History Main / DistractingDisambiguation

* ''{{Take the Money and Run}}'': The bank tellers think the WoodyAllen character's holdup note says "I have a gub." He spends some time correcting them that he has a gun.

* ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'' gives us a discussion on whether the female version of "head honcho" would involve the term Honchette, Honchessa, or Honcharina.

* ''MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' liked this one.

* Employed heavily in ''{{Series/Firefly}}'', unsurprising as it is another Joss Whedon show:

* In the Volume 4 finale of ''{{Series/Heroes}}'', Sylar is holding Claire hostage and taunting her by listing all the members of her family he's going to kill, when:

** Even outside of melee, a dramatic revelation can easily wander into Distracting Disambiguation [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html and just spoil the effect]]:

* Same principle in ''{{Webcomic/Goblins}}'', again with ''D&D'' rules. Minmax once [[http://www.goblinscomic.com/07302005/ stalled a fight against a bunch of demons]] because he had won initiative, and then they started arguing whether he'd drawn his sword beforehand or not.

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Wakfu}}'' season 1 episode 3, while fighting a villain named "The Black Raven", Yugo makes the point that all ravens are black. The team then immediately drops what they're doing in order to work on a better name for him, ignoring the feeble attempts of the Black Raven to remind them that they were about to fight.

[[/folder]]

* ''Take the Money and Run'': The bank tellers think the WoodyAllen character's holdup note says "I have a gub." He spends some time correcting them that he has a gun.

-->-- ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'', [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html strip #166]]

* {{Discworld}} gives us a discussion on whether the female version of "head honcho" would involve the term Honchette, Honchessa, or Honcharina.

* This happens quite a few times in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' in the midst of the BuffySpeak and general chitchat among heroes, villains, and between them. One season 7 episode "Conversations With Dead People", has Buffy stop her fight with a newly risen vamp when it turns out he was a Sunnydale alumnus who'd had a bit of a crush on her. They spend the rest of the episode commiserating, and he even gives her talk therapy ([[HannibalLecture of a sort...]]) to get through her emotional troubles with Spike! Eventually, they do fight and she dusts him, though.

* Employed heavily in ''{{Firefly}}'', unsurprising as it is another Joss Whedon show:
-->'''Simon:''' ''[being held up at gunpoint]'' Are you Alliance?
-->'''Jubal Early:''' Am I a lion?
-->'''Simon:''' What?
-->'''Jubal Early:''' I don't think of myself as a lion. You might as well though, I have a mighty roar.
-->'''Simon:''' I said Alliance.
-->'''Jubal Early:''' Oh, I thought...
-->'''Simon:''' No, I was...
-->'''Jubal Early:''' That's weird.

* In the BBC radio play of ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', Zaphod Beeblebrox is about to plummet to his death, and Ford Prefect attempts to discuss the etymology of the [[PardonMyKlingon unusual exclamation]] Zaphod used.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' actually has a spell that can cause Distracting Disambiguation: "Leomund's Lamentable Belabourment". The victims of this charm will start discussing with the caster on any topic of his choice, whether to agree or disagree, whatever the earlier situation. If the effect is prolonged, the creatures will continue arguing even if the mage walk away, and may end up either confused or enraged.

* ''EightBitTheater'' '''runs''' on this trope. Just pick a strip, ''any'' strip. They even become GenreSavvy to their tendency to do this at one point, pointing out that how they deal with threats is bicker, argue semantics, stall with Fighter, hurt each other, bicker some more and ''then'' implement a brilliant plan from out of nowhere.
-->"[[DistractingDisambiguation And anyway,]] [[AsymmetricDilemma you're a villain]]."
* Very common in ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'', which has TalkingIsAFreeAction in full force. For example, you get [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html Roy trying to remind Xykon of the murder he's actually pursuing him for]], as well as many inane discussions in the middle of fights about ''D&D'' rules (like with [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0216.html this Munchkin]]). Even outside of melee, a dramatic revelation can easily wander into Distracting Disambiguation [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html and just spoil the effect]]:

* Same principle in ''{{Goblins}}'', again with ''D&D'' rules. Minmax once [[http://www.goblinscomic.com/07302005/ stalled a fight against a bunch of demons]] because he had won initiative, and then they started arguing whether he'd drawn his sword beforehand or not.

* ''FamilyGuy'', season 2, episode 13, "Road to Rhode Island". Brian and Stewie have stayed the night at a motel, but their credit card was declined. The manager comes knocking...

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' episode 3, while fighting a villain named "The Black Raven", Yugo makes the point that all ravens are black. The team then immediately drops what they're doing in order to work on a better name for him, ignoring the feeble attempts of the Black Raven to remind them that they were about to fight.

----

-->'''Gale:''' SHUT UP!\\
'''Hayseed:''' Okay, then.

* In ''{{Wakfu}}'' episode 3, while fighting a villain named "The Black Raven", Yugo makes the point that all ravens are black. The team then immediately drops what they're doing in order to work on a better name for him, ignoring the feeble attempts of the Black Raven to remind them that they were about to fight.

* Pinkie Pie on ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' often indulges in this, as part of her CloudCuckoolander personna.

-->-- ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html strip #166]]

* Very common in ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', which has TalkingIsAFreeAction in full force. For example, you get [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html Roy trying to remind Xykon of the murder he's actually pursuing him for]], as well as many inane discussions in the middle of fights about ''D&D'' rules (like with [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0216.html this Munchkin]]). Even outside of melee, a dramatic revelation can easily wander into Distracting Disambiguation [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html and just spoil the effect]]:

* In ''The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf'', by Gerald Morris, one knight is threatening another and shouts, "I shall not rest until thou art cleaved in twain!" The other characters present (including the second knight, who doesn't really want to fight) start arguing over the proper past tense of "cleave".

* In ''Raising Arizona'', Gale and Evelle's bank robbery is thrown off the rails when the bank customers start nitpicking the brother's orders: "Well, which is it, young feller? You want I should freeze or get down on the ground? Mean to say, if'n I freeze, I can't rightly drop. And if'n I drop, I'm a-gonna be in motion. You see..."

** [[[[http://ibras.dk/montypython/episode16.htm#3 A man tries to skyjack a plane:]]

* Early in season two of ''JackieChanAdventures'', [[HeelFaceTurn Torhu]] is fighting Hak Foo, whose schtick involves coming up with elaborate names for [[CallingYourAttacks every single attack]].

-->-- ''{{The Order of the Stick}}'', [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html strip #166]]

Compare {{Talking Is a Free Action}}. See also DiggingYourselfDeeper, which can happen in said disambiguation.

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* This happens quite a few times in ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}'' in the midst of the BuffySpeak and general chitchat among heroes, villains, and between them. One season 7 episode "Conversations With Dead People", has Buffy stop her fight with a newly risen vamp when it turns out he was a Sunnydale alumnus who'd had a bit of a crush on her. They spend the rest of the episode commiserating, and he even gives her talk therapy ([[HannibalLecture of a sort...]]) to get through her emotional troubles with Spike! Eventually, they do fight and she dusts him, though.

* ''[=~Monty Python's Flying Circus~=]'' liked this one.
** A man tries to skyjack a plane:
--->'''Man:''' All right, don't anybody move... except to control the aeroplane... you can move a little to do that.\\

*** You can read the rest [[http://ibras.dk/montypython/episode16.htm#3 here]].
** Dennis Moore sketch:
--->'''Dennis:''' Stand and deliver! Drop that gun! ''[Moore shoots him]'' Let that be a warning to you all. You move at your peril, for I have two pistols here. I know one of them isn't loaded any more, but the other one is, so that's one of you dead for sure... or just about for sure anyway. It certainly wouldn't be worth your while risking it because I'm a very good shot. I practice every day... well, not absolutely every day, but most days in the week... I expect I must practice, oh, at least four or five times a week at least... at least four or five, only some weekends... like last weekend, there really wasn't the time, so that moved the average down a bit... but I should say it's definitely a solid four days' practice a week... at least. I mean... I reckon I could hit that tree over there... the one just behind that hillock... not the big hillock, the little hillock on the left. You see the three trees, the third from the left and back a bit -- that one -- I reckon I could hit that four times out of five... on a good day. Say with this wind... say, say, seven times out of ten.\\

*** Read the rest [[http://ibras.dk/montypython/episode37.htm#2 here]].

* In the Volume 4 finale of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', Sylar is holding Claire hostage and taunting her by listing all the members of her family he's going to kill, when:

* In the BBC radio play of ''[=~The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy~=]'', Zaphod Beeblebrox is about to plummet to his death, and Ford Prefect attempts to discuss the etymology of the [[PardonMyKlingon unusual exclamation]] Zaphod used.

* ''[[DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' actually has a spell that can cause Distracting Disambiguation: "Leomund's Lamentable Belabourment". The victims of this charm will start discussing with the caster on any topic of his choice, whether to agree or disagree, whatever the earlier situation. If the effect is prolonged, the creatures will continue arguing even if the mage walk away, and may end up either confused or enraged.

* ''[=~8-Bit Theater~=]'' '''runs''' on this trope. Just pick a strip, ''any'' strip. They even become GenreSavvy to their tendency to do this at one point, pointing out that how they deal with threats is bicker, argue semantics, stall with Fighter, hurt each other, bicker some more and ''then'' implement a brilliant plan from out of nowhere.
** [[DistractingDisambiguation And anyway,]] [[AsymmetricDilemma you're a villain]].
* Very common in ''{{The Order of the Stick}}'' too, which has {{Talking Is a Free Action}} in full force. For example, you get [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html Roy trying to remind Xykon of the murder he's actually pursuing him for]], as well as many inane discussions in the middle of fights about ''D&D'' rules (like with [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0216.html this Munchkin]]). Even outside of melee, a dramatic revelation can easily wander into Distracting Disambiguation [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html and just spoil the effect]]:

* Same principle in ''{{Goblins}}'', again with ''D&D'' rules. Minmax once [[http://www.goblinscomic.com/07302005/ stalled a fight against a bunch of demons]] because he'd won initiative, and then they started arguing whether he'd drawn his sword beforehand or not.

** [[DistractingDisambiguation And anyway,]] [[CompletelyMissingThePoint you're a villain]].

'''Roy:''' Just curious, do you get XP for killing this dramatic moment?

* ''FamilyGuy'', season 2, episode 13, "Road to Road Island". Brian and Stewie have stayed the night at a motel, but their credit card was declined. The manager comes knocking...

* Same principle in ''{{Goblins}}'', again with ''D&D'' rules. Minmax once [[http://www.goblinscomic.com/07302005/ stalled a fight against a bunch of demons]] because he'd won initiative, and then they started arguing whether he'd draw his sword beforehand or not.

* In the BBC radio play of ''[=~The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy~=]'', Ford Prefect is about to plummet to his death, and Zephod Beeblebrox attempts to discuss the etiology of the [[PardonMyKlingon unusual exclamation]] Ford used.

[[folder:Radio Plays]]
* In the BBC radio play of {{TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy}}, Ford Prefect is about to plummet to his death, and Zephod Beeblebrox attempts to discuss the etiology of the [[PardonMyKlingon unusual exclamation]] Ford used.

[[/folder]]

--> "Mad Monkey Kung Fu! Octopus Fists of Fury! Shredding Lion Claws! Minnow Whallops Whale!"
--> "I'm sorry, what was the last part?"
--> "I ''said'', Minnow -" ''(gets body-slammed across the room)

* Early in season two of JackieChanAdventures [[HeelFaceTurn Toruh]] is fighting Hak Foo, whose schtick involves comcing up with elaborate names for [[CallingYourAttacks every single attack]].

* In the BBC radio play of {{TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy}}, Ford Prefect is about to plummet to his death, and Zephod Beeblebrox attempts to discuss the etiology of the AlienCussWord Ford used in reaction to that.

* This happened quite a few times in ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}'' in the midst of the BuffySpeak and general chitchat among heroes, villains, and between them. One season 7 episode "Conversations With Dead People", had Buffy stop her fight with a newly risen vamp when it turned out he was a Sunnydale alumnus who'd had a bit of a crush on her. They spend the rest of the episode commiserating, and he even gives her talk therapy ([[HannibalLecture of a sort...]]) to get through her emotional troubles with Spike! Eventually, they do fight and she dusts him, though.

* In ''{{Wakfu}}'' episode 3, while fighting a villain named "The Black Raven", Yugo makes the point that all ravens are black. The team then immediately drops what they're doing in order to work on a better name for him.