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U-M plays critical role in Chicagoans' view of Michigan

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

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Higher Education, University Of Michigan

Ann Arbor

When it comes to describing the state of Michigan and all of its nuances to outsiders, expect to hear a lot of references to the University of Michigan. Especially in the Windy City. The world-class university plays a critical part in everything from president Gerald Ford to inventing the phrase "jump the shark."

Excerpt:

The phrase "jump the shark" was born at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It refers to the point in a TV series when its plot becomes so ridiculous that fans know it is on the way out. The classic example � and the inspiration for the phrase � occurred when Fonzie of "Happy Days" went water-skiing and leapt over a shark. "Jump the Shark" was coined by Sean Connolly in a conversation with Jon Hein at the U. of M. in the mid-'80s. They formed a Web site, which was bought in recent years by tvguide.com and turned into a typical Hollywood celebrity gossip site. At that point, jumptheshark.com jumped the shark.

Read the rest of the story here.