# 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:** 32
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/621 "2010-01-23T16:46:43Z")
A down comforter, Peter, is a large filled blanket stuffed with bird down. Generally duck down. Eg, fluffy baby duck feathers. Thus, the old joke, “How do you get down from an elephant? You don’t. You get down from a duck!” ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/622 "2010-01-23T21:39:36Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > A down comforter, Peter, is a large filled blanket stuffed with bird down. Generally duck down. Eg, fluffy baby duck feathers. Thus, the old joke, “How do you get down from an elephant? You don’t. You get down from a duck!” And I was about 35 when I got the joke. At home, with my baby, playing peek-a-bo. Something about ducking down, and… click… and I got it. And I laughed so hard I peed myself. Then called my mom to tell her I just got the old down from an elephant joke. She then proceeded to soak an innocent cordless phone in nose-tea. This is particularly bad as I am a terrible punster, from a family of terrible punsters. Grew up having duck down mits and vests. Loved elephant jokes when I was nine, and told them incessantly. I just never “got” the down from an elephant one. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/623 "2010-01-23T22:02:53Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > “Down” has several meanings in English. One of them is "not very happy. " Could this possibly be the meaning in down comforter? Something that cheers you up when you are not very happy? Without seeing the context it’s hard to tell. Unless the author was Piers Anthony (or someone else prone to making horrible contrived puns) then there’s no way “down comforter” would mean anything other than a bed cover stuffed with feathers. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/624 "2010-01-25T14:26:54Z")
I was a big Battlestar Galactica watcher, so my SO and I first watched Caprica when it came out on DVD. We re-watched the “edited for TV” premiere on Friday and it was only after that when I realized this. It’s the focus of two families, the Adams (Adamas) and the Graystones. We know that the Adams/Adamas are the ancestors of Bill Adama. But it took me a minute to lock in that it’s not really the Adamas and the Graystones. It’s Adama and Zoe. A to Z. And their lifelong connection. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/625 "2010-01-25T17:05:02Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I went :dubious:, thinking it was some kind of euphemism for a dildo or something I think this is going to be my new sex toy euphemism. Thanks! 😃 > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Could this possibly be the meaning in down comforter? Something that cheers you up when you are not very happy? Without seeing the context it’s hard to tell. I’m all curious now–are you a native speaker of English? If so, where are you from? Around here, anyway (Wisconsin), nobody who’s a native speaker would possibly be confused about the meaning of “down comforter,” context or no. But that’s because we generally use comforters, rather than duvets, and they can be down-filled. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/626 "2010-01-30T03:40:12Z")
Just realized that the name “Pop-Tarts” was inspired by Pop _Art_…which was popular at the time Pop-Tarts were first made. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/627 "2010-01-30T13:03:59Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I’m all curious now–are you a native speaker of English? If so, where are you from? I’m native British, and I’ve never heard the phrase. I know what a duvet is, but not a comforter. Must be an American thing. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/628 "2010-01-30T15:46:27Z")
I just rewatched the Buffy musical, “Once More With Feeling”, and didn’t realize until then that Spike literally saved Buffy’s life. Under the influence of the Demon Sweet, Buffy was going to dance, sing and spin herself to death until Spike intercepted her and stopped her from doing so. I never liked the Buffy & Spike are in love story line, but I feel so stupid for not realizing the above until now. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/629 "2010-01-30T15:51:26Z")
I thought that the pop in pop tarts referred to their popping out of toasters. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/630 "2010-01-30T17:59:26Z")
I think I’d seen [Monty Python and the Holy Grail](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_l5ntikaU) about a million times before I noticed that in the witch scene, when we first see Sir Bedevire, he has tied a coconut to an english swallow and attempting to see if it will fly! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/631 "2010-01-30T18:08:11Z")
> [@Lethal\_Babydoll](#): > > If a map is a creative work … > > A friend of mine was bitching years back about how the Japanese were “taking over Hawaii.” > > I said it was understandable that it’d be a popular destination for Japanese tourists since it was a close to Japan as it was to the U.S. > > He called me an idiot and got out a map … which clearly showed Hawaii just off the coast of Southern California. > > In a handy box One of my cousins, who is in her 50s, believes that Hawaii \*\*\*and Alaska \*\*\*are both off the coast of California. I don’t know how, in her mind, they get such different weather. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/632 "2010-01-30T19:04:38Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > I think I’d seen [Monty Python and the Holy Grail](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_l5ntikaU) about a million times before I noticed that in the witch scene, when we first see Sir Bedevire, he has tied a coconut to an english swallow and attempting to see if it will fly! Hey, I never noticed that either. ---
**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 1, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/633 "2010-02-01T14:31:17Z")
As I’ve posted before, for about a year I thought there was a singer named “Fiancee” that I kept hearing about, and one named “Be-younce” that I kept reading about. Image my :smack: when I put 1+1 together and got _one_ ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/634 "2010-02-01T14:46:02Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > I think I’d seen [Monty Python and the Holy Grail](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_l5ntikaU) about a million times before I noticed that in the witch scene, when we first see Sir Bedevire, he has tied a coconut to an english swallow and attempting to see if it will fly! IIRC there are at least 3 scenes in that movie that involve pointless cruelty against cats. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/635 "2010-02-01T16:14:29Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > IIRC there are at least 3 scenes in that movie that involve pointless cruelty against cats. Cruelty against cats is never pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/636 "2010-02-01T17:10:58Z")
Especially not since, as Calvin once observed, cats are pointy on five of their six ends. Cruelty to cats often results in the humans involved getting the point. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/637 "2010-02-01T17:30:08Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > It took me a long time to realise that the opening notes of the Madness song [Cardiac Arrest](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fTkxwIlFpg) sound like a heartbeat. > > Nor did I notice the clock strike midnight at the start of [Danse Macabre](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyknBTm_YyM). But you noticed the cockcrow at the end. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/638 "2010-02-01T18:24:54Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Just realized that the name “Pop-Tarts” was inspired by Pop _Art_…which was popular at the time Pop-Tarts were first made. :smack: I was gonna call false-cognate BS on this, but hrmmm. The Wikipedia article claims it, too, and sources [this page](http://www.wholepop.com/973580985/features/toasters/poptarts.htm). Of course, the page doesn’t give any sources, but it’s at least plausible. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I’m native British, and I’ve never heard the phrase. Yup, that’s it, then. I don’t think I’ve heard the word “comforter” outside of the U.S., and it might not even be used as much outside of the midwest. A [comforter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comforter) is a thick blanket stuffed with some sort of insulator. > [@panache45](#): > > One of my cousins, who is in her 50s, believes that Hawaii \*\*\*and Alaska \*\*\*are both off the coast of California. Well, if you continue up the California coast, you \*will \*hit Alaska _eventually_… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/639 "2010-02-01T18:30:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Battle of Wits in _Princess Bride_: Vizzini isn’t trying to reason logically about where the poison is. He’s gauging the Man in Black’s reaction whenever he says it’s in one or the other. Whenever he says the poison is in front of the Man in Black, he tenses up, and whenever he says that it’s in front of himself, he relaxes. From there, he just had to figure out whether the Man in Black was bluffing or not, something that Vizzini is very good at. You called? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/640 "2010-02-01T19:08:05Z")
In 2000, there was an intriguing movie called [Shadow of the Vampire](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0189998/). It’s a meta-fiction film that posits the idea the F.W. Murnau, director of the legendary silent horror film [Nosferatu](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013442/) used a real “live” vampire to act as the vampire in the film. I don’t know if spoiler tags are necessary for a ten year old film, but just in case… The 2000 film’s climax occurs as Murnau is filming the final scene for the movie. A key plot point is that the actress playing the heroine in “Nosferatu” doesn’t know that she’s doing a scene with a real vampire, and certainly doesn’t know that Murnau has promised the vampire that he can actually drink her blood. She catches on though when she happens to glance into the mirror and see that the ‘actor’ playing the vampire has no reflection. Anyway, I happen to buy a DVD copy of “Nosferatu” several days ago, and watched it for the first time in years. I noticed that the set for that final scene, which “Shadow” duplicated precisely, also has a mirror in the very same corner. BUT, in the [original film](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1YmD9Pcb0w&feature=related) _the vampire does have a reflection_! Given the amount of research that obviously was done on the original film, I can’t imagine that this is a goof. Rather, I think it was a deliberate ‘inaccuracy’ meant as a wink_wink_nudge_nudge_ to all the folks who actually bothered to watch the original film. (On a small side note, had I known I could have watched the whole film on youtube, I wouldn’t even have bothered with the $6.00 DVD.) [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=31) [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=33)