The Skinny About Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads and Other Media Lingo: The Language of the Media [Paperback]

Richard Weiner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2006

From the author of Webster's New World Dictionary of Media and Communciations comes this witty guide to the remarkable words that come from the media. In this compilation, Weiner reveals stories and meanings of familiar and unfamiliar words and phrases from sources such as Hollywood movies, the theater, publishing, broadcast TV, and other media. Featuring everything from "yellowbacks" to "yellow journalism," "white mail" to the "Great White Way," and "teasers" to "spin doctors," this book is the "leading light."

•A collection of thematic Safiresque essays
•Features hundreds of media-inspired words

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For anyone who has ever stuck around for the credits at the end of a movie and wondered what gaffers and best boys do, Weiner's compendium of media slang, jargon and shoptalk will be a welcome read. A contributor to Public Relations Quarterly and author of Webster's New World Dictionary of Media and Communications, Weiner covers everything from advertising to broadcasting to slang used by comedians and explains the lineage of phrases such as "break a leg," a good luck wish that dates back to ancient Greece, and technical terms such as double trucks, which are two-page spreads in newspapers and magazines. Essentially a repackaging of his dictionary content in essay form, the book overflows with trivia and definitions of media terms and is best consumed in small doses. While the narrative flow aids in reading, it also makes it difficult to hone in on terms. Thankfully, a 28 page index remedies this.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Richard Weiner is the author of Webster's New World Dictionary of Media and Communications, which was a Library Journal "Best Reference Book of the Year." A former public relations executive, he writes a monthly column on media jargon for Tactics, the publication of the Public Relations Society of America.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Random House Reference (April 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375721479
• ISBN-13: 978-0375721472
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,558,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reference book written in an entertaining manner, November 27, 2006

By 

A. Boron (Winnipeg, MB Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Skinny About Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads and Other Media Lingo: The Language of the Media (Paperback)

Great reference book written in an entertaining manner. All the jargon I wanted to know in the media fields.

I question a few of the entries (the few I knew something about !).

The "Telestrator" was not invented by John Madden, and

ironically (if you read the introduction to the entry)I believe "clap track" should be "clap trap".

In the Introduction, the author solicits corrections, but only provides a snail mail address ! "Old School"

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Glamour in Mysterious Words, June 15, 2006

By 

Mitchell Chefitz "author, The Curse of Blessings" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Skinny About Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads and Other Media Lingo: The Language of the Media (Paperback)

Who would ever guess it would be so much fun to weave one's way through the mysterious words that appear on mastheads and screen credits? Richard Weiner has provided us with delightful stepping stones into the glamour of movie sets and editorial rooms. He's a best boy, and then some!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insider's Guide to Media, April 13, 2006

By 

Nils T. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Skinny About Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads and Other Media Lingo: The Language of the Media (Paperback)

Ever wondered about the meaning of terms listed at the end of a movie? (It's called a "crawl".) Here's a book that, for the first time, explains it all. I found it indispensable for understanding the various terms involved not only in tv, but media in general. Weiner has provided an easy-to-read, interesting compilation of these terms, written in an engaging personal style. More than a straight-laced dictionary, it gives you insight into newspapers (see the entry of the Los Angeles Times), public relations (see marcom), politics (see Beltway), tv and motion pictures (see Lucille Ball), football (see John Madden), comics (see Borscht Belt) and thousands more. All in all, a fascinating look into the insider's world of communications. I can not recommend it more highly.