#932 AC Creepy

The other day when I was writing about the willies, I offered the explanation of one etymological dictionary that the use of the word to mean nervous agitation came from “the woolies.”
One’s “woolies” were like one-piece long underwear that itched and therefore made you fidgety. Nervous agitation and itchy-fidgety movement being indistinguishable, the willies emerged from the woolies.
I dismissed that as idle speculation in my essay. But the other day I saw an old ad for a type of pajama for toddlers called “Creepers” and it got me re-thinking. Perhaps the name refers to “jeepers creepers” as in where’d you get those eyes. But I think it’s more likely a reference to toddlers creeping and crawling along the floor to get from here to there.
At least I hope that’s what they meant.
As any adult will tell you, naming any garment “creepers” conjures up an uncomfortable image of badly fitting underwear. Panties or shorts that have nothing better to do than creep up your backside and cling. You might as well call the garment “chafers.”
The thought certainly gives me the willies.
And that leads us back to another apparent concurrence of horror and bad fitting garments. The term creepy. As in, that guy makes me feel creepy. Or did you see the latest episode of Creepshow? Creeps can be just annoying—my mom would call all my teenage friends she didn’t like “creeps.” Or they can be another type of ghoul or goblin of something else we fear.
And when we feel that sense of creepiness come over us, why, we get the willies.
Which I wonder if Anderson Cooper got recently.
How’s that for a hard segue?
Seriously, I’m thinking someone may have challenged Anderson Cooper’s sexuality. Because I don’t have a problem with him being gay, but I think he may have a problem with people thinking he’s gay.
Why else would he have come up with his new program graphic, “AC-360”? Instead of Anderson Cooper 360, it’s now AC-360.
Why the focus on the AC? As opposed to DC perhaps? Did someone question his masculinity at some point? Is he compensating?
It just seems a little creepy.
America, ya gotta love it.