Akademik

(EE.goh wawl)

n.

A wall on which a person has hung their degrees, certificates, and awards, as well as photographs in which they appear with famous people.

Now that she is a grandmother . . . she has replaced some of her comfy office chairs with a crib, a bassinet and other accouterments of designer infancy. Family photos abound. Playfully, Saban also maintains what she calls her Ego Wall: rows of pictures from her days as a model and disco singer with the improbable name of Flower.

— Elizabeth Mehren, "Sweet Charity," Los Angeles Times Magazine, September 23, 2001

Just about everyone in official Washington, including most in the press corps, has at least one ego wall: pictures of himself with anyone famous. In Regan's sprawling home, there is one large room devoted to these icons of success. He proudly points out the many pictures of himself with the president: "There we are, playing golf at the Annenbergs'." "There I am giving the president a golf lesson."

— Myra MacPherson, "Regan; The President's Chief of Staff: Taking Care of Business, Relentlessly," The Washington Post, February 13, 1985

A grip-and-grin is a photograph that shows two people shaking hands and smiling at the camera. (It also refers to a photo of a contest or event winner smiling while receiving one of those huge, oversize checks.) If a person has a wall that contains nothing but these kinds of pictures, call it a grip-and-grin ego wall:

If you are one of those self-important Washingtonians who boast a grip-and-grin ego wall — lots of photos of yourself with assorted big shots — at least make sure the pictures aren't crooked.

— "Let's Get This Straight," The Washington Post, May 16, 2002