# Chewing scenery **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463 "2001-07-14T06:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/1 "2001-07-14T06:14:04Z")
I feel like an idiot whenever I read a movie review that uses this term, because I can’t figure out what the hell it means. ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/2 "2001-07-14T06:37:38Z")
Geez, a guy with the name Alan Smithee, ought to know this one. It refers to an actor, usually Dennis Hopper, who goes over the top in a portrayal of a character. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/3 "2001-07-14T06:38:17Z")
What, and with a nick like **Alan Smithee**? It means overacting. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/4 "2001-07-14T06:39:24Z")
Doh! Stupid simulpost ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/5 "2001-07-14T06:42:20Z")
Actually, the actor I’ve seen most commonly tagged with this assesment is William Shatner. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/6 "2001-07-14T13:06:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sewalk \* > \*\*Actually, the actor I’ve seen most commonly tagged with this assesment is William Shatner. 😃 > \*\* Only if you have never seen Nathan Lane! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/7 "2001-07-14T13:53:03Z")
In plain English — you mean overacting? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/8 "2001-07-14T14:58:41Z")
Ha! Watch one of my movies and see if you think I know what overacting means! Seriously, though, what is the origin of the term? Was there some overwrought portrayer of Richard III who actually started knawing on the set? I knew from the context it had something to do with overacting, but I guess I thought it must have a more specific meaning or referent. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/9 "2001-07-14T15:19:31Z")
Here is the Random House _The Mavens’ Word of the Day_ entry for [chew the scenery](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20001024). ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/10 "2001-07-14T17:18:26Z")
Tahnks, **Tom**. I still don’t know exactly where it comes from, but I reckon I know as much as anyone now. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-scenery/72463/11 "2001-07-15T19:26:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sewalk \* > \*\*What, and with a nick like **Alan Smithee**? > It means overacting. \*\* Aside from our esteemed colleague here, the name Alan Smithee is used by Directors Guild of America members who wish to have their names removed from the credits of feature films. It has to have SOME kind of a credit, and that is the name of choice. I’ve no clue why.