Pratfall: a Toronto visual dictionary

Today’s word of the day from Wordsmith is “pratfall.” We’ve updated the Wordsmith  definition below. His Lardship, Mayor Rob Ford of Toronto, provides a stunning visual demonstration of the term during the celebrations of the 2012 Grey Cup in Toronto. He was demonstrating his command of field generalship for everyone to see. His press secretary and brother look on in aghastitude. The press secretary would rush in to apply an imaginary tackle after the mayor single-handedly fell flat on his ass, hoping to rescue this classic photo-op gone wrong. The video of the debacle has become part of our mayor’s contribution to how the world outside sees the city of Toronto. Some insiders feel that the humiliation of the event contributed to Ford’s downward spiral and led him to seek solace by drinking himself into a drunken stupor by chugging Iceberg Vodka, which inexorably led him to the crack dens of Dixon Road.

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pratfall

PRONUNCIATION: (PRAT-fawl)

MEANING: noun: A humiliating failure, blunder, or defeat.

ETYMOLOGY: A pratfall is literally a fall on the buttocks. The word is figuratively used to describe embarrassing errors or failures. From prat (buttocks, fool) + fall. Earliest documented use: 1939. The best current example of a pratfall has been supplied to the world by Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford. On November 20, 2012, Ford was playing imaginary quarterback during CFL 100th Grey Cup week celebrations in front of city hall. He called an audible (“Yellow E”) at the line of scrimmage. It didn’t go as planned. Here’s another view of the fiasco. Apparently, Ford took “Yellow E” out of the Don Bosco Playbook after the debacle, shortly before he was himself removed from Don Bosco. “Yellow E” is pretty much the last play of Rob Ford’s football career. Some observers felt that “Yellow E” was intended to be Ford’s homage to his late friend Eddie Saragosa.