History Main / VoicemailConfusion

If the caller talks for a while and the answering machine reveals itself right after he finishes, that means that the person who recorded the message knew exactly how long the caller would talk, making it an example of TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat as well.

* Inverted on ''Series/{{Friends}}'': According to Chandler, when Joey first called him at work about renting the apartment:

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Examples:

'''Aziraphale:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Stop making noises!]]

* A video by [[LoadingReadyRun]] plays with this trope; the protagonist is about to go on a date to a very popular concert, when his roommate reveals that he's ''invisible''. It's eventually revealed that the roommate knows ''precisely'' how his friend will respond, and recorded an entire conversation with that in mind, so that he could trick his roommate into staying home and thus 'steal' the date. The ruse is uncovered when the tape plays a standard 'end of side one' message.

* Parodied and inverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where Homer initially thinks StephenHawking's "voice" is a recorded message.

* This has become a running gag in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', Archer has many intricate versions of this. At one point, he says the exact time to try and convince his mother it is really him.

* Sarah Connor's voicemail greeting in ''The Film/{{Terminator}}''. Subverted in that no one is fooled by it, and played for irony in that the message's joke is that "you're talking to a machine" when the Terminator is calling.

* Inverted in ''L.A. Story'', where Steve Martin's character at one point answers his phone by playing an obvious recording of himself saying "I'm home right now, so you can talk to me after the beep. *beep*"

* One episode of ''{{Cheers}}'' involves Sam's message, which sounds like him answering the phone, then a long pause, followed by "Just kidding. You got my machine." Diane calls Sam before her wedding to Frasier, hoping Sam is on a plane on his way to stop the wedding. When she thinks he has answered, she hangs up in disgust without hearing the rest, and thus doesn't know that Sam is on his way.

* This has become a running gag in ''{{Archer}}'', Archer has many intricate versions of this. At one point, he says the exact time to try and convince his mother it is really him.
* Parodied and inverted in an episode of ''TheSimpsons'', where Homer initially thinks StephenHawking's "voice" is a recorded message.

* Sarah Connor's voicemail greeting in ''The Film/{{Terminator}}''. Subverted in that no one is fooled by it.

When someone calls another person on the phone, usually because of some urgent matter, the caller gets a greeting, usually "hello" or something like that, and the caller tries to speak to them, but realizes that the greeting was actually a voicemail recording.

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* Sarah Connor's voicemail greeting in ''The {{Terminator}}''. Subverted in that no one is fooled by it.
* ''ImGonnaGitYouSucka''. When Kung Fu Joe calls Slade, Slade answers. Kung Fu Joe warns him that the police are after them.
-->Slade: Fooled you! I'm not home right now. Leave your name and number. I'll call you back. Thanks for calling. Bye.

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* ''GoodOmens'' has this priceless gem, from the angel Aziraphale, whose sense of technology lingers back in or before TheFifties along with his fashion sense:
-->'''Answering Machine:''' Hi. This is Anthony Crowley. Uh. I—
-->'''Aziraphale:''' Crowley! Listen! I haven’t got much time! The—
-->'''Answering Machine:''' —probably not in right now, or asleep, and busy, or something, but—
-->'''Aziraphale:''' Shutup! Listen! It was in Tadfield! It’s all in that book! You’ve got to stop—
-->'''Answering Machine:''' —after the tone and I’ll get right back to you. Chow.
-->'''Aziraphale:''' I want to talk to you ''now''—
-->'''Answering Machine:''' [=BeeeEEeeeEEeee=]
-->'''Aziraphale:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Stop making noises!]]

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-->And by the way, boy, this is no machine you're talkin' to
-->Can't you tell, this is Austin, and I still love you.

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* Inverted in ''L.A. Story'', where Steve Martin's character at one point answers his phone by playing an recording of himself saying "I'm home right now, so you can talk to me after the beep. *beep*"

* This has become a running gag in ''{{Archer}}'', the titular character has many intricate versions of this. At one point, he says the exact time to try and convince his mother it is really him.

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* From ThatGuyWithTheGlasses:
-->'''That Chick:''' Oh, by the way, this has been an answering machine the whole time. Leave your message after the beep! * beep!*

* This has become a running gag in ''{{Archer}}'', the titular character has many intricate versions of this. At one point, he says the exact time to try and convince his mother it is really him.
* Parodied and inverted in an episode of ''TheSimpsons'', where Homer initially thinks StephenHawking's "voice" is a recorded message.

* ''ImGonnaGitYouSucka''. When Kung Fu Joe calls Slade, Slade answers. Kung Fu Joe warns him that the police are after them.
->Slade: Fooled you! I'm not home right now. Leave your name and number. I'll call you back. Thanks for calling. Bye.

* In one episode of ''{{Archer}}'', the titular character has a long and annoying version of this.

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When someone calls another person on the phone, usually because of some urgent matter, they get a greeting, usually "hello" or something like that, and the caller tries to speak to them, only to realize that the greeting was actually a voicemail recording.

If the person making the call talks for a while and the answering machine reveals itself right after he finishes, that means that the person who recorded the message knew exactly how long the caller would talk, making it an example of TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat as well.

* {{Inverted}} in Blake Shelton's song ''Austin''. Earlier in the song, a woman attempted to call an ex-boyfriend who she's realized she still has feelings for, only getting his answering machine. When he calls her back, she imitates the messages he'd had on his answering machine, ending with:

-->'''That Chick:''' Oh, by the way, this has been an answering machine the whole time. Leave your message after the beep! * beep!*