-> '''Cabinet men:''' ''harrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumph''\\
'''Governor:''' I didn't get a "harrumph" outta that guy!\\
'''Hedley Lamarr:''' Give the governor a "harrumph!"\\
'''That Guy:''' Harrumph!\\
'''Governor:''' You watch your ass.
-->-- ''Film/BlazingSaddles''

Something very shocking has happened in front of a large audience! It's so shocking that the audience must immediately discuss amongst themselves how utterly shocked they are by proceedings. Of course, we, the actual audience, don't hear what they're saying-- we just hear a low murmur.

May be preceded by an audience-wide {{GASP}}!

Often happens in a courtroom, when a lawyer or witness has revealed a big twist in the case ("A murmur went through the courtroom..."). It also appears in general crowd scenes (parties, bars, restaurants, stadiums) as ambient noise.

In the business, this is sometimes called "rhubarb," "walla," "watermelon," and "peas and carrots," after the theater trick of using those words because (in theory) they sound like real conversation when mumbled indistinctly. In TV and movies, most recordings are actually of little snippets of pocket dialogue-- unfinished phrases related to whatever is going on in the scene. This adds realism to the story, while saving the writers the effort of coming up with complete sentences for bit characters to say.

See StudioAudience. Compare SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud. If the camera shows the actual audience the in-universe audience reaction, it's a ReactionShot.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime]]
* When a riot breaks out in ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'', the crowd can clearly be heard shouting "Riot!" [[GratuitousEnglish in English]].
* This happens in Sai's BackStory in ''Manga/HikaruNoGo'' during a public game of ''TabletopGame/{{Go}}''. After his opponent accuses him of cheating (the opponent was actually the one who cheated) and Sai denies, the whole crowd begins to whisper.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comedy]]
* From ''AudioPlay/StanFrebergPresentsTheUnitedStatesOfAmerica'':
-->'''King:''' But you better sight land soon. There's rumblings of mutiny!\\
'''Columbus:''' Really?\\
'''King:''' Come over here and listen.\\
'''Columbus:''' Alright.\\
'''Crew:''' '''[-[[UnsoundEffect RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE. MUTINY MUTINY MUTINY.]]-]'''\\
'''Columbus:''' I see what you mean.
* In a bit discussing PM's Question Time, Creator/EddieIzzard renders the background murmurs in Parliament as "Toilet paper! Toilet paper! Toilet paper in our time!"
* Music/RidersInTheSky's novelty album ''Riders Go Commercial'' features the fake ad "Geezer Training Course" to become a background extra in Western films. Part of the class is learning to mumble "rhubarb" and "peas and carrots."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Crowds in ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' generally mutter "rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb".
* Issue #34 of Marvel's ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' series (first series) was a series of one-page spoofs of the Marvel Universe. One such example was "What if anyone who had been an Avenger had remained an Avenger?" So naturally, just about every Marvel hero shows up upon the call "Avengers Assemble!", with the multi-stemmed word balloon "Watermelon cantaloupe watermelon cantaloupe watermelon cantaloupe" employed to simulate crowd noise.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'': The [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic pony]] courtroom audience murmurs just as ''Franchise/AceAttorney's'' human one would do; except when they are laughing their lungs out at [[EmbarrassingOldPhoto embarrassing pictures]].
* In ''Fanfic/ChrysalisVisitsTheHague'': This happens occasionally during the hearings, with one problem - the actual gallery is separated from the courtroom by a security window, so the implication of this is that not even the court's ''own staff'' can help but comment or react on the revelations.
* {{Creator/Detsniy Off Skiword}}’s Ace Attorney fanfics often reference the series’ canon examples. Apparently, the audience are just constantly saying “Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes” until Judge bangs his “[[RougeAnglesOfSatin litle hamer]] [[BuffySpeak thing]]”
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', the crowd at the 4*Town concert do this when Ming shows up.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' about as hard as possible:
-->'''Cabinet men:''' harrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumphharrumph\\
'''Governor:''' I didn't get a "harrumph" outta that guy!\\
'''Hedley Lamarr:''' Give the governer a "harrumph!"\\
'''That Guy:''' Harrumph.\\
'''Governor:''' You watch your ass!
* Also parodied in ''Film/TheManWithTwoBrains''; when Michael makes his announcement about "being able to put the brains of brilliant people in the bodies of dumb people", the German audience engages in murmuring of this nature. When he asks his host what they're saying, he's informed that it's just "a general murmur," and they're just repeating 'murmur' over and over. When he challenges them to "murmur all you like!", the response is the audience loudly yelling "Murmur Murmur!" at him.
* Done really badly in ''Film/OnDeadlyGround'', where amidst the standard "rhubarb"ing, utter non sequitur comments come from nowhere supporting Forrest.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'' when Bilbo is giving his farewell and says "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve". This is straight out of the book where it describes the response as scattered applause with most of the audience working it out to see if it came out to a compliment. The movie conveys this reaction with mostly blank looks in the audience.
* Parodied in ''Film/StraightJacket'', where the (TV-)courtroom audience reacts to various shocking revelations by turning to each other and audibly murmuring, "Peas and carrots! Peas and carrots!"
* In ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'', when the hero announces his theory that a change in the ocean currents could have caused the disaster, the room full of scientists is murmuring.
* The studio audience in ''Film/SlumdogMillionaire'' responds with murmur to all of Jamal's decisions.
* ''Film/{{The Front Page|1931}}'': Lampshaded. After Hildy insists to his fiancée that he's in the press room saying goodbye to his friends, he says "Can't you fellas say something?" They respond with sarcastic nonverbal murmurs.
* ''Film/WaitingForGuffman'': In the ShowWithinAShow ''Red, White, & Blaine'', the actor playing Blaine Fabin (town founder of Blaine, Missouri) declares that he smells salt water, signaling that his pioneer group has reached California at last. Two of the other actors whisper "Salt water!" excitedly, while, in a show of BadBadActing, the other two whisper "hubbub hubbub" repeatedly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/DaveBarry has mocked this a few times, as when a murmur ran through a courtroom--then jumped up and bit the judge on the nose.
* Terry Pratchett's Literature/{{Discworld}}:
** In ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}'' Nanny Ogg, having joined an angry mob in order to divert them from their target, is revealed as the rest of the crowd dissipates to be waving her torch and pitchfork and muttering "Rhubarb... rhubarb..."
** Another parody occurs in ''Literature/InterestingTimes'', where a samurai yells "Itiyorshu! Yutimishu!" -- "I tie your shoe, you tie my shoe" was the rhubarb phrase specifically given to extras who were meant to sound like they were speaking Japanese.
* In the ''Literature/CallahansCrosstimeSaloon'' books, Jake's narration uses "rhubarb rhubarb" to indicate that everyone is doing this.
* In ''Sophie Sophie Hits Six'' by Creator/DickKingSmith, the titular Sophie gets into big trouble with her teacher when she follows her dad's advice and plays her crowd scene by shouting, "Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb!"
* In his book about the making of the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' episode "The Trouble With Tribbles" Creator/DavidGerrold discusses how he was trained as an actor to fake a conversation as an extra in a production. One extra would say "Nadder nadder nadder" and his partner would respond "Grommish, grommish, grommish."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Parodied on quite a few episodes of ''Series/ThirtyRock''. In "Future Husband," Liz makes it seem as if Jack is in a meeting while on the phone by saying "Rhubarb rhubarb, golf prostate." In another episode, Rob Reiner said "Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, peas-and-carrots, rhubarb" while on a congressional committee board, pretending to be conversing with the people around him after it had been pointed out during that he really had no business being there.
* ''Series/{{Andor}}'': While Mon Mothma is making a speech trying to convince the other senators to vote against expanding Imperial surveillance and ability to imprison people most of them are chatting amongst themselves with a few shouting down her ideas to exhibit how little power she has to actually help people in her position as a senator.
* In an episode of ''Series/{{Becker}}'', Becker is facing a malpractice suit. When the plaintiff is on the stand, he identifies Becker as his doctor for the record. Cue the audience gasping and murmuring. Cue Becker telling them to shut up, because it's not like that's a big surprise or anything.
* On ''Series/{{Community}}'' Shirley can be heard murmuring "pepperjack cheese" when the whole group starts talking at once.
* Neatly and hilariously parodied to the point of subversion on ''Series/FatherTed'' -- as Ted's making a lot of surprising revelations at a "Sheep of the Year" contest, the audience in general engages in a bit of shocked murmuring amongst themselves... except for one chap (actually played by series co-creator Grahame Linehan) who can very audibly be heard exclaiming "Fuckin' hell!"
* Parodied in the ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'' episode "Potato": when Blackadder and his crew are shouting at each other after getting lost at sea, Captain Rum is just saying "Rhubarb" over and over. And since he's played by Creator/TomBaker, he's doing it very loudly and clearly.
* On ''Series/TheDailyShow'', after showing a clip of a rather raucous chat show, Jon compared it to a shouting Bohemian Rhapsody. It then cut to the correspondents in the Rhapsody position, of whom Jason Jones (as Jon lampshades at the end) is simply saying "watermelon".
* In one episode of ''Series/WillAndGrace'', Karen is clearly saying "peas and carrots" during a crowd scene.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' used "rhubarb," "sassafras" and "peas and carrots" sometimes for crowd scenes; they would usually lampshade what ''kind'' of murmuring was going on ("Rhubarb rhubarb journalist rhubarb", "Rhubarb soldier rhubarb defending countries blah blah blah...").
** Mocking of ''Film/PrinceOfSpace'' (a Japanese film), Mike and the Bots riff on the MediaScrum by muttering random Japanese and East Asian phrases ("Wasabi." "Bok choy." "Yakisoba." "Samurai.").
* Parodied by ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': "Dim of the Yard! Consternation, uproar!"
* ''Series/TheMonkees'' parody this with the "rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb" variation in the episode "Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers".
* Beautifully parodied in a ''Series/FrenchAndSaunders'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6lzRKXLRU homage to James Cameron's ''Titanic'']], whereby the GhostExtras embrace their background-filling role by loudly saying "Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb" to one another, and Creator/GaryWaldhorn clearly enunciates "Fah fah fah fah fah..." in [[UsefulNotes/BritishAccents Received]] [[UsefulNotes/HomeCounties Pronunciation]] during the dining scene.
* In ''Series/SlingsAndArrows'', Geoffrey admonishes an actor at one point that he can hear him saying "rhubarb" and he needs to mix it up a bit.
* In ''Series/NewsRadio'', the onlookers at Jimmy's trial react to every new development with excited whispers, leading him to complain, "Are they gonna do that every time I answer a question?" When he gets back to the office, the staff does the same as they watch him face off with his SitcomArchnemesis, and he tells them to stop because he's been getting that all morning.
* Parodied in ''Series/{{Schmigadoon}}'': The ensemble in "Welcome to Schmicago" uses "peas and carrots, peas and carrots..." to simulate the sound of a whispering crowd. Josh and Melissa complain they can't understand them.
* Parodied in ''Series/TheOtherTwo'' where a fake Applebee's is constructed and actors hired to play servers and customers so that the famous Dubek family can have a normal family dinner. Pat, who isn't aware that it's all fake, starts a minor crisis because all the customers are saying "peas and carrots" to simulate chatter and orders this, even though Applebee's doesn't serve 'peas and carrots' as a dish.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* Spoof-Victorian comedy ''Radio/TheBrothersFaversham'' had a running gag one episode using this. Whenever something astonishing happened, a crowd would murmur over each other: "Good Lord! - I say! - Unbelievable! - What! - That's impossible!". Unfortunately, the murmurs would die down just as one of them said, very distinctly, "Shit".
* ''Radio/DimensionX'':
** In [[Recap/DimensionX22TheRoadsMustRoll episode twenty-two]], based on Creator/RobertAHeinlein's "Literature/TheRoadsMustRoll", there's a commotion during the emergency stop as the "roads" halt because of the strike, with indistinct shouting/screaming and sirens in the background.
** In [[Recap/DimensionX31Universe episode thirty-one]], an [[AudioAdaptation adaptation]] of Creator/RobertAHeinlein's "{{Literature/Universe}}", while Hoyland is describing his heresy in the Control Room, the squadron of soldiers shout and grumble around him. The episode ends with them calling for his death.
** In [[Recap/DimensionX50Nightfall episode fifty]], an [[AudioAdaptation adaptation]] of Creator/IsaacAsimov's "{{Literature/Nightfall|1941}}":
*** While Theremon talks with high priest Sor, the other cultists chant incoherently in the background.
*** When the astronomers look out to see the cultists on their march to attack the observatory, you can hear shouts from the mob.
*** Once the [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot eclipse has begun]], there is screaming in the background from various characters, even as their final lines are being said. The shouting doesn't end until [[FillingTheSilence the music]] indicates a transition to the {{Narrator}}'s perspective.
* ''Radio/TheFoundationTrilogy'': The sound effect of a grumbling audience is used during Hober Mallow's trial to emphasize the fact that he and his prosecutor are having this courtroom debate in front of an audience.
* ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' {{lampshaded}} this - audience murmurs were always played by the full cast muttering "rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb". Considering that "the full cast" was only three people, and that they would occasionally intersperse the "rhubarbs" with "custard!", the effect was usually unconvincing.
* ''Radio/XMinusOne'''s "Recap/XMinusOneE028Nightfall": Despite the [[Recap/DimensionX50Nightfall previous adaptation]] making use of this trope in several scenes, only the murmurs of the mob during the [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot climax of the eclipse]] show up.
* LampShaded in BBC [=WW2=] sitcom Dot which has recurring minor character called Officer Background who only speaks in "Rhubarb"s with the occasional other word (eg "Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb Mrs Background rhubarb")
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* In the script of ''The Complete History of America (abridged)'', the announcement of the Boston Tea Party is followed by these lines spoken together:
-->'''Austin''': Peas and carrots, peas and carrots...\\
'''Adam''': Harumph, harumph, harumph...\\
'''Reed''': Rutabaga, rutabaga, rutabaga...
* In ''Theatre/TheGoldenApple'', when Ulysses is working his DivideAndConquer plan on the citizens of Rhododendron, they divide up into groups which sing "mutter mutter and grumble grumble."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Happens in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' during the Opera Scene when your party (and Ultros) crash into the scene from the ceiling. Locke {{Large Ham}}s an improvisation once he realizes the lead actor has been knocked unconscious, and the guy who owns the opera house decides to ThrowItIn, and the orchestra starts up some nice thematic battle music for you.
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', the crowd at [[SilentProtagonist Crono's]] trial murmur cheers (at each "guilty") or boos (for each "not guilty") as each juror's verdict is announced.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* '''''[[red:Hold it!]]''''' (Desk Slam!) Happens at every twist in ''Franchise/AceAttorney'', usually followed by the judge slamming his gavel and shouting "Order!" Occasionally, some comments from the gallery are actually shown, to indicate whether the public's opinion is hostile to the defense or becoming more sympathetic.
* Happens during important Starcraft matches in ''VisualNovel/{{SC2VN}}'', complete with hype and [[CombatCommentator combat commentary]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Happens in the original ''[[WebVideo/DeathNoteAbridgedTioHAndDargonakis Death Note Abridged]]'' by [=TioH=] and Dargonakis.
* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'':
** Parodied in "DNA Evidence", where Strong Sad calls for attention of a murmuring audience. It's then revealed that the only other person in the room is [[OddballDoppelganger Homsar]], who was somehow making audience noises all by himself.
** Also parodied in the WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail "parenting", when Homestar imitates a murmuring crowd, which he refers to as being "a one-man hubbub."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Averted/played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': crowds often say (quite clearly) "Rabble Rabble Rabble Rabble Rabble."
--> '''Crowd:''' RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE
--> '''Mayor [=McDaniels=]:''' Standing out here yelling "rabble rabble rabble" isn't going to help anything!
--> '''Jimbo:''' But we don't know what else to do, Mayor!
--> '''Crowd:''' RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE
** When it's played straight, though, (or as straight as ''South Park'' lets something be played straight), crowds will say "peas and carrots". See "Two Days Before ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'' " for an example of this.)
* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', where a background character is both the ''only one'' speaking on screen and clearly heard saying "Rhubarb, rhubarb, walla walla!".
* Crowds in ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' literally say BlahBlahBlah.
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' - general murmuring will ''always'' be followed up with a hilarious statement by somebody.
-->'''Cubert:''' What's the matter? [[HaventYouSeenXBefore Never seen]] [[NakedPeopleAreFunny a genius' wiener before?]]
-->''[general murmuring of no]''
-->'''Fry:''' Well, once in the park.
* In ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', our Rick claims to a crowd of other Ricks from other dimensions that they're hypocritical for banding together to protect themselves from the government. The other Ricks murmur at this, and our Rick says "yeah, murmur it up, d-bags."
* In the ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'' episode "Green Loonturn", Dodgers' Franchise/GreenLantern oath includes "Watermelon, cantaloupe, yadda-e-yadda".
[[/folder]]
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