History Main / LyingFingerCross

* In ''ComicBook/ReidFlemingWorldsToughestMilkman'', Reid tells Mr. O'Clocke, "us bald guys gotta stick together". When Crabbe notices he has his fingers crossed behind his back and accuses him of lying, Reid admits that he's not actually bald. "I get my hair cut this way." Mr. O'Clocke finds that very flattering.
* When Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/SpiderMan had an intercompany {{Crossover}}, Supes asked Spidey to turn himself over to the police after their adventure since he was wanted at the time. Spidey shook on it but had his fingers crossed behind his back.
* [[ComicBook/GreenLantern G'Nort's]] archenemy Scarlet Skier did it when granted a parole.

* At one point in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Rage}}'', the school-shooting protagonist is negotiating/toying with a school official over an intercom, and threatens to shoot one of his listening classmates if the official asks him any questions. As he says this, he holds up his crossed fingers for the viewers to see. And he [[spoiler: means it; when the official finally slips up, the protagonist fires a shot into the floor.]]

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[[caption-width-right:150: "Yeah, actually, I'm not bald. I get my hair cut this way."]]

TruthInTelevision, of course, which is the reason why it works as a visual cue, often in the form of AnInsert. There's a number of guesses out there as to why it became a common gesture for lying, but the general idea is that it somehow either protects you from the [[BoltOfDivineRetribution consequences]] of lying or absolves you from being held to your word to begin with. In real life, this gesture is mainly used by children, especially since it's not a reasonable thing for an adult to do. Therefore, the trope is generally associated with characters who are very young or just act like they are.

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!!Examples

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' crossed his ''toes'' [[http://www.garfield.com/comics/vault.html?yr=1996&addr=961218 while making a promise]].

* Played with on ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' in the episode "Hooky". When [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick promise Mr. Krabs not to play on the fishing hooks, Patrick claims he had his fingers crossed. [=SpongeBob=] then points out that he has no fingers.

*** After all, [[ItMakesSenseInContext lying is an excellent trait]].

* An episode of ''[[WesternAnimation/NoddysToylandAdventures Make Way for Noddy]]'' has Dinah Doll tell Gobbo that she knows he's lying because his fingers are crossed, and that goblins cross their fingers when they lie.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Lisa's Wedding," when Lisa and Marge talk through a video phone:
--> '''Lisa:''' Mom, remember when I was little, we'd always planned my dream wedding and you always promised to... you know, well, keep Dad from ruining it?
--> '''Marge:''' ''[crossing her fingers]'' Oh, don't worry, honey, I guarantee your father will behave.
--> '''Lisa:''' Mom, it's a picture phone.
--> '''Marge:''' ''[looking at her fingers]'' What? This? Oh, no, I've just got a touch of the rheumatiz.
--> '''Lisa:''' Oh, OK.
--> '''Marge:''' ''[Whew gesture]''
--> '''Lisa:''' Mom, picture phone.

* Hermes on ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' crossed two digits of his new extensible robot-arm when he promised he wouldn't get any more cybernetic upgrades.

* ''WesternAnimation/KissyFur'': In one episode, Lenny constantly bullied other kids for their lunches. Near the end, he saw himself in a pinch where he needed their help and they only agreed when he promised he'd no longer bully them. The next day, he broke his promised and, when called out on it, he claimed he had his fingers crossed when he made it. [[spoiler:Fortunately, they'd learned how to use the strength of numbers against him]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'': Techrat did it while telling the Misfits how "safe" his gimmick in "The Jem Jam - Part 2" was.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': In "Ed Overboard", Marie and Lee cross their fingers behind their backs while promising May a gorgeous makeover.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BrandyAndMrWhiskers'', Mr. Whiskers promises Brandy he won't interfere with Ed's attempts to ask Lola out by showing her that his fingers, ears, and toes aren't crossed. However, after Brandy leaves, he crosses his teeth while doing an {{Evil Laugh}}.
* At the end of the ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'' episode "Dirt Nappers", after Camp Kidney gets their diet back, Sampson promises not to use his vacuum cleaner again. As he and Lazlo walk into the sunset, we see him crossing his fingers with one hand and holding his vacuum in the other.
* ComicBook/PlasticMan and his sidekick, Woozy, do this on one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold.''
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'' episode "Out Of My Mind," Beetlejuice promises Lydia he won't prank her dad. But naturally, he had his fingers crossed behind his back.
* ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'': Orko did this in "Disappearing Act" when he promised He-Man, Man-At-Arms and Battlecat he'd clean up his room without magic.
** In "Dree Elle's Return", Dree Elle's brother did this when he promised her he'd not play pranks during their stay in Eternia.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': In "Billy & Mandy vs. the Martians", Morg at one point crosses his fingers behind his back after a conversation between him and Grim.
* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Aqua Something You Know Whatever]]'' episode "Bookie", Master Shake tried using this to welch out of paying a bet. [[spoiler: He promptly gets his fingers broken by the mobsters running the gambling ring.]]
* Defied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/HerculesTheAnimatedSeries''. Pain and Panic make Herc assist them in ridding the Underworld of Hecate and bring Hades back into power, in exchange for the sheep they stole. Herc crosses his fingers in the promise, but they exploit his Hero Honor to make sure he follows through.
* In the final episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'', Kevin reveals to his girlfriend Brittany that he flunked his senior year and won't be graduating with her. He still gets her to promise that they'll stay together while she's in college, but she nervously crosses her fingers behind her back.
* ''WesternAnimation/PeterPanAndThePirates'' has Captain Hook of all people pull this off. After giving his word and then breaking it, Wendy calls him out on it, saying that "You swore an oath as a gentleman!" Hook then calmly states that while he swore his oath as a gentleman, he had his fingers crossed as a pirate.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces2017'' episode "Cold Rush", Peter Perfect makes Dick Dastardly promise that he won't cheat in the race this time. To make sure he's not trying anything funny, Peter also makes Dick stop crossing his fingers ''and'' his toes.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' episode "Velocity", Bumblebee asks Bulkhead to give him his turbo boosters back so he can find out who the blue racer is. Bulkhead tells him to promise not to go any shenanigans, with Bumblebee saying so while crossing his fingers.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BumpInTheNight'' ChristmasEpisode "Twas the Night Before Bumpy", when Squishington reminds Mr. Bumpy that he promised to get Juaquin Gusanito Sin Manos a set of bionic hands, Bumpy replies that he had his toes crossed when he made the promise.
* In the ''Literature/RottenRalph'' episode "Dead Man's Drop", Ralph crosses his fingers while promising his owner Sarah he won't try anything stupid again.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': In the Martian (zombies saying "cow pies" near the end) episode, the Martian leader crosses his fingers behind his back.
* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Aqua Something You Know Whatever]]'' episode "Bookie" Master Shake tried using this to welch out of paying a bet. [[spoiler: He promptly gets his fingers broken by the mobsters running the gambling ring.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode, "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E10PrincessSpike Princess Spike]]", Spike tells Princess Cadence that he's using Twilight's authority to improve the summit. Then we see that he's crossing his claws behind his back.

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* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E08TheSheCreature The She Creature]]", Pearl promises to never show Mike and the 'Bots another bad movie ever again. She holds up one hand in the [[ScoutOut Boy Scout]] hand sign -- sort of, using two fingers, which she crosses, in plain sight, then crosses her ring finger and pinky and crosses those over her other crossed fingers, then holds up her other hand with all four fingers crossed over themselves and each other, then crosses both arms in front of her chest. Mike and company have their doubts.

* On ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E08TheSheCreature The She Creature]]", Pearl promises to never show Mike and the 'Bots another bad movie ever again. She holds up one hand in the [[ScoutOut Boy Scout]] hand sign -- sort of, using two fingers, which she crosses, in plain sight, then crosses her ring finger and pinky and crosses those over her other crossed fingers, then holds up her other hand with all four fingers crossed over themselves and each other, then crosses both arms in front of her chest. Mike and company have their doubts.

* On ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E08TheSheCreature The She Creature]]", Pearl promises to never show Mike and the 'Bots another bad movie ever again. She holds up one hand in the [[ScoutOut Boy Scout]] hand sign -- sort of, using two fingers -- which she crosses, then crosses her ring finger and pinky and crosses those over her other crossed fingers, then holds up her other hand with all four fingers crossed over themselves and each other, then crosses both arms in front of her chest. Mike and company have their doubts.

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* Episode "The Execution" of ''Series/AlloAllo'' uses the crossed fingers gesture, but the meaning is a bit ambiguous. Café owner and reluctant Resistance member René is about to be shot by Germans for blowing up the railway, but Colonel von Strohm and Captain Geering are entangled in it as well, so he was promised that the firing squad would use wooden bullets. Hans however brought two boxes to the execution: one with fake ones and one with real bullets. Lt. Gruber accidentally took both boxes. Nevertheless, Colonel and Captain smile at René and give him a supportive thumb-up. They are shown to have crossed fingers behind their back, meaning they either wish the plan worked or that they acknowledge their reassurance was not sincere.
* An episode of {{Series/MASH}} had Hawkeye lie on the radio to Quartermaster Corps, stating that the requisitions for additional blankets were in the mail. When Radar picked up said papers from the desk, Hawkeye held up crossed fingers.
* Subverted in ''Series/CousinSkeeter'', where Bobby makes Skeeter promise not to say anything that would get Bobby in a crazy situation. Skeeter promises while the viewer sees him put his hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Until Bobby angrily demands that he uncross his fingers and Skeeter pulls his hand out from behind his back and yelps to see his fingers are still crossed

* An episode of {{Series/MASH}} had Hawkee lie on the radio to Quartermaster Corps, stating that the requisitions for additional blankets were in the mail. When Radar picked up said papers from the desk, Hawkeye held up crossed fingers.

** In "Scary-oke", Dipper and Stan do this to each other when they make a deal that Dipper only use his journal for self defense against Gravity Fall's supernatural side and not look for trouble only if Stan, who had just revealed that he had been faking being oblivious to the town's weirdness all this time, doesn't have any other bombshell secrets he's keeping, the audience knowing about the machine he has in the basement.
** In "Northwest Mansion Mystery", Pacifica looks at pantings of her ancestors showing them to be lying, cheating scoundrels, one of whom is a Calvary captain signing a peace treaty with an Indian chief while doing the cross behind his back.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BumpInTheNight'' ChristmasEpisode "Twas the Night Before Bumpy", when Squishington reminds Mr. Bumpy that he promised to get Juqauin Gusanito Sin Manos a set of bionic hands, Bumpy replies that he had his toes crossed when he made the promise.

* Played with on ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''. When [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick promise Mr. Krabs not to play on the fishing hooks, Patrick claims he had his fingers crossed. [=SpongeBob=] then points out that he has no fingers.

* In ''Disney/MeetTheRobinsons'', The Bowler Hat Guy finds Lewis and asks him to fix his memory scanner. Lewis agrees to do it if he promises to take him back in time to meet his birth mother. The Bowler Hat Guy promises while the viewer sees his fingers crossed behind his back. Later on, after the Bowler Hat Guy betrays Lewis after the memory scanner is fixed, Lewis calls him out on breaking his promise while Bowler Hat Guy responds, "Crossies! Doesn't count!"