What does call a spade a spade mean?
Idiom Meaning:
say the truth about something even if it may be impolite
Examples of this Idiom in Movies & TV Shows:
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries “Away with the Fairies” (2012)
Time of Scene:
Phryne Fisher: Now tell me, Jack, does that new furrow in your brow have anything to do with kissing me the other night?
Detective Jack Robinson: I didn’t kiss you. I was trying to protect you.
Phryne Fisher: All in the line of duty?
Detective Jack Robinson: You were looking a gunman in the eye and I had to distract you. I’m sorry if you think I took a liberty.
Phryne Fisher: Jack, You kissed me. Let’s call a spade a spade.
Detective Jack Robinson: You kissed me back.
Phryne Fisher: And I’m not here to apologize.
Bulworth (1998)
Time of Scene:
Angry black woman: Are you sayin’ the Democratic Party don’t care about the African-American community?
Sen. Jay Billington Bulworth: Isn’t that obvious? You got half your kids are out of work and the other half are in jail. Do you see any Democrat doing anything about it? Certainly not me! So what’re you gonna do, vote Republican? Come on! Come on, you’re not gonna vote Republican! Let’s call a spade a spade! I mean, come on! You can have a Billion Man March! If you don’t put down that malt liquor and chicken wings, and get behind someone other than a running back who stabs his wife, you’re never gonna get rid of somebody like me!
Bad Grandpa (2013)
Time of Scene:
Billy: She passed away.
Woman: Oh dear, that’s very sad.
Irving Zisman: Well, it’s not so sad. She was kind of a bitch, but yeah.
Woman: Jeez. My goodness!
Irving Zisman: Well, gotta call a spade a spade.
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