History Main / HaplesslyHiding

* One comic by the creator of ComicBook/{{Titeuf}} has a middle-aged couple go into their bathroom to have sex. Once they're done and leave, the shower opens to reveal their clearly horrified teenage son, who'd been there the whole time.

This can often be a byproduct of DidntThinkThisThrough. GarbageHideout has the obvious CoveredInGunge risks of not only the preexisting garbage, but also someone adding more garbage on top of the hider. MobileShrubbery is another usual scenario where this may occur, since bushes are prime targets for [[UrineTrouble dogs marking their territory]] or [[PottyEmergency desperate humans]] resorting to NatureTinkling.

->''"This is Mr. Nesbitt of Harlow New Town. Mr. Nesbitt, would you stand up, please... Mr. Nesbitt has learnt the value of not being seen. However, he has chosen a very obvious piece of cover."

->''"This is Mr. Nesbitt of Harlow New Town. Mr. Nesbitt, would you stand up please." [nothing happens] "Mr. Nesbitt has learnt the value of not being seen. However, he has chosen a very obvious piece of cover." [KABOOM!]''

This can often be a byproduct of DidntThinkThisThrough. GarbageHideout and MobileShrubbery are usual scenarios where this may occur.

* At the midpoint of ''Film/BurnAfterReading'', Chad enters Harry's house to try to find any information about him, and when he hears Harry has arrived he hides in the bedroom closet. When Harry opens the closet and sees Chad inside, [[ReflexiveResponse Harry reflexively draws his gun]] [[DroppedABridgeOnHim and gives Chad]] [[BoomHeadshot a point-blank headshot]] in a panic, not even noticing that he did it until he has run out of the room and calmed down a minute later.

A character needs to hide from someone else for some reason, whether it be avoiding confrontation, sneaking up on them, or whatever. The character does some checking around and manages to find a way or a place to hide, and successfully does so. However, just when things are looking good, the hiding place immediately becomes less than desirable, unwittingly making the plan to hide backfire on the unfortunate person in hiding.

* ''{{ComicBook/Asterix}}'': In ''Recap/AsterixAndTheBigFight'', a Roman legionary gets volunteered to go spy on the Gauls, disguised as a tree. An owl starts flying around him, causing him to get noticed by the Gauls and captured.

* One comic by the creator of ComicBook/{{Titeuf}} has a middle-aged couple go into their bathroom to have sex. Once they're done and leave, the shower opens to reveal their clearly horrified teenaged son, who'd been there the whole time.

* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Han Solo is pursued by the Imperial fleet, and flies into an AsteroidThicket to lose them. He then realizes that the odds in the asteroid field aren't much better than his odds against the Imperials, so he hides in a cave on a larger asteroid -- and ends up flying down the mouth of a giant space slug.

* ''Literature/InterestingTimes'' sees an old barbarian hero looking to retire on one last grand adventure. Cohen the Barbarian decides to conquer the Discworld Expy of China. Having consolidated the Agatean Empire's throne-room on the death of the elderly and senile previous Emperor, Cohen looks around him and sees the room is amply stocked with very large vases which could easily accommodate a man. Being GenreSavvy, he walks up to one and starts talking, apropos of nothing, of all the things that could happen to a man hiding in such a vase, like for instance several gallons of boiling water. After hearing somebody throwing up inside the vase in sheer fear, Cohen grins, his point having been made, and asks the spy in the next vase if he's got everything he needs, is he okay for a notebook and a pencil sharpener, for instance?

* Appears twice in the ''Series/DadsArmy'' episode "Operation Kilt", when Captain Mainwaring's platoon try to spy on a rival platoon who are headquartered at a local farm. The first time, Private Walker and Private Frazer try to sneak through the fields while wearing a cow costume, but they attract the attention of an amorous bull. The second time, Corporal Jones hides in a hay cart while the rival platoon leader Captain Ogilvie gives his men a briefing. Ogilvie attaches a map to the side of the hay cart and marks key points on it with long pins, stabbing Jones in several rather personal areas as he does so.

* ''Series/TheGoodies'': In "Scoutrageous", Graeme and Bill are Bill are tailing Tim to his mysterious meeting. They hide in a pair of dustbins outside a restaurant, only for a restaurant employee to dump a pile of food scraps on top of them.

** Alfie and Jerome snuck into the cellar to scare their friends, who were going down there daily. After realizing he left his mask behind, Alfie has to go back to save it while Jerome stands guard. Jerome is forced to leave and Alfie gets trapped; he hides in a cupboard over night, and witnesses a creepy ceremony that leaves him in a state of shock for an entire episode.
** After Jerome screws with Alfie's Sibuna mission and tricks the others into leaving, Alfie is alone when Victor walks by. He hides in the sarcophagus, and Jerome locks him in over night.
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': Colonel Flagg is an U.S. intelligence officer who sometimes visits the 4077th. In one episode he hides in a trash can outside the mess hall in order to talk with one of the show regulars. After the conversation ends, one of the soldiers working in the mess hall comes outside and unknowingly dumps some garbage in the trash can on top of him.

* ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', "A Ranger Among Thieves": As part of the comedic relief for the episode (and keeping with the theme of the series), Bulk, Skull, and Professor Phenomenous have been searching for alien life to study, but expecting hostile creatures along the way. For this particular episode, the trio have hidden themselves in repurposed trash containers, with a nearby food trap, to catch any wildlife that they think is a hostile alien. Unfortunately for them, collectors mistake them for actual containers, and dump actual trash into them.[[note]]For sanitary production purposes, though, it's just shredded vegetables.[[/note]]

* A somewhat self-inflicted version happens in the ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' episode "The Nap", where George decides to snooze under his new desk during office hours. At some point on, George's boss George Steinbrenner comes into his room to sit for a while. Making matter worse, Steinbrenner's four grandkids and their pet dog come over to see him[[note]]with Grandson Brian and the dog discovering George, but neither blow his cover[[/note]]. George then dials Jerry to call a faux bomb threat inside the building in the hopes that Steinbrenner and company will vacate the area. Instead, Steinbrenner orders everyone to hide under the desk.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Mabel and Dipper end up the victims of a FreakyFridayFlip and as a result Mabel is unable to attend her own sleepover. She tries to secretly observe the party while hiding behind a door, only for Grunkle Stan to badly misread the situation and decide it's time to give 'Dipper' ''TheTalk''.

** In "Chain Gangsters", Bugs Bunny is [[ChainedHeat shackled]] to Rocky and Mugsy, and he gets them to hide in a garbage truck while he's disguised as the driver. Just then, Granny comes by to throw out some anvils, mousetraps and nuclear waste before Bugs lets her turn on the compactor.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'', Lincoln is hiding under the bench where the spectators are sitting to watch a game, because he's pretending that he's playing on the field when actually it's his sister Lynn. However, he keeps getting hit by food that the spectators accidentally drop.

!!Examples

* In an infamous Australian Train Safety ad filled with BlackComedy was ''Advertising/DumbWaysToDie'', one of the ways considered a dumb way to die was [[https://youtu.be/IJNR2EpS0jw?si=V45kcf8TPSfeneWA&t=77 hiding in a clothes dryer, presumably because someone could turn it on]].

* {{ComicBook/Asterix}}: In Recap/AsterixAndTheBigFight, a Roman legionary gets volunteered to go spy on the Gauls, disguised as a tree. An owl starts flying around him, causing him to get noticed by the Gauls and captured.
* One comic by the creator of {{ComicBook/Titeuf}} has a middle-aged couple go into their bathroom to have sex. Once they're done and leave, the shower opens to reveal their clearly horrified teenaged son, who'd been there the whole time.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Self-inflicted in ''ComicStrip/{{Foxtrot}}'': In two different arcs, Jason/Peter are on the run from a sibling, having broken something of theirs. Jason hides in an overflowing trash can, Peter flees cross-country through briar patches and poison ivy, and while Peter comes to realize he punished himself, Jason doesn't.
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* Creator/JeanDeLaFontaine: "[[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5300/5300-h/5300-h.htm#Cudgelled_and The Cudgelled And Contented Cuckold]]" has a MalMariee and her lover (her husband's falconer) deal with her suspicious husband this way. She tells the husband that his falconer attempted to seduce her and told her to come see him at midnight, then convinces her husband to go in her stead, wearing her clothes, so as to catch the falconer in the act. The husband goes out at midnight in a dress, and the falconer spits a torrent of abuse at the faithless "wife", even beating "her" with a big branch, to the joy of the husband at having [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter such a faithful wife and a loyal servant]].

[[folder:Web Video]]

* ''Literature/InterestingTimes'' sees an old barbarian hero looking to retire on one last grand adventure. Cohen the Barbarian decides to conquer the Discworld Expy of China. Having consolidated the Agatean Empire's throne-room on the death of the elderly and senile previous Emperor, Cohen looks around him and sees the room is amply stocked with very large vases which could easily accomodate a man. Being GenreSavvy, he walks up to one and starts talking, apropos of nothing, of all the things that could happen to a man hiding in such a vase, like for instance several gallons of boiling water. After hearing somebody throwing up inside the vase in sheer fear, Cohen grins, his point having been made, and asks the spy in the next vase if he's got everything he needs, is he okay for a notebook and a pencil sharpener, for instance?

* ''ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel'': During the Cobra Civil War, the recon patrol led by Lt. Falcon hides in a storm drain. Leftover food by the cooks of the Iron Grenadiers dump what is left thru the grates...right onto the Joes.

A character needs to hide from someone else for some reason, whether it be avoiding confrontation, sneaking up on him, or whatever. The character does some checking around and manages to find a way or a place to hide, and successfully doing so. However, just when things start looking good, the hiding place immediately becomes less than desirable, unwittingly making the plan to hide somewhat backfire on the misfortune person in hiding.

->''"This is Mr. Nesbitt of Harlow New Town. Mr. Nesbitt, would you stand up please. ''(nothing happens)'' Mr. Nesbitt has learnt the value of not being seen. However, he has chosen a very obvious piece of cover."'' KABOOM!

-->'''Max:''' It's ''really'' full.
-->'''George:''' Well then, I'll jump on it and squash it down!
-->''(Ricky gets up and makes a run for it)''
-->'''George:''' GET BACK HERE, RICKY!
-->'''Benny:''' George, how many times have I told you? [[BlackComedy Make sure they're dead]] ''[[BlackComedy before]]'' [[BlackComedy you put 'em in the bag.]]

* ''[[Series/{{MASH}} M.A.S.H.]]'' Colonel Flagg is an U.S. intelligence officer who sometimes visits the 4077th. In one episode he hides in a trash can outside the mess hall in order to talk with one of the show regulars. After the conversation ends, one of the soldiers working in the mess hall comes outside and unknowingly dumps some garbage in the trash can on top of him.

[[folder:NewspaperComics]]

* Creator/JeanDeLaFontaine: "[[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5300/5300-h/5300-h.htm#Cudgelled_and The Cudgelled And Contented Cuckold]]" has a MalMariee and her lover (her husband's falconer) deal with her suspicious husband this way. She tells the husband that his falconer attempted to seduce her and told her to come see him at midnight, then convinces her husband to go in her stead, wearing her clothes, so as to catch the falconer in the act. The husband goes out at midnight in a dress, and the falconer spits a torrent of abuse at the faithless "wife", even beating "her" with a big branch, to the joy of the husband [[WhatAnIdiot at having such a faithful wife and a loyal servant.]]
* Similarly, Theater/TheSchemesOfScapin has Scapin convince his master Géronte to hide in a sack which he carries over his shoulders, then pretends to be attacked by bandits thrashing him to within an inch of his life. In fact, Scapin puts the sack on the ground and vigorously beats it with a heavy staff.

[[folder:WebComics]]

[[folder:WebOriginal]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

-->'''Nixon:''' Well, you did manage to get a tremendous urine sample.
-->'''Bender:''' ''(traumatized)'' Let's not talk about that.

-->'''Homer:''' Hey kids, wanna drive through that cactus patch?
-->'''Bart:''' Yeah!
-->'''Lisa:''' Yeah!
-->'''Bob:''' No!
-->'''Homer:''' [[FailedASpotCheck Oop! Two against One!]]
-->''(drives through cactus patch at Sideshow Bob's expense)''
* This is what kicks off the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E14SB129KarateChoppers SB-129]]", where Squidward attempts to get away from [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick by hiding himself in the Krusty Krab freezer. This backfires on him spectacularly as he gets locked inside and frozen for 2000 years, ending up in the future. The plot then revolves around Squidward trying to get back to his own time period by using a time machine.
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!! Indices: ASafeIndexToHide, FinaglesLaw, LuckTropes, ProbabilityTropes