s01e02 Ross: Well, you know, these people are pros. They know what they do. They take their time. They get the job done.

Does Ross quote some famous lines from some famous movie?

After Jack and Judy Geller have left the family dinner Monica hosted the friends gather in Central Perk to talk things over. The headlining topic is Monica feeling completely destroyed by the evening. Her mother's critique and father's low expectations are just too much! Ross feels for his sister and totally sees the injustice that is done to Monica by his parents.

Ross: Well, you know, these people are pros. They know what they do. They take their time. They get the job done.

There is just something in the way David Schwimmer delivers those lines. Every word is pointed out and sharp. I just can't help it, but feel there is something I as a person of different culture and language miss. Do you too?

So this is what I have found so far. Despite all my googling I couldn't find this exact quote in any other show or movie. BUT. It seems that Ross, being the most educated friend in the group has managed to string together a whole row of not quotes but four very common phrases about being good at what one does from American English. Check it out, I am sure all of us have heard them already in one way or another: 

1. These people are pros. =  These people are professionals. You may step aside now, some sort of magic is about to happen, even if not a very positive one. But I bet you are going to be impressed!

2. They know what they do. = Don't ask questions. Don't doubt. They have been through that business way to many times. Anything that could go wrong, have gone wrong and now they know how to act in each and every situation of the process. There is no way to outsmart them!

3. They take their time. = Sure, as an observer, you may think that they may do some things faster or better, but know you are wrong! Because see above, those guys have been through that thing way too many times. And if it takes this much of time, it shell take this much of time. Plus they are so familiar with the process, that they get into that near-magical state of flow, where they meditate while they do that particular did. So just watch quietly,

4. They get the job done. = You can just not think, not worry about this business anymore. The job is going to be finished, finished on time, finished with the stellar result. So use that time wisely feel free to anything else, while the pros are busy.

By now you may have recognized the type of this joke. Ross says the same thing four times in four different ways thus escalating the energy. Plus he uses very familiar phrases for any American which adds to the punch of the joke on its own. And when you add to it that Ross speaks not about people of specific profession, but about his and Monica's parents and parenthood as a job it gets the laughter from the audience. 

Plus one thing I found that is a coincident, I am sure, but nonetheless is fun to observe. In the first line These people are pros, I can't help but hear These people are pro Ross. And that is so true, unlike Monica, Judy and Jack adore their son and think he is brilliant even when he messes up.

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Did I get this joke right? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Katia