LOL! After learning what a “smug alert” is, I certainly hope not!

I first heard the phrase “smug alert” from Pete’s former boss from a long time back, Paul. We were sitting at Lucrezia’s having lunch on July 21st of this year and I was complaining about Pete and his pain-in-the-butt car (as I viewed it then). I was moaning and groaning about how slow Pete drove, how slowly he accelerated and how slowly he stopped, and how he would never turn on the A/C in the summer and heat in the winter—my biggest complaint. After lunch the three of us walked back to the car and Paul mentioned that we had a case of a “smug alert” with Pete and his Prius C. Neither one of us knew what Paul meant. Paul told us to check it out on Google and that it had to with “South Park”.

Wikipedia describes the “smug alert” best:

The episode [of “South Park”] was written by series co-creator Trey Parker. The episode acts as a play on the attitude of owners of hybrid cars, as well as the similarity between the words “smog” and “smug”.

Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia on how the show starts:

Kyle’s father Gerald buys a new “Toyonda Pious” hybrid car (based on the Toyota Prius) and drives it all over town to show it off and gain attention. He soon decides that his commitment is not enough and starts an unwelcome campaign to convert the other townspeople to environmentally friendly vehicles. After alienating all of his friends with his preachy attitude, Randy tells Gerald that he has become so smug that he probably loves the smell of his own farts. After deciding he cannot live among such “backward and unsophisticated” people, Gerald decides to move his family to San Francisco.

(You can watch the complete episode at the show’s website.)

I’ll let you infer from the description above what a “smug alert” is.

So…do we have case of “smug alert” on our hands? Again, I certainly hope not. No one likes the smell of their own natural gas.

I will admit, however, there is some truth to it. Once you drink the Prius (or any hybrid car) Kool-Aid, it’s hard want to go back to a gasoline engine.

But don’t worry—I’m not moving to San Francisco anytime soon!

Peace!

Sara Sawochka