# 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:** 305
**Author:** ![Chelonaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Chelonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chelonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6087 "2024-12-30T22:55:01Z")
Must have heard The Pogues “Navigator” hundreds of times. Love the tune and the way Shane spit out indignant phrases. But what exactly are these phrases and how do they connect to each other. “Navigator wake up and be strong”. Yeah, he’s on a ship, so he has to plot a course, makes sense. But then there’s something about shovels and dynamite and plenty of lines I can’t quite make out. Landslides and empires with no sunsetting, and now in deep darkness. Turns out “navigator” was a term for manual laborers doing the hard work digging canals and building railroad enbankments. > **[Navvy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy)** > > Navvy, a clipping of navigator (UK) or navigational engineer (US), is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects and occasionally in North America to refer to mechanical shovels and earth moving machinery. The term was coined in the late 18th century in Great Britain when numerous canals were being built, which were also sometimes known as "navigations". > A study of 19th-century British railway contracts by David Brooke, coinciding with cen... ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6088 "2024-12-31T02:01:25Z")
Ah, that clarifies the verse in “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” > We are the navvies who work upon the railway > Swingin’ our hammers in the bright blazin’ sun > Livin’ on stew and drinkin’ bad whiskey > Bendin’ our backs 'til the long days are done ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6089 "2025-01-05T01:04:58Z")
Okay, was just listening to “Walk Like a Man” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Frankie does his yodeling while the deeper-voiced guys back him up with “Walk…walk…walk…walk…” But it sounds an awful lot like “wop, wop, wop,” too. Maybe a coincidence, but maybe that, and the fact of that style in general being called “doo- **wop** ”, was a kind of reclaiming the name for Italian-Americans? Or maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6090 "2025-01-05T04:05:03Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Okay, was just listening to “Walk Like a Man” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Frankie does his yodeling while the deeper-voiced guys back him up with “Walk…walk…walk…walk…” But it sounds an awful lot like “wop, wop, wop,” too. Is there a Bathroom on the Right? 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6091 "2025-01-06T00:51:51Z")
I’m rewatching Pushing Daisies with my daughter and I noticed Patrick Fabian (Howard from Better Call Saul): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZzwcQapFtu8/hqdefault.jpg "Pushing Daisies Season 1 Episode 2 - Japanese") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzwcQapFtu8) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6092 "2025-01-06T17:28:32Z")
In _A Christmas Story_, when the mom turns off the leg lamp as the family is leaving the house, saying “Don’t want to waste electricity”, I always figured she just hated the lamp and was using energy conservation as an excuse. But the detail I never noticed until others pointed it out – after she says that the camera pans out to show that every other light in the house is still on, making it pretty obvious she didn’t actually care about wasting electricity. Similarly, towards the end of _Fargo_, when Marge is giving her monologue to Gaear in her patrol car, she ends with “…And it’s a beautiful day.” The scene then switches to an exterior shot, revelaing they’re driving through a white-out blizzard. Another detail I never noticed until others pointed it out. ---
**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 6, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6093 "2025-01-06T20:45:25Z")
Not sure is this fits the topic but I was looking up the magician [Teller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teller_(magician)) on Wikipedia and, as is usual, there’s a picture of the subject. What I thought was amusing is that the picture shows Teller talking. I suspect somebody chose that particular picture for its humorous irony. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6094 "2025-01-06T22:46:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What I thought was amusing is that the picture shows Teller talking. I suspect somebody chose that particular picture for its humorous irony. Having heard Teller talk on several occasions (I once got him into an argument with another guy!), what I find amusing is that he has a much nicer speaking voice than Penn. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6095 "2025-01-06T22:54:53Z")
Schindler’s List was based on a book written by an author after he’d met one of the survivors while buying a briefcase from him. That survivor was shown in the movie as having escaped death by stacking suitcases. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6096 "2025-01-06T23:45:33Z")
Australian author Thomas Keneally in fact, the book was called Schindler’s Ark. The survivor you mentioned asked everyone who came into his shop (in NYC IIRC?) whether they were an author; Keneally was the first one to say yes and so g on to write the story. ---
**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 7, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6097 "2025-01-07T18:26:31Z")
I was just watching a review of _The Matrix_ and they pointed out that Neo is an anagram for the One. I had never noticed that before now. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6098 "2025-01-07T19:39:53Z")
The ending of _The Dark Knight_ features a pretty classic example of the Prisoner’s Dilemma, with the explosives on the two ferries, which can be detonated by a switch located on the other ferry. Just realized the other day that it likely wasn’t accidental that the person who solved the dilemma was a prisoner. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6099 "2025-01-07T22:53:51Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > What I thought was amusing is that the picture shows Teller talking. I suspect somebody chose that particular picture for its humorous irony. > > Having heard Teller talk on several occasions (I once got him into an argument with another guy!), what I find amusing is that he has a much nicer speaking voice than Penn. I spoke to him briefly after a show. My brother-in-law was a student in the high school were Teller was teaching. He did not have class with Teller but remembers him in the school. Jon Stewart went to the same school but long after both of them were gone. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6100 "2025-01-08T00:53:36Z")
Teller has said (on a radio show) that he thought it rude not to talk to people when he wasn’t on stage and in character. In their movie, _Penn and Teller Get Killed_, he does have a line or two at the climax. He also had a speaking part as a guest star on _The Big Bang Theory._ ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6101 "2025-01-08T01:17:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > He also had a speaking part as a guest star on _The Big Bang Theory._ Of course a running joke on _The Big Bang Theory_ was that his character would be about to say something, but his wife would jump in interrupt him before he could speak, so he didn’t get to say much. I assume that was meant to be a reference to how Teller never speaks when on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6102 "2025-01-08T01:22:29Z")
He also spoke in both his guest appearances on _The Simpsons_ - the second of which “revealed” that Penn isn’t allowed to speak when they’re offstage. (“That was the curse the witch put on us.”) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6103 "2025-01-08T02:59:44Z")
When Penn and Teller played a comedian duo on “Babylon 5”, Teller’s character only spoke cryptic utterances through a vocoder; I thought this made him akin to a Vorlon. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6104 "2025-01-08T04:23:38Z")
Teller did whisper, behind his hand, to Sheridan before they left the station. Zoot, zoot! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6105 "2025-01-08T04:52:05Z")
I saw Penn & Teller once in Vegas. I think he did speak on stage during the act, but no one knew it at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/6106 "2025-01-08T17:11:19Z")
Years ago, they did a bit called “Mofo the Psychic Gorilla.” Mofo was the head from a gorilla suit on a pedestal, crudely rigged for its mouth to move. His voice was provided by Teller, standing a few feet away with his hand over his mouth. Their current stage act includes a bit where Penn and Teller switch identities, and Teller, in fake beard and dark wig, does indeed chatter away for a few minutes. He does a pretty good Penn impersonation. [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=304) [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=306)