11 Responses to “The Toronto “Corridor of Social Awkwardness””

Adam says:

I usually avoid this hallway as well, although it’s good for practicing 140-foot putts. I’ve also rehearsed my floor routine on it.




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gillian says:

The “corrodor of social awkwardness” is brilliant! The CBC should make a comedy series based on that alone!




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Blake says:

Lol.. This is right by CBC.ca.

What I end up doing, is avoiding the whole corridor of social akwardness all together and go a different route:

In the video, where the narrator says “there’s the light at the end of the tunnel” proceed through that door, and hang a right. You can still get to the same location at the end of the video, but bypassing the corridor all together.

I personally have called that corridor “The Trench” paying homage to Star Wars.

(I only make the Tie Fighter and laser sounds in my head, however.)




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Scott says:

Hehehe….did he say “man nod”? I’ve never heard anyone call it that before, but I like it.




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Andrew Lundy says:

I have to claim copyright on the moniker “Corridor of Social Awkwardness.” As a charter member of the Socially Awkward Club, this corridor still horrifies me, nine years after entering CBC’s hallowed halls. I hate it so much, I named it a few years back.

If anyone wants to dispute me on this, so help me, I’ll lawyer up…




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Paul says:

It’s true, Lundy did invent that moniker. It’s very handy, although I like The Trench as well. Stay on target…. stay on target…. Neeeooowwwww!

I believe the correct distance for a Man Nod is, not coincidentally, 60 feet, 6 inches - same as the distance from the mound to the plate. You can practice your fastball in the Corridor, but it isn’t wide enough to put any junk on it.




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Sandy says:

This reminds me of a series of words coined by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd in The Meaning of Liff.

CORRIEARKLET (n.)
The moment at which two people approaching from opposite ends of a long passageway, recognise each other and immediately pretend they haven’t. This is to avoid the ghastly embarrassment of having to continue recognising each other the whole length of the corridor.

CORRIECRAVIE (n.)
To avert the horrors of corrievorrie (q.v.) corriecravie is usually employed. This is the cowardly but highly skilled process by which both protagonists continue to approach while keeping up the pretence that they haven’t noticed each other - by staring furiously at their feet, grimacing into a notebook, or studying the walls closely as if in a mood of deep irritation.

CORRIEDOO (n.)
The crucial moment of false recognition in a long passageway encounter. Though both people are perfectly well aware that the other is approaching, they must eventually pretend sudden recognition. They now look up with a glassy smile, as if having spotted each other for the first time, (and are particularly delighted to have done so) shouting out ‘Haaaaaallllloooo!’ as if to say ‘Good grief!! You!! Here!! Of all people! Will I never. Coo. Stap me vitals, etc.’

CORRIEMOILLIE (n.)
The dreadful sinking sensation in a long passageway encounter when both protagonists immediately realise they have plumped for the corriedoo (q.v.) much too early as they are still a good thirty yards apart. They were embarrassed by the pretence of corriecravie (q.v.) and decided to make use of the corriedoo because they felt silly. This was a mistake as corrievorrie (q.v.) will make them seem far sillier.

CORRIEVORRIE (n.)
Corridor etiquette demands that one a corriedoo (q.v.) has been declared, corrievorrie must be employed. Both protagonists must now embellish their approach with an embarrassing combination of waving, grinning, making idiot faces, doing pirate impressions, and waggling the head from side to side while holding the other person’s eyes as the smile drips off their face, until with great relief, they pass each other.

CORRIEMUCHLOCH (n.)
Word describing the kind of person who can make a complete mess of a simple job like walking down a corridor.

- Amazon link




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Gabriel says:

Blake: that’s a good one! Actually as you pointed out, I make a habit of going places the long way just to avoid any number of Death Star trenches (and the roving bands of mail robots that always try to run me down). I especially enjoy the hike through Kids/Gill Deacon instead of wandering through the corridors trailing breadcrumbs in the hope that I don’t get lost in Air Farce land on the way to the NDC.




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Dima says:

Sorry - the idea of getting lost in Air Farce Land just sent a shiver down my spine…. even scarier than going down the corridor!




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Canuckflack / Socially awkward Facebook eight year olds and their spam says:

[...] video showing the “corridor of social awkwardness” in the CBC headquarters in Toronto. “It’s so long, that when you see some one [...]




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Winners: The Seven Wonders of the CBC! • • Inside the CBC says:

[...] Corridor of Social Awkwardness Judge John Paolozzi (CBC Radio 3) said “I hope those who work in the vicinity occasionally [...]




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