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Talk About That Thing

143 statements
27 feature instances
9 referencing feature instances

Talk About That Thing	type	FeatureClass
Talk About That Thing	label	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing	page	TalkAboutThatThing
Talk About That Thing	comment	A type of Room Shuffle where a character wants to talk with another character in private, so comes up with some random excuse for the two of them to leave the room together, usually just stepping into a hallway or a bathroom or something for a minute or two. The excuse may range from completely vague ("Hey Jimmy, we need to talk about that thing? Remember? That thing?") to oddly specific ("Say Jimmy, didn't you want me to show you my walk-in closet?") About one in three times, the second character will totally miss the point. "What are you talking about? I've seen your closet like a million times." "Not since I painted it. You said you wanted to see it now that it's painted, right?" "I don't remember saying that..." Bonus points if the person in question deliberately misses the point because he simply is a Deadpan Snarker and either just wants to mess with the asker for a bit or in fact really doesn't want to talk about it. That doesn't happen often, though. Contrast with Take Five, where the extra character is sent out of the room, and Talk About the Weather, where they can't get away and use innocuous talk about the weather instead. If "that thing" is something like "where do babies come from", you'll be talking about in sexual euphemisms instead. Compare I Need to Go Iron My Dog, where only one person needs an excuse to leave the room. (Contrary to the title, these conversations rarely involve Marvel Super Hero and Fantastic Four member Ben Grimm, or a certain member of The Addams Family, or the creature from John Carpenter's classic horror film, or the blue-haired troublemakers in Dr. Seuss' The Cat In The Hat.)
Talk About That Thing	fetched	2023-08-27T04:13:35Z
Talk About That Thing	parsed	2023-08-27T04:13:35Z
Talk About That Thing	processingComment	Dropped link to ComicallyMissingThePoint: Not an Item - FEATURE
Talk About That Thing	isPartOf	DBTropes
Talk About That Thing / int_11b7db91	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_11b7db91	comment	In the Adventure Time episode "Ricardio the Heart Guy", when Finn embarrasses himself at a party by loudly denying that he's jealous of Ricardio and Princess Bubblegum ("I'm not jealous, I'm weird!"), Jake drags him away to give him some advice with the excuse "I need you to help slay these peanut monsters at the bar."
Talk About That Thing / int_11b7db91	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_11b7db91	featureConfidence	1.0
Adventure Time	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_11b7db91
Talk About That Thing / int_22058212	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_22058212	comment	Bottom: Richie wishes Eddie to join him in the pub toilets to purchase condoms. Eddie doesn't immediately follow along. So Richie's brilliant idea for alerting him is to shout "Edward Hitler, will you please join me in the lavatory this instant!" — in front of everyone in the pub. Naturally, this has got everyone's attention, so Richie's brilliant excuse to explain his eagerness to see Eddie in the toilets? "We're toilet inspectors."
Talk About That Thing / int_22058212	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_22058212	featureConfidence	1.0
Bottom	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_22058212
Talk About That Thing / int_2212773a	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_2212773a	comment	In the Angel spin-off, Detective Kate Lockley is naturally reluctant to discuss demons or vampires in front of her police colleagues, so suggests they use this trope instead. Hilarity Ensues when they get confused over which "thing" they're talking about.
Talk About That Thing / int_2212773a	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_2212773a	featureConfidence	1.0
Angel	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_2212773a
Talk About That Thing / int_2717dc7e	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_2717dc7e	comment	Used in Miss Congeniality. Since the person using it is an FBI agent, you'd think he'd be slightly more inventive.
Talk About That Thing / int_2717dc7e	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_2717dc7e	featureConfidence	1.0
Miss Congeniality	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_2717dc7e
Talk About That Thing / int_283b23c1	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_283b23c1	comment	In Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's, when Hayate is hospitalized as a result of the Book of Darkness draining more of her life, Dr. Ishida calls Signum and Shamal, the two members of Hayate's family who are privy to the less pleasant news about her condition, from her hospital room to the hallway to ask them a few questions and inform them she will have to be hospitalized for the time being.
Talk About That Thing / int_283b23c1	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_283b23c1	featureConfidence	1.0
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_283b23c1
Talk About That Thing / int_30a5ebfd	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_30a5ebfd	comment	In Naruto, after Sakura's injuries force her to stop pursuing Orochimaru, Yamato orders the team to stop because of Sakura's importance as The Medic. He then tells Naruto to come with him, supposedly to discuss new strategies now that Sai, Naruto's partner for tactical purposes, has betrayed them. As soon as they're out of earshot, Yamato tells Naruto that he was responsible for injuring Sakura while under the fox's control, and that if he wants to rescue Sasuke, he must do so with his own power.
Talk About That Thing / int_30a5ebfd	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_30a5ebfd	featureConfidence	1.0
Naruto (Manga)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_30a5ebfd
Talk About That Thing / int_43576f5	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_43576f5	comment	In the Supernatural episode "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part Two" (S02, Ep22), Bobby asks Sam to looks at his map of demonic omens and then asks Dean to help him lug in some books from his truck. He wants to speak to Dean alone about Sam's resurrection.
Talk About That Thing / int_43576f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_43576f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Supernatural	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_43576f5
Talk About That Thing / int_455e3038	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_455e3038	comment	In one episode King of the Hill, it is revealed that in high school Hank, Dale, and Bill crashed Boomhauer's car into a lake and never told him about it, leaving to assume it was stolen. Years later, Hank discovers that the lake is being drained, and tries to warn Bill and Dale. It's especially awkward since Boomhauer is the only other person present.
Talk About That Thing / int_455e3038	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_455e3038	featureConfidence	1.0
King of the Hill	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_455e3038
Talk About That Thing / int_4c7b30e1	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_4c7b30e1	comment	A Girl and Her Fed: The Girl and Speedy exploit this technique to find a chance to talk.
Talk About That Thing / int_4c7b30e1	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_4c7b30e1	featureConfidence	1.0
A Girl and Her Fed (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_4c7b30e1
Talk About That Thing / int_547f6bce	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_547f6bce	comment	Named for the Keatons' repeated invocation of "the thing" in an episode of Family Ties. In one such invocation, they even worked in a mention to the movie The Thing (1982).
Talk About That Thing / int_547f6bce	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_547f6bce	featureConfidence	1.0
Family Ties	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_547f6bce
Talk About That Thing / int_5755b96a	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_5755b96a	comment	In The Order of the Stick, Elan and Haley come up with an excuse that they have to "give their pet orangutan a bath" when they want to speak with Durkon. Tarquin mistakes it for a Sexual Euphemism. Later Elan comes up with the excuse that they need to have sex instead.
Talk About That Thing / int_5755b96a	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_5755b96a	featureConfidence	1.0
The Order of the Stick (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_5755b96a
Talk About That Thing / int_58808436	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_58808436	comment	In Higurashi: When They Cry, Mion, in order to get Keiichi away from Rena to talk to him privately, says that she was going to lend him some manga.
Talk About That Thing / int_58808436	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_58808436	featureConfidence	1.0
Higurashi: When They Cry (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_58808436
Talk About That Thing / int_68ea0c85	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_68ea0c85	comment	In Bakuman。, Takaagi meets with Miyoshi's father to discuss marrying her and mentions Mashito's uncle. Miyoshi's father, who was friends with Mashiro's uncle and was in love with the same woman, has Takagi call Mashiro over, supposedly wanting to challenge him to a sparring match, but instead has them go to a restaurant to talk about it without his wife and daughter hearing.
Talk About That Thing / int_68ea0c85	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_68ea0c85	featureConfidence	1.0
Bakuman。 (Manga)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_68ea0c85
Talk About That Thing / int_75149ccd	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_75149ccd	comment	Documentarian Hallis Saper uses the more-specific variant in Starfighters of Adumar to get the four New Republic pilots out of a bugged room onto a balcony she knows isn't bugged. For the benefit of the listening devices, she uses the excuse of having seen someone tampering with the X-wings on that balcony.
Talk About That Thing / int_75149ccd	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_75149ccd	featureConfidence	1.0
X-Wing Series	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_75149ccd
Talk About That Thing / int_7c48915b	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_7c48915b	comment	Gunnerkrigg Court: Anja wants to speak to Surma alone. As she's not a native English speaker, the best she can come up with on short notice is "Um... excuse please, Donald!" as she pushes Surma into the ladies' restroom.
Talk About That Thing / int_7c48915b	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_7c48915b	featureConfidence	1.0
Gunnerkrigg Court (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_7c48915b
Talk About That Thing / int_876c7452	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_876c7452	comment	Used to hilarious effect in the Sports Night episode "Shoe Money Tonight", where it somewhat subverts its author's usual preference for Walk and Talk:
Talk About That Thing / int_876c7452	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_876c7452	featureConfidence	1.0
Sports Night	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_876c7452
Talk About That Thing / int_8cb3a247	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_8cb3a247	comment	Used by Hermione in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as an excuse to get herself, Harry, and Ron out of the room before Mrs. Weasley blows up at Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley allows it... but goes for the block when Fred and George try to tag along.
Talk About That Thing / int_8cb3a247	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_8cb3a247	featureConfidence	1.0
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_8cb3a247
Talk About That Thing / int_a32b6a64	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_a32b6a64	comment	Also "You know, the thing...", a very common line in The West Wing. Another version: Abby's exchange with the President asking him if he wants a glass of water after his election victory speech. When she ends with "you can hold it in you hand," the President realizes she was referring to his MS episode. Occasionally, it will be "Will you please excuse us? So-and-so and I want to talk about old times." Also, "I'd like you to meet an old friend."
Talk About That Thing / int_a32b6a64	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_a32b6a64	featureConfidence	1.0
The West Wing	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_a32b6a64
Talk About That Thing / int_b0fc9724	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_b0fc9724	comment	Used on the Saturday Night Live recurring skit "Coffee Talk." The lead, a heavily stylized Jewish lady would get choked up and stall for time by saying, "Talk amongst yourselves. Here, I'll give you a topic—; discuss!"
Talk About That Thing / int_b0fc9724	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_b0fc9724	featureConfidence	1.0
Saturday Night Live	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_b0fc9724
Talk About That Thing / int_b6b24d18	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_b6b24d18	comment	The IT Crowd: Upon meeting Jen for the first time, Roy attempts to pretend that he and Moss were having a high-brow conversation about Tolstoy. Unfortunately, Moss isn't quite as sharp as Roy:
Talk About That Thing / int_b6b24d18	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_b6b24d18	featureConfidence	1.0
The IT Crowd	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_b6b24d18
Talk About That Thing / int_b9b796cf	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_b9b796cf	comment	Tohsaka to Shirou at one point in Fate/stay night involving Archer. He just tried killing Shirou the night before and the incident was creating a bit of an awkward mood. Shirou didn't notice and just sat around chatting like always and rather failed to understand that Tohsaka was trying to get the conversation to end so things could go back to normal.
Talk About That Thing / int_b9b796cf	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_b9b796cf	featureConfidence	1.0
Fate/stay night (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_b9b796cf
Talk About That Thing / int_bd310eaa	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_bd310eaa	comment	El Goonish Shive: Nanase uses the excuse of "feminine problems" to speak to Susan alone.
Talk About That Thing / int_bd310eaa	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_bd310eaa	featureConfidence	1.0
El Goonish Shive (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_bd310eaa
Talk About That Thing / int_c4282b71	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_c4282b71	comment	In the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "Green Isn't Your Color", Fluttershy ends up working with fashion photographer Photo Finish as a model. At one point, Photo Finish interrupts a conversation between Fluttershy and Rarity to remind Fluttershy that they have to go do "the thing at the place," and drags her off. Rather than making an excuse, it just serves to demonstrate that Fluttershy is too busy to be with her friends.
Talk About That Thing / int_c4282b71	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_c4282b71	featureConfidence	1.0
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_c4282b71
Talk About That Thing / int_d14bb14a	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_d14bb14a	comment	In one episode, Frasier gets Martin out of the way by telling him he wants to show him how to set up the closed captioning on his TV. Sounds like a lame excuse to leave, but it's a Call-Back to Roz telling him that she was listening to the television while they were having sex.
Talk About That Thing / int_d14bb14a	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_d14bb14a	featureConfidence	1.0
Call-Back	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_d14bb14a
Talk About That Thing / int_e0f72cac	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_e0f72cac	comment	Sticky Dilly Buns: Dillon declares that he and Ruby both have to go feed pet kitten Minew in the kitchen when he needs to explain his situation with the recently-reappeared Ray (and specifically his huge but secret gay crush) to her.
Talk About That Thing / int_e0f72cac	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_e0f72cac	featureConfidence	1.0
Sticky Dilly Buns (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_e0f72cac
Talk About That Thing / int_e293455a	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_e293455a	comment	Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The show overdoes this to the point of subversion, such as when Xander and Cordelia are looking for an excuse to go and make out. Then there's the thing where Buffy wants to back out of having group fun with her mom's new boyfriend Ted: In "Blood Ties", Xander is trying to get Anya out of the room to stop her from giving away to Dawn that she's the Key. In the Angel spin-off, Detective Kate Lockley is naturally reluctant to discuss demons or vampires in front of her police colleagues, so suggests they use this trope instead. Hilarity Ensues when they get confused over which "thing" they're talking about.
Talk About That Thing / int_e293455a	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_e293455a	featureConfidence	1.0
Buffy the Vampire Slayer	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_e293455a
Talk About That Thing / int_f655ed11	type	Talk About That Thing
Talk About That Thing / int_f655ed11	comment	Frasier: "Niles/Daphne/Dad, can you help me in the kitchen?" In one episode, Frasier gets Martin out of the way by telling him he wants to show him how to set up the closed captioning on his TV. Sounds like a lame excuse to leave, but it's a Call-Back to Roz telling him that she was listening to the television while they were having sex.
Talk About That Thing / int_f655ed11	featureApplicability	1.0
Talk About That Thing / int_f655ed11	featureConfidence	1.0
Frasier	hasFeature	Talk About That Thing / int_f655ed11

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Talk About That Thing	processingCategory2	Room Shuffle
Taaroko's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Fanfic) / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
Universe Falls (Fanfic) / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
Bakuman。 (Manga) / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
The West Wing / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
A Girl and Her Fed (Webcomic) / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
Sticky Dilly Buns (Webcomic) / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing
Sports Night / int_682fc8eb	type	Talk About That Thing

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