How One Journalist’s Shoe Started a Global Trend
have a field day (with something): to enjoy a situation fully, especially a chance to criticize or make fun of it
When George Bush dodged a flying shoe in 2008 he had no idea it was the beginning of a trend. He was standing at a podium in Baghdad when the shoe came flying toward his head. An Iraqi journalist named Muntadhar al-Zaidi was angry about the war. “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog!” he shouted. Then he pulled off his other shoe and threw that one too.
Bush ducked both times, and neither shoe hit him. He stayed calm, and he even joked about it. He said it was only a size 10 shoe.
Al-Zaidi was arrested and spent about nine months in jail, but he was not sorry. His only regret, he said, was that he had just two shoes to throw.
Soon the whole world saw the video. Reporters and comedians had a field day with it. Then other people copied the idea. Protesters threw shoes at a Bush statue in Washington. A student threw a shoe at China’s leader in England. In Taiwan, so many people threw shoes at politicians that police bought special nets to stop them. It became so prevalent that Wikipedia dedicated a page to shoe throwing. The first documented incident was a shoe hurled at Roman Emperor Constantius II in 359. Bush wasn’t the first target but he did start a wave of similar attacks that peaked in the 2010s. The shoe throwing trend has slowly faded, but today, politicians around the world still get hit with eggs, tomatoes, and even flour. No doubt, throwing things at politicians will never go out of style.
Sample sentences
When the mayor forgot his own city’s name in a speech, the local news had a field day.
The defense lawyer had a field day pointing out holes in the witness’s story.
The tabloids had a field day when the two famous actors were seen arguing in public.
Read More
George W. Bush shoe-throwing incident (Wikipedia)
List of shoe-throwing incidents (Wikipedia)
An Iraqi Journalist Threw His Shoes at George W. Bush (Boing Boing)
