- Utz – To goad, to needle.
That is what my online Yiddish glossary calls it. We called it ball busting in high school and it is still ball busting to me.
It can be much more than that in the hands of skilled practitioners. It is both an art and a science. As a science, it is necessary to be able to predict and be ready for the increase in heart rate and blood pressure of the target, and also, the decrease in the IQ of the target. You need to be ready for retaliation.
And as an art form, it is the subtle use of language, innuendo, double entendre, and sarcasm to not only be demeaning, but also be funny doing it.
When it comes together just right, oh boy, game on. Now I have been married three times and I have known a lot of women. I think it would be fair for me to say that my utz-ing experience has been much more as the Utz-ee and not the Utz-er.. I’ve never really asked much of a woman – laugh at my dumb jokes, patronize my cooking, and tolerate any and all of my flaws, those clearly apparent now and those yet to be revealed but we all know are coming. You can see how I would fall into the target part of the utz-ing.
So I caught a little good natured utz-ing from someone recently. After I realized that I was getting utz-ed, I was able to laugh at myself which is how it is supposed to work when it is done right…..and it led to this
When engaging in lively repartee
And needing something clever to say
Here’s a good place to start
Be sarcastic and smart…..
A little utz-ing goes a long way!
Poet's Corner 