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…

Joan Jett

They don’t get much cooler than Joan Jett. Her name, her look, her music —even her smell— score about 1000 kabillion mega-fonzies on the cool-o-meter.

Not that I’ve personally smelled Ms. Jett, but a fella can dream, can’t he? Yes, he can.

Anyhoo, read these quotations, read ‘em and weep big salty tears that you are not cool enough to earn such a comparison yourself. On the other hand, if you are that cool, I beseech you to CALL ME.

“Just check out the metal loops. It’s the Joan Jett of purse accoutrements.”

(Oct. 26, 2008, Yeah, Sew)

“LOL yeah you are the Joan Jett of YouTube philosophy, that’s for sure.”

(June 19, 2008, YouTube)

“AK sent this on about the one I affectionately know as ‘The Joan Jett of mountain biking‘, and her devastating injuries received at the Jeep King of the Mountain finale in Beaver Creek Colorado at the start of September.
Go by and send her some virtual love. The girl is tough as nails, and we have every confidence that shell be whooping ass again in no time.”

(Sept. 12, 2007, How to Avoid the Bummer Life)

“But why does a dog need to wear a T-shirt? 
To express their inner voice. They can’t talk — well, there’s the barking thing, but nobody truly understands that. Through their personality and the T-shirt, they’re letting people know that bitches rock. They’re the Joan Jett of the dogdom world. But this isn’t like a costume — they can still be a dog and wear these. They can be even more of a dog, since they can voice something doggie-ish, like “I’m a yellow-snow maker.””

(Sept. 2006, interview with John Carpenter, Rude Pooch)

“For Pete’s sake, I wonder where people get the idea that maybe they don’t actually need to evacuate when they’re told to because they’ll be able to brazen it out no matter how bad the storm is. I especially like the way Daryn Kagan solemnly warned everyone immediately after Rob’s report that they shouldn’t go outdoors until it was safe. (BTW, Daryn? What’s with the hair? Do we think we’re the Joan Jett of journalism? Is that who we think we are? Maybe Siouxsie Sioux? Sheesh.) And here’s Jeanne Meserve (outdoors) to tell us about more of the Superdome roof skin flying off. One of her crew seems to have blown away–they cut back to Atlanta.”

(Aug. 29, 2005, The White Peril)

“Nottingham Rescue Rooms (Saturday 18th February) will see the wailing debut of death chanteuse Lucy Brownhills, the Joan Jett of the post-Jeff Buckley-acolyte generation (though she is more informed by Jeff’s dad).”

(Feb. 2006, Julian Cope, Head Heritage)

“Happy b-day to Kirsten Baldock, described by some as ‘THE JOAN JETT OF COMICS,’ which is a pretty badass thing to be called. However, I have yet to hear her cover of Joan Jett’s cover of ‘Crimson & Clover.’”

(Aug. 19, 2004, Ken Lowery, Ringwood Blogspot)

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.

No Comments »