A bit on the nose

[Necsus]

Hi everybody. I've already opened a thread in Italian/English and different suggestions are provided, so I'm wondering if you can help me to better understand the meaning of the expression 'a bit on the nose' in this context.
From 'Desperate Housewives' series. Bob and Lee, two gay friends, are giving a Halloween party, Katherine arrives, disguised as Queen Marie Antoinette, and these are the lines:

LEE - You came as a self-important queen who lost all her power? Isn't that a bit on the nose?
KATHERINE - Lee making jokes about a queen. Isn't that a bit ironic?

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[Trisia]

From The Free Dictionary:

on the nose Exactly; precisely: predicted the final score on the nose.

I think Marie Antoinette had a bit of a long nose, too.

[Her costume was presenting too well what she really was (self-important...) and there's also a little reference to the queen's nose]

 

[Teafrog]

I feel it might be a US expression that has the same meaning as "in your face", or "over the top"… i.e. way too ostentatious or obvious.



More Cambridge links, Trisia

 

[Arrius]

It means nothing to this Englishman.

 

[nichec]

According to this, I think it means something like "exactly right", as Teafrog noted.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/on-the-nose-to-be-frank/2005/10/10/1128796468659.html

My guess is that Katherine is a self-important person who (just) lost her power over something (or everything).

"A bit on the nose" can also be a pun for "a bit ironic".

 

[Necsus]

Okay, thanks. So in practice it means that the costume/ character is accurate, appropriate, the same as her true self?
And since they are all homosexuals, maybe is it also possible a double meaning queen/ drag queen in the line of Katherine?

 

[nichec]

Okay, thanks. So in practice it means that the costume/ character is accurate, appropriate, the same as her true self?
And since they are all homosexuals, maybe is it also possible a double meaning queen/ drag queen in the line of Katherine?

The word "queen" definitely has double meanings, at least to me.

 

[Teafrog]

According to this, I think it means something like "exactly right", as Teafrog noted.

I have to return the crown to Trisia - see post #2.
I put forward "on the button", "spot on" as further alternatives. How this all fits with an American sit-com, I don't know. I never watch soaps or sit-coms (UK, US, Oz) so I cannot comment on this sort of humour or logic

 

[nichec]

I have to return the crown to Trisia - see post #2.
I put forward "on the button", "spot on" as further alternatives. How this all fits with an American sit-com, I don't know. I never watch soaps or sit-coms (UK, US, Oz) so I cannot comment on this sort of humour or logic

The word "queen" can easily be understood (see 3 and 7)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=queen

(I don't watch soaps either, mind you, frog )

Trisia, kid, I am sorry I forgot to mention you in my last post. As my best friend, I know you will forgive me.

 

[Trisia]

So, the way I see it, we're all right (what do you mean, crown? Is this some sort of reference to a queen? )

The guy tells her she dressed to fit exactly her situation, and I do think he chose that precise phrase (instead of Teafrog's excelent suggestions) to add a little joke on Marie Antoinette's nose.
She answers that he, as a homosexual, should be the last to make fun of "queens."


P.S. Nichec, you lovely person, you know you didn't have to apologise

 

[Teafrog]

(what do you mean, crown? Is this some sort of reference to a queen? )

If I'd said "render unto Trisia the things which are Trisia's", it could have lead to confusion! I opted for a crown symbol instead

 

[Necsus]

Thank you all for your help.