Euphemism Buster: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
m (Mass update links)
(update links)
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{trope}}
{{trope}}
Someone uses a euphemism, [[Last Second Word Swap]] or something similar, and someone else blurts out exactly what the first person meant.
Someone uses a euphemism, [[Last-Second Word Swap]] or something similar, and someone else blurts out exactly what the first person meant.


It generally comes in two versions: Ditz and Intentional. Ditz version is just the person figuring it out for himself. Intentional being the euphemism is too insulting/obvious or the character simply doesn't care, and so busts the euphemism.
It generally comes in two versions: Ditz and Intentional. Ditz version is just the person figuring it out for himself. Intentional being the euphemism is too insulting/obvious or the character simply doesn't care, and so busts the euphemism.


The euphemism may or may not be [[Unusual Euphemism|unusual]]. Compare and contrast [[Lampshaded Double Entendre]], [[Don't Explain the Joke]].
The euphemism may or may not be [[Unusual Euphemism|unusual]]. Compare and contrast [[If You Know What I Mean]], [[Don't Explain the Joke]].
{{examples}}
{{examples}}


== Live Action TV ==
== Live Action TV ==
* ''[[Scrubs (TV)|Scrubs]]''
* ''[[Scrubs]]''
{{quote| '''Elliot''': Those gyno girls are really putting the pressure on. Who wants to look at a hundred women's bajingos today? Bajingo, bajingo, bajingo. I mean, I can't even look at my own bajingo.<br />
{{quote|'''Elliot''': Those gyno girls are really putting the pressure on. Who wants to look at a hundred women's bajingos today? Bajingo, bajingo, bajingo. I mean, I can't even look at my own bajingo.
'''Carla''': Is that because it looks so much like a vagina?<br />
'''Carla''': Is that because it looks so much like a vagina?
'''Elliot''': Carla, there's people! }}
'''Elliot''': Carla, there's people! }}
* ''[[Myth Busters (TV)|Myth Busters]]''
* ''[[MythBusters]]''
{{quote| '''Narrator''': And in the pouch will be... let's call it 'genetic legacy'<br />
{{quote|'''Narrator''': And in the pouch will be... let's call it 'genetic legacy'
'''Jamie''': Genetic Legacy? ''It's sperm.'' Every kid in grade school knows that. Helps make babies, you know? }}
'''Jamie''': Genetic Legacy? ''It's sperm.'' Every kid in grade school knows that. Helps make babies, you know? }}
* ''[[Dollhouse (TV)|Dollhouse]]''
* ''[[Dollhouse]]''
{{quote| '''Topher''': He seemed to be having a kind of...man-reaction.<br />
{{quote|'''Topher''': He seemed to be having a kind of...man-reaction.
'''Dr. Saunders''': A what?<br />
'''Dr. Saunders''': A what?
'''Topher''': A, you know, reaction that a man -- person might have in the...you know, the...naked part. Shower. Victor.<br />
'''Topher''': A, you know, reaction that a man -- person might have in the...you know, the...naked part. Shower. Victor.
'''Dr. Saunders''': Victor had an erection?<br />
'''Dr. Saunders''': Victor had an erection?
'''Topher''': I prefer man-reaction. }}
'''Topher''': I prefer man-reaction. }}
* In ''[[Lost (TV)|Lost]]'' this overlaps with [[Censorship By Spelling]]. Hurley doesn't want to talk about the dead in front of a kid (Walt), so he spells it out:
* In ''[[Lost]]'' this overlaps with [[Censorship by Spelling]]. Hurley doesn't want to talk about the dead in front of a kid (Walt), so he spells it out:
{{quote| '''Hurley''': But what about the B-O-D-Y-S?<br />
{{quote|'''Hurley''': But what about the B-O-D-Y-S?
'''Michael''': What are you trying to spell, man, "bodies"?<br />
'''Michael''': What are you trying to spell, man, "bodies"?
'''Walt''': B-O-D-I-E-S. }}
'''Walt''': B-O-D-I-E-S. }}
* On ''[[Chappelles Show]]'', a parody of a PBS ''Frontline'' documentary has the narrator (a white man) [[Content Warnings|warn viewers]]:
* On ''[[Chappelle's Show]]'', a parody of a PBS ''Frontline'' documentary has the narrator (a white man) [[Content Warnings|warn viewers]]:
{{quote| Warning<br />
{{quote|Warning
'''Narrator''': For viewers sensitive to issues of race, be advised that the following piece contains gratuitous use of the "N" word.<br />
'''Narrator''': For viewers sensitive to issues of race, be advised that the following piece contains gratuitous use of the "N" word.
[[[Beat]]]<br />
[[[Beat]]]
'''Narrator''': And by the "N" word, I mean Nigger.<br />
'''Narrator''': And by the "N" word, I mean Nigger.
[[[Beat]]]<br />
[[[Beat]]]
'''Narrator''': There, I said it. }}
'''Narrator''': There, I said it. }}
* A variant from an episode of ''[[3rd Rock From the Sun]]'':
* A variant from an episode of ''[[3rd Rock from the Sun]]'':
{{quote| '''Sally:''' He said he wanted to sleep with me. I wanted sex, but seeing as he was tired I decided to just go home. }}
{{quote|'''Sally:''' He said he wanted to sleep with me. I wanted sex, but seeing as he was tired I decided to just go home. }}
* An un-[[Lampshade|lampshaded]] version in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'':
* An un-[[lampshade]]d version in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'':
{{quote| '''Mayor''': No slayer of mine is going to live in a fleabag motel. That place has a very unsavory reputation. There are immoral liaisons going on there.<br />
{{quote|'''Mayor''': No slayer of mine is going to live in a fleabag motel. That place has a very unsavory reputation. There are immoral liaisons going on there.
'''Faith''': Yeah, plus all the screwing. }}
'''Faith''': Yeah, plus all the screwing. }}


== Film ==
== Film ==
* From ''[[Mallrats]]'':
* From ''[[Mallrats]]'':
{{quote| '''Brandi''': Second suitor: if we were making whoopee, what sounds would you make? <br />
{{quote|'''Brandi''': Second suitor: if we were making whoopee, what sounds would you make?
'''Brodie''': Wait, what's whoopee? <br />
'''Brodie''': Wait, what's whoopee?
'''Brandi''': You know, being intimate. <br />
'''Brandi''': You know, being intimate.
'''Brodie''': What? Like '''fucking'''? }}
'''Brodie''': What? Like '''fucking'''? }}
* Scar has to backtrack and Euphemism Bust ''himself'' in ''[[The Lion King (Disney)|The Lion King]]'' thanks to [[The Ditz|dumb hyenas]]:
* Scar has to backtrack and Euphemism Bust ''himself'' in ''[[The Lion King]]'' thanks to [[The Ditz|dumb hyenas]]:
{{quote| '''Shenzi''': Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?<br />
{{quote|'''Shenzi''': Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?
'''Scar''': For the death of the king!<br />
'''Scar''': For the death of the king!
'''Banzai''': What, [[Completely Missing the Point|is he sick]]?<br />
'''Banzai''': What, [[Completely Missing the Point|is he sick]]?
'''Scar''': No, you fool, we're going to kill him. }}
'''Scar''': No, you fool, we're going to kill him. }}


== Web Original ==
== Web Original ==
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series (Web Video)|Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series]]'':
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series|Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series]]'':
{{quote| '''Joey''': "Shut up, Tristan! You just wanna get into [my sister]'s pants!"<br />
{{quote|'''Joey''': "Shut up, Tristan! You just wanna get into [my sister]'s pants!"
'''Tristan''': "No I don't. I want to have sex with her!"<br />
'''Tristan''': "No I don't. I want to have sex with her!"
[[Beat]]<br />
[[Beat]]
'''Tristan''': "Oooooooh, that's what you meant...!" }}
'''Tristan''': "Oooooooh, that's what you meant...!" }}


== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Spongebob SquarePants]]''
* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]''
{{quote| '''Spongebob''': Squidward! He's... he's... pushing up daisies!<br />
{{quote|'''Spongebob''': Squidward! He's... he's... pushing up daisies!
'''Patrick''': Oh, I thought he was dead.
'''Patrick''': Oh, I thought he was dead.
}}
}}
Line 65: Line 65:
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Dialogue]]
[[Category:Dialogue]]
[[Category:Euphemism Buster]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Latest revision as of 01:53, 11 April 2017

Someone uses a euphemism, Last-Second Word Swap or something similar, and someone else blurts out exactly what the first person meant.

It generally comes in two versions: Ditz and Intentional. Ditz version is just the person figuring it out for himself. Intentional being the euphemism is too insulting/obvious or the character simply doesn't care, and so busts the euphemism.

The euphemism may or may not be unusual. Compare and contrast If You Know What I Mean, Don't Explain the Joke.

Examples of Euphemism Buster include:


Live Action TV

Elliot: Those gyno girls are really putting the pressure on. Who wants to look at a hundred women's bajingos today? Bajingo, bajingo, bajingo. I mean, I can't even look at my own bajingo.
Carla: Is that because it looks so much like a vagina?
Elliot: Carla, there's people!

Narrator: And in the pouch will be... let's call it 'genetic legacy'
Jamie: Genetic Legacy? It's sperm. Every kid in grade school knows that. Helps make babies, you know?

Topher: He seemed to be having a kind of...man-reaction.
Dr. Saunders: A what?
Topher: A, you know, reaction that a man -- person might have in the...you know, the...naked part. Shower. Victor.
Dr. Saunders: Victor had an erection?
Topher: I prefer man-reaction.

  • In Lost this overlaps with Censorship by Spelling. Hurley doesn't want to talk about the dead in front of a kid (Walt), so he spells it out:

Hurley: But what about the B-O-D-Y-S?
Michael: What are you trying to spell, man, "bodies"?
Walt: B-O-D-I-E-S.

Warning
Narrator: For viewers sensitive to issues of race, be advised that the following piece contains gratuitous use of the "N" word.
[[[Beat]]]
Narrator: And by the "N" word, I mean Nigger.
[[[Beat]]]
Narrator: There, I said it.

Sally: He said he wanted to sleep with me. I wanted sex, but seeing as he was tired I decided to just go home.

Mayor: No slayer of mine is going to live in a fleabag motel. That place has a very unsavory reputation. There are immoral liaisons going on there.
Faith: Yeah, plus all the screwing.

Film

Brandi: Second suitor: if we were making whoopee, what sounds would you make?
Brodie: Wait, what's whoopee?
Brandi: You know, being intimate.
Brodie: What? Like fucking?

Shenzi: Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?
Scar: For the death of the king!
Banzai: What, is he sick?
Scar: No, you fool, we're going to kill him.

Web Original

Joey: "Shut up, Tristan! You just wanna get into [my sister]'s pants!"
Tristan: "No I don't. I want to have sex with her!"
Beat
Tristan: "Oooooooh, that's what you meant...!"

Western Animation

Spongebob: Squidward! He's... he's... pushing up daisies!
Patrick: Oh, I thought he was dead.