YOU CAN’T SAY THAT IN TMBG

[defrog]

I get email. Sometimes it’s from They Might Be Giants, as I subscribe to their newsletter.

Anyway, in the most recent update, I was interested to learn that TMBG has their own version of Matt Groening’s “Forbidden Words”. It’s called "The List According to Marty Beller" (i.e. their current drummer). It’s a good list. So I'm posting it in full.

Things we are not allowed to say within the band:

too much information
off the hook
that’s what (s)he said
my bad
game changer
crackberry
that’s how we roll
I can’t work under these conditions
playing the (whatever) card
throw under the bus
drinking the kool-aid
LOL
phone tag
don’t go there
it’s all good
it is what it is
talk to the hand
think outside the box
off the reservation
oh no you didn’t
I threw up a little in my mouth
one hundred and ten percent
IMHO
no worries*
jumped the shark
voted off the island
(anything) on acid
(anything) from hell
(anything) on steroids
literally (unless it’s actually used properly)

*No worries enjoys a unique "workplace dispensation" where it can be used with a co-worker to help decompress a work situation.

DISCLAIMER: Team Def does not advocate censorship of any particular word. However, lists like this are handy to help people identify and avoid cliches, so I think they do serve a useful purpose – as long as they’re voluntary, of course.

Watch yr mouth,

This is dF