catchphrase / said by James
The Mount Rushmore of crime
What does "The Mount Rushmore of crime" mean on Small Town Murder?
James's name for the four violent crimes in the FBI figures: murder, rape, robbery and assault, which he also calls the big four. He uses it every week in the crime-rate section, usually to say whether the town's rate for those four is above or below the national average.
- Kind
- catchphrase
- Usually said by
- James
- First heard
- Episode 50, 27 December 2017
The story behind the phrase
Where did "The Mount Rushmore of crime" come from?
It turns up in episode 50, in the crime-rate section. James reads out the violent crime figure, lists murder, rape, robbery and assault as "the big four", and calls them "the Mount Rushmore of crime" before moving straight on to the numbers. In episode 53 it is "the all stars, the Mount Rushmore of crime".
It is a joke name for the four violent crimes in the FBI figures, in the style of a monument of famous faces. It gives James a short label so he can say how a town's violent crime compares with the national average without reciting the list.
How is "The Mount Rushmore of crime" used now?
It became a fixed part of the crime-rate section, usually right after the property crime figure. James uses it to say whether the town is above or below the national average, and the joke is that a small town's number is often surprisingly high or low. Jimmie reacts to the figure, and it is still used in 2026.
When was "The Mount Rushmore of crime" first said?
It was first heard in episode 50, "An Unexpected Slaughter", on 27 December 2017, at about 0:29:41.
"Uh violent crime, uh murder, rape, robbery, assault, uh, the big four, the Mount Rushmore of crime, uh, is uh about 10% higher than average here, which in a small town it's about it's about average,"
In the crime-rate section James reads the violent crime figure and lists murder, rape, robbery and assault as 'the big four', then calls them 'the mount rushmore of crime'. He explains nothing and moves straight on to the numbers, so it sounds coined on the spot as a one-off label rather than an established joke.
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