catastroscope

plural catastroscopes

1. datedexcessivehumoroususuallyA catastrophe

   Oh dear! A catastroscope here at Harringay Arena! The plucky young flyweight is down again!

   1991, Dick Cate, The incredible Willie Scrimshaw, London: A. & C. Black, →ISBN, page 15

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   Confronted with such a word as "catastrophe," Durante runs amok and produces "catastroscope," which the late Robert Benchley argued was a great improvement. Even such a modest adjective as “exuberant” feels the edge of Durante’s scorn. It comes out “exubilant,” which is not only funny but more exuberant.

   1947 October, Cameron Shipp, "America's No. 1 Clown" Coronet vol. 22 no. 10 p. 17

   He'd like a tip like that, I says to myself, and to surprise him I slips in 10 pounds on the horse for him. And the horse loses to Pearson! A catastroscope!

   1952 July 27, Jimmy Durante, “I Ups to London”, in Evening Star, Washington, DC, page 28

   “What a ghastly catastroscope,” lamented his fellow-author. “Why do these gruesome hoohahs always have to pick on us to happen to?["]

   1955, Anthony Buckeridge, Our Friend Jennings, London, Glasgow: Collins, page 214

   My congratulations to the team responsible for "TV Hell," your evening of selected tripe from the archives. ... Unfortunately, your researchers slipped up. As a connoisseur of catastroscopes, I am astonished there was no reference to a uniquely appalling show which elbowed itself onto the schedules about a decade ago.

   1989 September 12, Alan Cookman, “One Man's Week”, in Evening Sentinel, Stoke-on-Trent, UK, page 19

   The other thing that's worth knowing about Harry is that the one thing he's never short of is ideas, and that's really where we come in now, because I got the idea for my Christmas special from him, and a right bleeding catastroscope it turned out to be.

   1995, Mike Seabrook, “Season of Goodwill”, in Tim Heald, editor, A Classic Christmas Crime, London: Pavilion, →ISBN, page 54