The idiom “jumped the shark” describes the second when a tv present, or by extension any artistic work, begins a decline in high quality, signaling its descent into irrelevance or absurdity. It typically refers to a particular, typically outlandish, occasion throughout the narrative that marks a turning level for the more serious. The phrase originates from a scene within the tv sequence Joyful Days the place the character Fonzie actually jumps over a shark on water skis. The idiom has broadened in its utility to embody moments the place a public determine’s actions or statements are perceived as so outlandish or self-destructive as to irreparably injury their credibility or public picture.
Its significance lies in offering a concise and culturally understood approach to describe the perceived decline or descent into irrelevance of one thing beforehand revered or well-liked. The phrase serves as a sign that the viewers’s tolerance has been exceeded and might replicate a broader shift in public opinion. The phrase’s historic context is rooted in well-liked tradition, particularly a tv present identified for its healthful, family-friendly enchantment, making its utility to political figures notably resonant, because it suggests a deviation from perceived norms or expectations.