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.
Origin
1965-70
Examples from the web for talking head
  • Unless they're a talking head on television, at which point it becomes a crapshoot.
  • Get your news from people who are experts is their field, not some talking head.
  • The best conclusion from all this is how to have a successful career as a talking head.
  • Coming out as a talking head will get you some attention.
  • In a newscast, for instance, the background behind the talking head remains virtually unchanged.
  • It's not enough for a talking head to say they're useless, it has to be clearly demonstrated.
  • The difference between human beings and other creatures, observes one talking head, is our basic dissatisfaction.
  • Freebie software lets you send your e-mail as a talking head.
  • She will be quietly living her life as a sometime talking head and author.
  • The students do more research than the typical talking head.
British Dictionary definitions for talking head

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
Slang definitions & phrases for talking head

talking head

noun phrase

A person, esp a news reporter, an interviewer, an expert, etc, who appears on television in a close-up, hence essentially as a bodiless head: using the medium as something more than a static platform for talking heads/ what the TV experts term a talking head, just Ronnie in an easy chair/ one of those plays for which talking hairdos go to the videotape (1968+)