# 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:** 175
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3482 "2020-01-20T15:51:27Z")
Emma Peel = M appeal (i.e., man appeal) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3483 "2020-01-20T15:56:25Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 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: I don’t know if I’d call that obvious… With it pointed out, I can see the influence, but without the glasses and the suit, the resemblance is barely passing. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3484 "2020-01-20T16:01:39Z")
I’m not convinced it’s about SPF. I was always confused what having a pistol had to do with anything before I settled on the old time record player explanation. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3485 "2020-01-20T17:55:51Z")
One of the best Ringo albums is _Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr_. On it,_Act Naturally_. Now Ringo can do a pretty good American accent, but I thought his accent here was amazing- until I learned it was a duet with Buck Owens.:smack::eek: ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3486 "2020-01-22T15:07:02Z")
This happened in the past 15 minutes. A friend on FB posted an article about how dangerous arsenic has been found in large batches of wine as a little is sometimes used in the fermenting process. Of course, comments start referring to “Aresenic and Old Lace”. I think about the flavor of wine the old ladies used. Elderberry. Elder Bury. _MIND BLOWN!_ ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3487 "2020-01-22T17:21:30Z")
As a hormonal, nerdy teen girl I read James Kirkwood Jr.'s “Good Times, Bad Times” and had a mad fantasy crush on Jordan, the sensitive young man with heart trouble. Narrator Peter, his friend, wasn’t so bad either. I daydreamed many a scenario where I had a passionate affair with one or the other of them. I read the book again years later and realized I had completely overlooked the homoerotic overtones. Not only were Jordan and Peter out of my reach because they were fictional characters, had they somehow come to life exactly as written, I wouldn’t have met their criteria for romantic involvement. Dammit! (I have mixed feelings about the book now. It was in some ways a wonderful novel; I wasn’t the only one who identified strongly with it. But the plot was ultimately self-loathingly anti-gay; had the author (gay himself) written the same book at a time more accepting of homosexuality surely he wouldn’t have tied the headmaster’s evil to his sexual orientation.) ---
**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 27, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3488 "2020-01-27T15:26:51Z")
Listening to Queen, I suddenly realized they did more great songs with fewer musical instruments than any band in history. They are practically an a capella band. Of course, when you’re working with Freddy Mercury’s 3+ octave voice, who needs instruments? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3489 "2020-01-27T18:59:05Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Listening to Queen, I suddenly realized they did more great songs with fewer musical instruments than any band in history. They are practically an a capella band. > > Of course, when you’re working with Freddy Mercury’s 3+ octave voice, who needs instruments? Yes, several of their albums boasted “No synths!” ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3490 "2020-01-29T20:53:07Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Until reading some Harry Potter fanfiction I never realized how dark the stories were especially the Dursley’s treatment of Harry. There’s a lot of controversy about how much Dumbledore knew of the situation, but at the very least he could have called occasionally You know, the idea of the hero being left to deal with bad circumstances alone, while the father / wizard figure does nothing to intervene, is seen elsewhere too. Such as the relationship between Wotan & Siegmund in Wagner’s _Die Walkure_. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3491 "2020-01-29T20:54:07Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Yes, several of their albums boasted “No synths!” Surely, then, the citizens of Diamond City would approve. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3492 "2020-01-29T21:09:28Z")
> [@Limmin](#): > > Such as the relationship between Wotan & Siegmund in Wagner’s _Die Walkure_. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3493 "2020-01-29T21:14:29Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Another, much more minor thing: when Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, she’s at something like a 5-way intersection of yellow brick roads, and wonders aloud which way is the right way, which gets the Scarecrow started with talking and pointing in various directions. > > At the end of the scene, they head off down one of the roads together. But at no point have they reached a decision on which road is the right road to the Emerald City. > > Weird that I should have never noticed either of these things before. Like most of us, I’ve seen it Lord knows how many times, and I was in my late 50s the last time the Firebug and I watched it together, so I can’t exactly blame it on still being a kid at the time. Don’t all roads lead to Rome? ---
**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:** [January 29, 2020, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3494 "2020-01-29T21:25:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > One of the best Ringo albums is _Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr_. > > On it,_Act Naturally_. Now Ringo can do a pretty good American accent, but I thought his accent here was amazing- until I learned it was a duet with Buck Owens.:smack::eek: That song has a somewhat unusual recording history. Buck Owens recorded his version of it in 1963. Ringo Starr recorded his version of it in 1965. And then Owens and Starr recorded a new version as a duet in 1989. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3495 "2020-01-30T00:11:24Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Don’t all roads lead to Rome? No. All roads lead _away_ from Ankh-Morpork but some people are walking along them the wrong way. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3496 "2020-01-30T00:19:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That song has a somewhat unusual recording history. Buck Owens recorded his version of it in 1963. Ringo Starr recorded his version of it in 1965. And then Owens and Starr recorded a new version as a duet in 1989. Huh, interesting. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3497 "2020-02-10T16:55:30Z")
It just now hit me why Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat uses an Elvis impersonator as Pharaoh, who sings The song of the King? Get it? Elvis the King? ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3498 "2020-02-10T17:34:27Z")
_Caddyshack_ is one of my all-time favorite movies. However, my brain didn’t click on the double-entendre of the name of the country club (Bushwood) until I ordered a “Property of Bushwood Country Club 1980” shirt - and wore it for the first time. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3499 "2020-02-11T00:23:46Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > It just now hit me why Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat uses an Elvis impersonator as Pharaoh, who sings The song of the King? > > Get it? Elvis the King? From Memphis! ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3500 "2020-02-11T07:37:24Z")
The new Harley Quinn movie got me thinking about the character. I’ve been a fan of her since Batman the Animated Series and even own an original animation cel (the only one I own, actually), so we’re talking nearly 30 years. She was originally voiced by actress Arleen Sorkin and even inspired by her appearance in Days of our Lives. [more Harley Quinn origin Arleen Sorkin Days of Our Lives video - YouTube](https://youtu.be/fjrIOtMRGcU) It never occurred to me that her name was, too. Harley Quinn, obviously, is a take off on Harlequin. in keeping with the week puns of comic book villain names, it was supposedly based upon her “real” name Harleen Quinzel. They even reference it in the new animated series on DC where the Joker says he gave her her name and she replies, “You got Harley Quinn from Harleen Quinzel? I mean, come on!” I have NO idea why it never occurred to me until this week that the real inspiration’s name _Arleen_ Sorkin just needs an “H” and it’s H_arleen_. I had so completely dismissed the obvious reference to her real name due to the pun within a pun of her name being a “clown” and the weak “kayfabe” justification for that name. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3501 "2020-02-11T14:42:53Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > The new Harley Quinn movie got me thinking about the character. I’ve been a fan of her since Batman the Animated Series and even own an original animation cel (the only one I own, actually), so we’re talking nearly 30 years. She was originally voiced by actress Arleen Sorkin and even inspired by her appearance in Days of our Lives. [https://youtu.be/fjrIOtMRGcU](https://youtu.be/fjrIOtMRGcU) It never occurred to me that her name was, too. Harley Quinn, obviously, is a take off on Harlequin. in keeping with the week puns of comic book villain names, it was supposedly based upon her “real” name Harleen Quinzel. They even reference it in the new animated series on DC where the Joker says he gave her her name and she replies, “You got Harley Quinn from Harleen Quinzel? I mean, come on!” I have NO idea why it never occurred to me until this week that the real inspiration’s name _Arleen_ Sorkin just needs an “H” and it’s H_arleen_. I had so completely dismissed the obvious reference to her real name due to the pun within a pun of her name being a “clown” and the weak “kayfabe” justification for that name. I was about to protest that surely they came up with the character’s name and it was purely coincidence that the actress who voiced her had a similar first name. [But it’s not that simple.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley_Quinn#Creation) > [@](#): > > Harley Quinn first appeared in the DC Animated Universe’s Batman: The Animated Series episode “Joker’s Favor,”[9] in what was initially supposed to be the animated equivalent of a walk-on role; several police officers were to be taken hostage by someone jumping out of a cake, and it was decided that to have the Joker do so himself would be too bizarre, although he ended up doing it anyway. Thus they created a female sidekick for the Joker; she would become his love interest. Arleen Sorkin, a former star of the soap opera Days of Our Lives, appeared in a dream sequence on that series in which she wore a jester costume; They used this scene as an inspiration for Quinn.[10] Having been friends with Sorkin since college, Paul Dini incorporated aspects of her personality into the character and even got Sorkin herself to voice the character.[11] Quinn was also inspired by a mutual female friend’s “stormy but nonviolent relationship,” according to Timm.[12] They might have named the character Harley Quinn even if Arleen had not been a factor, but this suggests that her name may have inspired that choice. [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=174) [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=176)