catchphrase / said by James
A t-bowl for every b-hole
What does "A t-bowl for every b-hole" mean on Small Town Murder?
A line from James's house-listing riffs: a home with as many bathrooms as bedrooms has 'a t-bowl for every b-hole'. He says it as a mark of a properly appointed house, often adding spare toilets for the neighbours.
- Kind
- catchphrase
- Usually said by
- James
- First heard
- Episode 154, 16 January 2020
The story behind the phrase
Where did "A t-bowl for every b-hole" come from?
It starts in episode 154, shortly after James jokes about needing plumbers and "Petrogallo Wissman 2020". He announces "we figured it out guys" and gives it as the motto: "a bowl for every hole", then "a tea bowl for every bee hole". He says they will run on it and could win.
It is a joke slogan, played with like a campaign line, and the wording shifts as James tries it out. The "bee hole" and "tea bowl" are a spoken spelling of bathroom bowls and bedrooms. Speech recognition garbles the words, so the exact spelling is uncertain.
How is "A t-bowl for every b-hole" used now?
It moved into the real estate part of the show. When James reads a listing with as many bathrooms as bedrooms, he says it has "a tea bowl for every bee hole", and he has added extras such as "and a couple of neighbours". It still turns up in 2026 listings.
When was "A t-bowl for every b-hole" first said?
It was first heard in episode 154, "A Bloody Puzzle With Missing Pieces", on 16 January 2020, at about 0:28:25.
"A bowl for every hole."
At the end of the episode James unveils it as the show's 2020 motto: 'a bowl for every hole', then plays with 'a bowl for every beehole', 'a bowl for every beehall' and 'a tea bowl for every beehole'. It sounds coined on the spot, a slogan for the year rather than an established joke.
Rate the phrase
Loading fans' ratings...