L.A. Speak : Two-way Tube Talk

Time Warner, Disney, CAA and a bunch of Baby Bells are only the latest to try to make interactive TV something more than playing along with game shows and predicting sports plays. Some terms from the pioneers:

* bicam v. to think with both sides of the brain. “She can’t spell to save her life, but she bicams like a champ.”

* enchilada n. a TV show full of the codes needed for interactivity. “‘Jeopardy’ is an enchilada in the test markets “

* shelfware n. a useless computer program. One of several terms adopted from other high-tech fields.

* steak ‘n’ sizzle n. the complete script and software package of an encoded interactive television program.

* testies n. test markets, usually small ones so no one will notice if the product bombs. “That enchilada was a big hit in the testies.”

* wetware n. humans. “The bug’s not in the hardware or the software; it’s got to be the wetware.”