Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2015 September 30

= September 30 =

Spray-bottles used by actors
In several old cartoons I've seen, actors about to appear on the stage or singers about to sing take a small bottle out and spray a fine mist into their mouth, presumably something that will make it easier for them to speak clearly and project their voice. I'm sure this small hallmark of luvviness has been played for laughs more than once. What's in those bottles? --87.224.68.42 (talk) 10:44, 30 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Probably breath spray. Staecker (talk) 11:46, 30 September 2015 (UTC)


 * More probably Vocal spray, used to lubricate the vocal cords rather than perfume the breath. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 185.74.232.130 (talk) 13:05, 30 September 2015 (UTC)


 * The Wikipedia stub is pretty useless. If you Google "vocal spray" you'll learn how to make your own.--Shantavira|feed me 14:14, 30 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Chloraseptic was pretty popular at the TV station I worked. No itching, coughing or squeaking, but it can make you drool, if you're careless. I don't think that brand was around in "the olden days", but generic phenol was. InedibleHulk (talk) 04:32, 1 October 2015 (UTC)


 * According to the 171st Nancy Drew novel, some opera singers put mentholated water in their nozzles. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because unlike books 167, 168, 169, 170, 172 and 173, Wikipedia doesn't recognize Intrigue at the Opera. InedibleHulk (talk) 08:06, 1 October 2015 (UTC)

The Beatles' Decca audition
I was reading your article about The Beatles' Decca audition and I have a question. It states that "Manager Brian Epstein made numerous trips to London to visit record companies with the hope of securing a record contract but was rejected by many, including Columbia, Pye, Philips, and Oriole." If this is the case, why has Decca been singled out for notoriety if all of these other labels have rejected the Beatles too? Surely Pye, Columbia, Philips and Oriole have also made "one of the biggest mistakes in music history" too? --Yonglingtonshire (talk) 14:15, 30 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I think it's a combination of (a) as the article states, the band actually auditioned for Decca, whereas the other labels presumably rejected them after discussions with Epstein only; and (b) the famous "guitar groups are on the way out" quote has survived, whereas any comments that may have been made by the other labels have not. --Viennese Waltz 14:34, 30 September 2015 (UTC)

Quantico (Tv Series)
I would just like clarification as to why in the brief description for this show on the Wikipedia page, it lists the show, Quantico, as " an Indian television thriller series.." when this show was produced by ABC and is filmed in North American cities? The fact that the main actress is Indian, does not make this show an "Indian television series". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.116.218.244 (talk) 14:40, 30 September 2015 (UTC)
 * What you saw was the article after this edit. It was (at best) a test edit and has now been reverted. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. MarnetteD&#124;Talk 14:43, 30 September 2015 (UTC)


 * According to Wikipedia, the main actress/"leading role" is American Aunjanue Ellis, and Chopra is the young female lead (the ingénue, if you're into crossword puzzles). Maybe still "main" in starpower (audiences like young females). If she's the "face of the show", it makes sense that someone might want to appropriate the whole package, but that doesn't make it appropriate. Quantico is more American than apple pie, by this production-based logic. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:26, 1 October 2015 (UTC)