History Main / CharacterFilibuster

--> --John Galt, ''AtlasShrugged''

* It's based on a true story, but we don't know how much is real: during the Clay Shaw trial in ''JFK'', Jim Garrison talks [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwoakFvvLIo for 8 minuts]] in final summation (that brought Kevin Costner [[ThrowItIn to real tears]]).

* Seems to happen towards the end of every ''{{Discworld}}'' novel.

This sometimes, but not always, overlaps with an AuthorFilibuster. See also RealisticDictionIsUnrealistic. God help you if this overlaps with MotorMouth. When a character is filibustering for an in-universe reason, they are HoldingTheFloor. Usually becomes a WallOfText if used in a comic. Can be a FridgeLogic result of a story having an orally-based FramingDevice - "Wait, is he still telling this tale to the guys round the campfire? [[PaintingTheFourthWall How did he pronounce the chapter breaks?]]"

-->I have a secret to tell
-->From my electrical well
-->It's a simple message and I'm leaving out the whistles and bells
-->So the room must listen to me
-->Filibuster vigilantly
-->My name is Blue Canary, one note, spelled L-I-T-E
--> --''TheyMightBeGiants'', "Birdhouse In Your Soul"

Often considered BadWriting, but TropesAreNotBad and the opinion any specific reader has of any CharacterFilibuster is usually ([[DontShootTheMessage but not always]]) a product of [[PreachingToTheChoir whether or not the reader agrees with the point being made]].

* Steven Seagal's character in ''On Deadly Ground'' (1994) has a 2+ minutes speech near the end of the movie.

** Plato's Symposium consists of ''nothing'' but a series of characters giving long speeches on philosophy.

* DavidMitchell during ''WouldILieToYou''.
** And ''{{QI}}'' sometimes. [[StephenFry "I've missed your angry logic, David!"]]

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZsrU9unlE8 Steve's legendary rant]] about the lock on the bathroom in ''{{Coupling}}''.

** See the comment below on borderline personality disorder, which November 11 [[LackOfEmpathy likely has]]. It's heavily implied that November memorized that little speech and recites it when he feels necessary.
*** Not just him; all the Contractors are implied to be have a personality disorder, though it mostly works out more like psychopathy. 11/11 has a FreudianExcuse for the filibusters: his renumeration is that he has to smoke, even though he hates cigarettes. Know who you don't wanna mess with? A neurotic psychopath, that's who.

*** I'd add my full thoughts on the subject, but then we'd have to put a link to this page on the example list.
* People with Borderline Personality Disorder are perfectionists who hate being wrong, and have emotional dysregulation that tends to strike at inconvenient times. As a result they are often known to write and rehearse long speeches about subjects they are passionate about or hold controversial views on and spew them out when an argument arises.

** Quagmire also had one of these in an episode regarding why he hates Brian.

* Subject to a lot of parody and lampshading on ''{{Frasier}}''; Frasier Crane loves doing these and -- unfortunately for the people subjected to them -- will launch into one at the drop of a hat.

* If Frasier Crane is on this list, then it only makes sense that he managed to hook up with Diane Chambers on ''{{Cheers}}''. She has frequently made long-winded speeches, novels, and even answering machine messages.
* Parodied on GreenAcres. Oliver would sometimes go into a long winded speech about how great America is and/or how it was great because of farmers accompanied by a fife playing either "Yankee Doodle" or "Battle Hymn of the Republic". At one point, everyone just got bored and left, even the unseen fife player.

*** Not a dictator, as for his political views YourMilleageMayVary.

* People who suffer from ADHD are known to indulge in "logorrhea," which is a fancy medical term for this trope.

** JeanPaulSartre did this in his novels all too often. TheReprieve has a notable example.

--> --''TheyMightBeGiants'', "Birdhouse In Your Soul""Sua Sponte"

->"For twelve years, you have been asking: Who is John Galt? This is John Galt speaking. I am the man who loves his life. I am the man who--(63 pages of pure speech)--I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."