History Main / ActingUnnatural

* In ''Smith and Jones'', Mel Smith tells his friends that Queen guitarist Brian May is going to visit. They all get overexcited at the prospect of meeting him and Mel insists they treat him as a normal guy and his visit is nothing special. However, they take this overboard and when Brian arrives, they're all doing strange activities like vacuuming the flat while totally ignoring him.

* ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'': Since he and Anzu/Tea are stowaways on the ship to Duelist Kingdom (and Joey wasn't really supposed to be there either), Honda/Tristan advises everyone to "act casual" going past the guards...and then marches past looking ridiculously uncomfortable and suspiciously. The guards notice this and call out to him...to tell him not to be so nervous.

* ''SymBionicTitan'': In "Lessons in Love", Newton and Kimmy are about to kiss when Lance and Ilana burst in. Newton randomly shouts out the word "Parallelogram!" and extends his book pages forward towards Lance and Ilana, while Kimmy [[RushedInvertedReading oens her book upside down]].

* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, (pictured) Paige and Nicole [[VerySpecialEpisode shoplift a CD]]. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".

* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole [[VerySpecialEpisode shoplift a CD]]. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".

* Skinner and Chalmers do it in ''TheSimpsons'' episode "500 Keys" while waiting to snatch the key to the hidden classroom of Lisa.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', in the episode where they met Haru, the Gaang have followed him, and when a group of Fire Nation soldiers barge in they all "act natural."

* In the first ''StarWars'' special on ''FamilyGuy'', Peter-as-Han cautions Chris-as-Luke to "play it cool" when they're sneaking off to rescue Lois-as-Leia. This apparently entails slouching along jazzily to the strains of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher".

* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole shoplift a CD. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".

* I remember a sequence in ''SakuraWars: Do You Remember Love'', where you're tracking a mafiosi through New York along with one of the girls. At one point, the mafiosi's bodyguard gets suspicious and hangs back to check on you. You can choose to 'Act Natural' and deflect attention... or you can deliberately act outrageously suspicious, which works even better, and makes the girl impressed by your GenreSavvy.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In one strip of ''PublicHumiliation'', the children do exactly this -- and the adults who see this see right through it, only to make the wrong conclusion -- that one of the children is hoping the adult will not remember the overdue library book.
* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole shoplift a CD. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".
[[/folder]]

[[folder: {{Comics}}]]
* In one strip of ''PublicHumiliation'', the children do exactly this -- and the adults who see this see right through it, only to make the wrong conclusion -- that one of the children is hoping the adult will not remember the overdue library book.
* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole shoplift a CD. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".

[[folder: LiveActionTelevison]]

[[folder:Manga and Anime]]
* ''DragonBallZ'' has Frog Ginyu trying to steal one of the Dragon Balls. When Gohan spots him, he starts leaning against the ball and whistling nonchalantly, which only makes him more suspicious because he's a frog.
* I remember a sequence in ''SakuraWars: Do You Remember Love'', where you're tracking a mafiosi through New York along with one of the girls. At one point, the mafiosi's bodyguard gets suspicious and hangs back to check on you. You can choose to 'Act Natural' and deflect attention... or you can deliberately act outrageously suspicious, which works even better, and makes the girl impressed by your GenreSavvy.
* On at least two occasions in ''{{Baccano}}!'', Isaac advises Miria that the two of them should act casual to avoid suspicion. Isaac and Miria's idea of "acting casual" inevitably makes about as much sense as anything else they do - which is to say, none.
* ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'': Since he and Anzu/Tea are stowaways on the ship to Duelist Kingdom (and Joey wasn't really supposed to be there either), Honda/Tristan advises everyone to "act casual" going past the guards...and then marches past looking ridiculously uncomfortable and suspiciously. The guards notice this and call out to him...to tell him not to be so nervous.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:VideoGame]]

[[folder: WesternAnimation]]

[[folder: LiveActionTelevison]]
* In ''HowIMetYourMother'', when the protagonists try to work out who Barney's stalker is, they're told to try to look inconspicuous, and Marshall immediately reacts by acting very strangely, having no idea what to do with his hands, etc.
* When Rachel and Joey are having their brief fling in ''{{Friends}}'', Ross knocks on the door to Rachel's hotel room; she tells Joey that they aren't doing anything suspicious and he just needs to act "nonchalant". He poses awkwardly with his hands on his hips, staring at the ceiling, until admitting he doesn't know what "nonchalant" means.

[[folder: WesternAnimation]]
* Exaggerated in the ''SpongebobSquarepants'' episode "Life of Crime." Spongebob and Patrick are panicking because (they think) they stole a balloon. Spongebob advises, "Just act natural," and, whether out of nerves or sheer stupidity, both of them start gibbering and acting crazy. They are immediately surrounded by a crowd who mistake them for street performers.
** In the episode "Boating Class", when Spongebob is asked to act natural, he gets on all fours and starts grazing like a cow.
* In the first ''StarWars'' special on ''FamilyGuy'', Peter-as-Han cautions Chris-as-Luke to "play it cool" when they're sneaking off to rescue Lois-as-Leia. This apparently entails slouching along jazzily to the strains of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher".
* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', in the episode where they met Haru, the Gaang have followed him, and when a group of Fire Nation soldiers barge in they all "act natural."
[[/folder]]

[[folder: {{Comics}}]]
* In one strip of PublicHumiliation, the children do exactly this -- and the adults who see this see right through it, only to make the wrong conclusion -- that one of the children is hoping the adult will not remember the overdue library book.
* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole shoplift a CD. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Anime]]
* ''DragonBallZ'' has Frog Ginyu trying to steal one of the Dragon Balls. When Gohan spots him, he starts leaning against the ball and whistling nonchalantly, which only makes him more suspicious because he's a frog.
* I remember a sequence in ''SakuraWars: Do You Remember Love'', where you're tracking a mafiosi through New York along with one of the girls. At one point, the mafiosi's bodyguard gets suspicious and hangs back to check on you. You can choose to 'Act Natural' and deflect attention... or you can deliberately act outrageously suspicious, which works even better, and makes the girl impressed by your GenreSavvy.
* On at least two occasions in ''{{Baccano}}!'', Isaac advises Miria that the two of them should act casual to avoid suspicion. Isaac and Miria's idea of "acting casual" inevitably makes about as much sense as anything else they do - which is to say, none.
* ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'': Since he and Anzu/Tea are stowaways on the ship to Duelist Kingdom (and Joey wasn't really supposed to be there either), Honda/Tristan advises everyone to "act casual" going past the guards...and then marches past looking ridiculously uncomfortable and suspiciously. The guards notice this and call out to him...to tell him not to be so nervous.
[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

'''Homer Simpson:''' The boss! Quick, act natural. ''[puts on business glasses and pretends to write on a clipboard]''

* In ''HowIMetYourMother'', when the protagonists try to work out who Barney's stalker is, they're told to try to look inconspicuous, and Marshall immediately reacts by acting very strangely,having no idea what to do with his hands, etc.

* {{Yu-Gi-Oh}}: Since he and Anzu/Tea are stowaways on the ship to Duelist Kingdom (and Joey wasn't really supposed to be there either), Honda/Tristan advises everyone to "act casual" going past the guards...and then marches past looking ridiculously uncomfortable and suspiciously. The guards notice this and call out to him...to tell him not to be so nervous.

->Mater: Here she comes!
->[=McQueen=]: Okay, places, everybody! Hurry! Act natural. [[=McQueen=] hides and everybody else gets in a perfectly straight line as Sally approaches]
->Mater, Ramone, Flo, Luigi, Sarge, Fillmore: Hi, Sally!
->Sally: All right, what's going on?

->Anna: [doorbell rings] Party guests!
->Clark: [holding bloody shovel] Act natural.
->Anna and Lewis: [line up behind Clark at the door with weapons ready]

* StarWars: ReturnOfTheJedi, when flying on approach to the moon on Endor in a stolen imperial shuttle, Han tells Chewbacca: "I don't know... fly casual."

* In ToyStory2, Woody tells Buster the dog to "Act casual" while Woody hangs on his collar to rescue Wheezy unseen by humans. Buster begins to strut leisurely, and Woody hisses, "Not that casual!"

* Subverted by a GenreSavvy character in the MelBrooks film HighAnxiety, in which he tells his partner to act as over the top and unnatural as possible to get everyone to ignore them. It works of course.

->Lisa Simpson: It's the mother ship!
->Bart Simpson: This must be the level boss for this part of the game.
->Homer Simpson: The boss! Quick, act natural. [puts on business glasses and pretends to write on a clipboard]

----Examples:

A group of people are doing something they oughtn't be doing and then they hear someone coming. One of them shouts: "Act Natural." and they all proceed to assume odd positions such as leaning against a wall, [[{{Rushed Inverted Reading}} reading a book upside down]] and one person may even start [[NotSoInnocentWhistle whistling]].

[[Folder: Anime]]

[[Folder: LiveActionTelevison]]

[[AC: LiveActionTelevison]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:VideoGame]]

->Homer Simpson: The boss! Quick, act natural. [puts on business glasses and pretends to write on a clipboard]

Examples:

* StarWars: ReturnOfTheJedi, when flying on approach to the moon on Endor in a stolen imperial shuttle, Han tells Chewbacca: "I don't know... fly casual."

* When Rachel and Joey are having their brief fling in ''{{Friends}}'', Ross knocks on the door to Rachel's hotel room; she tells Joey that they aren't doing anything suspicious and he just needs to act "nonchalant". He poses awkwardly with his hands on his hips, staring at the ceiling, until admitting he doesn't know what "nonchalant" means.

* In ToyStory2, Woody tells Buster the dog to "Act casual" while Woody hangs on his collar to rescue Wheezy unseen by humans. Buster begins to strut leisurely, and Woody hisses, "Not that casual!"

* In a ''FoxTrot'' strip, Paige and Nicole shoplift a CD. Nicole tells Pige to act naturally. Paige holds her breath. Nicole tells Paige that acting naturally includes breathing. Paige immediately starts loudly panting as Nicole {{Face Palm}}s and adds "Quietly".

* In the first ''StarWars'' special on ''FamilyGuy'', Peter-as-Han cautions Chris-as-Luke to "play it cool" when they're sneaking off to rescue Lois-as-Leia. This apparently entails slouching along jazzily to the strains of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher".

* In ''HowIMetYourMother'', when the protagonists try to work out who Barney's stalker is, they're told to try to look inconspicuous, and Marshall immediately reacts by acting very strangely,having no idea what to do with his hands, etc.

* Subverted by a GenreSavvy character in the MelBrooks film HighAnxiety, in which he tells his partner to act as over the top and unnatural as possible to get everyone to ignore them. It works of course.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', in the episode where they met Haru, the Gaang have followed him, and when a group of Fire Nation soldiers barge in they all "act natural."

*