Answers:
Gordon Bennett !
It is commonly believed that this expression has its origins in the popularity of James Gordon-Bennett, Jr..
His father, born in Scotland in 1795, emigrated to the US to become a journalist and subsequently founded the 'New York Herald' in 1835. The many innovations he established within newspaper publishing, including European correspondents, illustrated news articles, the joint founding of The Associated Press (1848) and the first major use of the telegraph for news, led to a successful news empire which amassed considerable wealth.
It was his son, born in 1841 and known as Gordon-Bennett, who really captured the attention of the US and European populace. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he took every opportunity to live life as a playboy; his wild lifestyle and extravagant spending gained him notoriety in high society. On one occasion, at a New Year's party (1877) being held by his fiancee's father, he got so stupifyingly drunk as to mistake the fireplace for a toilet and proceeded to urinate in front of his prospective in-laws and their guests. Other tales include the occasion when, annoyed by the bulky roll of money in his back pocket, he burnt the lot in an impetuous fit. There are many more tales of his outrageous and extravagant behaviour, however not all cast him in a bad light, such as the numerous times he would donate large sums of money to charities.
He took over the management of the Herald in 1867, and proceeded to invest funds in newsworthy ventures. His funding included the expedition by Stanley to Africa, in search of Dr. David Livingstone, and an ill fated attempt to explore the North Pole and Arctic region by G.W. De Long in the years between 1879 and 1881. The 'Jeanette' expedition, as the Arctic trip was known, failed miserably and led to the subsequent death, via starvation, of De Long and 19 fellow crew members. There are several islands in Siberia that bear Bennett's name.
Gordon-Bennett was particularly partial to sports, being credited with introducing polo to the United States, his interests included yachting, in which he established the James Gordon-Bennett Cup for international races. Trophies were similarly given for balloon and aeroplane racing, of which the Gordon-Bennett balloon race still exists. As further testament to his involvement in the various racing arenas, it was in 1904 that the Gordon-Bennett Motor Car Road Racing Trials were first run on the Isle of Man, which was the precursor to the world famous TT races, currently still held there.
From 1877 he lived in Europe, mainly on his 301 foot yacht, the Lysistrata, from where he administered the running of the New York Herald. He died in France in May 1918, aged 78.
The use of James Gordon-Bennett's name as an expletive possibly bears relation to his outrageous lifestyle and involvement in newsworthy stunts. Imagine opening your daily newspaper and reading yet another news item telling you of his latest antics, and as you begin to express incredulity with a "God Almighty", you restrain your publically unacceptable language and instead say.. GORDON-BENNETT!
aint got a scooby
From the person gordon bennet he was a man who used to do incredible stunts in an aeroplane.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/gordo...
There was once a rich man called Gordon Bennett. Each day he would dine at the same table, at the same restaurant. One day he couldn't get his regular table, so he bought the restaurant!
It is commonly thought that this refers to James Gordon Bennett. JGB was a real person. In fact, with the expansiveness that is appropriate for this story, two real people. The elder James Gordon Bennett was born in Banffshire, Scotland in 1795 and emigrated to the USA, eventually becoming a journalist and founding the New York Herald in 1835. Bennett had a natural talent for journalism and the paper flourished. An editorial in Harper's at the time expressed the opinion that "It is impossible any longer to deny that the [city's] chief newspaper is the New York Herald". Other rivals, while accepting Bennett's nose for a story, weren't impressed with what they saw as his 'gutter press' methods. In 1836, in a pre-cursor to the chequebook/kiss-and-tell journalism now so popular with tabloid newspapers, he published a notice offering to reward any woman who "will set a trap for a Presbyterian parson, and catch one of them flagrante delicito [sic]". He was unblushing in what was then seen as improper descriptions of his relationship with his wife - describing her 'most magnificent' figure and publishing details of their wedding and the birth of James Gordon Bennett junior in 1841.
James Gordon Bennett Jr. inherited his father's talents for journalism and controversy, not to mention his multi-million dollar estate - and he's the Gordon Bennett that the phrase refers to. He took over control of the New York Herald in 1866, by which time he was well into an enthusiastic and hedonist playboy lifestyle, indulging in spending the family fortune on air and road racing in the USA, England and France.
He was a significant promoter and patron of sports, especially those requiring impressive and expensive equipment, for example international motor racing, ballooning and air racing. He gave several sponsorships in these fields, notably the Isle of Man Bennett Trophy races of 1900 to 1905 (subsequently a trials course on the island was named after him). A long-distance hot-air balloon race (The International Gordon Bennett balloon race), which still continues, was inaugurated by him in 1906.
Bennett was also a chip off the old block, not unlike many wealthy people of his era, in that he wasn't especially concerned by people's opinion of his behaviour. He has the unenviable record, as bestowed by the Guinness Book of World Records, of the 'Greatest Engagement Faux Pas', for the manner in which his engagement to the socialite Caroline May was broken off in 1877. The engagement was big news in New York society circles. The Edwardsville Intelligencer, reported it in November 1876:
"The trousseau of Miss May, who is to marry James Gordon Bennett, has arrived from Europe, where it was collected at an expense of $20,000, according to gossips. It is said to be the most elaborate and beautiful ever prepared for an American lady."
It is reported that at the 1877 New Year's party held by his fiancee's father, he became so drunk that he mistook the fireplace for a toilet and urinated in it in front of his hosts and their guests. Whether or not that story is true is now difficult to verify. It is certainly the case that the marriage didn't go ahead and that the Mays weren't best pleased with Bennett - as this piece from The Perry Chief, January 1877, indicates:
"James Gordon Bennett was publicly horse-whipped this morning, by Frederick May, brother of the girl to whom Bennett was engaged to be married."
He took to his heels and travelled to England, ending up in Melton Mowbray. Perhaps he had heard of the town's paint the town red story and thought he would be at home there? Even the thick-skinned Bennett had the wind taken out of his sails by these events and he remained single until he was 73, when he married the Baroness de Reuter.
There are many other stories listing his excessive and occasionally boorish exploits. These didn't stop him being an successful and innovative journalist though. He invested heavily in developing on his father's news empire. In 1868, with the simple brief of 'find Livingstone' he sent the travelling correspondent of the New York Herald - Henry Morton Stanley, to track down and interview David Livingstone in Africa. After a long search Stanley was ready to give up but was encouraged by Bennett which, when he eventually located his prey on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, resulted in what has become one of the most famous of all journalistic lines - "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"
From 1877 Bennett lived in Europe and continued to run the New York Herald from his $600,000 314-foot yacht, the Lysistrata. He died in 1918.
The expletive Gordon Bennett appears to be a minced oath. It is a version of Gor blimey, which is itself a euphemistic version of God blind me. That, combined with Bennett's famously outrageous lifestyle and newsworthy stunts, is sufficient to explain why his name was picked out.
That's why; so what about when? The earliest I've come across is a novel by James Curtis from 1937 - You're in the Racket Too:
"He strectched and yawned. Gordon Bennett, he wasn't half tired."
James Gordon Bennet II, 1841 - 1918 is the man referred to, and was quite a colourful character. One of his many reported exploits was an incident where he flew an aeroplane through an open barn. The surprised onlookers were supposed to have said 'That was Gordon Bennett!', and hence onward to the current shortened phrase. Became popular again during the 1980s but is again falling out of use.
On one occasion, at a New Year's party (1877) being held by his fiancee's father, he got so stupifyingly drunk as to mistake the fireplace for a toilet and proceeded to urinate in front of his prospective in-laws and their guests. Other tales include the occasion when, annoyed by the bulky roll of money in his back pocket, he burnt the lot in an impetuous fit. There are many more tales of his outrageous and extravagant behaviour, however not all cast him in a bad light, such as the numerous times he would donate large sums of money to charities.
The use of James Gordon-Bennett's name as an expletive possibly bears relation to his outrageous lifestyle and involvement in newsworthy stunts. Imagine opening your daily newspaper and reading yet another news item telling you of his latest antics, and as you begin to express incredulity with a "God Almighty", you restrain your publically unacceptable language and instead say.. GORDON-BENNETT!
It's a euphemism for saying "God".
The Gordon Bennett family were a high profile dynasty of newspaper editors, entertainers and organisers of sporting events.
Gordon Bennett was a fighter pilot in the first or second world war, I forget which, probably the second one though. Why people say this I do not know. My father used to say this, and "Jesus Christ" when I was a kid, I asked who Gordon Bennett was, he told me, and he was right, so for years, I used to think Jesus Christ was also a fighter pilot in a bi-plane, was a bit suprised to find out He was the Son of God.
the saying originated from me i threw my cat off my cliff and it landed on the head of gordon bennett so when a cat falls from a cliff or a penguin its called gordon bennett
This from the below link - it was an interesting read
Gordon Bennett !
It is commonly believed that this expression has its origins in the popularity of James Gordon-Bennett, Jr .. His father, born in Scotland in 1795, emigrated to the US.
The use of James Gordon-Bennett's name as an expletive possibly bears relation to his outrageous lifestyle and involvement in newsworthy stunts. Imagine opening your daily newspaper and reading yet another news item telling you of his latest antics, and as you begin to express incredulity with a "God Almighty", you restrain your publically unacceptable language and instead say.. GORDON-BENNETT!
i guess u got all the answers you need
It's from the Gordon Benett Balloon Trophy, most likely. The first trophy (this is for sport ballooning) was given by the American journalist James Gordon Benett, who also stimulated interest in ballooning's various events through his own career, journalism.
(Hot-air balloons, I guess you know!)
***later additon***well, this was a gordon benett moment! :-[
This article contents is post by this website user, EduQnA.com doesn't promise its accuracy.
More Questions & Answers...