Throughout my career, I’ve heard people reworking clichés, apparently to help them get their point across. Here’s some of my favorites:
“It’s not that they’ve got the wrong end of the stick—it’s more like they’ve got the wrong stick.”
“If you want a shiny thing, I’ll happily make one for you—but don’t hand me a turd and expect me to polish it.”
“It’s time to get our mowers on the lawn, and mow like we’ve never mown before. No pun intended, Mo.”
“The ball’s on the other boot, and the boot’s on the other shoe. I think you all know what I mean.”
And, finally, my personal favorite:
“You know what they say—where there’s smoke, there’s a smoking room.”