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Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
The term originates from Kelvin MacKenzie's time at the The Sun. His preferred description of the role of journalists when it came to public figures was to "stick a ferret up their trousers". This meant making their lives uncomfortable, and was based on the northern sport of ferret legging (wherein contestants compete to show who can endure a live ferret within their sealed trousers the longest). However, when it became clear that the tide of public opinion had turned against the paper's line, MacKenzie would burst from his office shouting "Reverse Ferret!"
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reesetee commented on the word reverse ferret
McKenzie would "roar around the office shouting 'Ferret up your trouser!'" whenever he wanted to alter made-up pages at top speed. "Then he might shout, 'Reverse ferret!' and all the pages would have to be changed all over again." -- "Rupert Murdoch and the Reverse Ferret," Slate.com, 11/17/08
July 5, 2011