Dangerous words

There are lessons for editors in the current kerfuffle over host David Shuster's offhand remark, on MSNBC, that Chelsea Clinton was "sort of being pimped out" by her mother's campaign.

"Pimp" (with its variations) is one of those words that slip into common parlance through pop culture. You hear it in descriptions of flashy, overdone clothing, and it's become associated in some minds with attempts to "sell" something through its bling appeal. Alas for the speakers, words don't lose their original meanings just because they've acquired new ones.

In my church the other day, a lovely lady was trying to convey the idea that she approved of someone. "Everything about her is great, from her attitude to the horse she rode in on," she said. My wife and I looked at each other. We both know the complete phrase: "F____ you, and the horse you rode in on."

After the MSNBC story broke, we were discussing how "pimp" has acquired new meanings. She mentioned the TV show, "Pimp My Car," in which the restorers not only bring a ruined vehicle back to like-new condition, but also add decorative touches. "You mean they tart it up?" I asked. Then we both laughed, because "tart" like "pimp" is making a run for respectability but hasn't quite made it.

As Elmer Fudd might say, editors (and TV hosts) should be vew-y, vew-y careful.