# Dead or nearly dead tropes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797 "2025-02-25T23:14:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/421 "2025-05-19T21:49:36Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Yes, you’re right - the trope you were describing is **[Attractive Bent Gender](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AttractiveBentGender)**. Yep, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/422 "2025-05-20T02:00:23Z")
Also the core plot to the Star Wars prequels starting in 1999 where Padme looks about 16-17 and Anakin is a 10 year old, and by the next movie it’s 10 years later and they’re already married. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/423 "2025-05-20T02:40:15Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > > [@JohnGalt](#): > > > > _Poker Face_ again! She actually smokes inside! It’s as if she’s trying to kill the “no smoking” trope by actually . . . smoking. > > So it’s kinda a trope in its own right, whereby you instantly denote that a scene took place at a certain point in time by showing people smoking. It’s like showing people in powderer wigs or plate armor, except we remember the days of smoking inside (or some of us do) so it adds a nostalgia factor. I was flipping through the channels and landed on _NCIS:Origins._ One of the characters was smoking indoors. When I looked it up it says the show is set in 1991. I know many no smoking laws came after that but I never once worked anywhere that allowed smoking indoors (restaurants certainly did). It makes the show seem older than 1991 to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/424 "2025-05-20T03:35:39Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > So it’s kinda a trope in its own right, whereby you instantly denote that a scene took place at a certain point in time by showing people smoking. The show is set in the early 21st century. 2005- 2010. Already by then it was very rude to smoke in anyone house unless they were Atlantic city banned almost all indoor smoking in 2006, except limited areas in casinos. So no, smoking inside would not have been a period thing. Now back in the 1970s? Sure. > [@Alessan](#): > > Except that _Poker Face_ is set in the modern day, and the main character smokes because she’s a hot mess. > [@Alessan](#): > > Of course, the real reason the character smokes is, how would Natasha Lyonne’s voice sound that way if she didn’t? It is sad to see an addiction in public like that. > [@Loach](#): > > I was flipping through the channels and landed on _NCIS:Origins._ One of the characters was smoking indoors. When I looked it up it says the show is set in 1991. I know many no smoking laws came after that but I never once worked anywhere that allowed smoking indoors (restaurants certainly did). It was on the way out, smoking was banned in Federal buildings a short time after. Was that the boss guy? He is I guess supposed to be an arrogant asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/425 "2025-05-20T03:58:43Z")
Do many bald guys still wax their heads? Side question: did bald guys ever really wax their heads? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/426 "2025-05-20T10:42:37Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Do many bald guys still wax their heads? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h1JnYpy3hYg/hqdefault.jpg "S06E13 - Homer's Shine o Ball o Head Polishing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1JnYpy3hYg) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/427 "2025-05-20T10:56:14Z")
First thing I thought of 😀 ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/428 "2025-05-20T12:29:24Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Also the core plot to the Star Wars prequels starting in 1999 where Padme looks about 16-17 and Anakin is a 10 year old, and by the next movie it’s 10 years later and they’re already married. As Weird Al put it: “Did you see him hitting on the queen Though he’s only nine, and she’s fourteen? I guess he’ll probably marry her someday.” But, to nitpick (because what would a Star Wars discussion be without pointless nitpicking?), Anakin and Padme are not “already” married in the next movie. They meet again after not having seen each other in years, and get secretly married at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/429 "2025-05-20T16:03:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Except that _Poker Face_ is set in the modern day, and the main character smokes because she’s a hot mess. Although she’s been trying to move to vapes in Season 2. > > Of course, the real reason the character smokes is, how would Natasha Lyonne’s voice sound that way if she didn’t? Granted I have only seen the first few episodes of season 1 but the smoking never stood out to me because it takes place in Las Vegas…where indoor smoking is reeeaaaaaalllly common. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/430 "2025-05-20T19:20:46Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > Granted I have only seen the first few episodes of season 1 but the smoking never stood out to me because it takes place in Las Vegas…where indoor smoking is reeeaaaaaalllly common. I thought it was Atlantic City? But even in Vegas, Smoking is only allowed in casinos. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/431 "2025-05-20T23:05:44Z")
It’s in Vegas (or Nevada at least) and smoking is allowed in most casinos and bars…and from the episodes I saw most of it takes place in bars and casinos. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/432 "2025-05-21T00:49:56Z")
The same thing happened at about the same time on _ **Hill Street Blues** _. The guy who was infatuated was Howard Hunter. 🤭 A twist on this was in _ **Two and a Half Men** _, where one of Charlie’s old girlfriends turned up as a man (Chris O’Donnell). This time it was Evelyn (Charlie’s mother) who was infatuated. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d07c76/32.png) [@Hermione1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione1)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/433 "2025-05-21T15:20:44Z")
A variation from _The Jeffersons_: Louise grows suspicious that George is seeing another woman under cover of visiting his old army pal who’s in town. Turns out that George WAS visiting his army buddy…with no idea she’d transitioned into a woman! Pretty darn daring for a sitcom in the 1970s/1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/434 "2025-05-21T15:51:23Z")
Public awareness of transitioning dates all the way back to Christine Jorgensen in the 1950s, although it was vanishingly rare until more recently. I vaguely recall a 1970’s-era medical series one episode of which featured a transition. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/435 "2025-05-21T16:18:18Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I vaguely recall a 1970’s-era medical series one episode of which featured a transition. Maybe the 1975 2 part episode of [Medical Center - The Fourth Sex](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0645440/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cdt_epp_sm_1). Robert Reed, well known from the Brady Bunch, guest starred as surgeon looking for gender reassignment surgery. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/436 "2025-05-21T16:44:16Z")
Yep, that was it. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/437 "2025-05-22T10:37:40Z")
For awhile there were a lot of references to Ed McMahon, “you may already be a winner”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/438 "2025-05-22T12:40:25Z")
Publishers Clearing House (not to be confused with the McMahon-shilled American Family Publishers) used to be something of an “instant punchline” - guaranteed to get a laugh in one’s late-night monologue or National Lampoon humor piece. Then it just…stopped being that, even as the brand went on existing. (See also: Gucci and Kaopectate.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/439 "2025-05-22T12:50:44Z")
Somewhere or other, I heard it explained that ‘go boil some water’ was another/polite way of saying ‘you’re of no use here - stop fussing and leave us completely alone for 10 minutes’ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797/440 "2025-05-22T12:52:20Z")
Yeah. You never see them use the boiling water for anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-or-nearly-dead-tropes/1014797.md?page=23)