fiddle while rome burns

To enjoy minor unimportant things while ignoring the crisis happening right now

Trump dancing to Sinatra while people rioted was like Nero playing a fiddle while rome burns.

by DWBig January 21, 2017

fiddling while Rome burns

To occupy oneself with unimportant matters and neglect priorities during a crisis.

Origin: (The source of this phrase is the story that Nero played the fiddle (violin) while Rome Burned during the Great Fire in AD 64).

duskins: "Just waiting for the time to be ideal!"
Zavah: "That time is never going to exist,why are you fiddling while Rome burns?"
duskins: . . . "oh f***." >_<

by duskins July 17, 2006