X is the Y of Z
“X is the Y of Z” is a snowclone–an adaptable, Mad Libs-like idiom like “May I compare thee to an X?”, “X is the new Y,” and “I for one welcome our new X overlords.” This snowclone touches on every subject imaginable, including music. So without further adieu, today’s topic is…
Michael Jackson
Have you had more plastic surgery than a van of strippers? Do you wear one glove or lack a nose? Did you turn from black to white? Have you been, at minimum, extremely creepy around children? Or have you merely made some of the most popular music in the history of the universe, while inventing new dance moves aplenty?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, especially the fourth one, these nice officers would like you to come down to the station. Also, I bet you’ve been compared to Michael Jackson — even if you came out of a pooch’s pooper or the local robot factory:
“The majority of women who opt for breast augmentation strive for a natural-looking result that helps them feel better about their appearance. Not Sheyla. To her, bigger is better. You might call her the Michael Jackson of breast implants.”
(Feb. 10, 2009, The Cosmetic Surgery Directory Blog)
“In his later years C3-PO’s addiction to plastic surgery spiraled out of control and he became the Michael Jackson of the robot community”
(Feb. 1, 2009, Cracked)
“Just one glove? So then you’d be like the Michael Jackson of romantic expression? Are you sure you want to go that route, S? But anyway, whether you hand over one glove, two, or perhaps throw a stiletto heel (or a lovely Converse high top) as a sign to stay the hell away instead, I wish you the best of luck.”
(Jan. 27, 2009, The Vicious Circle)
“Mama is so right. They need to settle their asses down. they are becoming the Michael Jackson of straight couples.”
(Jan. 22, 2009, The Real Estalker)
“He’s the Michael Jackson of the wizarding world.
He’s pale, noseless, and has an unhealthy obsession with a teenage boy.”
(Jan. 13, 2009, Totally Looks Like)
“That first picture could pass you off as the Michael Jackson of gingerbread children…”
(Jan. 9, 2009, Dispatches from the Island)
“I’m knitting these gloves right now, and they are really cute and fun! I’ve one glove finished and I keep wearing it around. I’m like the michael jackson of knitting.”
(Nov. 13, 2008, Whit’s Knits)
“Last month, Mr. Karzai said the British bungled efforts in Helmand Province and then blocked the appointment of top British diplomat Paddy Ashdown as the UN’s special envoy to Afghanistan.
‘Ashdown’s a celebrity. He’s the Michael Jackson of postconflict reconstruction,’ says (Michael) Williams. ‘He was going to raise the profile of Afghanistan. Karzai was afraid he would be too powerful. So the Afghans shot themselves in the foot. Paddy Ashdown was the best chance to get someone with the right personality to get all the players into the same ring.’”
(Feb. 6, 2008, Laura J. Winter, Christian Science Monitor)
“Ok, this will only resonate with people of a certain era. For everyone else, sorry you looked at the photo of shit!
But – that’s white dog poo. I haven’t seen white dog poo for, oooo, the best part of two decades! And not only is that white dog poo; it’s got normal brown dog poo in there too. It’s half-half. It’s like the Michael Jackson of dog poo! My girlfriend wasn’t impressed when I got my camera out to snap it, and she duly walked off, but I’m sure someone out there appreciates the significance of this find.”
(Feb. 5, 2008, pisspoorenglish)
Mark Peters is a language columnist and humorist who writes for Good, Visual Thesaurus and other mags, while maintaining too many blogs, including Wordlustitude, The Rosa Parks of Blogs, and The Pancake Proverbs.
