# Media references that NOBODY ever gets. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498 "2003-12-17T07:55:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/21 "2003-12-17T14:54:01Z")
I use “No wonder I’m so well paid!” which is from a TV commercial for a cheesy RETS type proprietary school from the '80s. Obscure. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/22 "2003-12-17T14:54:02Z")
“You might think that. I couldn’t possibly comment.” - Francis Urquhart, _House of Cards_ ---
**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:** [December 17, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/23 "2003-12-17T15:12:15Z")
“Pretty soon i’ll make Assistant Manager, and that’s when the BIG BUCKS start rolling in!” Used a plenty in my younger years with co-workers to make fun of our managers in retail/food service. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/24 "2003-12-17T15:32:15Z")
Whenever anyone asks me what something is, if I’m in a smart-alleck-y mood (80% of the time), the response is, (from Blade Runner) “Know what a turtle is? Same thing.” Of course, the funny incident that came out of this- at GenCon a number of years back, I was taking a ‘battery of tests’ at a merchant’s booth that included a ‘psych evaluation’. First question was the infamous tortise in the desert question. The minute the guy started mentioning the tortise, I said, “What’s a tortise?” He just looked at me, grinned, marked that I’d passed the entire exam (even though that was the first question) and moved me down the line. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/25 "2003-12-17T15:38:28Z")
Whenever anyone asks me what something is, if I’m in a smart-alleck-y mood (80% of the time), the response is, (from Blade Runner) “Know what a turtle is? Same thing.” Of course, the funny incident that came out of this- at GenCon a number of years back, I was taking a ‘battery of tests’ at a merchant’s booth that included a ‘psych evaluation’. First question was the infamous tortise in the desert question. The minute the guy started mentioning the tortise, I said, “What’s a tortise?” He just looked at me, grinned, marked that I’d passed the entire exam (even though that was the first question) and moved me down the line. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/26 "2003-12-17T16:02:45Z")
Whenever anyone asks me what something is, if I’m in a smart-alleck-y mood (80% of the time), the response is, (from Blade Runner) “Know what a turtle is? Same thing.” Of course, the funny incident that came out of this- at GenCon a number of years back, I was taking a ‘battery of tests’ at a merchant’s booth that included a ‘psych evaluation’. First question was the infamous tortise in the desert question. The minute the guy started mentioning the tortise, I said, “What’s a tortise?” He just looked at me, grinned, marked that I’d passed the entire exam (even though that was the first question) and moved me down the line. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/27 "2003-12-17T16:25:28Z")
Here comes another one. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/28 "2003-12-17T16:32:56Z")
“FanTABulous!” “Cake or Death?” “Do you have a flag?” (Eddie Izzard) ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/29 "2003-12-17T16:42:57Z")
I like to paraphrase a line from Early M.A.S.H. Hawkeye, looking at Henry’s young girlfriend: “I’m a doctor, you can believe me. That’s a nice leg.” Substitute photographer for doctor. Also, “It’s not really a rule, it’s more of a guideline” from Ghostbusters and also used by Pratchett on more than one appropriate occasion. (Generally said by Ridcully) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/30 "2003-12-17T16:45:14Z")
Good lord, I still say things like, “That’s all there is—there isn’t any more,” “T’aint funny, McGee” and " . . . and that little girl grew up to be Charlotte Cushman." A confession: years ago I worked freelance for a stock-photo agency here in NY. We’d get in old film stills and portraits and I’d identify, label and file them. We got in a whole cache once of unidentified starlets from the 1930s. No clue as to who they were. So I put them all into one file, marked “Thelma Jordan.” ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/31 "2003-12-17T16:46:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 2trew \* > \*\* > > Same goes for “I file this under “H”, for toy”, which is Val Kilmer’s character in “Real Genius”. > > \*\* _Real Genius_ is just so good for these. When someone cancels plans or says they can’t make it, always respond snappily with, “And we were going to make you king of the winter carnival.” ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/32 "2003-12-17T16:52:42Z")
“Are my eyes really brown?” Especially confusing since I have blue eyes. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/33 "2003-12-17T17:00:40Z")
I like that I am not the only one who sounds like a weirdo using old, obscure lines. Dopers give me hope. What is really funny is when there are lines you use that EVEN YOU can’t recall the source material! Between all the bad movies I’ve seen and a rich childhood of cartoons (especially looney tunes), I filled full of stupid things to say. Sadly, over the years, the source has escaped memory and I am forced to accept the credit/blame myself. One I recently uncovered was: “With even minor surgery, there is a chance of death!” ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/34 "2003-12-17T17:07:50Z")
Sometimes when I am frustrated I will exclaim, “These pretzels are making me thirsty!” or “Serenity now!” ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/35 "2003-12-17T17:24:25Z")
Do Simpson or Seinfeld lines count? I use those all the time and with some regularity I get “busted”… ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/36 "2003-12-17T17:46:05Z")
“Soon, the super karate monkey death car would park in my space.” ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/37 "2003-12-17T17:47:19Z")
I do this all the time. Half the time I don’t even realize I’m quoting anymore. As a friend of mine said recently, “Eventually I’ll be able to speak in nothing but quotes from _Buffy_ and _The Simpsons_!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/38 "2003-12-17T18:30:44Z")
“I should know. I’m a medical doctor. I own a mansion and a yacht.” ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/39 "2003-12-17T18:57:01Z")
“Next stop, rocket science.” (Jerry Horne from Twin Peaks to a bartender who gets his order right) “Of course, you know, this means war.” Not exactly the same thing, but since Firefly I’ve been using “gorram” as an all-purpose curse word. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498/40 "2003-12-17T19:20:05Z")
I often describe something as a ‘Moose moment’ or a ‘Moose head moment’, and although everyone I know has seen The Germans episode of Fawlty Towers at least twice, nobody ever seems to recognise the reference. It comes from when Basil is struggling to put the Moose’s head up on the wall, and he has to stop and put it down to go and answer the phone call from Sybil telling him to make sure he puts the Moose’s head up. It’s actually quite a handy figure of speech, for when someone interrupts your progress with task X precisely to tell you to get on with task X. I used to work in the IT industry (I must have been evil in a previous life) and this sort of thing happened on an almost daily basis. There was always some ‘Manager’ with not enough to do who would phone just to ask me to go into his/her office, just so that they could remind how important it was get on with task X, and I’d explain that that’s what I _was_ doing before I had to stop to come into their office to be told this. I would remark that this was a bit of a Moose Head event, and just got blank looks all round. Another one I often refer to comes from the Python Holy Grail movie. The Kind safely gets across the bridge by answering an obscure question about swallows and air/weight ratios. When someone asks him how he knew that, he says ‘Oh, you have to know these things when you’re a King’, which is a deliciously silly answer explaining nothing. Well, likewise, someone in the office had once written a witty article for the company magazine which mentioned a ‘ouija’ board, except thay hadn’t a clue how to spell ‘ouija’. I explained that it’s easy to remember, because it’s just the French and German words for ‘Yes’ put together. He asked me how I knew this, and I said, in my best Python / Graham Chapman voice, ‘Oh, you have to know these things when you’re a technical writer’, which I meant in a purely silly, jokey way. The guy just nodded, said, ‘Oh I see’ and wandered off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-references-that-nobody-ever-gets/219498.md?page=3)