>No argument there, Mark. I guess I'm just accustomed to hearing the word "freak" used in the most negative of connotations and have never heard it used to mean "unmatched or unparalleled performer".
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>Even if you do use the definition of "freak" in the former context I would not phrase it as "What a freak!". To me (and probably 90% of the American public) that conjures up images of a guy walking down the street wearing a dress and sporting a mohawk with purple hair and 3 noserings or something (no offense intended to cross-dressers here - I'm all for self expression).
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>My point is, even if the word "freak" can be used in a positive connotation I can't see how the phrase "What a freak" could be construed as anything less than a deragatory remark.

True enough, and I certainly do not have a lot of patience for the bastardization of words. Too many perfectly fine words and certain proper names have been debased to derrogatory meanings in different circles. I do agree that most definitions for the word freak are less than flattering if not down-right derrogatory, but the intent was not there.