Definition of CHUTZPAH

from the Hebrew huspah, yiddish khutspe
meaning : audacity, brashness, gall, nerve
classic definition: the man who killed his parents and then asked the court to go easy on him because he 's an orphan

So here's a case from my own neighborhood
There was this guy who hung around the diner where I eat, opening doors for people (whether they wanted him to or not), and accepting handouts from them. The owners didn't care and let him do his thing. They even gave him free coffee and sometimes food.
Then they found out he was charging patrons for parking in the diner's free parking lot!

needless to say, he's not hanging around anymore.

do you know of any cases of chutzpah?

What a great story! I can't think of any examples at the moment, but couldn't let this pass without a stunned headshake and a great laugh. Thanks!

From my ignorant shiksa point of view, I always thought people used the term chutzpah more positively than this definition would imply - for example, the story of David vs. Goliath. To be honest, I know I've seen stories like the ones LK described, but I can't think of any right now either. Except maybe our former IL governor Blagojevich and his recorded conversations regarding selling the senate seat left vacant when Obama became president. He really had some nerve bragging about having this thing that was "GOLD!" and he wasn't going to give it up for nothing.

A guy walked up to me last month and said this, "I saw your tumor know about Jesus."

Lovekitties, did that restaurant try to have that guy arrested after they found out what he was up to? If not, he probably just took his show down the road.

Lots of people will get in your face who are, in fact, just plain crazy. Like that Jesus guy, Pierce, or, frankly, Blagojevich. But, from their point of view, they have chutzpah.

The only true example I can think of at the moment is a time a while back when my ex (not ex then) heard screaming outside his little machine shop (in an iffy part of town) and stepped out front to see a big man hauling a woman around by her hair in the vacant lot across the street. Sam yelled and the guy stopped cold, still gripping the woman. They stared at each other. The guy yelled something about mind your own business, man, and Sam yelled back that he'd already called the police. (not true) They continued to stare each other down for what Sam said felt like ages. Then the guy threw the woman down and took off.

The woman took off, too, and we never heard what, if anything, the police found out. All Sam said later that he was glad he didn't have to go fight the guy. You have to know Sam. He'd have done it. If the definition of chutzpah is audacity, brashness, gall and nerve, Sam had it. He was utterly fearless and truly pure of heart.

How about Joan Rivers (need I say more?)

And Eminem, he isn't afraid to speak his mind and isn't afraid to look like a jerk.