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Headlines
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 4:25 pm
by Kevin Thurlow
There was discussion elsewhere about humorous headlines, primarily relating to football. I offer the following, which really make you wince...
Pope John Paul died a few weeks after his predecessor, leading to one newspaper saying, "Pope dies again."
The renowned sprinter Tyson Gay won a race, leading to a journalist writing the headline, "Gay wins gold medal", but before the headline was published, the AI editor changed it to, "Homosexual wins gold medal". I believe the aggrieved athlete sued for libel (not surprisingly).
One badly-worded one from World War II, "English push bottles up Germans". Push and bottles can be both nouns and verbs...
Re: Headlines
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 5:29 pm
by Jon D'Souza-Eva
- QueenMother.png (142.79 KiB) Viewed 5108 times
Re: Headlines
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 10:35 pm
by James Pratt
"Woman Fights with Grandmaster for Six Hours" - (Barden) when Sheila Jackson played Miles at Lewisham International surely beats 'Monty Flies Back To Front' (WWII)?
James
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 12:31 am
by Matt Mackenzie
Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Mon May 19, 2025 4:25 pm
There was discussion elsewhere about humorous headlines, primarily relating to football. I offer the following, which really make you wince...
Pope John Paul died a few weeks after his predecessor, leading to one newspaper saying, "Pope dies again."
The renowned sprinter Tyson Gay won a race, leading to a journalist writing the headline, "Gay wins gold medal", but before the headline was published, the AI editor changed it to, "Homosexual wins gold medal". I believe the aggrieved athlete sued for libel (not surprisingly).
One badly-worded one from World War II, "English push bottles up Germans". Push and bottles can be both nouns and verbs...
Though the often claimed (by the Times, no less) "Foot heads arms body" is actually an urban myth.
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:04 am
by Tim Spanton
Also genuine:
HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR
(New York Post)
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 5:02 pm
by MJMcCready
Some papers were morecreative than others with regards to fake news. The Sunday Sport was probably the worst and once had 'WW2 bomber found on the moon.!
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 8:36 pm
by Kevin Thurlow
"The Sunday Sport was probably the worst and once had 'WW2 bomber found on the moon.!"
And then a couple of weeks later, they had, "'WW2 bomber found on the moon disappears."
Not actually a headline, but in WWII, British newspapers reported that German bombers had flown over London and dropped bombs at random. A few days later, a German newspaper reported that the Luftwaffe had bombed London and the suburb of Random was totally destroyed.
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 8:43 pm
by Tim Spanton
Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 8:36 pm
"The Sunday Sport was probably the worst and once had 'WW2 bomber found on the moon.!"
And then a couple of weeks later, they had, "'WW2 bomber found on the moon disappears."
Not actually a headline, but in WWII, British newspapers reported that German bombers had flown over London and dropped bombs at random. A few days later, a German newspaper reported that the Luftwaffe had bombed London and the suburb of Random was totally destroyed.
Really?!
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 9:02 pm
by Jon D'Souza-Eva
It does seem to be true - a few newspapers from September 1940 reported the story:
Time Magazine wrote:
Unconsciously the German propaganda broadcasters provided the biggest laugh of the week. They frequently rehash British Air Ministry communiques for German consumption, and Air Ministry communiques sometimes end with the sentence: "Last night bombs were dropped at random." Last week the Deutschlandsender was heard telling its German listeners: "In the suburb of Random damage has been caused by our bombers."
https://content.time.com/time/subscribe ... -2,00.html
Re: Headlines
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 9:32 pm
by Tim Spanton
Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 9:02 pm
It does seem to be true - a few newspapers from September 1940 reported the story:
Time Magazine wrote:
Unconsciously the German propaganda broadcasters provided the biggest laugh of the week. They frequently rehash British Air Ministry communiques for German consumption, and Air Ministry communiques sometimes end with the sentence: "Last night bombs were dropped at random." Last week the Deutschlandsender was heard telling its German listeners: "In the suburb of Random damage has been caused by our bombers."
https://content.time.com/time/subscribe ... -2,00.html
!!
Re: Headlines
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 12:57 am
by John Clarke
Re the results in a couple of recent football matches, some paper somewhere might well use the headline "London 2 Manchester 0".
Not nearly as long a trophy drought for Spurs as with Leonard's favourite team, but by hokey it's a relief to see it over at last.
Re: Headlines
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 2:21 am
by MJMcCready
Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 8:36 pm
"The Sunday Sport was probably the worst and once had 'WW2 bomber found on the moon.!"
And then a couple of weeks later, they had, "'WW2 bomber found on the moon disappears."
Not actually a headline, but in WWII, British newspapers reported that German bombers had flown over London and dropped bombs at random. A few days later, a German newspaper reported that the Luftwaffe had bombed London and the suburb of Random was totally destroyed.
That's great. Who stole it? Nasa?
Re: Headlines
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 9:14 am
by Mick Norris
John Clarke wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 12:57 am
Re the results in a couple of recent football matches, some paper somewhere might well use the headline "London 2 Manchester 0".
Not nearly as long a trophy drought for Spurs as with Leonard's favourite team, but by hokey it's a relief to see it over at last.
I'd thought that too (London 0 Hull 4 being the inspiration), pleased for the long suffering Spurs fans; as well as Palace, Barnet, Orient, Charlton, and now Southend going well too
Re: Headlines
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 10:01 am
by Kevin Thurlow
"That's great. Who stole it? Nasa?"
As I recall, they had a surprisingly clear picture of a B17 sitting on the moon, then next time, the original picture of the moon, minus the picture they had put on top of it. I think it was too early for "Photoshop"-type software, so they would have used something more primitive. Credit to them for coming up with such an outrageous yet brilliant headline.
Football, I recall a headline, "Coates suits Spurs", when Ralph Coates was playing for Tottenham.
Re: Headlines
Posted: Fri May 23, 2025 11:45 am
by NickFaulks
Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Mon May 19, 2025 4:25 pm
One badly-worded one from World War II, "English push bottles up Germans".
Lance Corporal Jones?