History Main / MotivationOnAStick

* In JackVance's novel ''Cugel's Saga'', ships are powered by large wormlike sea creatures bound to either side of the vessel. Bait is hung in front of the ship to make them move.

* A variation with a treadmill and a sign which read "plot" was used to keep Karn occupied in one strip in ''{{Webcomic/Adventurers}}''.
* The Devil does this to various characters for [[ForTheEvulz lulz]] in [[http://www.sinfest.net/ this]] ''{{Webcomic/Sinfest}}}}'' strip.
* Sam, the {{Cthulhumanoid}} protagonist of ''{{Webcomic/Freefall}}'', has done this with one of his facial tentacles in order to ride an emu. (He's edible to most Earth species, including herbivores.)

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* In ''SasamiMagicalGirlsClub'', while riding on a cart pulled by an ox-like creature, Anri complains about how slow it is, so Washu pulls out an "Acceleration Device" that turns out to be a bundle of hay hanging from a stick. The ox takes off like a rocket and catches the hay once they reach their destination, with the quick stop flinging everyone out of the cart.

* In ''{{Mulan}}'', the title character uses a dog and bone to feed the chickens. The bone-on-a-stick is tied to the dog's back so the bone is always in front of the dog, and the dog runs around with a feedbag leaking grain behind him.

* In Jack Vance's novel ''Cugel's Saga'', ships are powered by large wormlike sea creatures bound to either side of the vessel. Bait is hung in front of the ship to make them move.

* ''{{Scribblenauts}}'' allows you to set this up using a "plank", "glue" and something the character wants.
* In ''ZettaiHeroProject'', the Appetite Engine accessory is a carrot on a stick worn on the player's head. It reduces EN consumption by 50% while equipped, and can be eaten to restore EN in a pinch.

* A variation with a treadmill and a sign which read "plot" was used to keep Karn occupied in one strip in ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}''.
* The Devil does this to various characters for [[ForTheEvulz lulz]] in [[http://www.sinfest.net/ this]] ''{{Sinfest}}'' strip.
* Sam, the {{Cthulhumanoid}} protagonist of ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', has done this with one of his facial tentacles in order to ride an emu. (He's edible to most Earth species, including herbivores.)

* In the ''FamilyGuy'' episode "He's Too Sexy for His Fat", Peter gets Chris to run on a treadmill by sticking a plumber's helper to his forehead with a twinkie hanging from it. Chris eventually figures out how to the get twinkie.
* ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' does this on the episode "The Great Divide", where the heroes use it to ride fearsome creatures up a cliff.

* ''{{Futurama}}: The Beast With a Billion Backs'' opens with a pastiche of 30's cartoons, and has Zoidberg powering the Planet Express ship by chasing a fish on a stick.

* The ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' anime episode "Pokemon Food Fight": Ash and his friends plan to lure a sleepy Snorlax into moving up and over a mountain by luring it with an apple attached to the end of a pole with a string.

* In one strip of ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', Roy does this with a spice-infused Belkar to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0689.html use a sandworm as transport]].
* A variation with a treadmill and a sign which read "plot" was used to keep Karn occupied in one strip in ''{{Adventurers}}''.

* ''HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' did this with an ant and a piece of the discarded food the kids found.

* In the ''FamilyGuy'' episode "He's Too Sexy for His Fat", Peter gets Chris to run on a treadmill by sticking a plumber's helper to his forehead with a twinkie hanging from it.

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* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', Sam uses one of his facial tentacles this way so he can ride Polly and escape an angry mob.

* In ''{{Freefall}}'', Sam uses one of his facial tentacles this way so he can ride Polly and escape an angry mob.

* {{Popeye}} had one episode where he and Brutus are in a joust, only Popeye's mount is a stubborn mule. He finally gets it to run with a carrot dangling from his lance.

!!Examples:
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* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime episode "Pokemon Food Fight": Ash and his friends plan to lure a sleepy Snorlax into moving up and over a mountain by luring it with an apple attached to the end of a pole with a string.

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* How the FlyingDutchman is moved in ''DeCapeEtDeCrocs''. (Hint: it involves a giant octopus and a really, ''really'', '''really''' big fish.)

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* In a BennyHill sketch: Benny was at a weight-loss camp and was jogging. Three girls showed up in front of him and flashed their breasts at him, so he sped up. He got tired and slowed down; they flashed him again and he sped up again, etc.

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* A very common PoliticalCartoon metaphor, for whatever the artist wants to lampoon.

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* This appears as a trinket in ''WorldOfWarcraft''. It increases mount speed by 3%. AwkwardZombie even points out some FridgeLogic with [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092407.php that particular item]].

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* In one ''OrderOfTheStick'' comic, Roy does this with a spice-infused Belkar to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0689.html use a sandworm as transport]].

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* In the ''FamilyGuy'' episode ''He's Too Sexy for His Fat'', Peter gets Chris to run on a treadmill by sticking a plumber's helper to his forehead with a twinkie hanging from it.

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* {{Mulan}} used a dog and bone to feed the chickens. The bone-on-a-stick was tied to the dog's back so the bone was always in front of the dog, and the dog would run around with a feedbag leaking grain behind him.
* One of the ''MadMax'' films used this with the hero being sent into exile on a donkey with a small jar of water hanging in front of its head.
* ''HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' did this with an ant and a piece of the discarded food the kids found.
* In ''TheBoondockSaints'', Detective Greenley humorously suggests that the only way they're going to catch the [=MacManus=] brothers is by "...dangling a potato on a string" -- of course, they walk in just as he's saying this.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' anime episode "Pokemon Food Fight": Ash and his friends plan to lure a sleepy Snorlax into moving up and over a mountain by luring it with an apple attached to the end of a pole with a string.

* ''{{Discworld}}/UnseenAcademicals'' features a scene with the wizards riding on the backs of the university porters and motivating them with a bottle of beer on the end of a stick.

* The {{Discworld}} book ''UnseenAcademicals'' features a scene with the wizards riding on the backs of the university porters and motivating them with a bottle of beer on the end of a stick.

* In one ''OrderOfTheStick'' comic, Roy does this with a spice-infused Belkar to use a sandworm as transport.

Related to FoodAsBribe. Will often involve a TrademarkFavoriteFood, or something from the StockAnimalDiet.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' anime episode "Pokemon Food Fight". Ash and his friends plan to lure a sleepy Snorlax into moving up and over a mountain by luring it with an apple attached to the end of a pole with a string.

* How the FlyingDutchman is moved in DeCapeEtDeCrocs. (Hint: it involves a giant octopus and a really, ''really'', '''really''' big fish.)

* In a ''TheLittleRascals'' short, the boys had a "taxi" that was powered by a mule/donkey pushing from the back and a carrot on a stick in front of it was used to make it push.
* In a BennyHill sketch: Benny was a at a weight-loss camp and was jogging; three girls showed up in front of him and flashed their breasts at him so he sped up. He got tired and slowed down; they flashed him again and he sped up again, etc.

* Appears as a trinket in WorldOfWarcraft-- it increases mount speed by 3%. AwkwardZombie even points out some FridgeLogic with [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092407.php that particular item.]]

* A variation with a treadmill and a sign with read "plot" was used to keep Karn occupied in one strip in ''{{Adventurers}}''.

* In ''{{Freefall}},'' Sam uses one of his facial tentacles this way so he can ride Polly and escape an angry mob.

* ''Yogi's Gang'' and ''Yogi's Ark Lark''. The Ark was powered by MagillaGorilla pursuing a banana while running on a treadmill, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4f03j-VQg as seen here at 2:25]]. Note that he occasionally ate the banana.
* In the FamilyGuy episode ''He's Too Sexy for His Fat'', Peter gets Chris to run on a treadmill by sticking a plumber's helper to his forehead with a twinkie hanging from it.
* ''{{Avatar}}'' does this on the episode The Great Divide, they use it to ride fearsome creatures up a cliff.
* In ''KickButtowski'', they use Garth's backside as the carrot on the stick to get the crazy little dog to chase him and thereby pull the sled to rescue the schoolbus full of kids from a snow-filled gully.

* * In ''KickButtowski'', they use Garth's backside as the carrot on the stick to get the crazy little dog to chase him and thereby pull the sled to rescue the schoolbus full of kids from a snow-filled gully.

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