“That’s show biz” (expression)
“That’s show business” (also “that’s the show business,” “that’s show biz” and “that’s showbiz”) is an entertainment expression meaning that the business has its difficulties, but that’s what it is.
“... a little dying, a little guying, a little spying, a little ryeing, very little buying and a great deal of lying —that’s show business” was printed in Variety on July 28, 1922. “That’s show business” was printed in The BIllboard on September 2, 1922. “Here today and gone tomorrow, that’s show business” was printed in the New York (NY) Times on September 18, 1927.
“That’s the show business” was printed in the Minneapolis (MN) Journal on May 17, 1925. “The chorus girls groan and complain about the way they are shifted here and there, and about the way they are told nothing, but they end up by saying philosophically, ‘That’s the show business for you’” was printed in the Pittsburgh (PA) Press on November 14, 1925.
“That’s show biz” was printed in the Hartford (CT) Daily Courant on October 19, 1940. “But that’s show biz!” was printed in The Billboard on October 26, 1940. “IT’S CREEPY BUT—THAT’S SHOWBIZ!” was printed in the Merced (CA) Sun-Star on March 29, 1958. “THAT’S SHOWBIZ?” was printed in the CIncinnati (OH) Enquirer on August 31, 1958.
Wikipedia: Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since c. 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry. From the business side (including managers, agents, producers, and distributors), the term applies to the creative element (including artists, performers, writers, musicians, and technicians) and was in common usage throughout the 20th century, though the first known use in print dates from 1850.
The Free Dictionary
that’s show business (for you)
That is just the way that the entertainment industry works. Usually used to explain something negative about the industry.
The Free Dictionary
that’s show biz (for you)
That is just the way that the entertainment industry works. (“Biz” is an informal shortening of “business.”) Usually used to explain something negative about the industry.
28 July 1922, Variety, “Pessimist Sums Up” by Jimmy Duffy, pg. 11, col. 2:
... a little dying, a little guying, a little spying, a little ryeing, very little buying and a great deal of lying —that’s show business.
2 September 1922, The BIllboard, “Spooks and Showmanship,” pg. 12, col. 4:
That’s show business.
27 November 1924, New York (NY) Herald Tribune, “Living Skeleton and Fat Lady Call Romance Common Sense” by Frederick B. Edwards, pg. 14, col. 3:
“That’s the show business all over,” said Pete. “You got to watch out in the show business.”
Newspapers.com
17 May 1925, Minneapolis (MN) Journal, “Would You Gamble $18000 Week on Show?” by Calton Miles, Amusement sec. pg. 1, col. 7:
That’s the show business.
14 November 1925, Pittsburgh (PA) Press, “Wild Pastime of Eating Favorite Sport of Chorus” by Marion T. Byrnes, pg. 3, col. 6:
The chorus girls groan and complain about the way they are shifted here and there, and about the way they are told nothing, but they end up by saying philosophically, “That’s the show business for you.”
Newspapers.com
13 June 1925, Kansas City (MO) Times, “A Little Bit of Drama,” pg. 18, col. 3:
But that’s the show business.
Newspapers.com
21 November 1926, Minneapolis (MN) Journal, “At the Stage Door,” Amusement sec., pg. 3, co. 6:
That’s show business.
18 September 1927, New York (NY) Times, “A Solid Year of ‘Broadway,’” sec. 7, pg. 2, col. 8:
Here today and gone tomorrow, that’s show business.
Newspapers.com
15 March 1930, McCook (NE) Daily Gazette, “On WIth the Show” by Arline De Haas, pg. 4, col. 4:
“So go on, and give them everything you’ve got. That’s show business, Kitty.”
Newspapers.com
6 August 1930, The Tennessean (Nashville, TN), “All In A Day” by Mark Hellinger, pg. 4, col. 3:
“That’s show business, boys” he cried.
Newspapers.com
3 February 1935, Detroit (MI) Free Press, “They Found Her Hidden Under a Wig” by Henry M. Fine, Screen & Radio Weekly, pg. 10 col. 1:
But as Minna might say, that’s show business.
Newspapes.com
8 Mach 1935, Austin (TX) >American, “The Show World” by Ruth Lewis, pg. 7, col. 3:
That’s show business.
Newspapers.com
19 October 1940, Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, “For Your Information” by M. Oakley Christoph, pg. 8, col. 1:
But then, I worked ten days with pnuemonia. That’s show biz.
26 October 1940, The Billboard, “Notes From the Crossroads” by Nat Green, pg. 60, col. 4:
But that’s show biz!
Newspapers.com
26 September 1942, Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, “For Your Information” by M. Oakley Christoph, pg. 8, col. 1:
But the boss says that’s show biz.
Newspapers.com
11 March 1943, Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, “Informing You” by M. Oakley Christoph, pg. 9, col. 2:
That’s show biz!
Newspapers.com
29 March 1958, Merced (CA) Sun-Star, “Gordo” comic, pg. 8, col. 5:
IT’S CREEPY BUT—THAT’S SHOWBIZ!
Newspapers.com
31 August 1958, CIncinnati (OH) Enquirer, “There Is No Business Like Show Biz” by Charles Deaton, pg. 60, col. 2:
THAT’S SHOWBIZ?
OCLC WorldCat
That’s Show Biz
Author:Dale Wright
Musical Score, English, ©1959
OCLC WorldCat
That’s showbiz
Authors:Tom Cowan, Phil Noyce, David Huggett, Don Connolly, Chris Fillam, Roy Bissell, George Till, Sarah Wallis, Bill Lyle, Gretal,
Australian Film and Television School
Summary:A comedy which details the rise and fall of a failing outback vaudeville troup who import an infamous city strip-tease artist to enliven their act
Film, English, 1973
Publisher: Australian Film and Television School [production company], Sydney, 1973
OCLC WorldCat
That’s show biz!
Authors:Ray Anthony (Performer), Diane Hall (Performer), Annita Ray (Performer), LeRoy Anthony (Performer)
Music LP, English, [1961]
Edition:View all formats and editions
Publisher: Capitol, [Scranton, Pa.], [1961]
OCLC WorldCat
Car 54, where are you? That’s show business
Film, English, [1962-11-04]
OCLC WorldCat
F Troop. That’s show biz
Film, English, [1967-07-27]
Edition:[Rebroadcast of program originally aired February 9, 1967]
OCLC WorldCat
M*A*S*H. That’s show biz. Part 1
Authors:
Alan Alda,
CBS Television Network
Film, English, ©1981
OCLC WorldCat
That’s show business and other stories
Author:Barbara Emeline Shankman
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 1983
Dissertation:University of Maryland
OCLC WorldCat
“And that’s show biz, kid” : self-referential theatricality in the musicals of John Kander and Fred Ebb
Author:Jeffrey Scott Neuman
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 1998
Dissertation:University of Colorado
Reddit—Techtheatre
PronouncedLikeRosie—February 29, 2016
What Does “That’s Showbiz!” Mean to You?
The story: My boss sprung something on me 2 days before a show, literally while I was already cueing, and I had very little time to implement this new thing that he wanted. In the end, it all worked out, but when I tried explaining to him that making spur of the moment additions to a show this way puts me in a difficult spot, he shouted, “That’s show business, PronouncedLikeRosie! Welcome to showbiz, kiddo.”
All I could think to myself was, show business is not “showbiz, kiddo.” Cooperating with your designers and making sure they have the means (time, materials, crew) to get things done, and pulling together one great, beautiful, collective effort is what show business is. “Showbiz, kiddo,” to me, smells of ignorance, disregard for the collaborative process, quality of work, and other people’s time, and is an insult to an entire industry that I live and breathe for.
I know there will always be curveballs, life isn’t always fair, and things rarely go as planned anyway. But I’m just curious if other people see this business the way I do (“let’s all work together and make something cool”), the way he does (“I have this idea. Do it now.”), or what other perceptions are. Is it a combination of all the things I described? Is “show business” when things go right and “showbiz” for when they go wrong? Is there a difference? I want to know people’s thoughts.