A leading man, always offstage Nov 16, 2008
"I don't know that he knew who he was. He just sort of was, like an idiot savant.". The savant, though, like Aristarchus' hedgehog, knows one thing well. (Boston Globe)
Dirty Country Nov 7, 2008
A spokeswoman for his Las Vegas-based record distributor, Laughing Hyena Records, describes him as an "idiot savant" who can produce 30 songs in a couple of weeks, all with similar single-entendre themes. He has been married 22 years to his bleached blond, chain-smoking wife Sandy, who says that, "behind closed doors, he's very romantic". (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Obamas Credit Card Scheme Gets Noticed Oct 28, 2008
com Obamas Credit Card Scheme Gets Noticed. On a Handheld Device. (Newsmax)
Alan Greenspan,'Savant Idiot' Oct 25, 2008
Most halfway-educated people know about idiot savants, people who are dyslexic, autistic or otherwise gravely impaired by "normal" cognitive and psychological metrics, but who can reel off complex algorithms and theorems or intuit great scientific truths ... This is one who is festooned with credentials, diplomas, laurels and prizes both professional and academic, who pontificates and expounds impressive-sounding "truths" and explanations--what a friend of mine used to call "chinstrokers"--that... (Forbes)
A brainstorm amid all the madness Oct 17, 2008
Certainly Yogi has traces of the idiot savant, so Drew Watson was half-right in his case, but I felt he was a little harsh on the rest of us ... It turned him into an idiot savant for 15 minutes, during which he drew a perfect image of an aardvark. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Palin's Troopergate scandal was fabricated by Bill Ayers -- really, read it here first! Oct 10, 2008
The public is asked to believe Obama wrote Dreams From My Father on his own, almost as though he were some sort of literary idiot savant ... How else could a literary idiot savant with a law degree from Harvard speak in perfect English and complete sentences. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
ABC is not nearly enough: time for Palin to stop hiding and meet the press Sep 14, 2008
wrote on Sep 13, 2008 11:22 AM:" I agree with Harsch's um 'harsh' assessment of Palin but as per Ronald Reagan, an engaging personality with some charming quirks IS 'gold' -- or 'oil' -- or gold AND oil in Alaska's historical case. The emptiness of the suit so to speak permits it to be filled with one's own hopes, dreams and even intellectual pretentions -- I KNOW; I voted twice for Reagan in a universe long ago and far away and STILL FEEL ('feel' IS the operative word) that dollop of affection... (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Seth MacFarlane Sep 13, 2008
It feels more correct to label him a savant of aggression, and occasionallyalmost intentionallya kind of idiot savant at that. He hates the debasing excesses of popular culturethe kind leading, say, to prom-night dumpster babies becoming the stuff of tabloid entertainment. (Slate)
HEATH LEDGER OSCAR-BOUND?... Jun 28, 2008
It's "Idiot SAVANT", you illiterate idiot. Posted by: the dictionary. (The Drudge Report)
A golfing genius takes a dumb step Jun 20, 2008
He became an idiot savant, and Rice didn't second-guess any of it. "I could only sit back and smile," he said. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bernanke’s Bind Jun 10, 2008
More recently, Alan Greenspan, Fed chairman emeritus and archetypical idiot savant, was seized with a premonition in the first years of this decade that prices were collapsing under a deflationary riptide. Rushing to the rescue with interest-rate cuts and large quantities of new money, he successfully triggered what became the explosive housing bubble of 2007. (The American Conservative)
My view: Computer checkout could try a saint Jun 4, 2008
Of course, the computer, being an idiot savant, is completely flummoxed when your item is a case of soft drinks or a 40-pound bag of dog food. Eventually an assistant sees that the user has come to a standstill and magically presses a few keys permitting the process to continue without any explanation whatsoever, leaving the user in a state of exasperation. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Restoring mountain poet's farm Jun 1, 2008
He was often treated as a kind of idiot savant, a taciturn mountain farmer with a miraculous gift of verse. Both his parents suffered from tuberculosis, and in caring for them he also contracted the illness. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Q&A: Awe-inspiring experience for David Cook May 8, 2008
Cook: For lack of a better way to phrase it, theres an idiot savant aspect to the way that I pick these songs. When given a theme like the Beatles or the 80s, there are parameters which help because it gives me a limited list of songs. (MSNBC -- News)
Exclusive Q&As: The "American Idol" Final Four May 8, 2008
For his part, that he "grew up watching my father playguitar." Cook also says his method for selecting songs to sing on"American Idol" has involved "an idiot savant aspect": "If the vibe of a song grips me ... that's usually a good indicator that I probably should do that song. As far as arrangement, I operate on the mantra just keep it simple, stupid.". that while his "whole family is musical, startingwith my grandfather on my dad's side," he "never sang.... I chose drums [because] I thought... (Billboard.com)
Blame SEC for lack of playoffs May 3, 2008
You are obviously an idiot savant. You know how to write but nothing about which you write. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
'Le Stud' ruling lacking in 'le logic' May 2, 2008
But I also adhere to the belief that common sense has gone out the window lately and it takes a special kind of "idiot savant" to know and understand the law, yet be unable to interpret social cues that clearly indicate your presence may not be desired. Is it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender. (West Island Chronicle)
45 comments Apr 18, 2008
I can't decide if he's an evil genius moving maliciously through history, or if he's some kind of idiot savant and it's all just the accidental evil results of his stupidity ... I can't decide if he's an evil genius moving maliciously through history, or if he's some kind of idiot savant and it's all just the accidental evil results of his stupidity. (Human Events Online)
Nobel Prize for Death Apr 18, 2008
I can't decide if he's an evil genius moving maliciously through history, or if he's some kind of idiot savant and it's all just the accidental evil results of his stupidity. I think I side with the former. (Human Events Online)
Spoof astrology survey nets stellar response Apr 16, 2008
Rephrasing that less-than-cordial message: It seems I am an idiot savant (a mentally defective person with an exceptional skill or talent in a special field), and anyone reading my cattle leavings ought to be committed to eternity in a cell with someone who s just taken up learning the banjo. I hope he found his sun sign, because he plainly read my spoof seriously, and him with a Ph. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
ELTON LASHES OUT AT USA: 'I never cease to be amazed at the misogynist attitude of some of the people in this country'... Apr 10, 2008
Ben Smith's Blog - Politico. Receive Daily Updates. (The Drudge Report)
'The Grand': Mock-umentary falls short Mar 24, 2008
There is Harold Melvin (Chris Parnell), a kind of idiot savant who lives with his mother and talks to the audience about his various obsessions, such as vitamin supplements and bran juices. "I take a lot of these so my urine smells really bad," he says. (Toronto Star)
The Black Balloon Mar 8, 2008
Charlie Mollison (Luke Ford) has no gifts as an idiot savant. Instead of startling his family with the things he knows, he chooses not to talk and his autism is complicated by ADHD. But he has a gr 00004000 eat lust for life - as his 16-year-old brother, Thomas (Rhys Wakefield), knows only too well. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
A look at Liman's filmmaking process Feb 22, 2008
Film Independent's Spirit Awards. Honorary Oscar: Robert Boyle. (Variety)
A Game In Decline: A College Football Lover's Lament Jan 13, 2008
When the Colts and Patriots played to a near draw in the middle of the season, and Randy Moss, that idiot savant of receiving, proved to be the difference. When the loathsome Cowboys and equally loathsome Packers (you're talking to a Bears fan here) played a crisp, exciting Thursday game in front of crowds stuffed into old, wooden bar booths. (Nebraska Statepaper)
Stars honoured with arts award Dec 4, 2007
Actor Steve Carell paid comic tribute to Steve Martin: "His act was that of an idiot savant, minus the savant. He's a national treasure in the loosest sense of the term.". Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola and Cameron Diaz took to the stage to honour Martin Scorsese, who won an Oscar earlier this year for The Departed. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Books do furnish a palace . . . Nov 24, 2007
This simplicity enables the Queen, even after she finds "a truly human side" through her reading, to remain a useful idiot savant. All through, it is easier to imagine her talking in Bennett's Piglet voice, than in authentic Mirren. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
Survivor: nice guys finish first Nov 21, 2007
Adams idiot savant skills once again manifested themselves and he looked like he might actually solve the puzzle first but there was no way the immunity necklace was ever going to leave the spot where it was welded to Ozzys chest. Ozzy won again. (iAfrica.com)
'Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium' Nov 17, 2007
Magorium is the absent-minded-professor type, a kind of idiot savant who can come up with just about any kind of toy but doesn't notice that he's wearing pajamas instead of clothes. He runs a magic store, meant to be a character in its own right, though it's not a particularly convincing conceit. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
King of California ** Oct 13, 2007
First, he quickly converts Miranda from a naysayer to a committed ally in the treasure hunt, because, being a wise child, she knows that an idiot savant without a dream is just an idiot. Also, given her name, and the fact that the father is the architect of a grand illusion, you may detect a hint of Shakespearean resonance, shades of The Tempest. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Tough academic stance good or bad? Oct 13, 2007
By Cuz's idiot savant ... By Cuz's idiot savant ... By Cuz's idiot savant. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
Common has arrived -- on his terms Aug 26, 2007
Outside looking in As much as he is a conscious MC who waxes intelligent about politics and society, Common is also sort of a hip-hop idiot savant. He's very much a regular guy who happens to have embraced rap. (Boston Globe)
Drugs to treat Alzheimer's denied after legal bid fails Aug 13, 2007
"Does this mean nose to tail? ARW, Glasgow / 9:50pm 11 Aug 2007 #10 - You're quite right, I had forgotten the orodispersible form of Aricept. However, abbreviated submissions to SMC are not assessed in terms of cost-effectiveness because they are meant to be a minimal change to the "main" medicine, in this case providing it in an easier-to-swallow form. So the SMC guidance doesn't say whether Aricept is a good idea or not, just that if its going to be prescribed then this is an acceptable... (Scotsman)
'John from Cincinnati' runs out of waves Aug 12, 2007
" The show's first season finale airs tonight. AP When to watch "John From Cincinnati" will conclude its 10-episode run at 9 tonight. Visit . NEW YORK - "The end is near," says John from Cincinnati.That's what he's been saying since the HBO drama "John From Cincinnati" began, though with scant supporting evidence. John isn't big on details.Even so, he's been proved right. At least, one way. "John From Cincinnati" will conclude its 10-episode run at 9 tonight. The end for sure is near.What will... (Florida Today)
Full Story from Daily Texan Aug 10, 2007
Wu-Tang's idiot savant, Ol' Dirty Bastard, has become a folk hero with his many exploits. He once took his 13 children in a limousine to a New York state welfare office and collected a welfare check ; even though he had a top 10 album at the time. (U-Wire.com)
Will John from Cincinnati wipe out in finale? Aug 9, 2007
He also seems to be mentally challenged, or an idiot savant, with his choirboy wholesomeness. Youll know to say something but you wont know what it means, an exasperated local presses him. (MSNBC -- News)
The matrix of autism Aug 4, 2007
They often earn a dubious promotion to idiot savant. . (EurekAlert!)
Insider information Jul 22, 2007
That s the thing with Morgan, the indestructible idiot savant of British broadcasting: he s delighted to be the butt of the joke regardless of whether he gets it. You Can t Fire Me, I m Famous' is on BBC1 on Tuesday at 10. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Indictment only one chapter in "Life of Vick" Jul 20, 2007
idiot savant - a mentally defective person with an exceptional skill or talent in a special field, such as a highly developed ability to play music or to solve complex mathematical problems mentally at great speed. Maybe this accounts for Michael Vick s on the field abilities because otherwise his off the field accomplishments - even if he is acquitted for this particular one - pretty much add up to him being a clueless dumb a. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
How biased is the BBC? Jun 19, 2007
Readin their online version is like listening to an idiot savant doing multiplication tables, as there is no drill-down to either the context, the impact of the story on its participants (it's all about viewer/listener impact now), nor is there any sort of attempt to clarify to the audience WHY it is in the their interests to pay attention to the story at all. One is always left with the feeling "I wonder what they are REALLY trying to tell us." The Beeb's also committing the common act of... (Telegraph.co.uk)
How to Kill a Great Idea! May 31, 2007
Bloggers attack you, call you "a real asshole" and "a very lucky idiot savant." Former investors badmouth you. Other entrepreneurs copy your ideas without giving you credit. (FastCompany)
New Tape, Old Threats From American al Qaeda... May 30, 2007
TOP BLOTTER CATEGORIES. New Tape, Old Threats From American al Qaeda. (The Drudge Report)
Racy MySpace star has growing mainstream following May 23, 2007
I could be categorized as something called Idiot Savant. " - Made the New York Post's "9 Hottest Celebs on the Web" list in April -- besting the likes of Christine Dolce, a MySpace model who, incidentally, boasts 1.3 million friends. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner. | | The Herald is owned by The Herald is a Member of the Copyright 2006 The Herald, Rock Hill, South Carolina Sponsored Ads. (Herald Online, SC -- Technology)
Doing the presidential dance Apr 27, 2007
Though the increasingly desperate drummers resorted to constantly shifting rhythmic patterns to shake him, Mr. Bush held on, smiling and bobbing his head like an idiot savant. Glancing at Laura Bush, who was just beginning to sway her hips in that oh, so imperceptible way she made famous salsa dancing with Condi Rice in Brazil, the president made his boldest move yet -- he reached over and began pounding on the nearest set of drums. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Miles Franklin Award Apr 20, 2007
But brother Hugh with his idiot savant interventions in the plot and Marlene with her high heels and pert presence, and Butcher himself, a self-important lout with a chip on his shoulder -- these are not characters made for loving. That wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact they are not made properly for living either. (Courier Mail)
Spoiling 24, Hour 15 Mar 29, 2007
Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., Jack Bauer found a new frienda technical idiot savant who can access a network with the speed and efficiency of Chloe, blinks just like Jack's been doing since he got off the plane from China, and doesn't like red stuff in his scrambled eggs. Vice President Daniels really, really wanted to go nuclear, but Karen Hayes kept finding ways to thwart his policy agenda. (Slate)
Comic redneck red-hot againMarkets madman is rich with insights Mar 7, 2007
"He's almost an idiot savant of stocks. It's almost frightening how much he knows, especially during the lightning round' when he talks about individual stocks.". Independent Web sites such as www. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
'Global Warming Is Lies' Claims New Documentary... Mar 5, 2007
-------------------------------------------- Quote from Bill, the idiot savant (without the savant part). QUOTE>"First off, you morons: Al Gore never said that he invented the Internet.....What he did claim was that he took the initiative to create the legislative funding that helped bootstrap the Internet's construction. These include: 1988 National High-Performance Computer Act". (The Drudge Report)
TV show '24' returns tonight Jan 15, 2007
What an idiot Savant if I ever saw one. Anyone else hate Chloe and her nit-picking anal personality. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Perfume: The Story of a Murder Jan 5, 2007
He's what used to be called an idiot savant, and though there are fascinations to be had watching his nose at work, too often we find ourselves in the company of an imbecile who is barely able to speak, much less explain his predatory passions. Desperate to preserve human scent, he goes to work for a perfumer named Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), who has fallen out of fashion and hopes to ride Jean-Baptiste's nose back to the top. (San Jose Mercury News -- Entertainment)
