# Things you finally notice in A Christmas Story.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380 "2011-12-25T22:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/41 "2011-12-28T19:51:36Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > You actually wanted to see a kid to tear the skin off his tongue, leaving it on an actual frozen pole? Maybe… ☹ No! I just loved watching that scene and not having a clue how they did it. Was it real? How’d they get the temperature right so it would work? How did the kid not hurt himself? Is that why he was so hesitant, because he knew he was going to get stuck? Did the director do it first? It’s a great scene. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/42 "2011-12-28T19:59:21Z")
When Ralphie goes to get in line for Santa, the big guy, the head honcho, a gentleman stops him by saying, "Hey, kid. The line ends here! It begins there!” That was narrator/writer Jean Shepherd. I pointed this out to someone who finally ‘heard’ the voice after seeing the movie dozens of time. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/43 "2011-12-28T20:07:15Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > You actually wanted to see a kid to tear the skin off his tongue, leaving it on an actual frozen pole? What’s the big deal? A little warm water and off comes the tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/44 "2011-12-28T20:26:17Z")
On the show they just jerked him off the pole. Umm … You know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/45 "2011-12-28T21:23:56Z")
One thing I like to point out is the scene where the parents are sitting on the couch drinking wine after the presents are opened. If it’s anything like my home, the kids are up at 7ish to open presents. That MAY take an hour if we take our time. Let’s say that Ralphie’s parents waited a bit to give him his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. That puts us at 9am-ish. I LOVE a family that’ll have a nice glass of red before breakfast. (I guess Ralphie and Randy could’ve slept in and woke up at say, 11am or so, but how realistic is that?) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/46 "2011-12-28T21:35:55Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > You actually wanted to see a kid to tear the skin off his tongue, leaving it on an actual frozen pole? That would never be allowed. And the pole has to be really cold for it to work anyway. Crazy glue makes much more sense. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/47 "2011-12-28T22:09:53Z")
I had assumed it was a prosthetic tongue they had glued to the pole and then the kid put it in his mouth. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/48 "2011-12-28T22:15:28Z")
Trivia note: Ralphie’s two friends were named Flick and Schwartz. The actors who played them are R.D. Robb and Scott Schwartz. But Schwartz played Flick and Robb played Schwartz. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/49 "2011-12-28T23:59:25Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I had assumed it was a prosthetic tongue they had glued to the pole and then the kid put it in his mouth. OMG! They cut out that little kid’s tongue and replaced it with a prosthetic just to film this scene! I’m going to be ill. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/50 "2011-12-29T01:10:28Z")
> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > One thing I like to point out is the scene where the parents are sitting on the couch drinking wine after the presents are opened. > > If it’s anything like my home, the kids are up at 7ish to open presents. That MAY take an hour if we take our time. Let’s say that Ralphie’s parents waited a bit to give him his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. That puts us at 9am-ish. I LOVE a family that’ll have a nice glass of red before breakfast. > > (I guess Ralphie and Randy could’ve slept in and woke up at say, 11am or so, but how realistic is that?) Wasn’t it already fully light out when Ralphie woke up and looked out the window to see everything covered in that lovely dusting of snow? I’d say that implies that it was about 8am by the time they started opening presents. Also, it would’ve taken some time, as somewhere in there Ralphie had to go change clothes not once, but twice. Not something that would take forever, but it would add to the overall time. When Ralphie shot his eye out, the turkey still had an hour to cook, so assuming they’re going for a noon dinner, that would put the opening of the Official Red Ryder 200 shot range model air rifle at somewhere just before 11am. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/51 "2011-12-29T01:23:43Z")
> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > One thing I like to point out is the scene where the parents are sitting on the couch drinking wine after the presents are opened. > > If it’s anything like my home, the kids are up at 7ish to open presents. That MAY take an hour if we take our time. Let’s say that Ralphie’s parents waited a bit to give him his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. That puts us at 9am-ish. I LOVE a family that’ll have a nice glass of red before breakfast. Yeah I wondered about that, too. They’re all still in their pajamas and Randy is napping on the floor and it doesn’t seem like they’ve had breakfast yet. The timing is odd because it looks like the mom has the turkey well on its way to being done at that hour of the morning when the Bumpass hounds barge in, then the dad announces they’re going out to eat. That still has to be REALLY early, huh? Maaaaaybe noon or 1 pm at the latest? Plus, a family in the midwest in the 1940’s that didn’t go to church on Christmas day? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/52 "2011-12-29T01:31:10Z")
> [@Winnie](#): > > Yeah I wondered about that, too. They’re all still in their pajamas and Randy is napping on the floor and it doesn’t seem like they’ve had breakfast yet. The timing is odd because it looks like the mom has the turkey well on its way to being done at that hour of the morning when the Bumpass hounds barge in, then the dad announces they’re going out to eat. That still has to be REALLY early, huh? I don’t think that it was that early. I think they stayed in their jammies all day. > [@](#): > > Maaaaaybe noon or 1 pm at the latest? Plus, a family in the midwest in the 1940’s that didn’t go to church on Christmas day? Remember, secularism was a growing trend throughout the 20th century. Maybe the Parkers were part of that trend. A Chicago suburb wouldn’t have been completely homogenous. ---
**Author:** ![fireman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@fireman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fireman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/53 "2011-12-29T21:48:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > OMG! They cut out that little kid’s tongue and replaced it with a prosthetic just to film this scene! I’m going to be ill. On the box of the DVD copy, it says there was a small hole in the pole, and light suction was applied to keep the appearance of the tongue being stuck. I like the idea of the prosthetic tongue myself. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/54 "2011-12-29T21:55:44Z")
My guess would have been some non-toxic glue. It only has to last 20-30 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/55 "2011-12-29T21:56:05Z")
> [@fireman](#): > > On the box of the DVD copy, it says there was a small hole in the pole, and light suction was applied to keep the appearance of the tongue being stuck. I like the idea of the prosthetic tongue myself. See post 31. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/56 "2011-12-29T23:15:01Z")
> [@UncleMoose](#): > > Maybe he used the old trick of taking one lug nut from each of the other wheels… Yeah, he was _crazy_, not _stupid_… ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/57 "2011-12-29T23:21:31Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I know the credits say “Scut,” but Ralphie clearly refers to him as “Scott” throughout the movie. Nah, listen to it again: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgagC4pUmQo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgagC4pUmQo) He’s definitely saying “Scut” Farkus. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/58 "2011-12-29T23:45:41Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > Nah, listen to it again: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgagC4pUmQo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgagC4pUmQo) > > He’s definitely saying “Scut” Farkus. I never noticed it before, but you’re right. That’s “Scut,” not “Scott.” By brain always auto-corrected it to “Scott.” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/59 "2011-12-29T23:54:48Z")
You gotta admit the line “what a terrible name” makes even more sense for Scut Farkus than for Scott Farkus. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380/60 "2011-12-30T03:17:54Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > My guess would have been some non-toxic glue. It only has to last 20-30 seconds. They used up all the glue _on purpose_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-finally-notice-in-a-christmas-story/607380.md?page=4)