It goes way way back, like pre-2010 I would guess. I’m sure if you search the forum you can find the first instance. I can’t remember who the first “is update” was, though I can do it for two other running gags on here, “Deer (name)” and “Ummmm ever heard of (name)” which were originally Adam Goucher and Jordan Hasay respectively. The first “is update” was probably someone from that general era too.
I'm not an authority on site history, but I suspect "is... update," "deer ..." and "discus" are malapropisms that poke fun of Rojo's habit of posting typos.
It's a little hard to search up this particular phrase since a name appears in between the common elements of the gag (i.e., "is [variable] update") and also, I'm sure the search engine ignores "is" regardless. But putting Adam Goucher in the phrase brought up a single post where someone was complaining about these poor-grammar gags, dated 12/10/2010. He said:
"Deer Brojos" is not necessarily internet slang, but it is a letsrun.com meme. Remember the "Deer Kara Goucher" and "Is Adam Goucher update?" threads?
Since "is Adam Goucher update" only appears in that one post, presumably he was wrong about Adam Goucher being the original "is update" person. I'm pretty sure the other poster above is right that Adam was the original "Deer..." runner, as opposed to Kara, but I could be wrong. Point being, by December 2010 we already had someone complaining about these gags, so they must have been well-established by then.
There are two very common kinds of "typos" on this website:
Words that sound the same (Homophones) - There, their, they're - for example. Discuss and discus. Deer and dear.
Syntax (Word Order, Missing or Added Words)- "Is there an update on Adam Goucher" becomes "Is there an Adam Goucher update?" which becomes "Is Adam Goucher update?"
How and when did it all started, I would love to go back to give it a read.
That sort of thing happens when people make a mistake or malapropism: try to make it cute, inside humor, or hip. It saves face and avoids criticism. Or so they think.
I feel like the original was Is Alan Webb update? But, I could be wrong. The original is probably not around anymore. Many of the old threads have been deleted over the years.
Is Paula Radcliff update? was the original typo, as was Deer Adam Goucher. Both typos became enduring memes. I'm sure both originals have been deleted, because TMADDDHASFNE, but their memories live on.
I feel like the original was Is Alan Webb update? But, I could be wrong. The original is probably not around anymore. Many of the old threads have been deleted over the years.
you might be confusing it with all the "ALAN WEBB IS BACK BABY" threads after he did literally anything, good or bad.
I feel like the original was Is Alan Webb update? But, I could be wrong. The original is probably not around anymore. Many of the old threads have been deleted over the years.
you might be confusing it with all the "ALAN WEBB IS BACK BABY" threads after he did literally anything, good or bad.
I think you’re right. I believe the “is x update” started a while after “Webb is back/but did he look relaxed?”
Another favorite of mine, although shorter lived, was "feeling like carp". Some guy started a thread titled, "Feeling like carp and depressed", and all he was looking for was some sympathy, but all he got was a bunch of fish puns.
This was back when letsrun was still funny. This thread will probably be deleted soon, because TMADDDHASFNE.