Line #25 Main/TalkAboutThatThing


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/golookatthedistraction_sdb.png]]]]
2	->''"About this blank piece of paper..."''
3	-->-- '''Mr. Starchman''', ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}''
4
5	A type of RoomShuffle 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.
6
7	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?")
8
9	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..."
10
11	Bonus points if the person in question deliberately misses the point because he simply is a DeadpanSnarker 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.
12
13	Contrast with TakeFive, where the extra character is sent out of the room, and TalkAboutTheWeather, 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 euphemism}}s instead. Compare INeedToGoIronMyDog, where only one person needs an excuse to leave the room.
14
15	(Contrary to the title, [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant these conversations rarely involve]] Franchise/{{Marvel\|Universe}} SuperHero and Comicbook/FantasticFour member Ben Grimm, or a certain member of Series/TheAddamsFamily, or the creature from [[Film/TheThing1982 John Carpenter's classic horror film]], [[OverlyLongGag or the blue-haired troublemakers in]] Dr. Seuss' ''The Cat In The Hat''.)
16	----
17	!!Examples:
18
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* Tohsaka to Shirou at one point in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' 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.
23	* In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', Mion, in order to get Keiichi away from Rena to talk to him privately, says that she was going to lend him some manga.
24	* In ''Manga/{{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.
25	* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'', 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.
26	* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', after Sakura's injuries force her to stop pursuing Orochimaru, Yamato orders the team to stop because of Sakura's importance as TheMedic. 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.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
30	* Used in ''Film/MissCongeniality''. Since the person using it is an FBI agent, you'd think he'd be ''slightly'' more inventive.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Literature]]
34	* Used by Hermione in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', 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.
35	* Documentarian Hallis Saper uses the more-specific variant in ''[[Literature/XWingSeries 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.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
39	* Named for the Keatons' repeated invocation of "the thing" in an episode of ''Series/FamilyTies''. In one such invocation, they even worked in a mention to the movie ''Film/TheThing1982''.
40	* Also "You know, the thing...", a very common line in ''Series/TheWestWing.''
41	** 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.
42	** 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."
43	* Used to hilarious effect in the ''Series/SportsNight'' episode "Shoe Money Tonight", where it somewhat {{subvert\|ed trope}}s its [[Creator/AaronSorkin author]]'s usual preference for WalkAndTalk:
44	-->'''Jeremy:''' I'm just gonna run to the bathroom. You wanna come with me to the bathroom, Dan?\
45	'''Dan:''' Why, no, Jeremy, I don't.\
46	'''Jeremy:''' You don't want to step outside with me and talk on our way to the bathroom?\
47	'''Dan:''' ''(beat)'' Sure.\
48	'''Jeremy:''' ''(addressing the room)'' We're just stepping out and going to the bathroom.\
49	''(Dan and Jeremy move outside.)''\
50	'''Jeremy:''' I didn't really have to go to the bathroom.\
51	'''Dan:''' ''(wryly)'' Really?\
52	'''Jeremy:''' I just wanted to talk.\
53	'''Dan:''' ''(wryly)'' I don't think anyone saw through your clever ruse.
54	* ''Series/TheITCrowd'': 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:
55	-->'''Moss:''' I don't remember this conversation at all!\
56	''[gets hit by thrown object]''\
57	'''Moss:''' Why are you giving me the secret signal to shut up?
58	* ''Series/{{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."
59	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
60	** 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.
61	--->'''Cordelia:''' ''[about someone no one else in the episode has registered as in danger]'' Well, his body could fall out of a closet somewhere. So we should check out some closets to see if he's in a closet?\
62	'''Xander:''' You're right. There could be a closet. Let's go.
63	** Then there's the thing where Buffy wants to back out of having group fun with her mom's new boyfriend [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E11Ted Ted]]:
64	--->'''Buffy:''' We were gonna do that... thing.\
65	'''Willow:''' ...oh, right. That thing!\
66	'''Xander:''' Hey. We can do that thing ''anytime''. I'm ''tired'' of doing that thing! We're on!
67	** In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E13BloodTies 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.
68	--->'''Xander:''' Anya, you wanna help me with that thing?\
69	'''Anya:''' Xander needs help with [[ThatCameOutWrong his thing]]!
70	** In the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' spin-off, [[FriendOnTheForce Detective Kate Lockley]] is naturally reluctant to discuss demons or vampires in front of her police colleagues, so suggests they use this trope instead. HilarityEnsues when they get confused over which "thing" they're talking about.
71	--->'''Angel:''' It’s just that the ah, Evil Thing--turns out it wasn’t an ''evil'' Thing.\
72	'''Kate:''' The evil thing wasn’t an Evil Thing?\
73	'''Angel:''' Well, it was an Evil Thing in terms of that word. It just wasn’t an evil Evil Thing.\
74	'''Kate:''' There are Not Evil Evil Things?\
75	'''Angel:''' [[IResembleThatRemark Well—yeah]].
76	* Used on the ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' 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!"
77	* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'':
78	** "Niles/Daphne/Dad, can you help me in the kitchen?"
79	** 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 CallBack to Roz telling him that she was listening to the television while they were having sex.
80	* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E22AllHellBreaksLoosePartTwo "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.
81	* In the 2006 TV movie ''Coup!'', someone hears one of their less-than-bright fellow conspirators discussing their impending plot to take over Equatorial Guinea with a 'former' member of British Intelligence at a cocktail party. He interrupts with the 'urgent phonecall' excuse, then tears strips off the man, who's not paying attention because [[ComicallyMissingThePoint he's wondering why there's no-one on the other end of the phone line.]]
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Web Comics]]
85	* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Nanase uses the excuse of [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2003-07-22 "feminine problems"]] to speak to Susan alone.
86	* ''Webcomic/AGirlAndHerFed'': [[NoNameGiven The Girl]] and [[IntellectualAnimal Speedy]] exploit this technique to find a chance to talk.
87	* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'': 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 [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=544 pushes Surma into the ladies' restroom.]]
88	* ''Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns'': Dillon [[http://www.stickydillybuns.com/strips-sdb/This_is_an_emergency 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.
89	* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Elan and Haley [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0740.html come up with an excuse]] that they have to "give their pet orangutan a bath" when they want to speak with Durkon. Tarquin [[ImaginedInnuendo mistakes it]] for a SexualEuphemism. [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0789.html Later]] Elan comes up with the excuse that they need to have sex instead.
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Western Animation]]
93	* In one episode ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', 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.
94	-->'''Hank:''' Uh, Dale? I just remembered that I left my workbench in your basement. I need you and Bill, ''just'' you and Bill, to come help me move it back into my basement. ''(The three leave Boomhauer alone in the alley.)''
95	* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' 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.
96	* In the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' 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."
97	[[/folder]]

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