The expression "cue the deer" comes from Funny Farm, in a scene where a couple were showing their home to prospective buyers. The sellers wanted to make their home as attractive as possible. As the potential buyers were approaching the home, Chevy Chase's characters says "cue the deer" into a walkie talkie and a small deer is released from a cage and scampers across the lawn, charming the socks right off the buyers.
1. A description of a quiet and sudden pause or lull in a conversation, following an inappropriate, embarrassing or really dumb comment, or comment on a subject no one cares about. Derived from a quiet setting ("cued" on a Hollywood or TV set), where the only sound is that of crickets in the background.
So did anyone catch that Paris Hilton post-jail interview?
(Cue the crickets)
This tech is to jump from one cue to the next, skipping the dialogue in
between. The Stage Manager will prompt the performers to speak the first few lines before
a cue, then after the cue has passed the Stage Manager will call “Hold” and will prompt for
the next cue or repeat the previous cue. Involves: Stage Manager, Director, Crew,
Designers, sometimes Performers.