History Main / FauxHorrific

* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', the ponies are terrified of [[TheLostWoods the Everfree Forest]], where plants grow wild, animals care for themselves, and the weather changes '''all on its own'''.

* Wormy, the caterpillar turned butterfly in ''{{SpongeBob SquarePants}}'', is played like this, although [[NightmareFuel the closeup shots of Wormy's face]] was of a horsefly, not a butterfly, to try to make it look more menacing.

* In a ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' "Treehouse of Horror" connecting segment parodying ''NightGallery'', Bart directs the viewer's attention to a painting he claims is so horrific that "merely to [[BrownNote gaze at it]] is to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation go mad]]." Cut to Homer looking at one of the ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_Playing_Poker Dogs Playing Poker]]'' paintings, freaking out and collapsing in [[LaughingMad hysterical laughter]]. Bart follows this by saying, "We had a story to go with this painting, but it was far too intense." So it turns out to be a lead in to an unrelated vampire story.
* ''TinyToons'' did a similar gag in their ''NightGallery'' spoof. The picture in question was Babs' third-grade school photo.
* ''{{Freakazoid}}'': The scariest thing in the world would be if they gave [[TakeThat Sinbad]] another show.

* ''FamilyGuy''

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', Professor Farnsworth is rescued from a LotusEaterMachine at the Near Death Star. He describes what it's like as thus: "It was as though I were living in a facility in Florida with hundreds of other old people. All day long we'd play bingo, eat oatmeal and wait for our children to call." Cue gasps of horror from the crew.

* On ''TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', a robber holds up a gas station with only a spoon, which the other characters think it's a lethal weapon. When he gets caught in the end, the cop laughs it off.

* [[{{Homestuck}} OH MY GOD THE HUMANITY.]] [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=006173 HOW THEY EXTRACT THEIR POUND OF FLESH.]]

* In ''{{Curse of Monkey Island}}'' Guybrush is so afraid of porcelain. He says “When will this nightmare end!”

[[quoteright:330:[[TheSpoonyExperiment http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spoony_frightened_of_wc_movie_745.jpg]]]]

* As in the picture, ''TheSpoonyExperiment'' does this [[strike:sometimes]] [[LargeHam all the time]].

* TheNostalgiaCritic does this a few times, like the reveal that ''GoodBurger'' would be his next review.

* Like Spoony and Critic mentioned above, Yahtzee of ''ZeroPunctuation'' constantly employs this trope as part of his general AccentuateTheNegative tactics, often explaining in detail the excessive and digusting bout of self-mutilation brought on by the latest game.
* TheNostalgiaChick has been known to scream or recoil in terror by what she has to review. Such as the time a frog in tits and heels came on the screen in ''{{Thumbelina}}''.

** Interestingly, this shifts to FridgeHorror when you consider ''why'' the ponies are afraid of this...

** [[FanNickname The Flower Trio]], three ponies with flower-based cutie marks, exists for the sole purpose of making this a RunningGag.

* ''ExterminatusNow'' inverts this. An attempted assassin ''expects'' the team to do this and calls them out on it only to find out that they fully intend to start by cutting off his testicles. Before asking questions.

* The infamous ''DaddyDayCare'' scene. 'I missed'.

* The ''DoctorWho'' MadeForTVMovie has two examples within about five minutes. First, the newly-regenerated Doctor is set up to be kind of scary, with the whole FingerTwitchingRevival, BarrierBustingBlow thing when he [[WakingUpAtTheMorgue wakes up at the morgue]], and then he's shown wide-eyed, shivering, and clutching a shroud around himself. Also, he's rather short, skinny, and [[EstrogenBrigadeBait cute]]. Nonetheless, the morgue attendant does a [[{{Fainting}} Girly Man Faint]] when he sees him. Then, when the Doctor goes to remedy his no-clothing situation, he finds a NixonMask in someone's locker. He flinches and there's a ScareChord.

Compare WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous, LightmareFuel, ScreamingAtSquick, NightmareRetardant, MundaneHorrorStory.

Compare WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous, LightmareFuel, ScreamingAtSquick, NightmareRetardant.

* The ''DoctorWho'' MadeForTVMovie has two examples within about five minutes. First, the newly-regenerated Doctor is set up to be kind of scary, with the whole FingerTwitchingRevival, BarrierBustingBlow thing when he [[WakingUpAtTheMorgue wakes up at the morgue]], and then he's shown wide-eyed, shivering, and clutching a shroud around himself. Also, he's rather short, skinny, and [[EstrogenBrigadeBait cute]]. Nonetheless, the morgue attendant does a [[{{Fainting}} Girly Man Faint]] when he sees him. Then, when the Doctor goes to remedy his no-clothing situation, he finds a NixonMask in someone's locker. He flinches and there's a ScareChord.[[/folder]]

* In ''MarriedWithChildren'', Peg redecorates the bathroom, and Al finds all the pink terrifying. He looks at some photos, and instead sees the GrimReaper.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47YPs-qwNQU This video]] of ''FinalFantasyXIII'' and its linearity.

* ''HighAnxiety'', naturally, being a spoof of AlfredHitchcock films, especially the shower scene. [[/folder]]

* ''{{Flipside}}'' plays this for laughs in an [[{{Omake}} intermission]] segment, when evil sorcerer Melter [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=1053 demonstrates some images]] that will "disturb and sicken you". Very disturbing indeed.

* In a ''[[TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' "Treehouse of Horror" connecting segment parodying ''NightGallery'', Bart directs the viewer's attention to a painting he claims is so horrific that "merely to [[BrownNote gaze at it]] is to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation go mad]]." Cut to Homer looking at one of the ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_Playing_Poker Dogs Playing Poker]]'' paintings, freaking out and collapsing in [[LaughingMad hysterical laughter]]. Bart follows this by saying, "We had a story to go with this painting, but it was far too intense." So it turns out to be a lead in to an unrelated vampire story.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', the ponies are terrified of [[TheLostWoods the Everfree Forest]], where plants grow wild, animals care for themselves, and the weather changes '''all on its own'''.

[[folder:Games]]
* In ''{{Curse of Monkey Island}}'' Guybrush is so afraid of porcelain. He says “When will this nightmare end!”
[[/folder]]

Often a CausticCritic will do this with finding out he has to review some works he really hates, as a way to show that SuckinessIsPainful. Sometimes, even just [[ItBurns holding the work in hand]] is enough to cause emotional scars.

* In episode 2 of Season 2 of {{K-On}}!!, after cleaning out the closet of the music room, Mio and Asuza find out that Yui left a lot of things still and get mad at her. Yui pouts and claims that Ui would get mad and make a scary face if the latter brought more stuff home. Cue cutscene showing a "scary" Ui giving a thumbs up to Yui, after the latter had dropped other stuff she took home earlier and apologized profusely. Both Mio and Asuza wonder if Ui isn't the older, more responsible sister after all. [[/folder]]