Episode 320: Cut to the Chase

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan ignore the fluff and "cut to the chase". Bonus: BLUF, Photo Albums, and light pop-dance-funk-jazz sounds

It's free to join our Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon!
patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

Shownotes are always available on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

Copyright 2026 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast 
Quick Quips
Episode 320: Cut to the Chase
Record Date: May 11, 2026 May 17, 2026
Air Date: May 20, 2026

Intro

Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase. 

I’m Dan Pugh

Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today. 

Welcome to another Quick Quips episode where we look at phrases that, for whatever reason, don’t fit into our regular format.

Today, we’re gonna skip the nonsense and cut to the chase. 

Meaning
According to Oxford English Dictionary, cut to the chase is originally from the US and means  

Quote
 in Film: to cut to a chase scene; (hence) to cut to an interesting or fast-paced part of a film; 
in colloquial context: to get to the point, to get on with it; to concentrate on the essential elements of an issue, etc.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/belly_v?tab=meaning_and_use#23738232 

OED includes that the phrase is frequently imperative, meaning it’s an order or instruction or call to action. 

How it Started (Could be figurative or literal)

An early usage of the phrase is found in J.P. McEvoy’s 1929 novel Hollywood Girl. This example features the film usage of the phrase in a series of directions in a fictional script within the story. Here are those excerpts,

Quote
“Chaney in plaster cast, chewing orchids. Cut to chase”;

“with a custard pie klunk that’s a laugh isn’t that a wow now we cut to the chase”; 

“Jannings escapes―I’ll figure it out later … Cut to chase.”
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/cut_v?tab=meaning_and_use#7597789 

https://numerocinqmagazine.com/2017/03/02/the-avant-pop-novels-of-j-p-mcevoy-essay-steven-moore/ 

How it Shifted (or How it Became Figurative)

The phrase didn’t take long to shift to figurative use, though the literal and figurative use can sometimes overlap. 

1945
In the December 25, 1945 edition of the Evening star, out of Washington, D.C., there are some reviews for a movie that was out at the time titled San Antonio. Here is a bit from one of the reviews. 

Quote
There just isn't enough story here to provide foundation for even Hollywood's version of an "epic." Mr. Butler has been forced to "cut to the chase" so often that you could be excused for having the vagrant suspicion that you are at a horse race instead of a movie theater.
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1945-12-25/ed-1/?sp=21&q=cut+to+the+chase&r=0.202,0.091,0.521,0.253,0 

This one is a definite play on words. While it is using the phrase in the literal sense of the cutting to the chase scene, it also places the phrase in quotations and discusses the lack of depth to the film. 

1955
Frank Scully shared his thoughts in his autobiography Cross My Heart which was published in 1955. Here is an excerpt, 

Quote
I am the sort who wants to ‘cut to the chase’ As far as I'm concerned, we can read the instructions later.
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/cut_v?tab=meaning_and_use#7597789 
https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv506256 

And that pretty well sums up that figurative usage… it’s not about a chase, it’s about getting to the thing one cares about as quickly as possible.

Next up we’ll look at just how the phrase is used today, but first, a quick thank you to our sponsors

A Quick Thank You 
Dan
This episode is brought to you by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. It’s 100% free to join the Bunny Trails community, so give our weekly discussions and poll questions a try!

Shauna
If you love our content and want more, 
we have some paid tiers, too
including early access to the week's episode, 
a weekly behind the scenes video,
and Original Digital Artwork once a month, made by ME.

Dan
You can also get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe and JGP do every episode. And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez.

You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon. 

That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod 

How it's used today

Cut to the chase is primarily used in its figurative meaning in modern uses, typically conveying a central meaning - remove the fluff and get to the important aspect. 

1993
Cut to the Chase is a song by RUSH released on their 1993 album Counterparts. Here are some of the lyrics, 

Quote 
You may be right
It’s all a waste of time
I guess that’s just a chance
I’m prepared to take 
A danger I’m prepared to face 
Cut to the chase
End Quote
https://www.rush.com/songs/cut-to-the-chase/ 
https://youtu.be/BqRx49TwP9E?si=WuG7vgkOvt1s-7ZD 

The song discusses themes of skipping the superficial and focusing on what really matters. 

There are a few romance novels that use this phrase in the title and we’re going to look at a few of these during our behind the scenes video which airs every Friday on Patreon. That’s at patreon.com/BunnyTrailsPod. 

2025
There is a more recent song titled Cut to the Chase by Olly Murs, of X-Factor fame. This is from the 2025 album Knees Up. Here are some of the the lyrics,

Quote
You’ll be home Tuesday 
But I’m out too late 
As your head touches the pillow 
That’s where I end my day 
Darling it tears me apart 
Always so near but so far away 
 
Next time I find you next to me 
There’s no time to waste 
Let’s cut to the chase 
I’m giving you all my loving straight away
End Quote
https://youtu.be/fBS_bn2N8ec?si=FmfinzwWJB3ht9L8 

This song has the light pop-dance-funk-jazz sound that Olly is known for. The song talks about not wasting time as the couple are like two ships passing in the night. It’s sort of playful and flirtatious.

Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

Poll question 

Dan:

It’s poll time! 

Recently we asked our Patrons: Do you still make or print photo albums?

It’s a pretty even split between everything being digital and occasionally printing out a photo for a special occasion.

Jan said: 
Quote
We try to print some. My wife was into scrapbooking when we first got married, so she’s got the supplies and works on them from time to time. I’ve got so many photos backed up to the cloud and hard drives. I need to start printing the best ones in case there’s a technology collapse. 
End Quote

Shauna: 

JGP said: 
Quote 
The last time I printed any photos or made an album was probably over 15 years ago. I know I should since so much can go wrong with only keeping things digitally but, to be fair, probably 95% of the photos I've taken since then were of my pets and no one really needs 70 thousand silly cat photos.
End Quote 

I’ve printed photos for events, like graduation parties. But otherwise, I’m mostly digital… and have waaay too many pictures. 

Dan: 
Cheryl added: 
Quote
I like to print books of photos.
End Quote

I don't print out many pictures anymore. I mostly only do so when there is one that I want to add to the photo album that is my fridge, which has pictures of my kids at different ages all over it. 

As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!

Outro

Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember, 

Together:
Words belong to their users.