# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 119
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2362 "2023-01-31T14:47:41Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > This naturally happens more on TV because drivers on TV always completely stop looking at the road when they talk to a passenger. In fact, I’m surprised it’s not more common on TV than it is. Even when nothing happens I’m always on the edge of my seat when a TV character is driving and talking to a passenger. Me too! ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2363 "2023-02-09T06:35:47Z")
Rural people going for a swim at the old swimming hole. Back in the day, many rural people lacked regular access to swimmable water and as such never learned to swim. You were more likely to learn to swim if you had access to a pool or perhaps a summer camp. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2364 "2023-02-09T06:39:22Z")
You’d also pick up a lot of leeches at the old swimming hole. I speak from personal experience. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2365 "2023-02-09T09:38:46Z")
Thank you for that. Here ya go. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4oMD7SE1Pq8/maxresdefault.jpg "The African Queen - The Movie - Best Scenes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oMD7SE1Pq8) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2366 "2023-02-09T12:14:40Z")
Nonetheless, swimming holes were still popular. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/09/1f/71/091f71c2e39ea230a4018330187e16e6.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/09/1f/71/091f71c2e39ea230a4018330187e16e6.jpg) [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5a/08/2d/5a082d2f44da9b1239d4e32aacf8f497.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5a/08/2d/5a082d2f44da9b1239d4e32aacf8f497.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2367 "2023-02-09T16:29:40Z")
“I now pronounce you Man and Wife. Proceed with the execution.” One of the best lines **ever**! ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2368 "2023-02-09T16:36:11Z")
I didn’t know Rockwell was a historian. He was more of a trope creator. There are a lot of lakes where I live. There are not a lot of lakes where the farmers live in my state. The lakes are either around towns and cities, or they are in the unfarmable north country. Naturally occurring swimming holes in rural areas are not abundant where I live. They are rare. I’m not in an arid state and they’re still rare. If the rurals have to travel 20-30 miles to the nearest swimmable body of water, they go once a year and don’t learn to swim. Beyond that, kids just trying to learn swimming on their own are highly likely to drown. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2369 "2023-02-09T16:43:17Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > “I now pronounce you Man and Wife. Proceed with the execution.” > > One of the best lines **ever**! Another subtle detail that makes that line so punchy is there is no pause at all between the two sentences, not even a comma. It’s spoken like one rapid fire sentence. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2370 "2023-02-09T17:40:15Z")
… And can be eaten by sharks if the water is brackish. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2371 "2023-02-10T00:24:44Z")
in California it’s up to the owners if they serve minors if they serve food … ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2372 "2023-02-10T00:36:24Z")
Bubble Baths. I think on screen they like the bubbles to hide the naked parts. I know people do take bubble baths from time to time, but on TV and in the movies, it’s close to 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2373 "2023-02-10T00:40:18Z")
This plotline shows up all over the place in sitcoms or dramas. Basically a family learns there’s been a series of break-ins in their neighborhood. They immediately decide on buying a gun to protect their household. So the rest of the episode is either zany hijinks with the gun or basically learning about the risks of gun ownership. The episode ends with the entire family deciding to get rid of the gun because of the danger it poses to them. Now the first part happens all the time but would a family really get rid of a $200 to $500 purchased gun so easily? I think most people would just keep it and stick it in the back of their closet. Instead the shows always make a point of showing them getting rid of the gun, sometimes really cheesily at a Police Gun Buy-Back so their $200 investment nets them a $25 gift card. I mean obviously you’d just sell it to someone else but these shows also don’t want the whole “cycle of violence” unintended message to happen. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2374 "2023-02-10T00:48:14Z")
I remember a made-for-TV movie like this back in the '70s. It ended with Sally Struthers beating the crap out of a burglar with a baseball bat. (I think it was called _ **A Gun in the House** _.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2375 "2023-02-10T00:53:46Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > So the rest of the episode is either zany hijinks with the gun or basically learning about the risks of gun ownership. Similar if a woman has a unplanned and poor timing pregnancy. The couple never discussed abortion. Also “And this time, it’s personal!” said by a TV cop, etc. Nope, the judge would likely throw out all that copes evidence. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2376 "2023-02-10T01:05:20Z")
In my state, it is my understanding that the law requires an establishment tha serves cocktails/distilled spirits to generate a non-small fraction of their revenue from food, so, yeah, all bars here do serve food. I am not sure how the restaurant aspect works, because I know some places that take minors do also serve mixed drinks. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2377 "2023-02-10T01:29:21Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Bubble Baths. I think on screen they like the bubbles to hide the naked parts. I know people do take bubble baths from time to time, but on TV and in the movies, it’s close to 100%. Sort of similar is how often TV and movie characters are served breakfast in bed by their spouse, partner or children (the last especially at Mother’s Day). And everyone seems to have those bed trays, designed so the legs sit on either side of your legs. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2378 "2023-02-10T03:38:02Z")
Well, I take them daily. I’m not sure how much of an outlier I am! There’s nothing like a good bubble bath especially after you come in from the cold. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2379 "2023-02-10T04:15:11Z")
I don’t think you’re that much of an outlier - I don’t take a bubble bath every day , but when I take a bath instead of a shower, it’s specifically to take a bubble bath. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2380 "2023-02-10T05:10:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And everyone seems to have those bed trays, designed so the legs sit on either side of your legs. Wow, now that you mention it, I’ve _never_ seen one of those bed trays in the wild. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2381 "2023-02-10T05:46:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Especially when talking to people on the backseat and half of the time turning their head back. Nobody with a sane mind does this in real life. My former boss, the president of the company, had worked his way up the ladder through sales and he was incapable of holding a conversation with someone without maintaining eye contract. Sales training had taken over his mind. We were driving to a meeting of some kind, president driving, VP in passenger seat and me and another guy in the back seat. And the president did exactly this, he would turn almost fully around to look me in the eyes while I am in the back seat and he was driving. I finally had to yell at him, “Bruce, will you please watch the damn road!” Fortunately the trip was uneventful and someone else drove on the way back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=118) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=120)