I just watched an old episode of Mork and Mindy in which the evil landlord who wants to evict Mindy's family is named "Arnold Wanker".

I know the word "wanker" isn't used in the US as it is in the UK but it was hard not to laugh in all the wrong places whenever the name was used.

I imagine.

You are right, though. Wanker isn't used much over here, right Americans?

I did wonder if giving this name to the bad guy was a sly piece of language humour by someone familiar with the English usage.

I expect so. Robin Williams was notorious for his efforts to get crap past the radar of the network executives in Mork and Mindy. Wanker was almost unknown at the time in the USA but has become more widely known since Austin Powers, etc.

I agree, Williams at his sneakiest. I loved the first season, but once the big-shots corralled him the show went to pot. Williams unchained was incredible.

Some years ago I mentioned that there's a place near Portland, Oregon called Wankers Corners.

But, Geoff, we don't see wankers used a lot here, do we?

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
But, Geoff, we don't see wankers used a lot here, do we?

Glad that sentence included the word "used" because frankly I've seen just as many wankers in the US as in the UK.