# Ever used a movie line (or song lyric) in real life... and gotten away with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246 "2007-01-31T08:00:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/21 "2007-01-31T20:24:38Z")
In a University paper, I once wrote that the subject “seemed to counterpoint the surrealism of the underlying metaphor”. When I got the marked paper back, the phrase had a big tick – and the paper in general had a higher mark than I suspect it really deserved – so I suppose that the marker wasn’t familiar with HHGTG. (Hmm … either that, or he _was_ familiar with it, and appreciated the joke. Not sure which alternative I’d prefer, actually.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/22 "2007-01-31T20:43:44Z")
“Do you think I’m funny? Am I some kind of clown to you?” gets used occasionally, and I’m not sure everyone knows where it’s from. However, I do it in an exaggerated voice so I assume people know it’s from _somewhere_. “[I can’t marry her.] She’s just like me, and I hate myself!” is another one. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/23 "2007-01-31T20:57:36Z")
When I met my father-in-law (an accountant), I was a floundering grad student and was over for the “meet the parents” dinner. The ladies left the table to clear the dishes and it was me, her brother, and father, with me in the “hot seat.” The father asked me about my career goals. I HATED talking about my research and my dissertation and my plans, and had only met his daughter about 2 months back (yet we ended up getting married eventually, making this story even better). I replied, the first part and last line are almost verbatim from "_Say Anything_: "I’ve thought about this quite a bit sir and I would have to say considering what’s waiting out there for me, I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything or process anything as a career. I dont want to sell anything bought or processed or buy anything sold or processed or repair anything sold, bought or processed as a career. I have thought about teaching or doing research or starting a private practice, but I can’t decide since it is all so exciting to me. Then again, sometimes I think about leaving the profession completely since it is all so sterile, and going into catering or carpentry, so I can make people happy through the gift of prepared food and furniture. I dont really know. I cant figure it all out tonight, so I’m just gonna hang with your daughter." The brother knew where I was going with this, and just shook his head at me with a shit-eating smirk. The father was practically doing calcuations on an adding machine and looking at the output tape that read $0.00 and just staring at me in complete silence. It was a great moment, and I never saw the parents again for a while since we broke up a few weeks later. Cut to the chase, we got back together and married, and now have kids, it is always a great moment to re-live that dinner over the holidays when I am sitting in the same seat at the table. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/24 "2007-01-31T21:07:32Z")
Good gravy. I do this constantly. For example: I took the mic at a friend’s wedding and used this entire quote from Caddyshack, complete with Ted Knight voice: “It’s easy to grin… When your ship comes in… And you’ve got the stock market beat… But the man worth while… Is the man who can smile… When his shorts aren’t too tight in the seat.” Some people laughed; most looked at me like I was crazy. Good times. Speaking of Caddyshack, I rarely get through a round of golf without quoting it. Others…hmm… When I can tell that someone wants to get in my lane in traffic: “Revealed your position is!” When a buddy does a shot and instantly regrets it: “He chose…poorly.” When someone at work asks me for a deliverable: “Ma’am, I answered your question! I answered the darned… I’m cooperatin’ here! I’m…I’m not arguing here! I’m cooperatin’! So there’s no need to…we’re doin’ all we can!” Come to think of it, I probably use quotes from things more than I actually make up my own stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/25 "2007-01-31T21:22:33Z")
As a young private arising early one wet morning at an artillery firing point at Ft. McCoy I stated to no one in particular “The dew has fallen with a particularly sickening thud this morning”. Both my Section Chief and the Chief of Smoke who were standing near by thought it was both apt and hilarious. I never fessed up to cribbing from the esteemed Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/26 "2007-01-31T21:26:06Z")
It amazes me how many people are astonished to learn that my real name is not Troy McClure. So yeah, I get “away” with that all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/27 "2007-01-31T22:55:29Z")
[QUOTE=Barrington] I use _Airplane_ lines a lot, such as: “don’t call me Shirley”; “what is it?” answered by"it’s a [mundane description], but that’s not important right now"; stuff like that. [/QUOTE] After a _really_ rough quarter-end close I once commented that I had picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. I also advised someone to “nuke the server from orbit . . . it’s the only way to be sure”. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/28 "2007-01-31T23:06:56Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] It amazes me how many people are astonished to learn that my real name is not Troy McClure. So yeah, I get “away” with that all the time. [/QUOTE] I remember you from such meetings as “Adventures of The Pop-culture Clueless” and “50 Ways to Whoosh Your Friends.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/29 "2007-01-31T23:24:27Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] It amazes me how many people are astonished to learn that my real name is not Troy McClure. So yeah, I get “away” with that all the time. [/QUOTE] Don’t I remember you from such information kiosks as the Springfield Zoo? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/30 "2007-02-01T00:10:13Z")
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my ex-boyfriend once used the line, “They should have sent a poet,” from _Contact_, on me. In bed. Right after he’d got my pants off. He got a lot of bonus points for that. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/31 "2007-02-01T00:24:35Z")
I like to use “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” (Janis Joplin) wherever it remotely fits. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/32 "2007-02-01T00:32:11Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] “Are you entertained?” (from Gladiator) is another regular staple of my daily talk. [/QUOTE] You’re in luck - the line in the movie is “Are you _not_ entertained?” so you should feel no guilt. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/33 "2007-02-01T00:37:51Z")
I have been known, late at night, to wave my hand with a dismissive Khan-like gesture and say, “I grow… fatigued.” When a friend is trying to do something that won’t work because the device or doohickey is forever broken, I’ll (mis)quote Scotty: “It’s dead already!” Sometimes, at the end of a long day, I’ll quote Sheriff Woody from _Toy Story 2_: “Let’s… go home.” A teacher friend once quoted Bruce Springsteen when he was late to class, apologizing to his students: “Sorry I’m late. ‘The streets were jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive.’” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/34 "2007-02-01T01:14:52Z")
My favorite is “Bored now”, in a cute little goth pout. My husband, of course, finds it tedious, but everyone else thinks I made it all up my own self. (Vamp Willow from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_) I use “counterpoint the surrealism of the underlying metaphor” a lot, too. Mostly with arrogant potheads who think they’re being profound. I occasionally get a few eye catches and shared snickers, but the target of the comment is always clueless. (Arthur Dent from _The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/35 "2007-02-01T01:36:50Z")
I quote movies all the time, but I have no witty examples to share. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/36 "2007-02-01T01:43:36Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I like to use “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” (Janis Joplin) wherever it remotely fits. [/QUOTE] Or Kris Kristofferson, even. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/37 "2007-02-01T02:36:09Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] I quote movies all the time, but I have no witty examples to share. [/QUOTE] Same here. Well, except for “Care for me, Mrs. Cherrywood” whenever anyone wonders what they’re going to do with me. And various quotes from _The Princess Bride_ (“Have fun storming the castle!”, _The Dream Team_ (“It’s great to be young and insane!”) and _Office Space_ (“I have eight different bosses right now.” (not actually true: I only have 3)). I like to use TV quotes, too: “Don’t smile at me like that. That’s not even a real smile, it’s just a bunch of teeth playing with my mind.” comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/38 "2007-02-01T03:01:15Z")
[QUOTE=Dooku] “He chose…poorly.” [/QUOTE] The third Indy movie, right? I use that one quite often… except I always finish with “wisely”. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/39 "2007-02-01T03:29:17Z")
When a discussion involves picking between two choices, I often resort to: “Why can’t he be both, like the late Earl Warren?” Most people just stare at me afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246/40 "2007-02-01T03:38:54Z")
All the time, all the time. The one that stands out to me at the moment, however, is when I had to address the hippy stalker guy who had been slowly and steadily getting creepier and more stalkerish for a year, and there was only two things I could say to him that seemed appropriate: “Don’t think 'cos I understand, I care. Don’t think 'cos I’m talking, we’re friends.” That was from \*6 Underground \* by **Sneaker Pimps**. It got the point across… but it took a _little_ longer for him to just give it up. He did back off quite soon after, however… and now he sticks his nose up at me when he bumps into me. He didn’t get the reference, and I was glad. Otherwise, there could have been more problems. “Hey, we like the same music!” It felt corny as hell to say it out loud, but it was the only thing that seemed to fit just right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-used-a-movie-line-or-song-lyric-in-real-life-and-gotten-away-with-it/390246.md?page=3)