Tuesday 14 August 2012

Overthinking a phrase

It's all... On Like Donkey Kong!

But is it really? While we have Ice Cube to thank for this phrase, just how does one get "on" just like "Donkey Kong"?

One way to expand it is to say "We are going to be getting into some heavy action, with much excitement, just like one gets much excitement from playing Donkey Kong." Erm, well, this is sort of how it is expressed, but well... is Donkey Kong really a generator of that much excitement? Possibly.. but for a very small clique. Obviously a group including Ice Cube. But still, really, is it that exciting? "Oh, I get to push these buttons, woo!" [Okay, Space Invaders was relatively huge, certainly a money spinner, but I can't believe it's so popular in the culture that people will be wanting to experience that excitement via other activities...]

The other way it could be on is like how Donkey Kong himself is on the top of the screen, dishing out barrels. But to then go on and say "this is about to throw down, just like Donkey Kong throws down the barrels" just seems to be an absurd non-sequitur. "I'm going to lift this over my head and throw it downwards"... maybe in very specific circumstances, but I doubt this will be generally applicable.

So while could get it "on like Donkey Kong", it's hard to see just how Donkey Kong gets it on and how one would do the same...

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