Okay, not to sound all cranky, but when I posted my story about Charlie Sheen's prehab on February 23rd at 6:14pm, I topped Google search. My brother emailed to tell me I appeared to have just coined the term.
As it turns out, Gawker had just put up its own post, Charlie Sheen and Wife Battle to See Who Can Do Rehab Better, with no mention of prehab. Later that evening, a commenter named GlasgowRose used the term. On February 24th, Gawker posted a piece called Prehab Is the New Rehab and yours truly went straight back to the bottom of the barrel.
So more than one person had the idea. So what? I had it first but I can't expect to go up against a site like Gawker when I'm such a tiny blog. I did comment on Gawker that I had written about it, too, and was happy to be in good company. Gawker has comment moderation and I didn't make the cut.
But then, prehab showed up in the New York Times yesterday, in an article titled Why His Face May End Up In Webster's. It gives GlasgowRose credit for coining the term. Aarrgh! I crossed the finish line first, no big deal in the blog world. It's not like anyone stole the term from me. The timestamps are on my side but I can't complain without seeming like a desperate hanger-on, a liar. But The New York By God Times? I could have been mentioned there?
Gawker has now posted yet another story, this one called Gawker Commenters Are Now Coining New York Times-Approved Trend Terms. One commenter laments how uncool it is to be mentioned by the Times. Another one points out that The Onion coined the term in 2005. That should make me feel better. It does a little: again, I feel like I'm in good company.
I know, I've got to get over myself. Metox, maybe?
Original post:
Charlie Sheen Doesn't Need Rehab!
Labels: celebrity meltdown, celebrity rehab, Charlie Sheen, Gawker, google, kathcom, magick sandwich, me-tox, metox, New York Times, Onion, prehab, she-tox, trend terms
