Giving me the business - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Tankeryanker · 10-11-2025, 02:19 PM

Highway Patrol episode 32 Reckless driving.

The lady says "It's only been a few weeks, you going to give me the business already"?

I thought beaver was the only show that says this, but I guess not.

ThisLittlePiggy · 10-11-2025, 07:32 PM

I think it's been around since the 1920s when gangsters used it. Like how they say wiseguy. Hey wiseguy are you giving me the business. I think I've heard it in some of those old movies from the Forties.

cd637299 · 10-11-2025, 09:16 PM

I was getting deja vu—the OP started the same kind of thread last year.

The old thread is in the middle of page 2 on the LITB page.

I think I referenced a case where an NFL referee called a penalty back in the 1990s, a personal foul against one defensive player for “giving the business” to a quarterback. That was classic.

cd

Dude111 · 10-11-2025, 11:41 PM

I think I remember this 1!!

Tankeryanker · 10-12-2025, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cd637299

I was getting deja vu—the OP started the same kind of thread last year.

The old thread is in the middle of page 2 on the LITB page.

I think I referenced a case where an NFL referee called a penalty back in the 1990s, a personal foul against one defensive player for “giving the business” to a quarterback. That was classic.

cd

My god, you want to read something really repetitive of mine, go look at the dr quinn medicine woman page.

vitoscotti · 10-12-2025, 08:14 AM

If "giving someone the business" goes back to 1920s gangsters.

Curious if the term was ever used in front of Ward and June and how they reacted to it or if they didn't react at all to it's use.

vitoscotti · 10-12-2025, 08:23 AM

stevea · 10-12-2025, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

If "giving someone the business" goes back to 1920s gangsters.

Curious if the term was ever used in front of Ward and June and how they reacted to it or if they didn't react at all to it's use.

I'm not sure about that, but I do know Wally used various "teen" phrases that irritated June, who corrected him. She also always corrected his grammar. He once said to her, "I'm not hardly doing anything." "Wally! We don't use those two words together. You're hardly doing anything, or you're not doing anything." "I wasn't sure, so I used them both."

10-11-2025, 02:19 PM	#1
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	Giving me the business Highway Patrol episode 32 Reckless driving. The lady says "It's only been a few weeks, you going to give me the business already"? I thought beaver was the only show that says this, but I guess not.

10-11-2025, 11:41 PM	#4
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 36,788	I think I remember this 1!!
	Last edited by Dude111; 10-12-2025 at 08:21 AM.

10-11-2025, 07:32 PM	#2
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 85,330	I think it's been around since the 1920s when gangsters used it. Like how they say wiseguy. Hey wiseguy are you giving me the business. I think I've heard it in some of those old movies from the Forties.

10-11-2025, 09:16 PM	#3
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 853	I was getting deja vu—the OP started the same kind of thread last year. The old thread is in the middle of page 2 on the LITB page. I think I referenced a case where an NFL referee called a penalty back in the 1990s, a personal foul against one defensive player for “giving the business” to a quarterback. That was classic. cd

10-12-2025, 08:14 AM	#6
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	If "giving someone the business" goes back to 1920s gangsters. Curious if the term was ever used in front of Ward and June and how they reacted to it or if they didn't react at all to it's use.

10-12-2025, 08:23 AM	#7
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084