# I talk to the TV. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207 "2011-09-22T16:04:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/21 "2011-09-22T23:12:34Z")
I do have this problem when she is watching Ghost Hunters… ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/22 "2011-09-22T23:34:32Z")
I can’t help it. I run my mouth a LOT. I’m a pauser AND a commenter. ---
**Author:** ![tpatsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tpatsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tpatsfan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/23 "2011-09-23T01:39:43Z")
I tend to do this as well but its more of a yell and it happens mostly during football. Also when i am watching a program with my boyfriend and if I do talk about a show we will pause it so we don’t miss anything. So I would have to say I see both sides because it can be annoying if you don’t have a pause button. So might I suggest just trying to tone it down as a compromise. Not counting sports who doesn’t yell at the tv then. Or separate rooms when you watch your most vocal shows. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/24 "2011-09-23T02:08:59Z")
I yell at televised sporting events. Mostly hockey games. But I have an excuse! I have season tickets to our local minor league hockey team so I spend a lot of time yelling at games in person. It’s hard to shut that off sometimes. Boyfriend thinks it’s hilarious. “Honey, the Blackhawks can’t hear you!” ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/25 "2011-09-23T02:23:55Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > I yell at televised sporting events. Mostly hockey games. But I have an excuse! I have season tickets to our local minor league hockey team so I spend a lot of time yelling at games in person. It’s hard to shut that off sometimes. Remember [this ESPN ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9my1eg2zis)? ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/26 "2011-09-23T02:28:00Z")
I do, too. I hardly ever watch a show without making a comment (or two or three or four.) And I’m like yllaria’s dad. I yell at the news. I wish it had a pause button so I could go, “What? What in the… Don’t they know…” I could get it all out right then, and then go on to the next news story. Come to think of it, watching the news is very taxing. I need to go lie down… ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/27 "2011-09-23T02:28:53Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Remember [this ESPN ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9my1eg2zis)? Link isn’t working for me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/28 "2011-09-23T02:35:03Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Link isn’t working for me. ☹ [trying again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9my1eg2zis) ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/29 "2011-09-23T03:55:37Z")
My sweetie is closer to the conservative side of the spectrum than I am (or so he thinks…), so when he’s watching Fox news or whatever irritating talking-head is on at the moment, I listen and then have to talk back to whoever it is. I just can’t stop myself from responding to stupid. \>.\< (Not saying left-leaning talking heads aren’t stupid, too, but I don’t watch them so…problem solved!) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/30 "2011-09-23T13:11:03Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > I yell at televised sporting events. Mostly hockey games. But I have an excuse! I have season tickets to our local minor league hockey team so I spend a lot of time yelling at games in person. It’s hard to shut that off sometimes. > Boyfriend thinks it’s hilarious. “Honey, the Blackhawks can’t hear you!” I am not a football fan, but for years and years I never liked even being around people who watched it, because whenever I was the rule was SILENCE except for the shouting. Then a few years ago I watched a game with a really good friend, and wow! She explained everything that was going on the field to me. She talked to me throughout, and we had a great time! I told her as much - first time I had ever watched a game and enjoyed it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/31 "2011-09-23T14:14:48Z")
My wife and I both talk to the TV. We are also inveterate pausers and Tivo-speeders. If something medical is happening, it gets paused while the wife explains it to me. If something totally trivial and meaningless is happening, the TV gets paused by me while I pontificate for 10 minutes on things nobody ever could possibly care about. Yes, my wife is a saint. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/32 "2011-09-23T14:15:45Z")
I used to do this until my wife came up with her patronizing reaction. If I made any small comment she’d say “hold on”, pause the TV, get up from her seat, sit next to me, put her hand on her chin, look me in the eye and say “now tell me”. Made me feel stupid and I broke the habit fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/33 "2011-09-23T14:27:52Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I used to do this until my wife came up with her patronizing reaction. > If I made any small comment she’d say “hold on”, pause the TV, get up from her seat, sit next to me, put her hand on her chin, look me in the eye and say “now tell me”. > Made me feel stupid and I broke the habit fairly quickly. Oh, bloody _brilliant_. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/34 "2011-09-23T14:51:46Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I used to do this until my wife came up with her patronizing reaction. > If I made any small comment she’d say “hold on”, pause the TV, get up from her seat, sit next to me, put her hand on her chin, look me in the eye and say “now tell me”. > Made me feel stupid and I broke the habit fairly quickly. Your wife is my hero. My husband and I both suffer from the need to tell people on the TV when they’re wrong. I now watch TV mostly on my iPad when commuting and on the treadmill so I’ve almost kicked the habit however. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/35 "2011-09-23T19:22:33Z")
My mom used to be a big mystery show speculator when I was a kid, but I don’t know if she still does it. If my wife talks while I’m watching a show, it’ll be completely unrelated to what’s on the screen; then I usually mute the show and she suddenly has nothing more to say…until I turn the sound back on. Still, I think talking to the TV is a thousand times more sane than _applauding at a movie_. That just drives me to distraction! ---
**Author:** ![Teufelblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@Teufelblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teufelblitz)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/36 "2011-09-23T19:38:24Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Still, I think talking to the TV is a thousand times more sane than _applauding at a movie_. That just drives me to distraction! How else are all those giant people behind that screen going to know you enjoyed their performance? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/37 "2011-09-24T00:41:10Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > [trying again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9my1eg2zis) Oh yeah, I remember that one! That’s me… especially the lady yelling “Hit somebody!!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/38 "2011-09-24T01:24:48Z")
Every 10 minutes or so my wife and I pause Breaking Bad to discuss whats going on, like it’s a book club. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/39 "2011-09-24T22:23:52Z")
I don’t mind, but there are rules. Comments must be made about the actual show you are watching. No side conversations. All comments must be made in breaks between dialogue. No talking over dialogue! And, you can’t do this in a movie theater. I can no longer watch things with my Mom. She’ll constantly be starting random conversations that have nothing to do with the show or movie, distracted me and interrupting the dialogue. And she’ll also randomly get up to do things in other rooms. I want to ask her “why did you want to watch this, you aren’t paying any attention”. Personally, I like to slap the stupid out of the TV. Anytime somebody does or says something stupid or the writing is dumb, I swipe my hand in the air and make a slapping sound with my mouth. I also sing the “we built the pyramids” and “Bang!” parts of the Big Bang Theory theme song when it’s on. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207/40 "2011-09-24T22:27:30Z")
Things my friends with Tivo do that annoy me: One will get up to go to the bathroom or feed her cats, without pausing. Then I have to scramble over to her seat to find the control to do it for her. The other will fast forward through the commercials, and then when the show comes back on will get up to do something, and leave it on. Just do it during the commercial! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-talk-to-the-tv/597207.md?page=1)