pour honey on

Meanings

1. To praise or encourage wholeheartedly.

Etymology

A aphorism first quoted by boxing heavyweight Riddick Bowe in a February 1993 edition of New York Magazine: "If you see me in a fight with a bear, do me a favor—pour honey on me”. Later in a 2023 Instagram post by Lebron James: "If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR [crown emoji]" to which Shannon Sharpe replied "I'm pouring honey on you GOAT," both referring to a variation on Bowe’s aphorism. An earlier variation by Shannon Sharpe in a Twitter post in 2017: “IF* you see me and a bear fighting pour honey on me and help the bear.”