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The King of Comedy · 1982 — 第 16 / 21 章 · 3'59" · B2

Studio Debates Airing the Kidnapper, Explained：on the spur of the moment

The network and Jerry's lawyer argue over whether to air the kidnapper's demands, while the FBI warns that a coded message could get people killed. "Only an idiot kidnaps," someone snaps. Then the kidnapper calls in person, coolly setting the terms — no trace, no leaks — as if he were just another guest booking.

あらすじ

In a network office, executives, the FBI and Jerry's lawyer try to decide whether the kidnapped host's replacement should be allowed on TV. The lawyer is ready to sue everyone; the FBI fears a coded message going out live; the network just wants to buy time until Jerry is safe. Then the caller known as Mr. King phones in and negotiates the terms of his own appearance.

MeetingsNegotiationConfrontingWarningB2mediumamericanClean
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注目の表現

on the airon the spur of the momentgo aheadtake care of

00:00 / 03:59
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このシーンの表現

on the spur of the moment

on impulse, without planning

The lawyer mocks a kidnapper's likely excuse, saying he acted on a sudden impulse.

We bought the tickets on the spur of the moment.

このシーンの他の表現

  • on the air

    being broadcast

  • go ahead

    proceed, do it

  • take care of

    handle, deal with

  • long-distance call

    a call over a long distance

  • have the call traced

    get the call traced

このシーンのメモ一覧

59 行のセリフに 26 件のメモ

表現 · B1get to be + 时间

reach a certain time

Suppose we tape him, he doesn't talk, it gets to be 11:30.
表現 · B1no matter what

regardless of what happens

Do we put him on, no matter what?
発音put him on

Let put him on run together instead of pausing between words.

Do we put him on, no matter what?
表現 · B1it won't hurt anything

will cause no harm

You can go ahead and tape him. It, uh, won't hurt anything. You always can erase it.
表現 · B1buy someone time

gain time

We may learn something from it and, uh, it'll also buy us time.
表現 · B2under no circumstances + 倒装

never, under any conditions

Under no circumstances will we put this man on the air.
文法 · B2Under no circumstances will we

inversion: A negative phrase up front flips subject and verb, making the refusal sound absolute.

Under no circumstances will we put this man on the air.
スラング · A2gonna

going to — Everyday speech; avoid it in formal writing.

This lunatic is threatening Jerry's life and you're not gonna put him on the air?
表現 · B1make a decision about something

decide

We won't have to make a decision about putting him on the air till 11:30.
表現 · B2have someone back safely

returned unharmed

This gives us four hours. Hopefully, by that time, we'll have Mr. Langford back safely.
表現 · B1deal with something

handled

We have a serious situation and I want it dealt with rationally.
表現 · B2serious consequences

grave results

Unless we start talking politely, there's gonna be serious consequences.
文法 · B1Unless we start talking politely

unless clause: Unless sets the condition; the main clause spells out the threat if it fails.

Unless we start talking politely, there's gonna be serious consequences.
表現 · B2do something on the spur of the moment

on impulse, without planning

The lawyer mocks a kidnapper's likely excuse, saying he acted on a sudden impulse.

"I didn't know what I was doing. I did it on the spur of the moment"?
表現 · A2pretty soon + 从句

before long

Pretty soon you'll be able to go. About 12-, 12:30, as I said. Have a good time.
表現 · B1be out of one's mind

insane

- You're out of your mind! - I'm not out of my mind.
発音out of your

In fast speech out of can blur toward outta.

- You're out of your mind! - I'm not out of my mind.
文法 · B2All we're dealing with here

relative clause: The relative clause narrows all down to the single thing being weighed.

All we're dealing with here is 10 minutes of talk-show time against a man's life...
表現 · B1call long distance

over a long distance

Mr. King calling collect long distance for Mr. Thomas.
スラング · A2Uh-huh

I see, okay — A clipped phone acknowledgment, slightly noncommittal.

Uh-huh. Well, you're right on time.
表現 · B1make it brief

keep it short

I wanna make it brief, and I wanna tell you...
スラング · A2wanna

want to — Casual spoken form; too loose for writing.

I wanna make it brief, and I wanna tell you...
表現 · B2have something done

get the call traced

No, Jerry's not with us. We're at a payphone. Don't have the call traced.
発音have the call

Have the is usually unstressed; the stress falls on call.

No, Jerry's not with us. We're at a payphone. Don't have the call traced.
表現 · B2press leaks

media leaks

All I can say is don't have any press leaks.
表現 · B2not buy something

refuse to accept it here buy means believe or accept

Boy, he's shrewd. He just, uh, wouldn't buy anything.

「Studio Debates Airing the Kidnapper」を読み解く

What's really going on

The room is full of people paid to protect Jerry, and none of them can agree on how. The lawyer wants to sue someone — anyone — because a lawsuit is the only language he trusts in a crisis. The FBI warns that putting a kidnapper on live television could turn one hostage crisis into fifty deaths. The network wants to stall. What cuts through the noise is contempt: "Only an idiot kidnaps. And only an idiot decides to do what you guys are doing." Against all that, the kidnapper's own phone call is the calmest thing in the scene: he names his terms, refuses to be traced, and treats the whole thing like a booking. Everyone is performing strength; only the man on the other end of the line sounds in control.

Theme

PowerA network, a lawyer and the FBI trade threats, but the kidnapper on the phone quietly dictates the terms.
DutyEveryone claims to be protecting Jerry, yet each is mainly protecting himself.

このチャプターで学べること

  • A show can be taped long before anyone agrees to air it.
  • The whole deal turns on four hours bought with one recording.
  • Nobody in the room says plainly who is to blame.
  • The caller knows his line is being traced.

発音のポイント

  • put him on — Let put him on run together instead of pausing between words.
  • out of your — In fast speech out of can blur toward outta.
  • have the call — Have the is usually unstressed; the stress falls on call.
Under no circumstances will we put this man on the air.

The network's flat refusal: no matter what the kidnapper does, he will not get his minutes of national television.

Only an idiot kidnaps. And only an idiot decides to do what you guys are doing.

Contempt for everyone involved — the criminal for kidnapping, and the network for even debating whether to give him airtime.

I noticed you just did. I heard the sounds. I do know those sounds.

The caller calmly points out that the studio has already tried to trace the line, proving he can read the very sounds a tap makes.

All we're dealing with here is 10 minutes of talk-show time against a man's life...

One side's whole argument in a sentence: ten minutes of airtime is a small price to save Jerry, so refusing is indefensible.

このシーンについての質問

Why won't the network put the kidnapper on the air?

Its stated position is that giving a criminal live television would reward the kidnapping. In practice the executives are stalling, hoping Jerry is recovered before anyone has to make the call, so they push the decision to 11:30.

Why does the lawyer want to sue everyone?

He is furious that the network seems to be negotiating with a man who is threatening Jerry's life, so he lashes out at the executives and the FBI. Suing is his instinct whenever events slip out of his control.

What does the FBI worry could happen on the broadcast?

That a kidnapper could read out a coded message on live TV. If those words are a signal, fifty or more people around the country could be hurt, so airing the tape blind is a serious risk.

Who is 'Mr. King' on the phone call?

It's the name the caller uses for himself and for the man he claims to represent. He refuses to put Jerry on the line and sets the terms of the appearance himself, which shows the studio who really holds the cards.

What does 'on the spur of the moment' mean here?

Acting suddenly, without planning. The line parodies a kidnapper's excuse — claiming he didn't know what he was doing and acted on impulse — which is exactly the defense the room is mocking.

キング・オブ・コメディ · 全 21 章

すべて見る →
次のチャプター · 第 17 章blow your mindMasha's Lonely Night Confession
第 1 章big breakRupert Pupkin Pitches Jerry in the Car第 2 章start at the bottomRupert Pitches His Act to Jerry第 3 章take overRupert Rehearses Taking Over the Show第 4 章didn't have the nerveRupert Asks Rita Out After 15 Years第 5 章gift for comedyRupert Signs Rita's Autograph Book第 6 章the go-aheadRupert's New King of Comedy Speech第 7 章in a meetingRupert Repeatedly Calls Jerry Langford第 8 章broke bread withMasha Confronts Rupert in the Street第 9 章made itRupert Rehearses His Big TV Debut第 10 章amount to a hill of beansCathy Long Turns Rupert Down第 11 章drop inRupert and Rita Crash Jerry's House第 12 章take a hintJerry Throws Rupert Out第 13 章false moveRupert and Masha Kidnap Jerry第 14 章a pain in the neckJerry Langford's Hostage Call第 15 章a two-way streetJerry Apologizes at Gunpoint再生中 · 第 16 章on the spur of the momentStudio Debates Airing the Kidnapper第 17 章blow your mindMasha's Lonely Night Confession第 18 章authorized personnelRupert Bluffs His Way Into the Studio第 19 章the right to remain silentPupkin Gets Read His Rights第 20 章a shot atRupert Pupkin's TV Debut第 21 章down paymentRupert Pupkin's Stand-Up Monologue
第 16 / 21 章 · 残り約 17 分