Has the phrase "Jumped the shark" jumped the shark?

stevelabny · Dec 10, 2003

YES!

Its NOT cool. Its NOT cute. Can we put it to rest?

Its so 1990s. The Dancing Baby went away, why wont this?

Every time there is a bad episode or storyline of ANYTHING some half-wit jumps out and proclaims "the shark has been jumped".

THERE IS NO SHARK.

Skade · Dec 10, 2003

Was I asleep in the 90's? I'd never heard this phrase, or at least in any memorable context, until these boards. I'm still not exactly sure what the intended meaning is.

But I do know crack is whack.*

*Not so much a drug reference but cultural reference to Whitney Houston's rather incoherent interview with Barbara Walters.

Darrin Drader · Dec 10, 2003

Nope, its here to stay. We love it and it eats us.

THE SHARK IS REAL. DEAL WITH IT!

Dark Jezter · Dec 10, 2003

Funny. About 10 minutes ago, I was thinking of starting up a thread with the EXACT same title.

The phrase "Jumped the Shark" wasn't too bad when it was only used to describe the point at which a TV show began to decline in quality, but now I'm seeing people use it in reference to books, movies, video games, RPG systems, campaign settings, etc.

It's getting a little old.

stevelabny · Dec 10, 2003

Skade said:
Was I asleep in the 90's? I'd never heard this phrase, or at least in any memorable context, until these boards. I'm still not exactly sure what the intended meaning is.

http://www.jumptheshark.com/about.htm

Straight from the shark's mouth.
The meaning? The exact moment when something goes from being cool to sucking. It stems from the infamous Happy Days episode where Fonzie (the epitome of cool) actually JUMPED THE SHARK (on water skis). Rumor has it, the show was never the same again. (Not being a Happy Days fan, I'll assume Mork from Ork came AFTER this)

The website claims that they coined the phrase in the 80s and started the website in Dec 97. I thought I'd been hearing the phrase more then 6 years but I wouldn't swear to it. The important point is that the phrase has sucked all along.

But its gotten to the point where "guy on the street" has just found out this "hip,new phrase" (or maybe, the internet) and suddenly EVERYTHING has jumped the shark. you cant read a single thread about a single show without SOMEONE saying it.

Dark Jezter said:
Funny. About 10 minutes ago, I was thinking of starting up a thread with the EXACT same title.

I love you man.

Piratecat · Dec 10, 2003

I love the phrase. It reminds me of Happy Days, and I always thought the older Joanie was kind of cute.

aliensex · Dec 10, 2003

Piratecat said:
I love the phrase. It reminds me of Happy Days, and I always thought the older Joanie was kind of cute.

No way, Joanie was a skank. Now Mrs. C... Hello!

Desdichado · Dec 10, 2003

Piratecat said:
I always thought the older Joanie was kind of cute.

Boy, I didn't!

Then again, you're probably better off watching Joannie and Chachi then, right?

Gnarlo · Dec 10, 2003

Uh uh, give me Lori Beth any day of the week.

And yes, Mary Ann was my favorite on the island, too

To answer the question, YES!! And when did it jump? Probably about the 2nd or 3rd time I heard it, just like the WAAAAZZZZZUUUUPPPPP!!! commercials....

BiggusGeekus · Dec 10, 2003

This thread has jumped the shark. I hear the next thread is going to be a musical.

Has the phrase "Jumped the shark" jumped the shark?

stevelabny

Explorer

Skade

Explorer

Darrin Drader

Explorer

Dark Jezter

First Post

stevelabny

Explorer

Piratecat

Sesquipedalian

aliensex

First Post

Desdichado

Hero

Gnarlo

Gnome Lover

BiggusGeekus

That's Latin for "cool"

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