# 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:** 278
**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:** [August 17, 2026, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5569 "2026-08-17T03:48:01Z")
Hey, tons of alleys in old Dallas. Deep Ellum would probably have half the available parking it does now without them. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5570 "2026-08-17T11:05:04Z")
Lots of alleys in Back Bay Boston, running parallel to the avenues. It’s where people have entrances to garages to park their cars, and where they keep the trash > **[Sneakin' Sally Through Boston's Alleys](https://backsideofamerica.blogspot.com/2025/02/sneakin-sally-through-bostons-alleys.html)** > > From Dave Brigham: There may be another song about furtively walking through the narrow back streets of a city, but I don't know of it. ... ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5571 "2026-08-17T11:28:04Z")
Manhattan also has [MacDougal Alley](https://www.brickunderground.com/live/macdougal-alley?amp), forever memorialized in _On the Town_ as “a charming thoroughfare in the heart of Green-Witch Village.” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5572 "2026-08-17T12:48:24Z")
“Gimme a beer.” This is the kind of phrase you see in bars on TV and movies, but in real life is rarely used. At a bar, you need to be a bit more specific than this. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5573 "2026-08-17T17:23:43Z")
Of course the classic interpretation of this is “Repo Man”, where people drink cans of “Beer” and eat from cans of “Food”. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2026, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5574 "2026-08-17T18:48:20Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > The nurse bought her a tray of sandwiches and a cup of tea for lunch Tuna or egg salad? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5575 "2026-08-22T14:35:13Z")
Most of the city doesn’t have alleys in the sense of NYC or old movies. What we do have in spades is “King of the Hill” style alleys in residential neighborhoods. The only parts of Dallas that have those older built-up alleys are the oldest parts of town that haven’t been razed and rebuilt- Deep Ellum, Bishop Arts, etc… ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5576 "2026-08-22T14:41:02Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > But it could have literally applied to almost any romcom with Adam Sandler, Jim Carey, any Wilson brother, Vince Vaughn, Ben Affleck or Matt Damon, or Will Smith, or Kevin Smith, or Kevin James. You name it. The worst are the Hallmark style movies. Although she watches them on occasion, they’re so predictable that you could almost literally compose a coherent enough plot for them D&D style, by rolling a d20 for each column of the thesis sentence for the movie plot. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5577 "2026-08-22T15:20:06Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The only parts of Dallas that have those older built-up alleys are the oldest parts of town that haven’t been razed and rebuilt- Deep Ellum, Bishop Arts, etc… Yeah, that’s why I specified “old Dallas” 👴 ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5578 "2026-08-22T15:48:43Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The worst are the Hallmark style movies. Although she watches them on occasion, they’re so predictable that you could almost literally compose a coherent enough plot for them D&D style, by rolling a d20 for each column of the thesis sentence for the movie plot. Something like this? [Hallmark Movie Plot Generator](http://www.michellesmirror.com/2020/12/i-dont-make-rules-hallmark-does.html) Scroll down a bit to view the chart ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5579 "2026-08-22T20:21:03Z")
Exactly. Except the non-Christmas ones aren’t really any better. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5580 "2026-08-22T21:59:43Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The worst are the Hallmark style movies. Although she watches them on occasion, they’re so predictable that you could almost literally compose a coherent enough plot for them D&D style, by rolling a d20 for each column of the thesis sentence for the movie plot. You should watch _A Christmas Prince._ You’d have a field day. It would make a great drinking game for rom-com cliches but you’d be under the table in the first twenty minutes. > **[The Hilariously Bad Netflix Movie 53 People Are Watching Every Single Day](https://www.vogue.com/article/a-christmas-prince-netflix-binge-watch)** > > A Christmas Prince, the world’s best/worst holiday classic Why won’t this app let me quote? Quote: _Amber wanders her way into the palace and somehow gets mistaken as a new math tutor for Princess Emily, who is wheelchair-bound. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the rest of the story, as the Twitter-sphere has chronicled, is a grab bag of various made-for-TV plot elements, including but not limited to: adoption, an attempted coup, a snowball fight, a wolf, poetry, a coronation/Christmas ball, a hidden birth certificate, and a New York City diner._ ---
**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:** [August 25, 2026, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5581 "2026-08-25T23:23:39Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > “Gimme a beer.” Does NO ONE care that that’ll take viewers right out of the movie/show? Not the writer? Or the writer’s best friend? Or a script editor? And the director presumably said “Yeah, that’s fine. We all hate this movie anyhow.” Is it that hard to get permission to use a brand name (many brands will pay for that kind of exposure)? Or at least make a convincing fictional brand. Some movies do a good job of creating and “mocking up” believable bottles and cans. I tried to find the scotch that Tom Selleck would often serve someone in the dénouement of many episodes of Blue Bloods, only to find out that “Finnerty’s” (in its distinctive swoop-necked bottle) was made up by a props guy. So I had to make my own for our family’s boozy Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5582 "2026-08-26T01:18:57Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Does NO ONE care that that’ll take viewers right out of the movie/show? Not the writer? Or the writer’s best friend? Or a script editor? I would not bother me. Of course, I rarely drink beer. I have heard once- “Give me whatever you have on tap” , which in a small bar makes some sense. I usually say “Diet cola, please” so to avoid “We only carry Coke/Pepsi/whatever” reply. > [@digs](#): > > I tried to find the scotch that Tom Selleck would often serve someone in the dénouement of many episodes of Blue Bloods, only to find out that “Finnerty’s” (in its distinctive swoop-necked bottle) was made up by a props guy. It sounds more like a Irish whiskey to me. Which makes sense, in context. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5583 "2026-08-26T01:33:28Z")
There is actually at least one prop company in Hollywood that specializes in realistic consumer products that aren’t actually name brands. > **[Home](https://issprops.com/)** > > ISS Props is Hollywood's premier prop rental house with 150,000 sq ft of props, weapons, graphics & manufacturing. Serving film & TV productions for 40+ years. 11 locations worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5584 "2026-08-26T04:15:12Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Does NO ONE care that that’ll take viewers right out of the movie/show? Not the writer? Or the writer’s best friend? Or a script editor? And the director presumably said “Yeah, that’s fine. We all hate this movie anyhow.” I hate it and it always bothers me every single time. What is the default brand supposed to be for “a beer”!? No one _ever_ says that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5585 "2026-08-26T04:21:46Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I hate it and it always bothers me every single time. What is the default brand supposed to be for “a beer”!? No one _ever_ says that. Whatever is on tap in a one tap bar. But is that what they are showing? ---
**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:** [August 26, 2026, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5586 "2026-08-26T04:25:30Z")
> [@digs](#): > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > “Gimme a beer.” > > Does NO ONE care that that’ll take viewers right out of the movie/show? Ehh, I imagine they care, but they don’t want to get the problem of advertising for a specific brand of beer and/or that brand objecting to the character that’s drinking it. It doesn’t bother me any more than a 555 telephone number, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5587 "2026-08-26T04:52:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Whatever is on tap in a one tap bar. But is that what they are showing? This. It wasn’t so long ago—certainly within many of our lifetimes—that bars had one tap for draft beer. Just one. No choice; if you wanted draft; you got what the draft of the day was. I remember one “Twilight Zone” where the lead character (played by Richard Deacon) walks into a bar and asks for a beer. The barman just draws one off the tap. But that was sixty-plus years ago. Nowadays, things are different. Rare is the bar that has one draft tap, and there is an array of bottled beer to choose from. Asking for “a beer” in a modern production kind of takes the modern viewer away from concentrating on the movie or TV show. Far better for the character to ask, “What kinda beer you got?” Fun story: about 1984 or so, some American associates came to our office in Toronto. After the business day, we all went out to dinner. One of the Americans asked for “a Molson.” The waiter asked, “What kind, sir?” Our American associate was taken aback for a moment, then replied, “You mean, there’s more than one?” Just like asking for “a beer” in a modern production would or should lead to, “Can you be more specific?” (FTR, at the time, there were at least four Molsons on offer in Canadian restaurants: Molson Export Ale, Molson Golden Ale, Molson Canadian Lager, and Molson Light Lager. A few places also had Molson Stock Ale.) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5588 "2026-08-26T11:16:36Z")
From _The Wizard of Id_: BUNG: Gimme a beer. BARTENDER: Light or dark? BUNG: Light. BARTENDER: _Light_ light, or _regular_ light? BUNG: Is this an eye test? [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=277) [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=279)