laying pipe
n.— «“laying pipe”: writing and delivering the onerous dialogue which provids backstory and the plot facts needed to support the weight of the funny (or interesting). Exposition, kids, and it ain’t fun. Example: “Geesh, all Dougie’s doing this scene is laying pipe. Couldn’t we give him a joke?” One always strives to lay pipe in an interesting way, or “hide the pipe” in an otherwise entertaining sequence. Such a two-for one is a pleasant flourish signifying your professional ability, like a nice chip shot.» —“Writing: Jargon Preservation” by John Rogers Kung Fu Monkey Apr. 15, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Need a slang term that can replace just about any noun? Try chumpie. If you’re from Philadelphia, you may already know this handy placeholder word. And there’s Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and … The Bronx — why do we add...
The word dezzick is defined in an 1875 dictionary of the Sussex dialect as “a day’s work.” This is part of a complete episode.
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