# Phrases you'd NEVER thought you'd hear... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954 "2007-10-16T21:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/1 "2007-10-16T21:39:09Z")
Last night, my son’s girlfriend was over. She was interested in what I was watching. Columbo, I said. This is season 1…I picked it up cheap at a local store. She had never heard of him before. She sits down to watch Columbo with me for a bit while my son was off doing something. Out of the blue she says… . . . . . “He’s cute”. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/2 "2007-10-16T21:55:54Z")
What’s wrong with that? Considering her age, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/3 "2007-10-17T01:38:25Z")
Peter Falk?? Nope, I’d not expect that! Quirky, fascinating, annoying… but cute? What does this say about your son’s looks? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/4 "2007-10-17T03:41:35Z")
[QUOTE=Fetchund] Peter Falk?? Nope, I’d not expect that! Quirky, fascinating, annoying… but cute? What does this say about your son’s looks? [/QUOTE] What is that supposed to mean? ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/5 "2007-10-17T13:45:25Z")
{Methinks Mr. Owl is missing a funny bone…} My son is just as dashing handsome as me. 😛 Watching season 1 – Peter Falk does look very YOUNG. Not used to seeing him that way. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/6 "2007-10-17T14:02:36Z")
Young Peter Falk is… sorta… good looking. Plus, in season 1, Colombo’s rain coat isn’t quite as ruffled. If she’d said that about an older Peter Falk, I’d be worried. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/7 "2007-10-17T14:06:11Z")
At least you weren’t watching _Kojack_. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/8 "2007-10-17T14:07:14Z")
So which desert wasteland has she been camping out in, that she’s never heard of _Columbo_? ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/9 "2007-10-17T14:10:29Z")
I’d guess the Island of Youth. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/10 "2007-10-17T14:12:09Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] I’d guess the Island of Youth. [/QUOTE] Yep, the TV reception there sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/11 "2007-10-17T14:14:14Z")
Perhaps she was commenting on his behavior. Seeing how Columbo doesn’t beat, or just verbally abuse confessions out of criminals like TV cops today. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/12 "2007-10-17T14:16:25Z")
I always thought there was something attractive about Columbo. Cute? I’m not so sure about that! But I do love his shows. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/13 "2007-10-17T14:19:54Z")
Young Peter Falk wasn’t bad looking at all. In fact, in movies like **The Great Race** , he _is_ cute. > [@](#): > > At least you weren’t watching Kojack. What is that supposed to mean? Telly Savalas was a sexy man. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/14 "2007-10-17T14:33:40Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] [Quote=UncleRojelio] At least you weren’t watching Kojack. [/Quote] What is that supposed to mean? Telly Savalas was a sexy man. [/QUOTE] Perhaps he meant Kolchek, the Night Stalker? ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/15 "2007-10-17T15:40:28Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] Perhaps she was commenting on his behavior. Seeing how Columbo doesn’t beat, or just verbally abuse confessions out of criminals like TV cops today. [/QUOTE] Good idea, but no…she was only watching for a couple minutes. I am certain she was talking about his looks. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/16 "2007-10-17T16:32:34Z")
Johnny Carson used to say the least spoken phrase in the English language is: “That’s the banjo player’s Porsche.” ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/17 "2007-10-17T17:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] I always thought there was something attractive about Columbo. Cute? I’m not so sure about that! But I do love his shows. [/QUOTE] Perhaps it’s not so much “attractive” as “appealing”? I could see him being described as “cute” in the way a big, fluffy, friendly dog can be described as “cute”. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/18 "2007-10-17T18:00:52Z")
As I minor trivia point, I used to sort of know the guy that the Columbo character supposedly was based on. No, he wasn’t cute, yes, his coat was ruffled, and yes, the look comes with a smell. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/19 "2007-10-17T18:01:54Z")
[QUOTE=Balance] Perhaps it’s not so much “attractive” as “appealing”? I could see him being described as “cute” in the way a big, fluffy, friendly dog can be described as “cute”. [/QUOTE] A big, fluffy, friendly, cute dog that relentlessly badgers the suspect by asking “Just one more thing” until the suspect would rather get the gas chamber than have to deal with Lt. Columbo anymore. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954/20 "2007-10-17T18:17:07Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] Johnny Carson used to say the least spoken phrase in the English language is: “That’s the banjo player’s Porsche.” [/QUOTE] Almost choked on my turkey sandwhich. 😃 I would think then, the second least spoken phrase would be "Does the bass player _ever_ shut up? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youd-never-thought-youd-hear/422954.md?page=2)