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I Got the Motts

Emilia from Chicago, Illinois, says a co-worker used the phrase get the Motts to denote the feeling of second-hand embarrassment she feels for someone when watching a cringeworthy performance. The phrase I got the Motts became a catchphrase in the early 1980s thanks to a commercial for Motts applesauce. By the way, German has a word for the “uncomfortable feeling of shame or embarrassment for someone else”: Fremdscham. This is part of a complete episode.

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