Dating of "mud flap"?

[Baker, John]

        According to a 1/19/2001 article in Entertainment Weekly, the
Mud Flap Girl debuted in the "mid to late 70s" (which, considering the
vagueness of that dating, is generally consistent with Jon's probably
more accurate recollection).  Here's the text of the short article, via
Westlaw:


    <<On the Road Again

        Joe Dziemianowicz

She's baack. The bodacious "Sitting Lady" silhouette, the Convoy-era
trucker mascot who adorned the mud flaps of 18-wheelers, is now showing
up on big wheels of another sort. Stars from Christina Aguilera to Milla
Jovovich are sporting the Mud Flap Girl on everything from necklaces to
belts. How's that for coming up from the gutter?

--Joe Dziemianowicz

MID- TO LATE '70S The curvy silhouette debuts, according to Mike
Filiatreau, exec VP of Barjan Products. "We sold a lot of them," he
says, adding that her figure was pretty far-fetched. "I don't think
there's many human women walking around looking like that."

1984 This Is Spinal Tap's washed-up rocker David St. Hubbins (Michael
McKean) salutes the rear view in "Big Bottom": "Talk about mud flaps, my
gal's got 'em."

1991 The lady of the lanes cameos in Thelma & Louise, appearing on a big
rig driven by a lewd, rude trucker--T&L later blow that sucker up.

2000 The Mud Flap Girl goes rock-star chic. She's "very new and the hot
thing," says Joe Freeburn, co-owner of the L.A. store Kitson. Metal
rocker Rob Zombie had Mud Flap Girl lapel pins custom-made. Hip Chix
jeans, available at L.A.'s Forplay, have Mud Flap Girl pockets.

"She's a really sexy girl," says White Trash Charms jewelry designer
Brooke Dulien. She's also nostalgic. "I totally remember her from road
trips," continues Dulien. "I have 70-year-old ladies stop me saying
'Hey, I remember her.'">>


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Arnold M. Zwicky
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 10:32 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Dating of "mud flap"?

On Jul 12, 2005, at 4:42 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> Don't know about "Rubinesque," but I first noticed the silhouettes in
> 1973.  They may not be much older.

more like Peter Arno than Peter Paul Rubens, i'd say.

do these things have a name in trucker (or trucker supply) lingo?

arnold