# The one line that sold you... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2006, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125 "2006-06-02T08:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/61 "2006-06-04T19:48:11Z")
Prizis honor.When Kathlene Turner tell Jack Nickolson she has done 12 hits. He was shocked and said that many. She responds thats not many considering the size of the male population paraphrased ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Dr.Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Love)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/62 "2006-06-04T20:43:45Z")
The first bit of **Firefly** I can remember seeing, and the part that got me hooked, was the end of Ariel when Jayne is in the airlock. Near as I can remember, the line was “You did it to me Jayne, and that’s a fact.” I can also remember loving the fact that there was no sound in space the first time I watch the series. I was also quite impressed with shooting that cop, like **AerynSun** mentioned. The lines piqued my curiosity in **Arrested Development** I saw on a commercial: Gob’s Wife: I’m in love with your brother. Gob: You did it again you son of a bitch! [punch] Gob’s Wife: … in-law. Sorry, I should have finished that though. Been hooked since I watched that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/63 "2006-06-04T21:07:28Z")
> [@ambushed](#): > > As far as I know, there is only one other writer who had much the same gift: P.G. Wodehouse, of whom I’m a huge fan Sorry for the slight hijack, but which of his books would you recommend to start with? ---
**Author:** ![ambushed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@ambushed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambushed)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/64 "2006-06-05T01:09:58Z")
> [@Fish Cheer](#): > > Sorry for the slight hijack, but which of [P.G. Wodehouse’s] books would you recommend to start with? I’m afraid I’m not going to be very helpful with your question, because I have a terrible, terrible memory. I was introduced to Wodehouse by reading a collection of his famous Jeeves and Wooster stories, but I can’t recall the title, nor do I recognize the title from browsing Amazon. Oddly, I can’t recall the titles of any of the other anthologies I’ve read, either. And I never read a book of his that was limited to a single novel. But you might want to consider the following anthologies: [Enter Jeeves : 15 Early Stories](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486297179) [P.G. Wodehouse : Five Complete Novels](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0517405385) ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/65 "2006-06-05T01:24:02Z")
Another quote from me: (After she is asked why she didn’t dispose of a limpet mine she found attatched to her hull after removing it) “Because, Major, a mine is a terrible thing to waste.” --Captain Kylarra Vatta, “Marque and Reprisal” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/66 "2006-06-05T14:35:17Z")
From Pterry’s first Discworld novel, _The Colour of Magic_ – Rincewind speaking of TwoFlowers: “If chaos were lightning, he’d be the chap standing on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting, ‘All gods are bastards!’” ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/67 "2006-06-05T14:53:30Z")
I fell for Tom Lehrer’s work when I heard “Wernher Von Braun” for the first time (following a link from a Google hit for the lyrics of “Poisoning Pigeons In The Park”, as far as I remember): > [@Tom Lehrer](#): > > Don’t say that he’s hypocritical, > Say rather that he’s apolitical. > “Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? > That’s not my department,” says Wernher von Braun. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/68 "2006-06-05T15:18:46Z")
“Do we even have a semblance of a plan?” “We follow until we find them, then we kill them all.” (From _13th Warrior._ In the theater I proudly beamed at my gaming friends, “I’ve been PART of that plan before!”) “His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a g-d. He prefered to drop the Maha and Atman, however, and just call himself Sam. He never claimed to be a g-d, but then again, he never claimed not to be…” -The opening of _Lords of Light_ by Zelazny. One of the first ‘adult’ sci-fi’s I ever read. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/69 "2006-06-05T15:34:30Z")
Forgot one. Well, forgot a series. Sports Night had more written ‘moments’ than I can shake a stick at, but one that made me totally love William H. Macey’s character… The heads of the studio have been bullying him and the staff that works with him. He’s not the ‘good guy’ of the staff, and he finally tells the studio execs that if they ever pull something ‘like they just did’, “I will rededicate the rest of my life to making the rest of your life a living hell.” Made me almost wanna cheer. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/70 "2006-06-05T15:34:52Z")
> [@](#): > > I once knew this girl who thought she was God. She didn’t give sight to the blind or raise the dead. She didn’t even teach anything, not really, and she never told me anything I probably didn’t already know. On the other hand, she didn’t expect to be worshipped, nor did she ever ask for money. Given her high opinion of herself, some might call that a miracle. \*Sati \* Christofer Pike. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/71 "2006-06-05T15:59:53Z")
Oh, and the _other_ thing: > [@Bob Dylan](#): > > It’s a restless hungry feeling > That don’t mean no one no good, > When ev’rything I’m a-sayin’ > You can say it just as good. > You’re right from your side, > I’m right from mine. > We’re both just one too many mornings > An’ a thousand miles behind. Again more than just one line, but I can’t help it. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/72 "2006-06-05T16:01:12Z")
> [@Dostoyevsky](#): > > He was sentimental. He was evil and sentimental. Describing Fyodor Karamazov > [@Aristotle](#): > > The utter servility of man comes out in his preference for a bovine existence From the Nicomachean Ethics. Explains a _lot_ of things. Also from the same work, he defines The Good as “the activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.” Beautiful thought. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/73 "2006-06-05T16:30:28Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Also from the same work, he defines The Good as “the activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.” Beautiful thought. How does he define virtue? (I hope the definition does not contain the word “good” or any equivalent!) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/74 "2006-06-05T17:00:26Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > How does he define virtue? (I hope the definition does not contain the word “good” or any equivalent!) Unfortunately, not in a tidy little epigram (at least not one that I can remember!). If I may commit an injustice to the work through uber-condensation (and to avoid a hijack), it boils down to the area between extremes of human attributes. That is, between the attributes of cowardice and foolhardiness is the virtue of bravery. ---
**Author:** ![bauble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@bauble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bauble)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/75 "2006-06-05T18:09:56Z")
> [@ArrMatey!](#): > > Forgot one. Well, forgot a series. Sports Night had more written ‘moments’ than I can shake a stick at, but one that made me totally love William H. Macey’s character… > > The heads of the studio have been bullying him and the staff that works with him. He’s not the ‘good guy’ of the staff, and he finally tells the studio execs that if they ever pull something ‘like they just did’, “I will rededicate the rest of my life to making the rest of your life a living hell.” > > Made me almost wanna cheer. > [@Sam Donovan](#): > > I’ll re-dedicate the rest of my life to ruining the rest of yours. If you think I’m just mouthin’ at you, ask around about me, I have absolutely no conscience about these things. A great character in a great show. For me, the line was “You’re wearing my shirt, Gordon.” from the same show (long storyline behind it; basically, he was calling Gordon on cheating on his girlfriend). ---
**Author:** ![ululate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/59ef9b/32.png) [@ululate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ululate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/76 "2006-06-05T18:23:12Z")
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Paul Newman amiably tries to talk a cold-eyed gunslinger out of bullying Robert Redford into a fight, and meets with no success amidst his increasing desperation. He reluctantly gives up. “I can’t help you, Sundance.” Gunslinger whimperingly backs the heck down. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/77 "2006-06-05T18:44:02Z")
> [@bauble](#): > > A great character in a great show. > > For me, the line was “You’re wearing my shirt, Gordon.” from the same show (long storyline behind it; basically, he was calling Gordon on cheating on his girlfriend). As mentioned, this show is so full of great moments, it’s hard to pick just one. But the ‘you’re wearing my shirt’ moment, and the sudden feeling like Gordon just got a well-deserved axe burried in his skull, was amazing. That and (not to quote every darn episode in the series) moment where Jeromey tells the athlete that hurt Natalie that he’s considering going out and hiring someone to kill him… Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/78 "2006-06-05T19:07:48Z")
I didn’t start watching Buffy until s.6. I really disliked the first few episodes…then the musical episode… “Going through the motions” When the demon starts singing “She’s not even half the girl she- (Buffy stabs him) Owwwwww.” I laughed my ass off. The Decemberists hooked me with this “I am a chimbley, a chimbley sweep.” ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/79 "2006-06-05T22:08:57Z")
The Westmark Trilogy by Lloyd Alexander: _Westmark_ > [@](#): > > Theo, by occupation, was a devil. _The Kestral_ (Theo’s financée, after being told by her mother that he might have found someone else) > [@](#): > > She did not believe a word of what Queen Caroline has said. She wondered if it might be true. _The Beggar Queen_ (not a one liner, apologies - King Constantine talking to his uncle who’s recently tried to have him killed) > [@](#): > > “You’ve always wanted to be rid of me. I can understand why if I look at it from your point of view. I can even forgive you for it. But I can’t let you stay alive…I’m sorry. It has nothing to do with you personally. It’s a matter of policy. You see that, don’t you?” > “Yes. It is correct” ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125/80 "2006-06-05T22:13:23Z")
The very last line of _Sliding Doors_ makes the movie. After I suffered through most of the last half of that film, the end was just so cool. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-line-that-sold-you/359125.md?page=5)