everyone and their mom

[alpacinou]

I want to suggest that these days owing to social media platforms, a lot of people put a video on the Internet and "claim" to be a singer. But the fact is not everyone deserves to be called a singer, at least in the artistic sense of the word. I want to put emphasis on the fact that "a lot of" people these days have become singers. Is "everyone and their mom" appropriate to use in this context? Does this work?

I have written the whole sentence myself:

These days, owing to the advent of social media platforms, everyone and their mom has become a singer. Or maybe, everyone and their mom claims to be a singer. But I think not everyone deserves to be called a singer. I mean if you call these pseudo-artists singer, then what would you call Elvis Presley?

Do you have other suggestions?

 

[emsr2d2]

I want to suggest that these days, owing to social media platforms, a lot of people put a video on the Internet and claim (no quotation marks were needed) to be a singer. But the fact is not everyone deserves to be called a singer, at least in the artistic sense of the word. I want to put emphasis on the fact that "a lot of" people these days have become singers. Is "everyone and their mom" appropriate to use in this context? Does this work?

I [STRIKE]have written[/STRIKE] wrote all [STRIKE]the whole[/STRIKE] these sentences myself:

These days, owing to the advent of social media, [STRIKE]platforms,[/STRIKE] everyone and their mom has become a singer. Or [STRIKE]maybe[/STRIKE] at least, everyone and their mom claims to be a singer. But I think not everyone deserves to be called a singer. I mean if you call these pseudo-artists singers, then what would you call Elvis Presley?

Do you have other suggestions?

Note my corrections above.

Anyone who sings, whether in public or on social media (or in the shower) can call themselves a singer if they want to. What they can't do is call themselves a professional singer. That's what Elvis Presley was.

In BrE, you can use "the world and his wife" (I assume that's still PC) or "every man/woman and his/her dog".

 

[SoothingDave]

I am used to seeing it as "and their brother," but "and their mother" is also used. "And their mom" is not the way the idiom is expressed.

You do have the right idea.

 

[alpacinou]

I am used to seeing it as "and their brother," but "and their mother" is also used. "And their mom" is not the way the idiom is expressed.

You do have the right idea.

So, I guess I will go with this:

These days, owing to the advent of social media, everyone and their mother has become a singer. Or at least, everyone and their mother claims to be a singer. But I think not everyone deserves to be called a singer. I mean if you call these pseudo-artists singers, then what would you call Elvis Presley?

 

[emsr2d2]

I would prefer "I don't think everyone deserves ..." over "I think not everyone deserves ...". I missed that the first time.

 

[jutfrank]

I use everyone and his uncle.

I think your everyone and their mom is fine too.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In my book, it's fine, too.