Comments on: Can you Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time? http://www.brainfitnessforlife.com/concentration/can-you-walk-and-chew-gum-at-the-same-time/ Brain Fitness for Life Sun, 31 Jul 2011 02:20:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: L.S. http://www.brainfitnessforlife.com/concentration/can-you-walk-and-chew-gum-at-the-same-time/comment-page-1/#comment-16522 L.S. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 01:26:10 +0000 http://brainfitnessforlife.happy-neuron.com/?p=1021#comment-16522 Geez... I can't believe how many people refer to this phrase, and use it as if it was actually meant to be. The actual phrase is "...its like trying to TALK and chew gum at the same time...", in reference to people who take on too much when multi-tasking. The phrase was misquoted by then-President Gerald Ford as "WALK and chew gum", and became fodder for several late-night talkshow monologues. But it really took on its own life when it was parodied by Chevy Chase that weekend on Saturady Night Live, in a skit that poked fun by having the Presdident start to chew on a stick of gum, and then suddenly start tripping into things, unable to walk. At the time, Ford had suffered a few mishaps in public, and his inherent clumsiness had become a weekly comedy bit for Chase, who portrayed the hapless prez. Like so many catch phrases, the reference has been lost with time, and replaced by defintions that seem to make sense. I found the following posted online: Walk and chew gum (at the same time) - to be able to do more than one thing at a time. Example: "Officials say they have to plan for all kinds of possibilities, that they have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time." - Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006 I have to be honest; I miss the days when this phrase served as veiled ridicule... "Gee, you're so smart. I bet you're one of those guys that can walk and chew gum at the same time." Geez… I can’t believe how many people refer to this phrase, and use it as if it was actually meant to be. The actual phrase is “…its like trying to TALK and chew gum at the same time…”, in reference to people who take on too much when multi-tasking. The phrase was misquoted by then-President Gerald Ford as “WALK and chew gum”, and became fodder for several late-night talkshow monologues. But it really took on its own life when it was parodied by Chevy Chase that weekend on Saturady Night Live, in a skit that poked fun by having the Presdident start to chew on a stick of gum, and then suddenly start tripping into things, unable to walk. At the time, Ford had suffered a few mishaps in public, and his inherent clumsiness had become a weekly comedy bit for Chase, who portrayed the hapless prez.

Like so many catch phrases, the reference has been lost with time, and replaced by defintions that seem to make sense. I found the following posted online:

Walk and chew gum (at the same time)
– to be able to do more than one thing at a time. Example: “Officials say they have to plan for all kinds of possibilities, that they have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.”

- Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

I have to be honest; I miss the days when this phrase served as veiled ridicule…

“Gee, you’re so smart. I bet you’re one of those guys that can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

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