464: RBA

2020-07-17T20:56:37Z

108.162.216.120:

{{comic
| number = 464
| date = August 18, 2008
| title = RBA
| image = rba.png
| titletext = This is a story all about how I started drinking.
}}

==Explanation==
A [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bel%20Air Bel-Air] is an internet meme where a poster on a message board starts a post on a serious topic, but partway through the post switches to reciting the lyrics to the opening theme song of ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', a 1990s sitcom starring {{w|Will Smith}} (previously known in his rapping career as the "Fresh Prince") as a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who has been sent to live with his affluent and stuffy Aunt and Uncle in Bel Air, Los Angeles by his mother as a consequence of a single altercation with a couple of no-good guys who were making trouble in his previous neighbourhood.

[[Megan]] in the comic reverses the traditional arrangement by starting the conversation with a recitation of the lyrics to said theme song, and then switching partway through to a very serious discussion of the status of their relationship culminating in a break up.

The lyrics go like this:

:Now this is the story all about how
:My life got flipped, turned upside down
:And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
:I'll tell you how I became ''the prince of a town called Bel-air''

The title ''RBA'' is an initialism for ''Reverse Bel-Air''.

The title text is also an RBA, but one which diverges from the song lyrics much more quickly. It's a play on the phrase "started drinking." This phrase usually refers to someone becoming an alcoholic (in this case, it would be because of the breakup), but in this case refers to the actual fact that Cueball had just started drinking (a glass of water) when Megan started talking to him.

A similar (though less serious) play on the Bel-Air meme was later used in [[1059: Bel-Air]].

==Transcript==
:[Megan walks up to Cueball pouring himself a drink.]
:Megan: Now, this is a story all about how

:Megan: My life got flipped turned upside down

:Megan: And I'd like to take a minute
:Megan: Just sit right there

:Megan: I'll tell you how I became uncertain about our relationship. I think you just like having a girlfriend, it doesn't matter who.
:Megan: I think we should break up.

:The reverse Bel-Air only works once, so make it something unforgettable.
:[Cut to dropped glass, drink spilled on ground.]
:Cueball: ...wait, seriously?
:Megan: Yeah.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Songs]]
[[Category:Fiction]]

Talk:2245: Edible Arrangements

2019-12-26T14:59:39Z

108.162.216.120:

How often do typos show up in XKCD comics ("Edible Arrangements is a thing" versus "Edible Arrangements are a thing")? [[User:Capncanuck|Capncanuck]] ([[User talk:Capncanuck|talk]]) 20:36, 23 December 2019 (UTC)
:It's not a typo. Randall is referring to the concept of Edible Arrangements, not a collection of edible arrangements. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.220|162.158.63.220]] 20:56, 23 December 2019 (UTC)
::I see what you mean. Should there have been quotes around the terms in the first panel then? [[User:Capncanuck|Capncanuck]] ([[User talk:Capncanuck|talk]]) 20:58, 23 December 2019 (UTC)
:::Nevermind, it's a company name. no quotes needed. [[User:Capncanuck|Capncanuck]] ([[User talk:Capncanuck|talk]]) 21:04, 23 December 2019 (UTC)
"Any arrangement is an edible arrangement if you're hungry enough." - and you have enough mustard. Happy Winter Solstice Everyone![[Special:Contributions/172.68.226.46|172.68.226.46]] 07:48, 24 December 2019 (UTC)

Any reason to assume a connection to vorarephilia rather than the common suffix "-vore" for "eating" or "swallowing", as in carnivore, herbivore, insectivore, etc. (and obviously the non-philia part of vorarephilia)? "Vore" may get used as slang/abbreviation for vorarephilia, but in this context I'd have thought the suffix was more the intent. I, at least, was unaware of the slang; possibly Randall was too, but I'd claim the philia is a bit obscure compared with the "vore" etymology. I wouldn't want to "correct" this without someone having the chance to make the argument the other way, though. [[User:Fluppeteer|Fluppeteer]] ([[User talk:Fluppeteer|talk]]) 11:55, 24 December 2019 (UTC)
:Yes, I'm amused by (though am not necessarily disputing) the assertion that vore is "often" used as slang for vorarephilia. I've not encountered situations where a shortened version is needed to keep conversation flowing smoothly. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.228|108.162.216.228]] 12:37, 24 December 2019 (UTC)Pat
:The term "vore" is used in various search engines, since "vorarephilia" is difficult to spell. The Second Life platform has several areas where avatars can participate in "vore" simulations. (It's a bit disconcerting to stumble across these things...) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.30|108.162.241.30]] 13:37, 24 December 2019 (UTC)
:It does seem to be the primary use of "vore" as a stand-alone word, I'd just assumed that Randall thought he was coining the use as part of his pun. Search engines (with some trepidation) do seem to offer the "-vore" suffix as well. Not to try to appropriate the word from the vore community... Oh well, I learnt something, but I still think anthropomorphizing a flower arrangement in order to make the interpretation make sense is a reach.[[User:Fluppeteer|Fluppeteer]] ([[User talk:Fluppeteer|talk]]) 17:40, 24 December 2019 (UTC)
:Vorarephilia (vore) is a reasonably established/famous Weird Internet Thing. I'd be astonished if Randall wasn't aware of that usage of the term. --[[User:Anomylous|Anomylous]] ([[User talk:Anomylous|talk]]) 01:00, 25 December 2019 (UTC)

The opening scenes of Roger Corman's original "Little Shop of Horrors" has a customer order a floral arrangement, and leaves the shop eating the blossoms. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.30|108.162.241.30]] 13:37, 24 December 2019 (UTC)

Aren't flowers meant for decoration sprayed with insecticides/fungicides etc. not fit for consumption? So the flower itself might be edible, the various 'icide's aren't. (Though of course literally anything can be eaten at least once in a lifetime) --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.151|162.158.111.151]] 19:32, 24 December 2019 (UTC)

Any idea if "Juicy Bouquet" rhymes better in Randallesian dialect than it does in mine? (Where "Oral Floral" definitely does well on that score.) It seems too close to be not intended to have that effect, yet too far away in my accent to come 'naturally'. (I find it far more convenient to mispronounce "Juic(+a+)y" to match "Bouquet" than to match "Bouque(>y<)" to any halfway normal "Juicy". And there seems no obvious middle-ground to send both to.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.9|162.158.158.9]] 01:25, 25 December 2019 (UTC)

Is it clear from the date that this is about Christmas presents, so that this should be included in the Christmas category? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:06, 25 December 2019 (UTC)

"Juicy bouquet" could be a play on the "Juicy Couture" brand name as opposed to any sort of rhyming attempt. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.120|108.162.216.120]] 14:59, 26 December 2019 (UTC)

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

464: RBA

Talk:2245: Edible Arrangements