# Obvious things about a creative work you realize after the millionth time (OPEN SPOILERS POSSIBLE) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117 "2009-07-24T13:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 173
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3442 "2019-11-27T22:44:34Z")
Just finished watching _Iron Man_, and I noticed something I’d never spotted before. At the press conference, a reporter tells Tony that he can’t expect them to believe that he’s not Iron Man. After protesting for a moment, Tony says, “I am Iron Man.” The other reporters (all wearing dark clothes) leap to their feet, shouting questions. She remains seated. (She’s wearing gray, so she stands out.) ---
**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:** [November 27, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3443 "2019-11-27T23:32:09Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Just finished watching _Iron Man_, and I noticed something I’d never spotted before. At the press conference, a reporter tells Tony that he can’t expect them to believe that he’s not Iron Man. After protesting for a moment, Tony says, “I am Iron Man.” The other reporters (all wearing dark clothes) leap to their feet, shouting questions. She remains seated. (She’s wearing gray, so she stands out.) I believe that’s the same reporter he sleeps with at the beginning of the movie, before he gets captured by terrorists ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3444 "2019-11-28T07:09:21Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Today on the radio I heard Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight and realized that he’s not saying what I always thought he was saying. The correct lyrics: I thought he was saying, “Hold on”. :smack: Same here! ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3445 "2019-11-28T14:52:58Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Just finished watching _Iron Man_, and I noticed something I’d never spotted before. At the press conference, a reporter tells Tony that he can’t expect them to believe that he’s not Iron Man. After protesting for a moment, Tony says, “I am Iron Man.” The other reporters (all wearing dark clothes) leap to their feet, shouting questions. She remains seated. (She’s wearing gray, so she stands out.) +1 ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3446 "2019-12-13T15:19:11Z")
In the Star Trek TOS classic episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever”, the crew people assigned to look for Dr. McCoy on the Guardian’s planet are the worst seach-party members ever. McCoy literally hid behind the only rocks in sight, and Scott, Uhura, etc, still walked right past the rocks and couldn’t find him. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3447 "2019-12-13T15:30:58Z")
I am embarrassed to admit that until this week I never realized the striking physical similarity between the King of Id in “The Wizard of Id” comic strip (as originally drawn) and a typical king as depicted on a deck of a certain style of playing cards. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3448 "2019-12-13T16:56:55Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > In the Star Trek TOS classic episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever”, the crew people assigned to look for Dr. McCoy on the Guardian’s planet are the worst seach-party members ever. McCoy literally hid behind the only rocks in sight, and Scott, Uhura, etc, still walked right past the rocks and couldn’t find him. You think that’s bad. I learned the other day that Josh Brolin and Josh Groban were two different people. I had just figured that Thanos had a really nice singing voice. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3449 "2019-12-13T18:47:09Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It took me a long time to realize that “Nickleodeon” is really a “Nickle Odeon” – an Odeon that costs a nickle. An “Odeon” was ancient Greek or Roman theater specifically built for music. Later it was the name of a luxurious theater in Paris. The name was appropriated by theaters across the United States in the early 20th centuries, then “nickleodeon” was coined for small movie theaters. The idea was clearly that, for a mere nickle, you could have a show. > > The name is parallel to “Penny Arcade” – a venue for literally penny-operated mechanical devices. The first penny arcades were outgrowths of the Phonograph Listening Parlors made to popularize the earliest recordings. They added other devices, most importantly the newly-developed _mutoscope_, that flip-card device that shows you a brief movie. Dickson, who used to work for Edison, designed them to compete with Edison’s _kinetoscope_, which showed customers a private celluloid movie. The Mutoscope didn’t break down the way Edison’s Kinetoscope did, and was cheaper to make an manufacture. There are still a lot of them around today. Seen any Kinetoscopes, ever? > > In any event, they used the name “Arcade” after a shopping venue in the Midwest, adding “penny” to tell you the cost of the devices. Penny Arcades in new York City would have hundreds of mutoscopes, each showing a different feature. They added other inexpensive devices – “Uncle Sam” test-your-strength machines, pennt postcard dispensers, “Love Testers”, Fortune Tellers, and the like. > I hadn’t realized that the names “Nickleodeon” and “penny arcade” were such close parallels. > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Good one. I’ve known the definition of “odeon” for as long as I can remember, but you’ve just now made me aware of the Nickle-Odeon and Penny-Arcade parallel. How in the world could something so obvious never have occurred to me? Nitpick, (because this is the SDMB and that’s how we roll, yo): the coin, and the mineral which gave it its name, is spelled _nickel._ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3450 "2019-12-13T19:49:41Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > I am embarrassed to admit that until this week I never realized the striking physical similarity between the King of Id in “The Wizard of Id” comic strip (as originally drawn) and a typical king as depicted on a deck of a certain style of playing cards. I’m not seeing it. Beyond being a human being wearing a crown, the [King of Id](https://www.google.com/search?q=king+of+id&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS853US853&sxsrf=ACYBGNS1_muu71WpBhntBxwsndFpYBJh1Q:1576266356565&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-m4TisbPmAhWDJ80KHU6sDMYQ_AUoAXoECBMQAw&biw=1366&bih=657) has two distinguishing characteristics; he’s very short and he has a big nose. Neither characteristic is common among [playing card kings](https://www.google.com/search?q=playing+cards+king&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS853US853&sxsrf=ACYBGNTjOt32dIZ-iq3sBG2OTJ4ktBji1Q:1576266106064&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFyMrqsLPmAhVCHM0KHQXPA3oQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1366&bih=657). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3451 "2019-12-13T19:57:44Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Nitpick, (because this is the SDMB and that’s how we roll, yo): the coin, and the mineral which gave it its name, is spelled _nickel._ I’m well aware of that fact, HATE spelling errors on message boards (_especially_ this one), can’t believe I missed and repeated such an obvious mistake, and don’t mind having it pointed out. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3452 "2019-12-13T20:48:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m not seeing it. Beyond being a human being wearing a crown, the [King of Id](https://www.google.com/search?q=king+of+id&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS853US853&sxsrf=ACYBGNS1_muu71WpBhntBxwsndFpYBJh1Q:1576266356565&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-m4TisbPmAhWDJ80KHU6sDMYQ_AUoAXoECBMQAw&biw=1366&bih=657) has two distinguishing characteristics; he’s very short and he has a big nose. Neither characteristic is common among [playing card kings](https://www.google.com/search?q=playing+cards+king&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS853US853&sxsrf=ACYBGNTjOt32dIZ-iq3sBG2OTJ4ktBji1Q:1576266106064&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFyMrqsLPmAhVCHM0KHQXPA3oQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1366&bih=657). Compare them. [Playing card kings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:King_playing_cards.jpg) vs. [the King of Id.](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/114771490476153703/) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3453 "2019-12-17T03:19:17Z")
I first read _Watchmen_ when it came out as a comic book series. I’ve probably read it a dozen times since. I’ve seen images of its characters hundreds of times, if not thousands. But I never noticed this: > [@](#): > > The one thing we knew about the character of the Comedian was he couldn’t look like the Joker. He couldn’t look like a deranged clown. So I thought, “Who else would be a comedian? Who could I think of?” The one that leaped to mind was Groucho Marx because he had the mustache and the cigar and the kind of slicked back hair. So he was very much a toughened-up version of Groucho Marx, which was what I had in mind. - Dave Gibbons ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3454 "2020-01-08T23:10:31Z")
The following two songs came up in sequence in my Spotify account: [He’s the Greatest Dancer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDwutKpVyas), Sister Sledge, which has one of my all-time favorite guitar grooves. [Getting Jiggy with It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JcmQONgXJM), Will Smith, which, uh, does too. In my defense, I wasn’t into hip hop (or even pop music) with GJWT was released. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3455 "2020-01-08T23:16:26Z")
To that end, how the hell did Billy Preston not sue Mike Post back in 1975 or so? I mean, holy hell, these songs sound a lot more alike than that Marvin Gaye song sounded like “Blurred Lines” and a helluva lot more than that other song sounded like “Stairway to Heaven”. Billy Preston’s [Space Race](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REtM2sRqm20&t=30s), copyright 1973. Mike Post’s [The Rockford Files Theme Song, copyright 1975](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg1Cx26-928) ---
**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:** [January 11, 2020, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3456 "2020-01-11T14:23:47Z")
I was at a restaurant/dance hall last night with a lady friend and another obvious thing hit me while watching the crowd ‘dance’: C&C’s Music Factory’s _Everybody Dance Now_ is one of the most undanceable dance songs ever released. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3457 "2020-01-13T13:32:17Z")
**JohnT** , I saw your post crop up in my email over the weekend, and I’ve gotten several giggles out of it. 😃 ---
**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:** [January 13, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3458 "2020-01-13T13:41:56Z")
It’s true, though! The rhythms are jagged, and those who dance to the melody (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) are also completely fucked trying to dance to “Everybody Dance Now”. For an audience of middle-aged white and hispanics couples, EDN is a dancing disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3459 "2020-01-13T13:42:55Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I was at a restaurant/dance hall last night with a lady friend and another obvious thing hit me while watching the crowd ‘dance’: > > C&C’s Music Factory’s _Everybody Dance Now_ is one of the most undanceable dance songs ever released. It’s really more of an aerobics song, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3460 "2020-01-13T14:39:50Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I was at a restaurant/dance hall last night with a lady friend and another obvious thing hit me while watching the crowd ‘dance’: > > C&C’s Music Factory’s _Everybody Dance Now_ is one of the most undanceable dance songs ever released. The rhythm is excellent for a slow, trippy dance. But I suspect the frantic vocal makes a lot of non-clubby types think they need to dance fast to it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3461 "2020-01-13T14:47:11Z")
The last verse of Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days is extremely ironic: And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it But I probably will Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture A little of the glory yeah He already IS that guy. And he’s drinking way too much to deal with it. Every verse mentions his drinking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=172) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=174)