Posts Tagged ‘foot in mouth’
Preventing tongue-tripping fiascos
July 29th, 2010
In 1977, 16-year-old Cathleen Crowell decided to cover a possible pregnancy with her foster parents by inventing a rape story. Too bad for 20-year-old Gary Dotson that he slightly resembled her fictional assailant. In 1979, with Crowell’s help, Illinois courts sentenced Dotson to 20–50 years.
By 1985, Crowell had become a deeply religious woman, desperate to make amends. Confessing her deception, she helped Dotson get released on bond, pending a new hearing. Then the guilt-ridden accuser and the man whose life she’d shattered made the rounds of network morning programs, ending with The CBS Morning News and Phyllis George, a one-time Miss America recently hired from CBS Sports.
George’s interview style fell somewhere between perky and giggly, and the uncomfortable guests probably were relieved to reach the wrap-up—until George playfully suggested they shake hands like two kids making up after a playground spat. They awkwardly complied. Then with all the stereotypical vivaciousness of a former Miss Texas, George added, “How about a hug?”
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Taming a rogue tongue
June 28th, 2010
Nooooo! Stopppp! I ran toward my friend, making wild arm gestures, desperately trying to wave him off as he unwittingly stumbled toward the precipice …
Too late. Crash and burn.
Okay … so my friend didn’t really take an accidental header over the side of the world then spontaneously combust. And my dramatic slo-mo attempt to save him was all in my head. I wanted to save him. The second he veered from his prepared comments into “I shouldn’t tell this story, but …” it was clear he needed saving. But I could only listen helplessly as he off-the-cuffed himself off the cliff. Later, as he tried to defend his inappropriate anecdote, he probably thought spontaneous combustion wouldn’t have been so bad.
Don’t speak
October 24th, 2009
My mom has always warned me that once you’ve put your foot in your mouth, no good can come from going back later and trying to explain what you really meant to say. After ignoring her advice a few too many times–and winding up with two feet in my mouth–I’ve decided she’s right.
You know how it is. Some friend or coworker asks what you think about so-and-so’s job performance or what you’ve heard about such-and-such’s marital troubles. You make some offhand comment that was better left unsaid. And the next thing you know, your comment has spread like wildfire and you’re feeling the heat. So you go back and try to make amends, only to wish you’d left it alone.