# Funny/Silly Things In Background Shots Of Movies/TV Shows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962 "2012-12-13T21:21:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/21 "2012-12-14T19:58:13Z")
Early Simpsons is full of this. You had to freeze-frame your VCR to see a lot of stuff (I remember a bar at the marina called “Smoke on the Water” that was way too quick to see in real time as Homer sped by it). The [mother ship in _ **Close Encounters** _](http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A19790906000) has some silly stuff on it. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/22 "2012-12-14T20:23:42Z")
In the movie **Local Hero** , a maniac on a moped crops up from time to time with no explanation whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/23 "2012-12-14T20:38:07Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Early Simpsons is full of this. You had to freeze-frame your VCR to see a lot of stuff (I remember a bar at the marina called “Smoke on the Water” that was way too quick to see in real time as Homer sped by it). They’ve even made fun of their own tendency to do this. There was one episode a few years ago where there was a map with all kinds of weird names and stuff. The map filled up the screen for about an entire half minute, and Homer said something like, “did you read them all yet?” to the viewers. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/24 "2012-12-14T20:50:45Z")
In the Wreck it Ralph thread I mentioned my delight in noticing a brief flash of graffiti reading “Aerith Lives.” When I looked on the Internet to see if I saw correctly I found that there was also some graffiti which read “All your base belong to us.” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/25 "2012-12-14T20:51:58Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > He does at least one talking head segment being clearly drunk and actively drinking. That was pretty far from background. Right, it’s put front and center a few times. But multiple times during the episode you see him getting further hammered. Which is what makes the whole thing extra funny. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/26 "2012-12-14T20:59:55Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Unfortunately I can’t remember which movie it was. The people who were the focus of attention were chatting, waiting to get to their seats, etc. In the background, somebody was stuffing a baby into one of the overhead compartments. I want to say that sounds like it would have happened in “Airplane”, but can’t be certain. ---
**Author:** ![gumpy3885](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@gumpy3885](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gumpy3885)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/27 "2012-12-14T21:33:41Z")
There was a Big Bang Theory episode with a scene at the comic book store. Prominently displayed on the counter was a QR code. For the heck of it, I paused the DVR and scanned the code. It took you to an online store where you could actually buy shirts and games displayed in the store ([http://www.thecomiccenter.com/](http://www.thecomiccenter.com/)) ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/28 "2012-12-14T23:03:58Z")
On Stargate SG-1, the authors of books seen on screen, and other printed media often includes the names of directors, writers and producers on the show. Also photos of the crew are used for instances where someone is looking through a pile of personnel files. Peter DeLuise and Martin Wood make several cameos in episodes they’d directed. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/29 "2012-12-14T23:16:30Z")
[Obligatory TV Tropes link.](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FunnyBackgroundEvent) I disclaim any responsibility for what may happen if you click on it. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/30 "2012-12-14T23:22:33Z")
Fox Mulder pees on an"Independence Day" poster in the first X-files movie. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/31 "2012-12-14T23:27:40Z")
You mean something like [Elvis appearing as a background extra in Home Alone?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOYbXeLTnf0) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/32 "2012-12-14T23:59:05Z")
In the opening scene of **Don Juan DeMarco** , Johnny Depp [romantically seduces a woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQiRtJ6uumk) sitting alone in a hotel restaurant in the first scene, then leaves her, kissing her hand, just before her husband arrives. Later on in the movie, there’s another scene in the same restaurant. In the background, you see the woman sitting at a table alone in the background, looking around longingly. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/33 "2012-12-15T00:31:18Z")
About a year ago I was watching an episode of Malcolm in the Middle for what was probably the 10th time and I just happened to notice a cockroach crawl across the wall in the background. No attention was called to it, it wasn’t an episode based around how dirty they or their house was and yet someone had to bring in a cockroach, put it on the wall, get it to crawl up through the frame and get the actors to do the scene on cue with the roach just for the handful of people that might notice it. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/34 "2012-12-15T01:51:30Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Unfortunately I can’t remember which movie it was. The people who were the focus of attention were chatting, waiting to get to their seats, etc. In the background, somebody was stuffing a baby into one of the overhead compartments. > [@Seanette](#): > > I want to say that sounds like it would have happened in “Airplane”, but can’t be certain. In my first post, I forgot to mention that all this happened on an airplane, but it’s good that someone figured it out despite my omission. I know for sure the scene wasn’t from _Airplane_ or its sequel, because I’ve seen them a million times. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/35 "2012-12-15T03:49:15Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Also, all of the later STAR TREK series all had things in their viewscreen graphics, etc., that were hilarious if you could get close enough to make them out (e.g., “Tribbles offered to good homes, free!” or “Baldness cured, only 150 quatloos”). On an episode of Babylon 5, in the background of one scene was an electronic display listing the day’s activities on the station. One of the items was “Rolling Stones Farewell Concert.” ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/36 "2012-12-15T04:11:06Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > In my first post, I forgot to mention that all this happened on an airplane, but it’s good that someone figured it out despite my omission. I couldn’t think of any other setting that would use overhead compartments. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/37 "2012-12-15T10:30:08Z")
[Here’s some from A Touch of Cloth](http://sky1.sky.com/a-touch-of-cloth/did-you-spot-all-of-a-touch-of-cloths-background-gags) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/38 "2012-12-15T11:24:13Z")
Check out Patton Oswalt [standing perfectly still](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2QE3JpWfTo) throughout this entire scene in _King of Queens_ ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/39 "2012-12-15T15:31:21Z")
There an entire [website](http://psychpineapple.com/) devoted to the pineapple in every episode of _Psych_. Also, isn’t there a Han Solo figurine hidden in many _Firefly_ episodes? ---
**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:** [December 15, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962/40 "2012-12-15T16:22:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In the Wreck it Ralph thread I mentioned my delight in noticing a brief flash of graffiti reading “Aerith Lives.” When I looked on the Internet to see if I saw correctly I found that there was also some graffiti which read “All your base belong to us.” If I remember correctly there was also a “LeRoy Jenkins” tag. Also a “Turbo (the main villain) Lives” tag that is seen shortly after he’s mentioned the first time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-silly-things-in-background-shots-of-movies-tv-shows/643962.md?page=3)