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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
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Holy mackerel/macaroni

I just watched "King Kong" (the superior 1933 version, of course), in which one of the main characters, Carl Denham, keeps saying "Holy Mackerel!" ever so often. In other contexts/movies, I've also heard "Holy Moses" and "Holy Macaroni" used in similar exclamatory fashion.

Is the Mackerel/Macaroni/Moses-part supposed to be a softened/polite version of something else beginning with M ? (Like using Darn instead of Damn.) If it is, I can't figure out what.
Anyone know?

jouni maho
  

Top answer

[nq:1]I just watched "King Kong" (the superior 1933 version, of course), in which one of the main characters, Carl Denham, ... beginning with M ? ) If it is, I can't figure out what.

— Usenet

  • [nq:1]I just watched "King Kong" (the superior 1933 version, of course), in which one of the main characters, Carl Denham, ...
  • beginning with M ?
  • ) If it is, I can't figure out what.
  • [/nq] "Holy Mary, Mother of ***"?
  • Best Donna Richoux
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4 Answers
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[nq:1]I just watched "King Kong" (the superior 1933 version, of course), in which one of the main characters, Carl Denham, ... beginning with M ? (Like using Darn instead of ****.) If it is, I can't figure out what. Anyone know?[/nq]
"Holy Mary, Mother of ***"?

Best Donna Richoux
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[nq:2]I just watched "King Kong" (the superior 1933 version, of ... If it is, I can't figure out what. Anyone know?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Holy Mary, Mother of ***"?[/nq]
Aah. So, Mackerel/Macaroni/Moses are simply humorous paraphrases, not "softenings" of a putative dirty word or something?

jouni maho
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[nq:2]"Holy Mary, Mother of ***"?[/nq]
[nq:1]Aah. So, Mackerel/Macaroni/Moses are simply humorous paraphrases, not "softenings" of a putative dirty word or something?[/nq]
I don't quite get you. Macaroni is humorous, yes, but is it a paraphrase of Mary?
In the Christian religion, it was forbidden (or discouraged) to take the Lord's name in vain. It was just as wrong, in certain
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[nq:1]I've also heard "Holy Moses" and "Holy Macaroni" used in similar exclamatory fashion.[/nq]
And "Holy Moley!"

John Varela
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