Behind the scenes

Which of these everyday phrases from the showbiz world do you use?

Image: Kyle Head

Show business has a way of slipping into our everyday conversations without us even realizing it. And there’s a reason: nothing captures the drama, fun, or urgency in life quite like actors and their lingo. For those of us with a little more life experience, these phrases might even bring a smile or a memory. Let’s take a closer look at 10 classic showbiz expressions that have made their way into our everyday vocabulary. Ready for your close-up?

Image: Pietro Tebaldi

Resilience in a few words: no matter what life throws at us, the show must go on. How many times have you said that?

Originally, this expression came from the world of performance, where, no matter the mishap or problem, performers kept it going.

In real life, we tend to use it to encourage others to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough. A little rain can’t cancel a parade, right? This is not exclusive to performers; we’ve all had to perfect our perseverance!

Image: Gordon Cowie

Are you chill and easygoing, or are you the bossy type? Depending on your answer, you’ll connect with this expression. To "run the show" means you’re the one calling the shots. Why? Well, think of the director’s role: they are the ones making the calls, and they have the final say in everything.

And what about everyday life? You probably know that person who is always in charge of making family gatherings happen, taking control of the food, the drinks, and the music. If you don’t know them, you’re probably the one doing it! We won’t deny it—running the show is fun and empowering, and it feels good to be that go-to person. Just don’t forget to delegate!

Image: Claudio Schwarz

Can you think of the last wedding you attended, with everyone from your high school friends to your dearest cousins? Well, you’ve got yourself a star-studded event! Can you guess what that means?

Coming from Hollywood and the red carpet world, when something is "star-studded," it means all the big names are out in full force. Of course, in the industry that’s all about red carpet premieres and award shows, we’re talking about celebrities. But in our lives, it could be a memorable party or a big celebration with all our favorite people. In short, it’s all about who is in that room and making everyone feel like a star.

Image: Oscar Keys

If a place is full of stars (or star wannabes, for that matter), there is always someone trying to be the center of attention or becoming so without any intention whatsoever. And that happens in every circle, right?

The phrase "steal the show" refers to someone or something that grabs all the attention, even if they weren’t meant to. This phrase can apply to anything from a spontaneous speech at a family gathering to a pet making an unscheduled appearance during a Zoom call. It’s usually someone or something delightful that pulls focus. And let’s be honest, sometimes that unplanned star is the best part of the show!

Image: Jack Anstey

Some projects demand a thorough plan, calculated steps, and well-thought-out decisions. But at some point, every project demands that we get the show on the road too. If you’ve ever heard someone say "Let’s get the show on the road," they’re telling you it’s time to stop planning and start doing!

The world of acting and performing has always been related to traveling. Companies take their shows to different places and stages, and that is where this expression most likely comes from—traveling performers who needed to pack up and move on to the next town.

These days, it’s often used when we’re about to embark on a new project or adventure. It refers to that point when we just have to dive in and figure things out along the way.

Image: Maxime Horlaville

This phrase does not come from the drama world but from the sports world, though it’s fairly common in show business too. Because getting things started is necessary in every field, right?

When you "kick something off," you get the ball rolling, starting something with energy and purpose. For example, at a family reunion, someone might say, "Let’s kick this off with a toast!" And then a joyful dinner unfolds.

A good kick-off helps set the stage for everything that follows, giving a positive tone to the day or event. After all, how you start often shapes how things end, don’t you think?

Image: Jarritos Mexican Soda

This expression is quite common among young people who are always talking about a new interest they picked up thanks to a TikTok video, where things get "hyped" every day.

When something has been "hyped up," the expectations can really be sky-high. It can refer to anything—a new movie, restaurant, concert, Amazon product, or whatever!

People talk it up so much that it becomes almost impossible for the real thing to meet all those hopes. If it does, great! But more often than not, it’s tough to "live up to the hype." The buildup makes it hard for reality to match our excitement. The trick? Keep an open mind, and you might just be pleasantly surprised!

Image: Jakob Owens

This one you know. We all do, because it has become so popular that it no longer belongs exclusively to the showbiz world. We use it with our sons when they face an exam or with that friend who is about to go into a job interview.

"Break a leg" is a funny thing to say when you actually want someone to have good luck. In showbiz, wishing someone "good luck" was considered a jinx, so this odd phrase became the way to wish someone well without tempting fate.

Of course, nobody wants anyone to really break a leg—quite the opposite, indeed! Everyone could use a bit of good luck, and here’s the perfect way to wish for it.

Image: Sean Lee

This is closely related to "stealing the show" or, better said, it’s a consequence of it. When you steal the show, you are "in the limelight." So, you can imagine what it means.

To be "in the limelight" means you’re the center of attention, whether you want to be or not! The term comes from the old days of theater, where a special lime-based light was used to highlight the main performer on stage.

These days, we use it to describe anyone in the public eye, from celebrities to people suddenly thrust into the spotlight. And this can go both ways: it can be either a blessing or a curse. Even if you get your ten seconds of fame, not everyone wants to be in the spotlight all the time!

Image: Alexander Dummer

To close things up, let’s take the perspective of someone who wishes they were under the spotlight all the time, in every scenario. That person "craves the limelight." Because some people don’t just end up in the limelight—they crave it!

If you "crave the limelight," you actively seek attention and love being the center of it all. These are the folks who enjoy being on stage, making speeches, or just being the life of every party.

We’re not the ones to judge—there’s nothing wrong with a little attention. But when someone constantly seeks the limelight, it can become a bit much for those around them. You know, all in the right measure!

Short but powerful words

Time is money: These abbreviations might save you some precious seconds!

Image: Igor Omilaev

Don’t you sometimes feel like we never have enough time to do anything in this fast-paced world? Our jobs, home lives, and hobbies seem intertwined with the never-ending, unstoppable speed of modern communication. However, we’ve managed to gain a few extra seconds in the most unlikely of places—our language. Abbreviations, acronyms, and other shortened words allow us to convey full messages with just a few letters. With that in mind, we’ve selected 10 of the most useful and popular abbreviations, hoping you’ll discover new vocabulary to help you gain some precious seconds for your enjoyment.

Image: Sean Foster

It stands to reason that the most important person in the United States would be mentioned in countless newspapers, magazines, and press releases every day. So, it’s only natural that an abbreviation for "President of the United States" became necessary. Interestingly, the term POTUS was first used in the 19th century, with other abbreviations ending in -OTUS (like SCOTUS for the Supreme Court) also emerging during this time.

Speaking of…

Image: David Everett Strickler

While the first known usage of POTUS dates back to 1865, the term FLOTUS (short for "First Lady of the United States") didn’t appear until the 1980s. Many believe it was first used as the Secret Service’s code name for First Lady Nancy Reagan. Over time, FLOTUS became part of everyday vocabulary, appearing in both media and official press releases.

Image: Shubham Dhage

Since it’s mostly associated with internet culture, you might assume that OMG—short for "Oh my God"—is a relatively modern term. However, you may be surprised to learn that one of the earliest recorded uses of this abbreviation comes from an unexpected source: Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. In a 1917 letter to Churchill, Admiral Fisher shared naval news and expressed his surprise over a resignation with the first known use of OMG.

Image: Tim Mossholder

It can be quite difficult to convey laughter through text—everyone laughs differently, so how can we capture that mirth using only letters? Thankfully, we have LOL as a universal shorthand for "Laughing Out Loud." Like many abbreviations in this article, LOL became widespread through the internet, but its first recorded use is attributed to Wayne Pearson, who reportedly coined the term in a pre-internet chat room in the 1980s.

Image: Huma Kabakci

As we mentioned earlier, we live in a fast-paced world, so it’s more than likely that you’ve come across this abbreviation at least once. Maybe a disgruntled boss has asked you for those important documents _ASAP_—which, of course, stands for "As Soon As Possible." Interestingly, if you’re familiar with medical dramas, you might also recognize the similar term stat, which comes from the Latin word statim and is used by doctors to convey urgency.

Image: Meg

Let’s say someone invites you to a barbecue and sends you an email with the time and place. If you come across the strange acronym BYOC, don’t panic! It’s just a friendly reminder to "Bring Your Own Chair" to the event. As you’d expect, context is key when using this acronym—the last letter can stand for almost anything, but it’s far more reasonable to bring a chair than a cantaloupe. Similar abbreviations include BYOB ("Bring Your Own Bottle") and BYOD ("Bring Your Own Device").

Image: Todd Quackenbush

Making something from scratch is always exciting—it’s in our nature to find joy in creating something out of nothing. In that sense, the phrase DIY fun perfectly describes the satisfaction we feel whenever we craft a new trinket or piece of furniture. DIY stands for "Do It Yourself" and is often used to describe simple (yet fulfilling) hands-on projects we can do around the house.

Image: Gilbert Ng

This is an abbreviation we’re all too familiar with—who hasn’t grunted in frustration after seeing that the ETA of their flight has been delayed? ETA stands for "Estimated Time of Arrival" and applies to flights, buses, trains, or any other means of public transport. You’ve probably seen this acronym on an arrival timetable, hoping that the ETA wouldn’t change to a later time.

Image: Ricardo Moura

Do you know what RSVP actually stands for? We all know it’s what we do with a formal invitation—but did you know we’ve even turned it into a verb? ("We RSVPed to his wedding invitation.") However, you might be surprised to learn that the words behind this abbreviation aren’t English. RSVP stands for répondez s’il vous plaît, a French phrase that translates to "Please reply."

Image: Jon Tyson

We’ll end this article with a promise: we’ll be back with another amazing piece sooner than you’d expect! If that last phrase felt like a mouthful, don’t worry—we’re happy to use our final abbreviation: BRB! BRB stands for "Be Right Back," and it became extremely popular thanks to online messaging. In the early days of the internet, this acronym was especially useful when you needed to step away from the computer but didn’t want the person you were chatting with to feel ignored.