History Main / GladIThoughtOfIt

* The very last multi-day ''CalvinAndHobbes'' storyline involves Galaxoid and Nebular, [[ItMakesSenseInContext two aliens who Calvin sold the Earth to]], complaining about the cold Earth winter and demanding Calvin do something about it. Hobbes removes their Christmas stockings from the fireplace and gives them to the aliens, to which Calvin vehemently protests, since now "[[http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1995/12/23 Santa can't fill 'em with loot!]]" Hobbes reassures him that Santa knows they did a nice thing and will work something out, to which Calvin replies, "Hey yeah, I did something ''good''!"

* Inverted, surprisingly enough, in the Sith Inquisitor storyline in ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic''.

* Thomas Edison is reputed to have done this several times, mostly notoriously to NikolaTesla. Of course he had to be a bit more forceful, seeing as people don't like seeing potentially incredibly profitable inventions stolen. This really bit Edison on the butt because Tesla managed to beat Edison in the worlds fair bid and the Alternating Current/Direct Current War. But was later awarded the [[ComplimentBackfire Edison Medal]] for his accomplishments.

* JosefStalin, when this was politically expedient, brought up in a slightly changed form ideas condemned when they belonged to the rivals or formulated proposals as products of his "counseling with comrades". According to his once-secretary Bazhanov, few minutes after reading the draft of new Party Charter the first time he introduced it to Lenin as a result of development by "we here in the Central Comittee" -- of course, this ''does'' sound better than "comrades here found one young man with a good project".

** In one strip, Dogbert was helping a guy who wanted a career belittling other people. Dogbert suggested that he pursue a career in management and decided to give him the management aptitude test. The guy instantly declared, "Hey, I have an idea! I should pursue a career in management!" Dogbert, of course, replied, "Congratulation, you just passed the management aptitude test."

[[folder:Fan Fic]]

GladIThoughtOfIt:

[[quoteright:350:[[MiniMarvels http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GladIThoughtOfIt_836.JPG]]]]

!Examples:

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode when Stan is hosting a telethon to raise the money to pay for the terrorist torturing devices. Roger actually came up of the idea of a telethon, but Stan thought it was stupid until it's a great idea and takes it as his own. Roger plots revenge by sabotaging the stage as the [[PhantomOfTheOpera Phantom Of The Telethon]].

* In ''Film/{{Inception}}'' the plan centers on invoking this in the mind of the mark. While in the mark's dream you present him with an idea that he will suborn as his own upon waking up. The key is to make the mark truly believe that he came up with the idea on his own.

Another variation is to subtly suggest an idea so that someone else actually thinks they thought of it first, making them more likely to accept and act on the idea than if you directly advocated it yourself.

* Fred Flintstone and Dick Dastardly have done the old 'I'm glad I thought of it!' gag at least once.

* As seen on NotAlwaysRight, a customer wants to buy a 20-foot piece of wood. As the store does not have them, the shopkeeper suggests buying two ten-foot planks. [[http://notalwaysright.com/why-woodnt-i-think-of-that/15074 The customer rejects this idea, but instead offers to buy two ten-foot planks.]]

-->'''Karen:''' To get to the Spongebob, you must show him compassion and understanding. Then he'll give you what you want.
-->'''Plankton:''' Will you be quiet, Karen? I'm trying to think. I've got it! To get to the Spongebob, I'll show him compassion and understanding. Then he'll give me what I want.
*** This becomes a RunningGag in the series. Anytime Karen suggests something, Plankton will act like he doesn't understand or it's not important, then say the exact same idea.

-->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' How about we help you?
-->'''Mermaid Man:''' No, no, that would never work. But how about you help me?

--> '''Beastly:''' A-ha! We could grab those camels and make a getaway!
--> '''Shreeky:''' I've got a better idea! Let's grab those camels and make a getaway!
--> '''Beastly:''' Oh, why didn't I think of that?

* Inverted in ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', after Cosmo comes up with the idea of having Kathy's voice dubbed over Lina's.
-->'''Kathy:''' Don, you're a genius!\\
'''Cosmo:''' ''(sarcastically)'' I'm glad you thought of it.

* ''Film/TheKingAndI'', where the king asks for Anna's advice by asking her what she thinks he'll do next.

!!Examples:

[[folder:Film]]

* Occurs in ''MissCongeniality'' when Gracie suggests to Eric how he should run his op. Eric immediately orders his team to follow those exact steps and follows it up with "Yeah, now I'm thinking!"
* Used in ''OceansEleven'', when Danny and Rusty are discussing whether Saul will join their team.

* ''TheKingAndI'', where the king asks for Anna's advice by asking her what she thinks he'll do next.

* Variation from the 1984 ''{{Dune}}'' adaptation:

* From "The Reign of WesternAnimation/MegaMind," (a video comic extra):
-->'''Minion:''' Sir! You- You listened to me?\\
'''Megamind:''' No... Something you said just happened to make me take action on a plan of my own. Which bore a similarity to your suggestion, but was entirely of my own making.

* Used as a ChekhovsGun in ''[[Film/TheBradyBunch The Brady Bunch Movie]]''. Jan suggest entering herself and the other kids in a performance contest in order to raise enough money for the family to save their home, but is rejected. Much later, Marcia does the same thing and immediately everyone agrees with her... except Jan, who unlike other uses of this trope, [[WhatTheHellHero calls them (and specifically Marcia) out for blasting the idea when she originally thought of it first]].

* Inverted in ''BrotherBear 2'' when Rutt explains to the female moose that he was a "hoof man". This prompts Tuke, who had been ditched by said females, to say this:
--> '''Tuke:''' "Hoof man"? Why didn't I think of that?\\

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* In the Disney version of ''The Prince and the Pauper'', this is one of the two things the prince tells Mickey to say in order to pass himself off as a ruler. (The other one is "Guards, seize him!")
* [[ThoseTwoGuys Timon does this to Pumbaa]] in ''Disney/TheLionKing'', the sequel, the {{Interquel}} and ''Timon & Pumbaa''. Pumbaa never notices. Well, sometimes he does, but he promptly shrugs it off
-->'''Pumbaa:''' Maybe he'll be on our side.
-->'''Timon:''' That's the stupidest thing I ever heard! Maybe he'll... wait, I've got an idea! What if he's on our side?
** From the same film:
--> '''Nala''': All right, it worked.
--> '''Simba''': We lost him. I am a genius.
--> '''Nala''': Hey, genius, it was my idea.
--> '''Simba''': Yeah, but I pulled it off.

* In ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'', often happens to BeleagueredAssistant Haroud. Abis Mal will often dismiss his ideas then come up with the same idea himself, although sometimes he'll rephrase it.

--> '''Shrieky:''' I've got a better idea! Let's grab those camels and make a getaway!

* ''TheLionKing'': "But he'll get bigger." "Maybe he'll be on our side."
** From the same film:
--> '''Nala''': All right, it worked.
--> '''Simba''': We lost him. I am a genius.
--> '''Nala''': Hey, genius, it was my idea.
--> '''Simba''': Yeah, but I pulled it off.

* [[ThoseTwoGuys Timon does this to Pumbaa]] in ''TheLionKing'', the sequel, the {{Interquel}} and ''Timon & Pumbaa''. Pumbaa never notices. Well, sometimes he does, but he promptly shrugs it off

'''Tuke:''' "Hoof man"? Why didn't I think of that?

* ''CareBears''
** Shreeky does this to Beastly as a RunningGag.

* The Russian SpaceNavy admiral in HarryHarrison's ''Starworld'' is known by his subordinates for his little tolerance to criticism (and love of [[VodkaDrunkensky vodka]] while on duty). As such, his NumberTwo tries to find ways to contradict his admiral in such a way as to present it as the admiral's own idea, usually with phrases like "Haven't you told me once..." The one time the subordinate openly criticizes the guy, he gets slapped for his efforts.