# What is extremely common in real life but almost never happens on TV or movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 20, 2025, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143 "2025-01-20T00:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/21 "2025-01-20T17:07:23Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Sounds like somebody failed to actually read the OP & title. No, because of the reversal of the corrugation contours within the linear regions of the Fauci tariff pardon. Very technical. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/22 "2025-01-20T19:28:21Z")
Plot armor is _always_ the best kind. Touché. I’d totally overlooked the Fauci tariff; How silly of me. 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/23 "2025-01-20T19:50:06Z")
Something we see on home remodeling shows or _House Hunters_ is that the new house for the family with kids is a total lack of space to put a television set, even mounted on a wall. There are surely households that don’t have TVs, but TVs are extremely common that missing them is notable. Egad, I hope this doesn’t become a thread about HH. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/24 "2025-01-20T20:58:48Z")
People driving and watching the road, not turning to look at the front seat passenger for half a minute at a time while the car magically steers itself… ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/25 "2025-01-20T21:11:37Z")
Yeah. Ordinary mis-speakings, too, where someone says the wrong word and corrects themselves (or doesn’t, and the other people in the conversation just understand what was intended). In old-time radio, there are occasional verbal stumbles (live broadcasts, I guess), which adds to the realism. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/26 "2025-01-20T21:20:25Z")
In the real world people who live in New York City keep their apartment doors locked. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/27 "2025-01-20T21:33:31Z")
The mention of NYC reminded me … Common IRL; rare in drama? Failing to find a parking space directly at the front door of wherever you’re going. 😉 It’s sorta cheating to simply invert one of the standard tropes of the other thread, but that low-hanging fruit was just too ripe not to snatch. 😉 ---
**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 20, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/28 "2025-01-20T21:47:58Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > > > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > > > > no one ever takes a pee first thing in the morning, like everybody in real life does. > > > > Jim Carrey’s character did in _Me, Myself & Irene_; but you’re right that it’s rare. > > Will Smith’s character did so in _Independence Day_ as well. It’s been ages since I saw _A Clockwork Orange_, but I seem to recall Alex doing so in that film as well. And Austin Powers took a pee after being in stasis for 30 years, but that of course was entirely for comedic purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/29 "2025-01-20T22:15:10Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Being on your cellphone while walking and talking at the same time, and another call comes in; you inevitably bungle putting the first caller on hold while simultaneously hanging up on both callers. Hollywood never has this problem–they switch between calls with ease. These days, I rarely get more than one actual phone call a day, let alone at a time. Everybody prefers text. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/30 "2025-01-20T22:18:23Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Everybody prefers text. But texting doesn’t develop dialog to move the plot along! 😁 Tripler I rarely get one call a day–I get three or four at once, then 'radio silence for a three day interval. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/31 "2025-01-20T22:27:56Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > But texting doesn’t develop dialog to move the plot along Sometimes it’s a plot device to show the viewers the phone screen with a text message. I truly hate the shows where I am supposed to read that because, often, my screen size and viewing distance doesn’t let me do so or they don’t leave it on screen long enough for me to read it. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/32 "2025-01-20T22:33:49Z")
Call the cops when you kill someone in self defense. We know you’re just making it worse when you try to hide the body. Lol ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/33 "2025-01-20T22:54:19Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > Sometimes it’s a plot device to show the viewers the phone screen with a text message. I truly hate the shows where I am supposed to read that because, often, my screen size and viewing distance doesn’t let me do so or they don’t leave it on screen long enough for me to read it. Which reminds me of _another_ thing, related to texting in real life. . . What you see on TV (a sample): **M** - **E** - **E** - **T** - **F** - **O** - **R** - **D** - **I** - **N** - **N** - **E** - **R** - **A** - **T** - **6** - **?** What _really_ happens: **M** - **E** - **W** -_“oh dammit”_-(backspace)- **E** - **RT** -_"son of a !!! "_ (backspace twice)- **T** - **F** - **O** -(autocorrects to _FOUR_)-_"Og Dammit!_" (backspaces twice)- **R** - **D** - **I** - **NM** -_“Mother clucker!!”_ (backspace)- **N** -_[slows waaaay down]_- **N** - **R** - **@** - **6** - **?** Don’t tell me that _ **doesn’t** _ happen to you!! 🤦‍♂️ Tripler Language cleaned up to keep things classy. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/34 "2025-01-21T00:07:45Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I rarely get one call a day–I get three or four at once, then 'radio silence for a three day interval As ST:TOS’s Scotty was prone to saying: > Aye, laddie ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/35 "2025-01-21T10:42:40Z")
Someone gets a flat tire, and the following happen-- or don’t, as the case may be: 1. the driver knows how to change a tire 2. the spare has air in it 3. all the tools work, and are where they should be 4. it isn’t raining 5. no lug nuts are misplaced 6. this all happens during daylight… 7. …and not on a highway ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/36 "2025-01-21T13:44:20Z")
Forget taking a pee in the morning. What about bathing or showering? My wife and I watch a lot of British and European police shows. A typical female DI (or equivalent) will investigate a case all day, go home and drop asleep on the couch, wake up to have a few drinks with a fellow officer from another district, have vigorous sex, wake up to a phone call from a DS at 5:00 AM, quickly pull on the same jeans she was wearing the day before, and then go out to spend another 14 hours investigating a new murder. Not even a quick sponge bath (or pee). No wonder most people aren’t interested in talking to the police (or standing near them). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/37 "2025-01-21T15:24:31Z")
What is a “DI” or “DS” in this context? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/38 "2025-01-21T15:29:45Z")
I think DI is Detective Inspector and DS is Detective Sargent (sp?). ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/39 "2025-01-21T16:26:44Z")
Lots of people don’t bathe/shower every day - and I’ve seen advice ( from Levi’s) to wash jeans only every 10 wears unless they are visibly dirty or smell. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143/40 "2025-01-21T16:31:26Z")
And plenty of people consider clothes to “smell” a few seconds after first touching a body. I’m not one of them, but but I know a few. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-real-life-but-almost-never-happens-on-tv-or-movies/1013143.md?page=3)