Bupkis means absolutely nothing. It comes from the Yiddish bobkes, meaning nonsense or nothing, and it emerged in English during the early 20th century. It began as North American Jewish slang, but it's now used more broadly, often for humorous effect.
Families, I am certain to have something, I call THOSE DAYS! They are not the celebratory moments of birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc., etc., etc…But dramatic, almost written by a really awful writer of fiction days, that have either caused family members to NEVER speak to one another again or are cherished as the day swear words were spoken aloud for the first time, or maybe the day you realized your mother actually knew how to fart!
It was 1955, I was seven years old, our family was at the Synagogue, for a cousins Bar Mitzvah. My Grandma Braff who usually wore dresses of non-description decided this time she would try something in yellow. A colorful dress on my grandmother was a cause for celebration. My grandmother had a younger sister Cecelia, a “real looker,” so the family would say, back in the day. Her favorite color in clothing had been red. For this Bar Mitzvah, in May (and in Pittsburgh, finally no snow and spring actually arrived) it seemed both ladies tried something new. BUT neither sister told the other about their new ideas in fashion. OH MY GOD! In the Lobby of Pola Zadik Shul, when the two attempted to greet one another, my Great Aunt Cecelia, went CRAZY! She said, and to this day I still recall, because, as she began to foam at the mouth, my mother pulled me so hard, to get away from her, that my elbow seemed to snap, “You Go Home Now and Change, I Am The Younger One, Who Should Wear Yellow!” Gasps, hands over mouths, shushing, filled the echo chamber of the Shul. My Grandma Braff stood her ground, her ruby red lipstick held firm, ignoring the spittle coming out of her mouth, replied, “But I Am The Prettier One…YOU GOT BUPKIS.”
President Joe Biden FINALLY demonstrated less restraint and upon hearing about the states like Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, and South Dakota lifting any kind of sane or health or welfare, or scientific restrictions regarding COVID, he called those Governors NEANDERTHALS. (Poor NEANDERTHALS, had much more sense than these Republican Governors). And of course, the GOP, having no recourse, or intellect, or medical or scientific facts, decided that Joe Biden hated anyone who voted for the GOP Governors of those states, and twisted his words as actual insults to the people. And when I read the accounts of JUST HOW MEAN AND NASTY, these NEANDERTHALS called President Biden, all I could say to them was, YOU GOT BUPKIS!
