The story
Coined by American author and journalist Tom Wolfe in his 1970 book Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers, from flak, meaning "criticism".
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
flak catcher
Today it means: A person whose job is to conduct public relations by shielding a more prominent person by intercepting and deflecting complaints and criticism. Full definition →