History Main / IsThisAJoke

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* ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'': Kyon walks into the classroom and sees Ryoko was the one who had arranged to meet him. He asks if Taniguchi set this up as a prank.

* In ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' Comics #1 (March 1941), the ComicBook/RedSkull sends General Manor a Red Skull along with a death threat. The experienced military leader assumes it must just be a joke.

* ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'': Even after watching him walk in the walls, Mary Jane is still not completely sure if Peter is telling the truth or playing some complex prank.

'''Phoebe:''' Yeah, um, I can't fly. I'm having my brother's babies.\\

* ''Film/{{Timeline}}'', like in the book, has Paul Walker conclude that his father's [[WriteBackToTheFuture message in the catacombs]] is just part of "a joke." Billy Connolly steps in to explain just how stupid an explanation that is, that a seasoned archaeologist would deliberately damage a site that's thousands of years old for the sake of a cheap laugh.
* Creator/LiamNeeson says this line early in ''Film/{{Unknown 2011}}'', as his wife doesn't recognize him as he's trying to prove his identity.

[[quoteright:243:[[Webcomic/{{Lackadaisy}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nomorejokes.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:243:Because EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor.]]

[[quoteright:244:[[Webcomic/{{Lackadaisy}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nomorejokes.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:244:Because EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor.]]

* TheFilmOfTheBook adaptation of ''Film/{{Timeline}}'' has Paul Walker conclude that his father's [[WriteBackToTheFuture message in the catacombs]] is just part of "a joke." Billy Connolly steps in to explain just how stupid an explanation that is, that a seasoned archaeologist would deliberately damage a site that's thousands of years old for the sake of a cheap laugh.
** This occurred in the book as well.
%%* Creator/LiamNeeson says this line early in ''Film/{{Unknown 2011}}''.

** This is said word-for-word by Dedue [[DarkHorseVictory if he wins the dance competition]]. The dance in question is based on elegant ballroom dancing while Dedue himself is a huge, broad-chested man.

-->'''[[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]]:''' Wright. You aren't seriously accusing me... are you?
-->'''Phoenix Wright:''' Oh, [[spoiler:Kristoph]]? You know even I'd never take a joke this far.
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', [[spoiler:Dimitri]] has this reaction if present for [[spoiler:Edelgard being revealed as the Flame Emperor's identity]].
-->'''[[spoiler:Dimitri]]''': ''(LaughingMad)'' Is this some kind of twisted joke?!

* Standard answer for any of strange events of every other episode of the original ''Series/TheTwilightZone''.

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* Creator/BillCosby used to do a routine in which the voice of {{God}} speaks to Noah in his carpentry shop and demands that he build an ark. Noah jokingly plays along, convinced that someone is pranking him.
--> '''Noah''': How come you want me to do all these weird things?\\
'''God''': I'M GOING TO DESTROY THE WORLD.\\
'''Noah''': Riiiiiiiight. ... Am I on ''Series/CandidCamera''? ... How you gonna do it?\\
'''God''': I'MA MAKE IT RAIN FOR A THOUSAND DAYS AND DROWN 'EM RIGHT OUT.\\
'''Noah''': Riiiiiiiight. Listen, do this, you'll save water-- let it rain for forty days and forty nights, and wait for the sewers to back up.\\
'''God''': [[IronicEcho RIIIIIIIIGHT.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', episode "Deep Space Homer", when the director of NASA introduces Homer and Barney as the future of space travel, two reporters ask "is this a joke?" Despite telling them no, and refusing to take any more similar questions, Homer breaking down after realizing the ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes'' was earth, and Barney drunkenly passing out, did not help.

* Such an explanation is staple of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Franchise/MarvelUniverse. Alternately, if it is not considered to be "a joke" by someone, the possibility of the weird event being SomeNuttyPublicityStunt could also be suggested.
* Apparently part of the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] of Marvel Comics as well. In ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' Comics #1 (March 1941), the ComicBook/RedSkull sends General Manor a Red Skull along with a death threat. The experienced military leader assumes it must just be a joke.

* In ''VideoGame/ForHonor'', Stone says this verbatim when his requested reinforcements are a single Warden.

-->'''[[spoiler:Dimitri]]''': ''(LaughingMad) Is this some kind of twisted joke?!

* In the Rifftrax for ''[[Film/LordOfTheRings The Two Towers]]'', when Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are asked what business a man, an elf and a dwarf have in the Riddermark, the riffed reply is, "Shouldn't you be walking into a bar somewhere?"

->''A rabbi, a pirate, and a horse walk into a bar and the bartender says "What is this, some kind of joke?"''

* In one ad campaign for air fresheners, they spray the stuff all over incredibly dirty environments, blindfold people, bring them in, and have them tell what they smell. After saying how wonderful the place smells, they're unblinded. In one ad, featuring two women, they both look around the [[TrashOfTheTitans absolutely filthy]] basement, and wonders aloud if it's a joke.

* A great example in the form of a running gag to boot is when Marty stumbles into the soda shop in ''Film/BackToTheFuture''. First, the bartender smirks when referring to Marty's 1980s orange sleeveless ski jacket as a "life preserver", and later in the same scene Biff and his gang members laugh at Marty's expense after one of the gang makes the disparaging remark, "Dork thinks he's gonna drown".

%%* Creator/LiamNeeson says this line early on in ''Film/{{Unknown 2011}}''.

* In George Gipe's novelization of ''Film/{{Gremlins}},'' when Father Barlett's Christmas cards first shoot out of a mailbox after he dropped them in, he assumed it was a "hidden camera prank" and good-naturedly plays along. Turned out to be those darn gremlins. (This is partially seen in the movie but a deleted scene spelled it out for sure.)

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'', when Phoebe is on the phone with Ross' fiancée's stepmother, trying to warn Ross that Rachel is coming to disrupt the wedding:

-->'''[[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]]:''' Wright. You aren't seriously accusing me... are you?\\
'''Phoenix Wright:''' Oh, [[spoiler:Kristoph]]? You know even I'd never take a joke this far.

* In the Rifftrax for [[Film/LordOfTheRings The Two Towers]], when Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are asked what business a man, an elf and a dwarf have in the Rittermark, the riffed reply is "Shouldn't you be walking into a bar somewhere?"

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' episode "Half Baked," Jake replies, "I'm glad that everyone bought that ''You've been punked'' story we feed them."

--> "Are we being punked? I hate that."

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->''A rabbi, a pirate and a horse walk into a bar and the bartender says "What is this, some kind of joke?"''

* A great example in the form of a running gag to boot is when Marty stumbles into the soda shop in ''Film/BackToTheFuture''. First the bartender smirks when referring to Marty's 1980's orange sleeveless ski jacket as a "life preserver", and later in the same scene Biff and his gangmembers laugh at Marty's expense after one of the gang makes the disparaging remark, "Dork thinks he's gonna drown".

* TheFilmOfTheBook adaptation of ''Film/{{Timeline}}'' has Paul Walker conclude that his father's [[WriteBackToTheFuture message in the catacombs]] are just part of "a joke." Billy Connolly steps in to explain just how stupid an explanation that is, that a seasoned archaeologist would deliberately damage a site that's thousands of years old for the sake of a cheap laugh.

* ''Literature/TheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButton'' is littered with this. When Roger Button first sees that his newborn child is in fact an elderly man, he demands to know if the hospital is playing a joke. Years later, when Benjamin is 18 (and looking 50), he tries to gain admittance to Yale. The dean throws him out for trying to pull such a prank, despite Benjamin's protests. Late in his life when Benjamin appears 10, he attempts to rejoin the Army. The other soldiers play along until he presents official military documents, and is told that this isn't funny anymore.

* The more modern variant on ''Series/{{Community}}'', when Britta is amazed at the guys jumping into a fight over something stupid.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose "Rose"]], Rose Tyler's reaction to [[MurderousMannequin plastic dummies]] coming to life and apparently trying to kill her is that it must be college kids — they're the only ones mad enough for a prank that big. The Doctor says it's a [[SarcasmMode smart idea]]. She, and every other companion, comes to discover that it is ''never'' a joke.

* In the Rifftrax for [[Film/LordOfTheRings The Two Towers]], when Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas are asked what business a man, an elf and a dwarf have in the Rittermark, the riffed reply is "Shouldn't you be walking into a bar somewhere?"

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', episode "Deep Space Homer", when the director of NASA introduces Homer and Barney as the future of space travel, two reporters ask "is this a joke?" Despite telling them no, and refusing to take anymore similar questions, Homer breaking down after realizing the ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes'' was earth, and Barney drunkenly passing out, did not help.

* [[Manga/AhMyGoddess Sayoko]] has made a deal with a demon and turned the university into a fairy-tale castle. The reaction from those whose minds she didn't take over? "* sigh* Probably just the engineering students goofing around again. Last year they put a bus on the roof." And the narration notes, "It seemed years of student pranks had rendered the sleepy town of Nekomi ''shock-proof''."

* Creator/LiamNeeson says this line early on in ''Film/{{Unknown 2011}}''.

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* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' episode 6 season 2, ''"That Old Black Magic"'' Kyle Gwydion reacts like this.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose "Rose"]], Rose Tyler's reaction to [[MurderousMannequin plastic dummies]] coming to life and apparently trying to kill her is that it must be college kids — they're the only ones mad enough for a prank that big. The Doctor says it's a [[SarcasmMode smart idea.]] She, and every other companion, came to discover that it is ''never'' a joke.

** Aunt May says the exact same thing when she is confronted about Peter's identity as Spider Man.

* Asked by name in ''Film/SpyKids'' by Juni, after being instructed on the blue and green buttons, and opening the door [[spoiler:to the [=SpyGuppy=]]] to find... a closet.