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:...
Kubler-Ross v.— «One of the weirder terms I’ve run across in TV writer circles is “Kubler-Ross” used as a verb. It was used in particular by the UPN “Twilight Zone” remake showrunner as shorthand to describe how a...
clamy adj.— «“Clamy” is a term I’ve heard used to describe a joke that feels very familiar, either in its construction (“If by BLANK you mean BLANK”) or its subject (“You wouldn’t believe what they served on the...
on the roof adj.— «“on the roof”: A character or bit that hasn’t been written out yet, but is on double secret probation before shoot day. I’m proud to say, this is my own little contribution to the lexicon, which I’ve learned has...
schmuck bait n.— «But because of the serial nature of television, Schmuck Bait has a distinctly different meaning. As submitted by Ron Anderson, for TV—Schmuck Bait: When the promos for a show tease an outcome which will obviously never...
paper airplane n. in aeronautics and aerospace, a flying machine that is strictly theoretical. Editorial Note: The adjectival form paper, referring to something that exists only in print or writing but not as a physical object, is fairly common...