# What is TMI?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [September 21, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978 "2001-09-21T06:57:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/1 "2001-09-21T06:57:52Z")

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I keep seeing the acronym “TMI” being used, apparently I missed the thread where it was born, and I can’t make heads or tails of it just from context. What does it mean?

(since this seems to be a SDMB-specific question, I figured it belongs in ATMB rather than GQ)

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**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/2 "2001-09-21T07:00:12Z")

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IMHO, IIRC, TMI = Too Much Information

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**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/3 "2001-09-21T07:00:37Z")

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it means Too Much Information used when someone tells you something about them selves or others like what color it was when they went to the restroom ect

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**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/4 "2001-09-21T07:16:51Z")

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In the same vein, What does “IIRC”, or something like that, mean?

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**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/5 "2001-09-21T07:17:47Z")

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IIRC = If I Remember Correctly

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/6 "2001-09-21T07:51:32Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chas.E \*  
> \*\*  
> (since this seems to be a SDMB-specific question, I figured it belongs in ATMB rather than GQ) \*\*

It was used in the Simpsons episode guest starring Lisa Kudrow as the little rich girl with a cell phone. Also, I _think_ there might’ve been a Seinfeld episode about it and I’ve heard several standup comedians use it.

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**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/7 "2001-09-21T11:09:40Z")

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OK, thanks guys, I got it. Mods, might as well close this thread out, question answered.

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**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tmi/82978/8 "2001-09-21T19:05:25Z")

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“You’re listening to WTMI- Too Much Information, All The Time! Let me describe for you this infectious cut on my big toe…”  
Thread closed, at request of OP.