talking head

noun

1. Television Slang. a closeup picture of a person who is talking, especially as a participant in a talk show.
2. Slang. a person whose talk is empty and pretentious.

talking head

noun

1. (on television) a person, such as a newscaster, who is shown only from the shoulders up, and speaks without the use of any illustrative material

Word History and Origins

Origin of talking head¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

From his perch as a talking head on Fox News, he was able to convince former president Trump to pardon war criminals against the wishes of the Pentagon, so he does have that going for him.

From Salon

That day, he concluded the world didn’t need one more talking head and decided to become an artist.

From Los Angeles Times

But lately, viewers are likely to also see him pontificating on politics, appearing as a talking head on various news programs including NewsNation’s “Cuomo,” Fox News’ “Hannity” and ABC’s “This Week.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I said, I don’t want to be a pundit or a talking head. I want to be a journalist,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Post-surgery, I did nab a few opportunities as a “talking head,” including in pop culture docuseries.

From Slate

Related Words

• commentator
• newscaster