As a 30-something with clients, a wife and a young daughter, I understand that "Douchebag" is a word that really can only be enjoyed in certain company, and that, to the bulk of polite society, hearing this word is like being hit in the face with frozen feces. It's sort of shocks you at first and you're not sure why. But then, as it thaws around you, you're left thinking, "Really? did he really just use that word? Right here at prayer group?"
To me, however, "Douchebag" is the most awesome word in the English language. I love its phonetic, almost onomatopoeic properties, the pure, middle school puerility of it. It is the one French word every kid masters no matter how bad they suck at language. It makes me laugh every single time I say it or hear it. I use it at the gym, I use it when I watch CNN, I use it when I read certain diaries, I use it (constantly) when I drive. I was even mildly annoyed at Sarah Silverman for trying to improve on it with "Douchenozzle". How dare she? What a douchebag.
Anyway, you can imagine my glee this afternoon as the NPR commentator in my car stereo had to describe the case of Doninger v. Niehoff also known as Teen v. Douchebag, an appeals case in which Sotomayor supported a ruling against a student who had applied this term to her school administrators in a LiveJournal blog.
Now I don't intend to discuss the merits of the case. The student clearly showed poor judgment here (I mean, LiveJournal? Really?)
What tickles me is that we get to look forward to WEEKS of news commentators grappling with the decision of how they'll describe this case. Do we say "D-bag"? "The D-Word"? It's "G* D* America" all over again, but only WAY more awesome. To NPR's credit, they just jumped right in and went full "Douchebag". Will the rest follow suit? Joe Scarborough... Will you have the guts to go "Full Douchebag"?
Update/Medical Disclaimer: Since this is now on the reclist (wtf?), I should make the disclaimer that this diary in no way advocates use of actual douchebags. In fact, I have it on sound medical authority (wikipedia) that the practice of douching is no longer recommended by doctors. As with any squirting baglike device, you should not use douchebag if you are spastic, clumsy, or uncoordinated. Do not take douchebag with alcohol, as this may have unintended side effects.
Disclaimer: I'm gonna assume that any advertisements automatically appended to this diary (eg: SEIU, health care, single payer advocates, etc.) imply the advertiser's support for liberal use of the word "Douchebag" in all forms of public discourse.