Is there a succinct phrase that describes what Montgomery Burns does with his hands while saying “Eeexcellent!”? Best I can do is “the oscillating finger steeple”
Shirley, you can do better.
I think the technical term is The Finger Pyramid of Evil Contemplation.
I just think of it as steepling, ya know “here’s the church, here’s the steeple …”
I think he referred to it once as “finger-tenting” or “tenting his fingers.”
From “A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love” (CABF18, aired 2-Dec-2001)
Gloria: I’ve gotta be honest, Monty, I’ve never dated anyone who knew Calvin Coolidge.
Burns: Well, I never dated anyone with their original hair and teeth. [they laugh and, when Gloria isn’t looking, Burns whips out a magnifying glass to double-check]
Gloria: You’re a nice guy, Monty. You’re always laughing and tenting your fingers. I like that.
Burns: [tents his fingers] Excellent.
By the way, don’t call us surely.
Wait! I always thought he rapidly alternately touched his fingers together - or does he merely make a steeple? Am I conflating some other cartoon gesture. As I sit here at work (with no way to confirm) I’m filled with doubt now that his fingers do move.
I didn’t call you one of the Seven Duffs (oh, wait… that’s Surly)
Far more often than not, he steeples them. Mebbe he’s tapped them a little once or twice, but his characteristic gesture is steepling.
To confirm what other posters have said, the correct phrase is “steepling your fingers”. I do not know how I know this but I know it (i.e. no cite)
How about a compromise: Oscillating finger steeple of evil contemplation?
I like the oscillating and the evil contemplation.
I thought the OP was about the moving fingers, similar to what he does while waiting for the Inspector to clear the coffee table (00:58-1:00).
I don’t watch a lot anymore, but I don’t recall him steepling his fingers much at all, not nearly as much as doing whatever the “excellent” gesture is.
Shirley only looks out for one girl…Shirley!
The very end of that clip shows the typical tented-fingers/“Excellent” pose.
Perhaps you’re thinking of Homer - at least once (in the episode in which Lisa marries Hugh, I believe), he interlaces his fingers and then sorta wiggles them excitedly.
Joe
In that clip, at the 0:58 point mentioned, Mr Burns does the consecutive finger tapping that I remember as well.
I stand corrected. I didn’t realize that “steepling your fingers” means only one or two fingers are extended and held together. I retract my previous post and we can all pretend it never happened.
I suppose it’s possible to tent ones fingers in evil contemplation, but steeplng the fingers just sounds so sharp and evil.
We can all agree on the evil and the contemplation, can’t we?
only fingers tapping clacking cross computer keyboards
“Monty” Burns??
As Smithers set to music for someone’s retirement party: To friends he’s known as Monty, but to you, he’s Mister Burns!