Isn't It Iconic? Or Not?

Read a journalism website story about the overuse of the word "iconic." At the time, I felt it was the kind of fussiness that only people that don't have to churn out three stories a day have time to obsess over, but now I notice it every day.

Gordon Gee?
McDonald's Arches?
Saturday Night Live?
LeBron James headband?
Touchdown Jesus?
Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter?
Bazooka Gum comic strips?
Barbara Eden's Jeannie outfit?
Britney Spears' abs?
Jean Stapleton?
Lea Thompson in Back to the Future?
Annette Funicello?

 

Iconic?

I'll take the arches, TD Jesus (which is literally an icon in the original sense, no?), Bazooka comics, Jeannie's costume, Edith Bunker (but not Jean Stapleton) and Annette.

The rest, no. Gordon Gee, hell no.

Yes, the word is overused, and that sort of stuff bothers me, too.

Does this mean there's going to be an Icony Police, too?

 

Cholula Hot Sauce?

 

Everyone just needs to chillax.

Literally.

 

Most overused word without warrant is epic. Hate that word with a passion.

At no point can granola bars, or headphones, or a sweatshirt be considered epic.

 

I have been told that it is not ironic that the term iconic is often used to describe things that and people who are not icons.

 

Only the wooden top.

 

Just a weird usage of a word when "well-known" or "familiar" is what the writer is getting at.