# 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:** 170
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3382 "2024-03-10T19:10:36Z")
YouTuber content creator and enemy of porch pirates and backyard squirrels Mark Rober [created a liquid sand pool.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=My4RA5I0FKs) with injected air. For that to occur in nature would, instead of clean air, there would be gas seeping out. The sulfur dioxide would kill you first. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3383 "2024-03-10T19:17:29Z")
I wonder if what people considered dry quicksand is this? > **[The Mystery of Why This Dangerous Sand Dune Swallowed a Boy](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/mystery-why-dangerous-sand-dune-swallowed-boy-180953404/)** > > When a boy suddenly disappeared into a sand dune, a scientist embarked on a quest to find out where he went ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3384 "2024-03-11T18:52:20Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Once they were gone, Rob said to me, “They obviously didn’t know who you were.” > > 🙂 I always sounds better when someone else says it. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3385 "2024-03-11T20:32:53Z")
The dry quicksand effect was explored in an old sci-fi novel. The plot was that the moon would be covered with super-fine dust due to billions of years of hot/cold cycles fragmenting the moon’s surface. The novel quickly became quaintly obsolete once the space race started landing probes and landers on the surface, none of which sank. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A\_Fall\_of\_Moondust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fall_of_Moondust) ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3386 "2024-03-11T23:56:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It sounds as if upwelling air takes the place of upwelling water in “dry quicksand”, and I have to think that’s a pretty uncommon circumstance. Not if there’s wormsign ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3387 "2024-03-21T00:05:54Z")
I won’t claim it’s extremely common, but I’ve definitely seen it in a few episodes and movies: characters living in a major metro, or even in the city, go outside at night and see a georgeous skyful of stars. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3388 "2024-03-21T04:12:42Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Weddings are a sinful waste of time and money. Caterers, florists, dressmakers, et al. make a fortune fleecing the happy bride’s parents. I agree- to an extent. One months pay? Sure. Down payment on a house? You have spent too much. > [@smithsb](#): > > **“Do you know who I am?”** > > Delivered by: > Older, rich, entitled woman or > Older, rich, pompous fart gentleman or > Young, self-important, diva/celebrity or I worked my way thru college as a security guard, often in Hollywood. I heard that so many times. > [@GargoyleWB](#): > > The dry quicksand effect was explored in an old sci-fi novel. The plot was that the moon would be covered with super-fine dust due to billions of years of hot/cold cycles fragmenting the moon’s surface. The novel quickly became quaintly obsolete once the space race started landing probes and landers on the surface, none of which sank. The actual first words on the Moon. "I’M AT THE FOOT OF THE LADDER. THE L.M. FOOTPADS ARE ONLY, UM, DEPRESSED IN THE SURFACE ABOUT ONE OR TWO INCHES." [https://www.tvo.org/transcript/685107/apollo-11-for-all-mankind](https://www.tvo.org/transcript/685107/apollo-11-for-all-mankind) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3389 "2024-03-21T17:51:30Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Weddings are a sinful waste of time and money. Caterers, florists, dressmakers, et al. make a fortune fleecing the happy bride’s parents. That’s not just a modern western custom. For those with the wealth to conspicuously consume, lavish bridal ceremonies are a thing all over the world: [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.Y02XnbTC8aQMKkGjeMO-kwHaE8) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.Y02XnbTC8aQMKkGjeMO-kwHaE8) [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.WY3SWRSSi9wP30tfh-X8AwAAAA) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.WY3SWRSSi9wP30tfh-X8AwAAAA) [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.e-IL5eBksiELg-nsJT5vswHaE8) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.e-IL5eBksiELg-nsJT5vswHaE8) [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.NEx3ozx53u-X2_Q-Z77UoQHaE7) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.NEx3ozx53u-X2_Q-Z77UoQHaE7) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3390 "2024-03-21T21:24:54Z")
Since he’s still technically on the lander (ladder), these aren’t the first words “on the moon.” Those would be “Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.” ---
**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:** [March 22, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3391 "2024-03-22T00:10:46Z")
I’d like to see those people a few years later, when they finally realize what an awful choice they made. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3392 "2024-03-22T00:19:12Z")
Do you seriously not know anybody who had a big wedding who didn’t decide later a few years later that something was an awful choice ? ( can’t tell if you mean the wedding or the spouse) ---
**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:** [March 22, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3393 "2024-03-22T00:35:49Z")
Both. And yes, I know lots of them. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3394 "2024-03-22T00:51:03Z")
I assume mean you know lots of people who decided it was a mistake a few years later. Not what I was asking. You can know lots of people who decided it was a mistake and also lots of people who didn’t. You seem to believe that _everyone_ who has a big wedding will “finally realize what an awful choice they made” - that’s what I was asking about. (Contrary to what your experience seems to be , at least half of the people I know who ended up divorced did not have big weddings and most of the people who had big weddings did not later decide it was a mistake.) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3395 "2024-03-22T01:23:22Z")
3 of the couples’ marriages were probably arranged. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3396 "2024-03-22T01:33:13Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Those would be “Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.” Good point. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3397 "2024-03-22T03:30:14Z")
> The actual first words on the Moon… I’ve always assumed it was a whispered _"Psst!_ Buzz, do you see a notecard with a speech written on it? Well, can you at least _look?_ Oh, fine, I’ll wing it…" ---
**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:** [March 22, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3398 "2024-03-22T16:06:22Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > > [@mbh](#): > > > > Fascist and Communist countries are full of security police, who will happily chat with you about art and literature, then put a bullet in the back of your head, then go home to hug their wives and play with their children. > > Are they, or is that to an extent a stereotype? Or perhaps a self-selecting group? I lived in the Soviet Union in 1977, and granted I was 10, and not really aware of the height of intellectualism of security people, my parents did not chat with them about much unless they wanted to know the hours of operation, or where the toilet was. They tended to be nice to me, though, patient with my Russian, and able to talk to me on my level without talking down to me, with the youngest ones being the worst at it-- probably the newest, still on probation, and least likely to be parents. I never, ever saw any kind of altercation, even a minor one, nothing that provoked violent tactics from guards that were short of drawing guns (like punches, drawing batons, etc.) The most I ever saw were people wandering into an area they weren’t supposed to be, told politely to leave, but gave lip to the guards, and got a harsh verbal command back-- as they were leaving, mind you-- never saw anyone forcefully escorted out. I’m going to guess that giving the Soviets’ fondness for documenting things, anyone who fired a weapon on duty was going to be subject to a lot of paperwork, and get home late. Also, FWIW, most working-class Soviets did not necessarily see their children every day. Children younger than high school age were generally cared for by their grandparents, and lived with them. Sometimes 3 generations lived together, but more often the children and grandparents lived further out from the center of a city, where parks and schools were, and parents lived closer to the center, where offices were, or very far out, where factories were. It’s just how it was, and was totally normal. Most kids lived in the same city as their parents, and saw them every weekend-- some even had dinner with them almost every day, but then they’d go home to sleep, where they’d need quiet, and would get up very early. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3399 "2024-03-22T16:47:18Z")
> [@People, mostly older, who get peeved by retail and service workers saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-mostly-older-who-get-peeved-by-retail-and-service-workers-saying-no-problem-instead-of-youre-welcome/998517/79): > > No, but why Doctor Smith? Might it be that doctors are more full of themselves? _Physicians_, not doctors, per se. My parents, college professors, both held PhDs, and were addressed as Dr. professionally, but not socially-- they certainly did not expect my friends to call them anything but “Mr. and Mrs.,” in a time when children did NOT call adults by their first names. I called my friends parents Mr. & Mrs. unless told otherwise, and the only times I was told otherwise were once for a PCP, and once for a dentist, who wanted to be “Dr.”-- albeit, the wife of the dentist corrected me on the title. I happened to know a friend’s mother was a doctor at the hospital, and I called her “Dr.,” but she actually seemed a little embarrassed at first. > [@terentii](#): > > I’d like to see those people a few years later, when they finally realize what an awful choice they made. When I was planning my (inexpensive) wedding (total bill was about $4500, and half was for the caterer; my dress cost $24.50), I read several articles on the subject of cost of the wedding vis a vis success of the marriage. Seems that cost of the wedding _as a portion of the couples, or the family’s general wealth_ in regard to the success of the marriage is relevant in that people who spend within their means tend to have successful marriages, and people who put themselves in serious debt do not. People who outspend their general means by using savings, and thus do not go into debt did better than people who went into debt, but not as well as people who stayed within their means. So, millionaires with extravagant weddings may be fine. Completely makes sense, since a large debt is a stressor that probably affects a marriage. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3400 "2024-03-22T21:03:43Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I called my friends parents Mr. & Mrs. unless told otherwise, and the only times I was told otherwise were once for a PCP, and once for a dentist, who wanted to be “Dr.”-- albeit, the wife of the dentist corrected me on the title. Yep. A couple times it was "Mrs. Janice (her first name), but yep, until I was grown up, that remained- although “Mr Scoutmaster” or something was also okay. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3401 "2024-03-22T22:38:26Z")
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