Historically - do we ever use the word "gaffe" to describe anything but a misstatement or embarrassing remark made by a politician?
Is it ever used in any way except to basically minimize them?
For example, do we say a TV pundit or journalist is prone to gaffes? Or an actor or athlete?
Just curious. It does seem to be a totally legitimate word we use but apply it only to laughably stupid remarks made by politicians but when made by just about anyone else, they're not so easily dismissed. When a politician makes one, we roll our eyes or chuckle, but if someone else does it, we generally want to just fire their ass.