Headline Wording Fail

17 Responses to Headline Wording Fail

1. mamamarmite on July 20th, 2009 at 5:14 am

   Works for me. In British English, this would mean “Hits the Lion with chainsaw”.

   Reply
   • Alex on July 20th, 2009 at 8:47 am

     And in American English…it could mean that. Or, it could be slang for a solitary sexual act. And that with a chain saw would probably hurt.

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     • wildmustard on July 20th, 2009 at 11:57 am

       With a chain saw AND an angry lion. It just seems like such an inappropriate time to succumb to the need for self gratification …

       Reply
2. L on July 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm

   I don’t get it. What’s the fail?

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   • KkM on July 20th, 2009 at 1:38 pm

     That “to beat off” can also mean “to masturbate.” It’s like those other headlines: “Kicking Baby Considered To Be Healthy,” “Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers,” “Two Convicts Evade Noose, Jury Hung,” etc.

     Reply
3. Wolfy on July 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

   Personally, my biggest concern would be who gave a chainsaw to the lion in the first place…

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   • Robbie on July 21st, 2009 at 6:21 pm

     Ding! Ding! Ding!! We’ve got a winner! ROFL

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4. Jamie on July 21st, 2009 at 4:31 am

   Your fail fails. That’s like calling a record store sign containing “album” a “fail” because it contains “bum”.

   You’re an idiot.

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   • Metalnoir on July 21st, 2009 at 8:48 am

     I disagree. As soon as I saw the term “beats off”, I chuckled.

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     • Jamie on July 24th, 2009 at 8:39 am

       So if something’s funny it’s a fail?

       This is FAILBLOG you know …

       Reply
       • Makenna on September 24th, 2009 at 9:33 pm

         It IS a fail, because someone should have proofed that for grammar. It could have said something like, “Camper Defends Self with Chain Saw from Lion Attack” and had the same intended message. The current title is unclear (did the lion or the camper have the chain saw?) and definitely uses common slang for masturbation.

         Reply
5. PsychicPsycho on July 21st, 2009 at 6:06 am

   This is more of a PrintScreen fail. Who takes a picture of a monitor so they can post it online?

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6. Jock on July 23rd, 2009 at 1:31 pm

   I’m puzzled! Who had the chainsaw?
   If it was the lion, what was he doing with it?
   A woodcutter lion???

   If it was the camper, how did he beat off the lion?
   I would’ve expected a castration not ejaculation.

   Oh yes, the wildlife officials are right, it is an usual attack, no doubt about it.

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7. E Bell on August 22nd, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   Throw the cow, over the fence, some hay.

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8. Rawr on November 8th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

   But if he fought the lion off with a chainsaw, wouldn’t that not be beating?

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9. Spanish Translator on November 18th, 2009 at 12:41 am

   If there’s a fail here, it’s definitely in the “who had the chainsaw” ambiguity. If it WAS the lion, well, the line underneath says it was an unusual attack…

   Reply
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    Reply