Talk:Tired and emotional

My father
I am (unreliably) informed by my father that Private Eye did not in fact coin the term "Tired and emotional" - it was supplied by George Brown (or his staff).

To quote my father:

If I remember correctly, George Brown (a trade union MP labour leader) actually coined that description of himself; and Private Eye then put it into general circulation. One morning all the newspapers carried a beautiful picture of George late the previous night gently snoozing behind the wheel of his mark 2 Jag (then a new car) not far from parliament. The Jag front-end was nestled up against a lit lamp-post with driver side front wheel on the pavement. Fortunately no damage done to anything or anybody. He was taken into custody but not charged.

Later the next day after publication of the photographs he made a personal explanation to the House of Commons in which he actually said " he had been a bit tired and emotional and as a result had had a bit to drink !"

End quote.

Anyone have confirmation? The picture would be nice.

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Dom Padden (talk • contribs) 07:31, 23 October 2005 (UTC)


 * That quote only indicates that being tired and emotional was the catalyst for the drinking, whereas Private Eye uses it as a euphemism. It would still stand that Private Eye is the reason that term is used in lieu of the word drunk, and as such, even if that quote it proven true, it only indicates Private Eye's inspiration. ArtificialHigh 09:27, 26 February 2006 (UTC)


 * The story as I heard it is that Private Eye once claimed he was drunk, and he said he was merely tired and emotional. Next time he was drunk, Private Eye claimed he was tired and emotional as a newt... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.240.133.11 (talk) 19:34, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

2007-02-9 Automated pywikipediabot message
--CopyToWiktionaryBot 11:36, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

Television Appearance
I was surprised to read here that the phrase had ever been purported to be a remark made by the presenter of ITV's coverage of the Kennedy assassination. I was always of the understanding that it was Brown's press secretary the following day. No citation alas, but that's how my version of the story goes.195.195.244.27 08:14, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

Origin of Phrase
My recollection, I was 12 years-old, is that George Brown was a bit drunk coming out of the Houses of Parliament late at night. He stumbled at the curb getting into his car, perhaps even fell to the ground. The next day his staff said that he had been 'tired and emotional.' Ever since in the UK the phrase has meant to be drunk, much to the amusement of my American wife. I also recall that the occasion was his last night as an MP or cabinet minister, definitely the end of something in his career, not the end of JFK. It being the end of a stage of George Brown's career rather than JFK's makes more sense. In those days especially, a British person or his staff would not suggest that he was 'emotional' over the death of a foreign politician, generally loved though JFK may have been. It would be so unlikely that his staff would not have considered his being tired and emotional at JFK's death a plausible explanation for his stumble, whereas he might be emotional about the end of a significant stage of his career. User Caractacus. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.210.51.217 (talk) 20:51, 23 June 2011 (UTC)
 * it's suggested here https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/sep/03/great-tv-gaffes and here https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2009/jun/16/joy-six-broadcastin-under-influence that the phrase originates far earlier, with the BBC's explanation of Lt-Cdr Thomas Woodrooffe's idiosyncratic commentary on the naval review off Spithead on the evening of 20 May 1937. I can't at the moment find an earlier source than the 2009 article to link it with that occasion, however, but if true there must be some reporting of it out there. Ghughesarch (talk) 01:33, 15 August 2017 (UTC)