Thread: Help me understand the phrase, pls

The Fab Five (guys from the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") are everywhere. My wife and I joke that when the dolls hit the shelves, their fifteen minutes of fame are over.

What does the author mean in this part? He just said that these guys are popular and then "these dolls hit the shelves" and it's over?

Does he call the Fab Five "the dolls" or it's just some expression I don't know?

I guess it is like this: when a show gets really famous, they will make miniature action figures (=dolls) of them and sell them to make as much money as possible from a show So when the dolls hit the shelves, they have reached their peak of fame!

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I guess it is like this: when a show gets really famous, they will make miniature action figures (=dolls) of them and sell them to make as much money as possible from a show So when the dolls hit the shelves, they have reached their peak of fame!

Oh.
Thanks.

Actually, I'm going to argue with you KV, just because that's what I do. It's not so much saying that "when the dolls hit the shelves, they have reached their peak of fame!" -- it's kind of joking about how when they DO reach the shelves of store that they will NO LONGER be famous (and the dolls will gather dust 'til the end of time b/c nobody will want them). Either that, or I guess you could take it another way: if they have their own doll, then they're no longer a temporary fad for 15 minutes, but have become full-blown celebrities with staying-power. But I would think the first explanation is better...

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

The Fab Five (guys from the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") are everywhere. My wife and I joke that when the dolls hit the shelves, their fifteen minutes of fame are over.

What does the author mean in this part? He just said that these guys are popular and then "these dolls hit the shelves" and it's over?

Does he call the Fab Five "the dolls" or it's just some expression I don't know?

I've never even heard of the phrase, "when the dolls hit the shelves"... so this is a new one for me.

This phrase was from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"?? Strange... and I don't think the phrase is being used commonly in American English. (For Americans... is this show still on television in America??)

Maybe the phrase is a a regional, or city, or 'social group' colloquial phrase. It's not a common phrase, and I dare say most Americans wouldn't understand the metaphor.

To tell you the truth, gRomoZeka, I'm a native English speaker and even I have no clue what that means I've never even heard it before

Originally Posted by Dobry

This phrase was from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"?? Strange... and I don't think the phrase is being used commonly in American English. (For Americans... is this show still on television in America??)

No,no! That phrase is from the book on communication and the author is 100% American. He mentioned the show to prove that the look (image) is important and we all should be well-groomed. So he kinda approves the show. That's why I couldn't understand that U-turn to the part "their fifteen minutes of fame are over".

BTW, thanks, guys, especially those who said they don't understand that phrase either. I don't feel so stupid anymore. LOL
But the worst part that I need to translate it anyway.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

The Fab Five (guys from the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") are everywhere. My wife and I joke that when the dolls hit the shelves, their fifteen minutes of fame are over.

What does the author mean in this part? He just said that these guys are popular and then "these dolls hit the shelves" and it's over?

Does he call the Fab Five "the dolls" or it's just some expression I don't know?

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_boar ... s/404.html

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I think it's a British expression.

Posted by ESC on November 23, 2005 at 01:49:30:
In Reply to: when the dolls hit the shelves posted by mm on November 22, 2005 at 13:55:17:

:
: when the dolls hit the shelves

: When commenting on the popularity of some celebrities, someone says that,
: "When the dolls hit the shelves, their fifteen minutes of fame are over."

: What does this sentence mean?

"Celebrity dolls" like these: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=13816

When an entertainer, or whatever, is so popular that he or she gets a celebrity doll, there will be a backlash. People will get tired of seeing that person and go on to the next big thing.

:
Celebrity dolls

Wow, that was very interesting. Thank you, charlestonian.

What's wrong with my explanation or Barmbie's, Dobry?
It makes perfect sense, and Charlesonian just confirmed it!

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

What's wrong with my explanation or Barmbie's, Dobry?
It makes perfect sense, and Charlesonian just confirmed it!

Yes. Because when you combine the three of us, such a consensus means you have hit the trifecta! We're like those Captain Planet kids, but much less ghey.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

What's wrong with my explanation or Barmbie's, Dobry?
It makes perfect sense, and Charlesonian just confirmed it!

Don't lose sleep! Both explanations were logical... but I've never heard of that phrase... therefore I couldn't pass any judgement on it. I agree with the conclusions, as logical explanations, but it's an unfamiliar phrase. I was hoping for another confirmation. I liked Charlestonian's explanation for a third confirmation... hence definitive confirmation of KV's and Barmbie's thoughts.

So... it's confirmed!

Relax!

It's a methapor, with the meaning described above.