Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast: Episode 282: Chew the Fat

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 282: Chew the Fat
Record Date: June 9, 2025
Air Date: June 25, 2025

Intro

Shauna:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.

I’m Shauna Harrison

Dan:
And I’m Dan Pugh

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.

Opening Hook
Have you ever sat on the porch as the sun set, or gathered around a crackling fire pit under the stars, your favorite drink in hand, idling chatting with your favorite people? Maybe the conversation wandered from deep thoughts to silly stories, from old memories to random observations. If you’ve ever done that, then you’ve experienced what it means to chew the fat with your friends.

Meaning
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, chew the fat, or chew the rag, means:

Quote
to reiterate an old grievance; to grumble; to argue; to talk or chat
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/chew_v?tab=meaning_and_use#9705981

I’ll just make a quick note here, when we released our teaser trailer for the show April 13, 2018, we said we would cover lots of topics including:

Quote
Crocodile Tears, Chew the Fat, Elephant in the Room, and Take it with a Grain of Salt.
End Quote
From the internal show notes files of Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

And while we chew the fat with you every week, it took us 282 episodes before we are covering chew the fat as a phrase. And we still haven’t covered Crocodile Tears or Elephant in the room. So we still have plenty of turns of phrase yet to cover!

1884
But for this week’s phrase I’ll note that chew the fat and chew the rag were both used around the same time, though chew the rag might be a little bit older. We have a few early definitions from multiple sources for our phrases. Here is one from the 1884 work, Pamphlets in Philology and the Humanities: Volume 1.

Quote
Chew the rag. To complain; to find fault. (Generally with the negative).
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pamphlets_in_Philology_and_the_Humanitie/-6ALAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22chew+the+rag%22&dq=%22chew+the+rag%22&printsec=frontcover

This definition also gives us a possible origin, Said to be derived from the nursery practice of giving a fretful child a sweetened rag to chew.

1885
Another work with a definition comes from the 1885 book Life in the Ranks of the British Army in India, and on Board a Troopship by J. Brunlees Patterson:

Quote
Hardly a day will pass over that does not find two or three individuals “run in,” perhaps for some trivial violation of regimental discipline, such as persisting to argue the point, or “chew the rag,” as it is termed in the rank and file phraseology…
End Quote

In another chapter of the book, Patterson also writes:
Quote
They always seem to be in their happiest state when letting their steam off, or chewing the rag, or fat, with someone or other.
End Quote
https://books.google.com/books?id=1YADAAAAQAAJ&q=chew+the+fat#v=onepage&q=chew%20the%20rag&f=false

1896
And one more from the late 1800s. This one also uses chew the rag and chew the fat, another indicator that both of these phrases may have been in use at the same time. This is also English Army Slang and comes from a United States periodical, the Army and Navy Journal. It is dated May 23, 1896.

Quote
To grumble is to “grouse,” and a grumbler is a “grouser.” A private who is argumentative with non-commissioned officers in the barrack room, is a “barrack room lawyer,” who sometimes writes to the press, and is said to “chew the fat,” or “the rag,” and when, if the caution “not to give old smash,” or “back chat,” remain unheeded, will probably spend the night in the guard room.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_United_States_Army_and_Navy_Journal/yPI-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22chew+the+fat%22&pg=PA702&printsec=frontcover

All three of these late 1800s citations use the phrase in a way that means to grumble about things. But in the early 1900s it appears both terms begin to sometimes shed the negative component and can be used to mean talking to someone rather than complaining with someone.

1901
Here’s an example of the shift in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle out of New York, USA, dated April 21, 1901.

Quote
Dey rubbered fer equity a while, and den de would chew de fat, and den dey would rubber some more.
End Quote
https://newspaperarchive.com/brooklyn-daily-eagle-apr-21-1901-p-29/

1902
And another example from the Indianapolis Journal out of Indiana, USA dated June 23, 1902.

Quote
She said ‘t I was a most peculiar young one, an’ called her husband to come an look at me; but I says to her; That’s exactly what my sister says, an’ left. It wouldn’t a done any good to chew the rag with her husband, would it?
End Quote
https://newspaperarchive.com/the-indianapolis-journal-jun-23-1902-p-4/

1916
But just because they started to shift doesn’t mean the phrase wasn’t also used in the more negative sense. Here is an example from the Bradford Daily Telegraph out of Yorkshire, England dated January 31, 1916. The title of this piece is Chewed the Fat: Fracas in a Keighley Home. Here is another use of our phrase:

Quote
He … stated that he and his wife had ‘chewed the fat’ over a Prussian badge which had been sent to him from the front. She hit him in the eye with a pint pot and made him dizzy.
End Quote
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000629/19160131/161/0006

1923
Here’s one that is more on the complaining side. This is out of the Belper News out of Derbyshire, England. It is dated January 5, 1923. It is about two miners who had been at odds for months, when the latest argument finally became violent. Our phrase is used in the title:

Quote
Miner’s Quarrel. Chewing the Fat leads to Blows.
End Quote
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001538/19230105/162/0008

1939
Here is one from the Roanoke Rapids Herald out of North Carolina, USA dated August 10, 1939. In it the author is reminiscing about meeting up with someone years ago and talking sports.

Quote
Governor Keen Johnson is owner and editor of the Richmond (KY) paper and we used to attend Press Association meeting together and chew the fat over the problems of the game 15 years ago…
End Quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/2017236974/1939-08-10/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=1920&index=9&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=chew+fat&proxdistance=5&date2=1963&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22chew+the+fat%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

This usage is more of a playful grumbling. Older folks talking about how things used to be, a little grumpy, a little nostalgic, a little playful.

1943
This next one is from a story called Happy Giant by Eddie Forester. It was published in the Evening Star out of Washington, DC, USA and dated December 19, 1943.

Quote
“This saboteur-” Jim began, “his name was Teigert - had been working as a car washer for several weeks, at the Hiway Garage, across the street from the east wing. Each night when he got off work, he made it a point to stop and chew the fat with Boleslau for a few minutes. As we all know, Happy Boleslau is a friendly sort of cuss, and he didn’t suspect a thing.
End Quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1943-12-19/ed-1/seq-85/#date1=1920&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=chew+fat&proxdistance=5&date2=1963&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22chew+the+fat%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

This one feels innocent. Happy is just having a conversation with someone, not realizing they were up to no good.

I do want to put to rest a popular myth surrounding this phrase. There was an article that made its way around in the early days of email titled Life in the 1500s. It made a series of claims for phrases that supposedly come from the 1500s. Chew the fat is one of those phrases. But nothing that article was was true. Here is what the article claimed:

Quote
Sometimes they could get a hold on some pork. They really felt special when that happened and when company came over they even had a rack in the parlor where they would bring out some bacon and hang it to show it off. That was a sign of wealth and that a man "could really bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and they would all sit around and "chew the fat."
End Quote
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/life-in-the-1500s/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/popular-phrase-origins-debunked

But there is no evidence supporting the phrase chew the fat or chew the rag existed before the 1800s. And almost everything in that email can be objectively proven to be false. Still, they are fun to read. So we’ll look into several of the fake claims in that email in our behind the scenes video, which airs every Friday on patreon. That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

And speaking of, it is time for us to say thank you to those who have sponsored this episode - our Patrons!

A Quick Thank You
This episode is sponsored by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. And the cool thing about Patreon is it is 100% free to join the community!

We have new things every weekday on the feeds. On Monday’s we have a conversation about what movies, shows, books, podcasts and whatever else everyone is enjoying, Tuesdays see early access to the weeks podcast, Wednesdays have all the links, books, songs, and other content mentioned in the weeks episode, Thursday has patron’s only polls, and Friday’s are our lightly-edited behind the scenes video featuring all the cut content, goofs, and bonus facts you could imagine.

We’ve got some other pretty cool stuff, too, like Original Digital Artwork once a month, made by Shauna, and direct access to talk with us. No algorithm’s getting in the way of what we see or don’t see. Plus, you can get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe does every episode. And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez

You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon.

That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

Modern Uses

1988
Chewing the Fat is a 1988 oil on board painting by Jim Norton. It features two cowboys on horseback who appear to be in a conversation.
https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Chewing-the-Fat/38B72CE4FE8493FA

This one definitely captures the simple meaning. The conversation doesn’t seem to be anything special. The men are not smiling nor are they frowning. It’s like they are just talking to pass the time.

1999
Chewin' the Fat was a Scottish comedy sketch show that ran from 1999 to 2005. Here is the synopsis from the full playlist on Youtube:

Quote
It's here - every single episode of the hilarious side-splitting Scottish comedy sketch show Chewin' the Fat on one playlist! So come to Scotland where you will find all your favourite fat chewin' characters and sketches. Find out what mischief pensioners Jack & Victor get up to, what items Ballistic Bob will destroy when he's out of control, where Alistair & Rory (and those pesky neds) are travelling to and what pranks lighthouse keeper Malcolm is playing on fellow lighthouse keeper Duncan. Created, written by and starring Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill.
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiacTaYXyRfwHzMdFqMAmq0kD_5UI-KsG

2008
Chew the Fat is a 2008 documentary by Rirkrit Tiravanija. Here’s the synopsis from MovieWiser, which kicks off with a definition:

Quote
"Chew The Fat" (Informal) - To have a long friendly conversation with someone. In the film project 'Chew The Fat', the artist… living in New York portraits a group of 12 artists … The artists, all chosen by Tiravanija, belong to the same generation as himself and, like him, have advanced during the nineties to achieve international success. Most importantly, all are good friends of Tiravanija. This creates a particularly relaxed situation in which conversation can flow naturally between the two with personal issues coming up as easily and often as those to do with work or career.
End Quote
https://moviewiser.com/us/movie/539679

2015
Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita by Karima Moyer-Nocchi was released in 2015. Here is the synopsis from the publisher:

Quote
Italy is experiencing a surge of gastronomic nostalgia, a yearning to recreate and relive the delectable rustic meals of yesteryear, of brimming chalices of wine and sauce-laden pasta. A return to the simple abundance of Italy’s past!

Ah, if only it were true. If there was a glorious yesteryear of Italian feasting, it was enjoyed only by society’s elite. As for standard, rustic fare, such meals bore little resemblance to what is now considered—even in Italy—traditional Italian food.

Determined to separate out the folklore from the fakelore and reveal the intriguing yet uncelebrated past of Italian foodways, food historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi interviewed Italian "ninetysomething" women from various walks of life, from charcoal-makers to countesses. Her travels spanned from the far north to the deep south, as well as Italy's former landholdings. All of the interviewees had lived through the harrowing years called the Ventennio fascista, the twenty-year reign of fascism in Italy, and were eager to have their final say.

What follows are eighteen remarkable oral narratives, each building upon the last to create a mosaic of Italian foodways, from the fascist era through to the post World War II boom, the “Dolce Vita.” Each woman contributes a recipe chosen specifically to reflect what food was like when she was growing up under Mussolini. The narratives are separated by astringent, yet entertaining essay briefs, illuminating various aspects of gastronomic history and daily life in fascist Italy.

Engrossing and engaging, Chewing the Fat gently debunks the myths of Italy’s gastronomic nostalgia industry, revealing a culture of food that is surprisingly different from the image most people have of Italian cuisine.
End Quote
https://books.google.com/books/about/Chewing_the_Fat.html?id=kNlSjgEACAAJ

2023
Chew the Fat is a 2023 song by the group Minimalist. Here is a little about it from beatspace.

Quote
Geomagnetic Records presents a great two-track release from "Minimalist" "Drop It / Chew The Fat" is a sonic manifesto that sets Minimalist apart as a true force to be reckoned with in the Drum & Bass scene.
End Quote
https://beatspace-geomagnetic.bandcamp.com/album/drop-it-chew-the-fat

As a sonic manifesto there are no words. But the cover art features a rotund man chewing away what looks like a candy bar or maybe beef jerky. It’s… interesting.

2025
Chewing the Fat is a soul-disco song by Franc Moody off the 2025 album of the same name. Here is a little about the band from the Night Time Stories youtube page:

Quote
The soul-disco melding duo and kings of modern electronica, Franc Moody, headed by Ned Franc and Jon Moody, release their newest album, Chewing The Fat. This new record is an expansion on the group’s funk-infused disco relics, maintaining their furiously fun baselines and choruses, but getting grittier in sound.

Chewing The Fat is a celebration of a new era for the band, which was originally energised by a couple of inspiring veteran live performances from LCD Soundsystem and Massive Attack that demonstrated that it’s not about age or experience, but attitude. They quite literally chewed the fat, stripping back their quintessential disco sheen and opting for a grittier, more guttural approach. They’ve done this without forsaking the core aesthetic of the group, its ability to produce those anthemic hooks, while delivering some truly lovely 10cc-style backing vocals and string-lines courtesy of those delightfully malfunctioning Russian synths, courtesy of the Damon Albarn broom cupboard. “Chewing The Fat felt apt as a name as it took us a lot of discourse and trial and error to find our groove with the songs and sound.” Ned remarks.

Ned details further, summing it up beautifully. “Life is really like a series of changes and you can either embrace it and step into the unknown full of heart and bravery and plough fresh new pastures or you can carry on doing the same thing and live a safer life – but maybe not with the colour and vivacity that you could have had you taken a bolder path.”
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jio1YIwUVo

Current
One more thing, I want to mention four podcasts that use a play on the name Chew the Fat and appear to still be in production, including:

Chew the Fat by Founders Table which explores cooking for high performance people who are time poor
https://open.spotify.com/show/6xOVfqbxp7vCVCTtmU4jt1

Chew the F.A.T., that is F. A. T. meaning Field and Track, which is by Olympian Tony Rogers and self-professed wannabe Mark Rosanowski.
https://open.spotify.com/show/1qXEbeeoO4RCbOWYAyemHT

Chew the Fat with Lee Hagger, which features a group of friends chatting about the happenings of the world
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chew-the-fat-with-lee-hagger/id1529921513

Chewing the Fat with Big Robb, which explores the beautiful, messy, human stories and what people are doing to help keep the darkness at bay.
https://www.chewingthefatbr.com/

Wrap Up
I must admit, I don’t like the phrase itself because chewing on a literal rag or chewing on a literal piece of fat does not sound like a fun time to me. However, sitting on the porch with friends, just chatting about whatever comes up, solving the world's problems, and spending time with good people… that is my favorite pastime. So I’m willing to look beyond the oddness of the words to accept that I just love chewing the fat with friends.

Dan:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included,
reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod or comment on our website bunnytrailspod.com

Shauna:
It’s poll time!

Recently we asked our patrons, what is the sexiest accent? Top contenders among our Patrons were Spanish, Irish, Scottish, Thai, US Southern, and the King’s English.

Mary voted for Spanish accent, saying:

Quote
Specifically Antonio Banderas.
End Quote

Dan:
Heather said:

Quote
I think any accent can be sexy, it really depends on the voice. But I do have a stereotypical American's love for the Queen's English (or is that just me?), I enjoy Spanish accents, and I watch a weird amount of Thai soap operas (thanks, pandemic) so I also voted for Thai.
End Quote

It is not just you, Heather. I also think there is something about the Brits way of speaking that I find sexy. I'm also a big fan of Latin American Spanish. Give me that Shakira sound any day.

Shauna:
For me, it's less about the specific accent and more about the context. Some accents have a natural rhythm that can make them sound sexier, but what really draws me in is the overall tone, confidence, and cadence of a voice. If it sounds self-assured and flows well, that’s what I find most appealing.

As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!

Outro

Shauna:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,

Together:
Words belong to their users.

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Episode 282: Chew the Fat

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