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Do you know where the phrase "steal my thunder" comes from?

You might guess it has something to do with some mortal stealing Zeus' lightning bot.

It's more literal than that:

The idiom "to steal someone's thunder" originated in the early 18th century with English playwright and critic John Dennis.

The Origin Story

The Invention: In 1709, John Dennis created a new, realistic thunder-making machine (likely involving rolling sheets of tin) for his play Appius and Virginia.

The Failure: His play was not successful and closed quickly at the Drury Lane Theatre.

The Theft: Shortly after, Dennis attended a performance of Macbeth at the same theater and discovered the producers were using his thunder machine.

The Reaction: Outraged, Dennis allegedly exclaimed: "Damn them; they will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder!"

A quick video about the phrase. It's from the BBC so you know it's real. (Taps nose.)

A history of stage lightning, thunder, and rain effects.

Ghost bird look like dragon frog

Ghost Rider Halloween costume.

Ghost plane.

Slasher movie doggies.

Putting a Boston Dynamics robot dog into a dog costume. It's creepy.

Okay so this one isn't spooky, but only because it's in broad daylight with a blue sky. Try to imagine it at night with a moon hanging over it.

Snaggle-toothed snake-eel is a Democrat Congresswoman 7.

Freeway spook.

Woman: I will terrify the neighborhood as "La Llorna," the wailing ghost in white.

Dog: Not on my watch, Muchacha.

posted by Disinformation Expert Ace at 07:30 PM

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