liberals not like "delicious" as delicious is quite delicious in deliciously being delicious in describing savory, succulent, juicy, moist, steaming bits of liberal meat...head t thought being roasted, grilled, boiled and fried in the fires of Sheppard truths.
I must be doing something wrong as I only get accosted by liberals not getting my pop culture satire.......I will have to try a word like delicious.
Perhaps it could be a Newsbuster poll..........I do though have a suggestion instead of delicious Couric..........TOOTHSOME Couric could be used as it fits her horse type grin and as one knowns in thesaurus that delicious is a synonym of TOOTHSOME and TOOTHSOME means acceptable to the MIND AND TASTE it fits.
Toothsome Couric means Howie likes Perky's being odd.
Toothsome Clinton could mean one likes Bill being whiner roasted for his tantrums.
and Toothsome Coulter, Malkin and that hot blonde babe you have on here doing updates fits the last category of TOOTHSOME as having strong sexual appeal. That describes Conservative babes.
I will try toothsome now on Newsbusters. I doubt people will get it, but it should please liberals and I certainly like doing that.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
This is a purely academic
January 20, 2008 - 18:24 ET by hydrodynDMThis is a purely academic question – and one directed at those who know more about our language than I do – but Chaitealover’s first comment made me think…
Although “delicious” is an adjective, Noel isn’t using it with its literal meaning.
So my questions – how is it being used?
I don’t think it’s being used as a metaphor, simile, allegory or as a metonymy since it doesn’t look as if a relation or connection is being asserted between different things, so …
Maybe it’s an idiomatic use, where the meaning isn’t literal but instead depends on a kind of common knowledge? But, I usually think of idioms as being like “kick the bucket” and I’m not sure if that’s what’s going on here.
Maybe I’m over thinking it.
Hydro
January 20, 2008 - 18:32 ET by Noel SheppardHydro,
Well, if you look at Dictionary.com's definition, both Kurtz and my usage are quite acceptable:
Very pleasing or delightful. Works for me. ns
Noel, Sure, sure - point
January 20, 2008 - 18:44 ET by hydrodynDMNoel,
Sure, sure - point out that my initial assumption (that you weren't using it with its literal meaning) is wrong.
And here I was thinking I was all insightful and stuff.
Thinking
January 20, 2008 - 18:39 ET by saw the light"Maybe I’m over thinking it."
Maybe?
I have no idea what you actually said. I guess that's my public school education.
saw the light, So this is
January 20, 2008 - 18:49 ET by hydrodynDMsaw the light,
So this is what happened - I was watching a movie where someone used the expression "post to pillar". I'd never heard of that so I looked it up, and that lead to me looking up figures of speech and that lead to looking up metaphors and idioms and so on.
So I have all that in my head and I go over to NewsBusters and the first post I read is this one about the use of "delicious" - well, you see what happened.
Way over thought it.
Clear skies
January 20, 2008 - 18:51 ET by saw the lightThat clears it up. Still have no idea what you said, but it sounded delicious.
saw the light, Not sure I
January 20, 2008 - 18:55 ET by hydrodynDMsaw the light,
Not sure I know what I said either.
By the way, substitute "led" for "lead" in my post.
Maybe I should look up "irony" next.
It's very delicious he used
January 20, 2008 - 19:31 ET by wiwfIt's very delicious he used a Noel trademark!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
Delicious
January 21, 2008 - 00:07 ET by Cool ArrowNoel, your use of the word is entirely appropriate.
Now the guy who needs to be shot is the idiot who injected "At the end of the day" into the vernacular. I think I'd rather hear journalists resort to "like" and "you know" to fill in the empty space than "At the end of the day"
I ♣ My Seal
Trite Sayings
January 21, 2008 - 00:16 ET by saw the lightNoel really shows he can take blogging to the next level. He really brings his "A" game when he shows up. His popularity is surging in our polls of late, but can he go the distance?
But, you know, at the end of the day, his posts are quite delicious!
More trite
January 21, 2008 - 00:27 ET by Cool ArrowWell Light, he's certainly pulling out all the stops and it's not as though he lacks gravitas.
I ♣ My Seal
Writer's block
January 21, 2008 - 00:29 ET by saw the lightThanks, cool. I was really trying to load up on them, but had a brain freeze. Must be that global warming that is keeping it at 20 here in St. Louis.