A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from November 25, 2012
Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots (Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI nickname)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was founded in 1908 and conducts federal criminal and intelligence investigations. The unflattering FBI nickname of “Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots” has been cited in print since at least 1975. The FBI nickname of “Fumbling, Bumbling Incompetents” has been cited in print since at least 2001.
 
The FBI has also been nicknamed “FBLie,” “Fake Bureau of Investigation,” “Famous But Incompetent,” “Fascist Bastards Incorporated,” “Fascist Bureau of Investigation,” “Fat Bitches Incorporated,” “Favoritism Before Integrity,” “Federal Bastards Incorporated,” “Federal Bullshit Investigations,” “Federal Bureau of Incompetency,” “Federal Bureau of Insurrectionists,” “Federal Bureau of Intimidation,” “Federal Bureau of Political Investigation,” “Female Body Inspector,” “Fix Be In,” “Following Biden’s Instructions,” “Fucking Bastards Incorporated,” “Fucking Bitches Incorporated,” “Fucking Bunch of Idiots” and “Full Blown Idiots.”
     
   
Wikipedia: Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency (counterintelligence).
 
It is the government agency responsible for investigating crimes on Indian Reservations in the United States under the Seven Major Crimes Act, passed in 1885. In 1953, Congress passed Public Law 280 giving state governments the right to assume civil and criminal jurisdiction over Indian reservations in California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Alaska.
 
The branch has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime. The agency was established in 1908 as the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). Its name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935.
 
The agency headquarters is the J. Edgar Hoover Building, located in Washington, D.C., along with fifty-six field offices located in major cities throughout the United States, and more than 400 resident agencies in lesser cities and areas across the nation. More than 50 international offices called “legal attachés” exist in U.S. embassies and consulates general worldwide.
 
14 March 1975, Dallas (TX) Morning News, “Letters from Readers,” pg. D2, col. 6:
I have never been fond of the Feebies—the Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots of the FBI.
(...)
LOUISE JAGGER.
Dallas.
 
27 July 1975, The Independent Record (Helena, MT), pg. 4, col. 4:
The FBI
FBI is supposed to stand for Federal Bureau of Investigation, but at times one wonders if Fumbling Bumbling Idiots wouldn’t be better.
 
18 September 1977, The Pioneer (Bemidji, MN), “More than doubts about the FBI” by Virginia Payette, pg. 4, col. 6:
It’s almost enough to make you wonder if FBI stands for “fumbling, bumbling inefficiency.” Say it ain’t so, Clarence.
 
Google Books
The Cocaine Wars
By Paul Eddy, Hugo Sabogal and Sara Walden
New York, NY: Bantam
1989, ©1988
Pg. 237:
Like some regiment newly arrived at the front, it keeps to itself — aloof, uncertain, and distrustful — and there is a standing joke that what its acronym really stands for is Fumbling Bumbling Idiots.
         
Google Groups: roanoke.news-talk
Happydog
11/1/01
(...)
The Fumbling Bumbling Incompetents (FBI) are reaction oriented, not probation, hence, the WTC.
 
The Firing Line
alan
May 30, 2002, 10:04 AM
more on the FBI (Fumbling, Bumbling Incompetents??)
 
Google Books
Crime, Passion & Conscience
By Edward Anthony Gibbons
Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, Inc.
2003
Pg. 89:
A nickname given to the letters, F.B.I., by local police, were the Fumbling Bumbling Idiots.
 
13 June 2006, North Adams (MA) Transcript, “They deserve no love or respect‎,” Letters:
I have actually heard an MSNBC commentator say the FBI lately could be fumbling, bumbling incompetents — a little extreme.
 
Google Books
Tiger In The Rain
By Robert Clayton Buick
Xlibris Corporation (Xlibris.com)
2010
Pg. 85:
Better described the consensus of opinions throughout local law enforcement agencies nationally are regarded as either “Fumbling Bumbling Idiots” or “Fucking Bungling Idiots.” I personally prefer the latter.
 
YouTube
FBI Fumbling Bumbling Idiots Once Again
Uploaded by 101Treesrus on Dec 17, 2010

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /Health • Sunday, November 25, 2012 • Permalink


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