Thanks to Mark Cuban’s recent show of support for the Hillary Clinton campaign in Pittsburgh over the weekend, the word “Jagoff’ has been referenced by a number of news outlets like: CNBC, the L.A. Times, Bloomberg and, an excellent article posted by Pittsburgh Trib writer, Salena Zito on TheHill.com .
The word “Jagoff” had the outsiders wondering, “Can we repeat that? Google that!”
Fortunately, the article by Salena Zito helps to define the word “Jagoff” as not being a swearword. She’s a Western PA insider and, works for the only newspaper in Pittsburgh that will print the word Jagoff.
If you happen to be new here, this blog points out and defines “Jagoffs” on a daily basis for the entertainment of Pittsburghers, ex-pats and anyone else who may have learned the word from stopping here or from the Pittsburghese disciples spread throughout the country.
Some have even said this blog has been good anger therapy. (OK, I completely made that part up) But, when people do submit the photo of someone acting like a Jagoff and it gets posted, urban legend says those same people feel enabled to skip their blood pressure medicine or their anger management sessions that day! (I kind of made that part up too! Don’t skip your meds or your sessions.)
So today, I want to reach across both sides of the aisle and help the nation to define the word even further. Because, while the word’s true origin is “Jerk” or something similar, Pittsburghers use the term a little differently depending on the situation. Kind of like defining the word “bad.” Is “bad” bad or is “bad” so doggone great that you call it “bad?”
- Term of endearment; expressing appreciation to someone, with a smile on your face and a hug, like when you haven’t seen them for years and you spy them standing in a corner at the family reunion in an Jack Ham shirt, you say, “Heeeey! How’ve ya been, Ya Jagoff?”
- Expressing being startled or punked, half chuckling you say, “You scared the %$# outta me, Ya Jagoff!”
- And then there’s the version, that’s posted on our blog … venting about someone that has been a jerk, with a scowl on your face, “Learn to use a turn signal, Ya Jagoff!” Or, as Mark Cuban used it, “Donald Trump is a Jagoff!”
I believe that Michael Keaton would be the first Pittsburgher to bring the word “Jagoff” to the nation, in a major movie, when he used it in the 1982 movie, “Night Shift.” But, thanks to digital media, Mark Cuban has spread the word faster than any one Pittsburgher.
If any out-of-town writers/reporters would like to discuss the word “Jagoff” or other Pittsburghese terms, feel free to contact me, john@YaJagoff.com. I’ll be happy to reach across the political aisles as well as the blogger/traditional media outlet aisle to discuss.
For examples of Jagoffs, feel free to refer to #Jagoffs (with an s) hashtag on Twitter and Instagram or just stay here and search Travel Jagoffs, Grocery Store Jagoffs, #PeterParkers, etc.
Feel free to comment below about how you or your family has used the term, “Jagoff.” Did you get soap in your mouth or no?
