History Main / IsThisThingOn

* At one point in his Presidency, UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan was asked to talk into a mic for a sound level and turned the trope UpToEleven by saying [[DeadpanSnarker "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."]] [[CaptainObvious Needless to say,]] the Russians were not amused, their Air Force staying on guard for a full half hour after the comment. [[CrossesTheLineTwice The Americans, on the other hand,]] were too busy [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments howling with laughter]] to care much.

* ''Film/Apollo13'': While struggling to regain control of the LEM during the initial emergency Commander Lovell starts to lose his cool and snaps at some of MissionControl's instructions. He's unaware that the communication system is still in VOX mode until CAPCOM sheepishly informs him they can hear everything he says. Given the circumstances it's understandable that turning off the live mic slipped their minds. Later in the movie CAPCOM calls them during a minor shouting match and Lovell asks if they'd accidentally left VOX on again (they hadn't) before answering in a much calmer tone.

* At one point in his Presidency, UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan was asked to talk into a mic for a sound level and turned the trope UpToEleven by saying [[DeadpanSnarker "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."]] [[CaptainObvious Needless to say,]] the Russians were not amused, their Air Force staying on guard for a full half hour after the comment. [[CrossesTheLineTwice The Americans, on the other hand,]] were too busy [[CrowningMomentofFunny howling with laughter]] to care much.

--> '''Patton Oswalt:''' You ever find yourself in a relationship and realize it's a rainbow basket filled with sunflower kisses? ...Hello? Is this thing on? C'mon-- what are you, mummies?

* In the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' ScrapbookStory "Tales from the Vault", [[TheDitz Jo]]'s story is on cassette, and begins:
-->'''Jo:''' Hello? Testing. One, two. Oh, hang on, is this... oh yeah, the dial's moving. Probably a good sign. Right. Ahem. ''''''-Bzzzzz!-''''' [[CuteClumsyGirl Oh, wrong button]]. ''Anyway''...

* In [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2012/12/28 this]] {{Webcomic/Precocious}} strip, Ursula's unfamiliarity with microphones causes her to accidentally QuoteMine herself.

--> '''Patton Oswalt:''' "You ever find yourself in a relationship and realize it's a rainbow basket filled with sunflower kisses? ...Hello? Is this thing on? C'mon-- what are you, mummies?"

* ''TwiceUponATime'': Synonamess Botch taps his mic and says "Is this thing on?" before addressing his minions.

* In ''Film/SurLaPisteDuMarsupilami'', Not-so-IntrepidReporter Dan Geraldo does this with ''the business end of a blowpipe''. To be fair, he's thinking it's held by an imposter and not a real jungle native. He gets a faceful of darts for his troubles.

** In ''Discworld/SoulMusic'', Asphalt the roadie says "One two. One. One. One two," prior to the concert at The Cavern, but doesn't know ''why''.

[[folder: Magazines]]
* "Leaders and Followers", an article in ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' written as a transcript of a panel at an adventurers' convention, opens with the deaf old wizard chairing the panel tapping the mic and saying "Can you hear me now?" unaware that the audience is saying they can. Eventually, one of the panellists takes the microphone away from him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Podcasts]]
* Episodes of ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'' are in the form of recordings the archivist is making of statements about supernatural experiences. He utters the "1-2-3" version at the start of the first episode.

** In episode [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E5SisterhoovesSocial "Sisterhooves Social"]], Granny Smith does it with a megaphone, before grumbling about modern appliances in general.
** In [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E7MakeNewFriendsButKeepDiscord "Make New Friends but Keep Discord"]], Discord starts his stand-up routine with the obligatory "Check, check, is this thing on?"

* At the end of an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' a giant robot tells a bad joke and, after a second of silence, asks "Is this voice amplification device functional?"

* On the often-aired commercials for the series ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', the underside of the alien spacecraft was a huge video screen displaying the smiling face of their leader, Anna. Except for that one time, where it showed Creator/ZachBraff saying "Hello? Is this thing on?" It was an promo for ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''.

* Parodied in ''{{Series/Galavant}}. King Richard attempts to do a comedy routine, and [[EpicFail fails miserably]]. He then says this and taps ''his mouth'', since they're in the Middle Ages and microphones don't exist.

* ''{{Series/Galavant}}: King Richard attempts to do a comedy routine, and [[EpicFail fails miserably]]. He then says this and taps ''his mouth'', since they're in the Middle Ages and microphones don't exist.

* On the often-aired commercials for the series ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', the underside of the alien spacecraft was a huge video screen displaying the smiling face of their leader, Anna. Except for that one time, where it showed Zach Braff saying "Hello? Is this thing on?" It was an promo for ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''.

9 times out of 10, you can bet any character speaking into a microphone will utter this phrase. Unfortunately, because of a case of TVNeverLies, people do this in RealLife, thinking it is the correct way to test a microphone. Not only is it wrong, it's unnecessary. The audio team will have already spoken into the microphone while setting up the sound system before the audience arrives, and definitely before the speaker arrives on stage. Despite this fact, all forms of media still use this trope, misleading the common people to think that it is necessary to check the mic this way before speaking.

* In the game ''VideoGame/StarControl'', the first contact between humans and one alien species went wrong when the captain of the human ship referred to the alien leader as "the ugliest freak-face I've ever seen". Where it could be heard by a live mike to the external transmitter. And the aliens had TranslatorMicrobes.

** Played with in the novel ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'': an ancient recording of a historic dwarven leader begins with a couple of loud knocking noises, followed by "Art thys thyng workyng?"
** In ''Discworld/SoulMusic'', Asphalt the roadie says "One two. One. One. One two." prior to the concert at The Cavern, but doesn't know ''why''.

* In [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2012/12/28 this]] {{Webcomic/Precocious}} srtip, Ursula's unfamiliarity with microphones causes her to accidentally QuoteMine herself.

* AT the end of an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' a giant robot tells a bad joke and, after a second of silence, asks "Is this voice amplification device functional?"

* Barenaked Ladies' "Testing 1, 2, 3."

* Schooly D's original recording of the ''AquaTeenHungerForce'' theme starts with his calling out "Mic check, mic check..."

* ''TwiceUponATime'': The Nightmare King taps his mic and says "Is this thing on?" before addressing his minions.

* Also parodied by Patton Oswalt, when he commented on how he was amazed he was still funny because he was in a great relationship and in love: "You ever find yourself in a relationship and realize it's a rainbow basket filled with sunflower kisses? ...Hello? Is this thing on? C'mon-- what are you, mummies?"