Classic Word from 2007: Sizzle (v)

To sit in a hot pan and make a noise similar to “sssssssstss”. Sizzling can also occur from sitting in the sun for a very lengthy amount of time. A large Sydney radio station ran a promotion over summer named ‘Burn, Baby Burn’, in which contestants had to sit on Bondi beach naked, and without sunscreen. The goal was to outlast the opposing contestants in the heat and be the ‘last person sitting’; without the aid of sunscreen, water or shade. Needless to say, after four days of suffering in the heat, three out of four contestants died of dehydration. The major prize of a sandwich press didn’t end up all that worthwhile. This week’s word came in at number three on the ‘World’s Hardest Words to Say With a Lisp’ List 2007. It was well and truly beaten by the words ‘Thistle’ and ‘Architect’. Protesters around Australia have lobbied for the term ‘Sausage Sizzle’ to be replaced with a term such as ‘Sausage Spit’ or ‘Sausage Sssssssstss’ to truly reflect the sound created by the typical sound of a sausage cooking. Some also described the word ‘sizzle’ as wussy. The list of the World’s Most Sizzling Senior Celebrities has just been released for another year. Surprisingly Derryn Hinch, Ian Smith (Harold Bishop from Neighbours), Cornelia Frances (Morag on ‘Home and Away’) and Alan Jones topped the list. Sam doesn’t want to work out how. Singer John Mayer has become synonymous with sizzling, as he has taken on the new rock star quality sweeping the world of frying his guitar on stage, rather than smashing it. Inspired by watching re-runs of The Iron Chef, Mayer says that there’s nothing more rock (and fatty) than a deep-fried guitar. Other instruments rumoured to be fry-worthy include the bassoon, double bass and the harp. Users of the harp make note – deep fried strings may cause damage to your fingers. Turnip chips have been discovered to be the most sizzling food of all, particularly when placed on the bonnet of a hot car. Be warned however, that when having reached 46 degrees, turnip chips are guaranteed to self-combust.