History Main / TakeMeToYourLeader

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

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[[folder:Films]]

[[folder:Magazines]]
* The UrExample of this trope is believed to be this 1953 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_me_to_your_leader_(phrase)#/media/File:Kindly_take_us_to_your_President.jpg cartoon]] in ''Magazine/TheNewYorker''.
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[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* One ''ComicStrip/BloomCounty'' comic sees an alien step out of a spaceship and demand Opus take him to his leader. It's an election year, however, and as Opus lists off the candidates, the alien eventually gets so exasperated that he climbs back in his ship and leaves.
** Another appearance is in Berkeley Breathed's next strip ''Outland''. This time, after summarizing the candidates, Opus instead directs the alien to Bill the Cat.
* ''Comicstrip/CalvinAndHobbes'':
-->'''Alien:''' Take us to the Supreme Earth Potentate.\\
'''Calvin:''' Uh... Um… Speaking.
* In an early ''Comicstrip/{{Dilbert}}'' strip, long before it became exclusively office humor, [[http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/1991-02-24/ aliens ask Dogbert to take them to his leader]]. Dogbert asks them to specify what kind of leader: spiritual, economic, political, or military? They choose political, so Dogbert asks: city, county, state, federal, or world political leader? They choose world, only for Dogbert to tell them that Earth doesn't ''have'' a world leader. In the end, he directs them to a grocery store that claims to be the ''price leader''...
* Parodied in one early ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strip. Garfield is playing with his food (which Jon tells him is for eating). As part of that, he puts tomatoes over his eyes, a lime in his mouth and celery stalks on his ears, and holds a banana in each hand as he says, "Take me to your leader, earthling, or I'll atomize your face."
** This whole scene, "leader" and all, is seen in animated form in ''[[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Here Comes Garfield]]''.
** In another strip, vegetarian aliens landed on earth and one alien asked Garfield, "Take me to your broccoli!"
* One strip in ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' has two aliens visiting Earth and using a dictionary to deliver the famous line to the humans present at their landing. Unfortunately, the one doing the talking screws it up.
-->'''Alien 2:''' Take me to your ''stove''?! You idiot - give me that!

[[folder:Theater]]

[[folder:Videogames]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

--> '''William''': [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-08-27 Greetings! Can you take me to your Tedd?]]

-->'''Bang:''' ''(pointing at Master Payne)''' You look like you're smart. Who's in charge here?
-->'''Master Payne:''' Err, [[MightMakesRight you are?]]
-->'''Bang:''' Boy you are smart!

[[folder:Other]]
* Made fun of in this joke:
-->Two aliens land in a godforsaken part of Earth, walk around a bit and find a small gas station. It's night, and no human is around. The aliens mistake the gas pump for a kind of robot and commands: "TakeMeToYourLeader!" The pump, of course, says nothing. The alien again threatens: "I said, take me to your leader!" The pump still isn't impressed. Now the alien gets angry: "If you don't take me to your leader right now, I'll shoot you with my laser!" But the other alien gets nervous: "I wouldn't mess with that guy... better be nice." The first alien isn't doesn't care and points his laser at the pump: "Now take me to your leader, or I'll shoot you!" The other alien panics and runs away. Since the pump does nothing, the first alien shoots, and the gas station [[StuffBlowingUp goes BOOM]]. By a sheer miracle, the alien survives. He asks his companion "How did you know that would happen?" - "I didn't", the other one replies. "But if I see a guy who can stick his dick in his ear, I surely don't mess with him!"

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E64WillTheRealMartianPleaseStandUp Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?]]", Avery says this to the Hi-Way Café jukebox that had spontaneously started playing music while police officers are searching for an alien. The jukebox of course [[spoiler: ends up being an illusion created by an alien, and not an alien itself.]]

* Lampshaded in an episode of ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople'' when a species called the Sorsons arrive on Earth and make this request, TIM mentions that the Sorsons have been [[AliensStealCable monitoring Earth broadcasts for a long time]] and are aware of the cliché:

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone'': In "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" a crazy-eyed man says this to a jukebox that had spontaneously started playing music while police officers are searching for an alien. The jukebox of course [[spoiler: ends up being an illusion CREATED by an alien, and not an alien itself.]]

** The Ninth Doctor uses it in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon "Aliens of London"]], as he greets UNIT soldiers who've arrived at the Powell Estate to pick him up.
** The Tenth Doctor uses it in [[Recap/DoctorWho2007CSVoyageOfTheDamned "Voyage of the Damned"]], and follows up with "IAlwaysWantedToSayThat".

In ''Literature/{{Sphere}}'', after the intelligence from the sphere asks the first contact team "Is there one control entity?", one of the team members laughs because of the similarity to the trope name.

* In the recent slew of ''[[Series/SaturdayNightLive Saturday Night Live's]]'' lampooning of Donald Trump, there was the sketch "Alien Attack Cold Open". When aliens attack the United States, Trump won't actually do his job as president and just keeps gloating about him having defeated Hillary in the election. Then the aliens arrives declaring they won and their leader tells this line to Trump. Trump, panicking over what to do, declares the general to his left as the President.

* Spoofed in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. Gil and Bang turn up at a village in a heavily-armed airship loaded with [[RobotMook clank-soldiers]].

* Spoofed in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. Gil and Bang turn up at a village in a heavily-armed airship loaded with [[RobotMooks clank-soldiers]].

* ''Film/ReignOfFire''. A convoy of heavily-armed Americans turn up and [[AggressiveNegotiations points their guns at the settlement]]. Their leader shouts out to the settlement, "WHO'S IN CHARGE?" Creedy looks at Quinn, saying; "[[GotVolunteered Well that would be you then.]]"

** Used by the Fourth Doctor in the classic series, after threatening someone with a "deadly jelly-baby" didn't work out - not because they didn't buy it, but because they told him to kill the man he was threatening. The Doctor eats the jelly-baby and tells them he doesn't take orders from anyone.

* Not directly used, but invoked in ''Anime/RinneNoLagrange'', when Lan tells Madoka that she's an alien; Madoka asks if she really means a "TakeMeToYourLeader" type alien. The answer is a non-surprised (she's apparently also familiar with the trope) yes.
* Parodied in ''Anime/GargantiaOnTheVerdurousPlanet''. When Ledo arrives on Earth, he can't speak the local language and must rely on his ship's AI to act as a translator. The AI informs him that "I have requested an audience with their commander."

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

* In ''Dentist on the Job'' two men infiltrating a military lab pretend to have a conversation to act casually, one of them says this. An odd example in that neither of them is an extraterrestrial, just trespassers.
* ''Film/ReignOfFire''. A convoy of heavily-armed Americans turn up and [[AggressiveNegotiations points their guns at the settlement]]. Their leader shouts out to the settlement, "WHO'S IN CHARGE?" Creedy looks at Quinn, saying; "[[GotVolunteered Well that would be you then.]]"

* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse''

-->'''Han Solo''': ''Take me to your leader. [[WeComeinPeaceShoottoKill We come in peace]].''
-->'''Leia''': ''Han.''
-->'''Han Solo''': ''Sorry, Leia. [[IAlwaysWantedToSayThat Sometimes I can't help myself]].''
* In ''Literature/{{Protector}}'', by Creator/LarryNiven, the alien whom Nick Sohl and Luke Garner meet on Mars says this to them. The twist: the alien is [[spoiler:a human asteroid miner, Jack Brennan, who has accidentally been transformed into a human version of a Pak Protector]].
* In ''Calculating God'', the trope is played with: the aliens arrive and say "Take me to your geologists." They are looking for evidence of behavior of the god they believe in, and could care less about who's in charge locally, except as it concerns the geological evidence they are looking for.
* In "The Twilight Zone" episode "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" a crazy-eyed man says this to a jukebox that had spontaneously started playing music while police officers are searching for an alien. The jukebox of course [[spoiler: ends up being an illusion CREATED by an alien, and not an alien itself.]]
* In the short novel ''Literature/TheLibrarian'' (2015), the people who have an alien in custody are talking about figuring out his intentions. One points out, "he asked to talk to his wife, not to 'take him to our leader'."
* Discussed in Creator/JohnScalzi's ''Literature/AgentToTheStars''. When first meeting [[StarfishAliens Joshua]], Tom wonders why the [[BlobMonster Yherjak]] haven't followed this trope by landing next to the White House and asking to speak to the President. Joshua explains that it was their original intention until they arrived in Earth's orbit and started [[AliensStealCable picking up our signals]] and learning that humans have an appalling number of movies featuring "evil aliens", some of which look like the Yherjak. After spending decades brushing up on Earth's culture (mostly gleamed from Hollywood films and TV shows), they sent Joshua to contact Tom's boss, so that he finds an agent (Tom) to prepare humanity to receive the Yherjak with open arms despite their appearance and smell.

* ''Series/RedDwarf'', "Rimmerworld":
--> '''Lister:''' This is going to sound like a bit of a corny line, but... I can hardly bring myself to say it.
-->'''Rimmer-Clone:''' Say what?
-->'''Lister:''' "Take us to your leader."
--> '''Kryten:''' Oh, sir, how ''could'' you?!

** Glitz prefaces this with an "I can't believe I'm saying this" in "Trial of a Time Lord".
** The Ninth Doctor uses it in "Aliens of London" as he greets UNIT soldiers gathered around the TARDIS waiting for him.
** The Tenth Doctor uses it in the story "Voyage of the Damned", and follows up with "IAlwaysWantedToSayThat".
** The Eleventh Doctor in "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", to Rory's disgust. "Too good to resist."
* In the recent slew of ''[[Series/SaturdayNightLive Saturday Night Live's]]'' lampooning of Donald Trump, there was the sketch "Alien Attack Cold Open". When aliens attack the United States, Trump won't actually do his job as president and just keeps gloating about him having defeated Hillary in the election. Then the aliens arrives declaring they won and their leader tells this line to Trump. Trump, panicking over what to do, declares the general to his left as the President.
* Brother Cavil in ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' does that when he is outed as a Cylon Spy. They take him to the brig instead.
--> (After having several guns pointed at him.) Well, this is an awkward moment. ({{Beat}}) Yes, uh, he's right, I am a Cylon. And I have a message, so.... take me to your leader.

--> '''Kahlan:''' Take me to your warden.
* Played straight in an episode of ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'', where a representative of the [[RobotWar Consensus of Parts]] says this to Hunt and the crew. The kicker is, the only reason he said that was because he thought that's what aliens are ''supposed to say'' to humans upon meeting them first.
** Also subverted in that the Consensus is not actually looking for the ship's captain. They're looking for the ship's [=AI=], as they consider organics to be inferior beings.
* Jack O'Neill of ''Series/StargateSG1'' uses this sometimes. Inverted in that he's a human speaking to aliens on their own planet. There's also an element of IAlwaysWantedToSayThat to it.

* Lampshaded in an episode of ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople'' when a species called the Sorsons arrive on Earth and make this request, TIM mentions that the Sorsons have been [[AliensStealCable monitoring Earth broadcasts for a long time]] and are aware of the cliché:
--> '''TIM:''' The Sorsons are not without a sense of humour.

* ''Series/MyFavoriteMartian'': When Uncle Martin needs to see Tim's boss urgently.
-->I never thought I would say this, Tim, but... take me to your leader.
* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. Inverted in "Powerplay" when Servalan (the President of the Terran Federation) is on the spaceship of a neutral species. Tired of how everyone is giving her the runaround, she puts her foot down and demands that their leader [[RefugeInAudacity be brought to]] ''[[RefugeInAudacity her]]'' [[RefugeInAudacity immediately]]. It works.
* Averted in ''Series/TheGoodies''. Big Bunny plans to TakeOverTheWorld with an invasion of super-intelligent rabbits from the Moon. So he teaches his vanguard to speak the only rabbit words that humans will respect. [[WesternAnimation/BugsBunny "Ehhhh, what's up, Doc?"]]

* The band Hanzel und Gretyl released a song called "Take Me To Your Leader". The music video uses a lot of scenes from old 1950's sci-fi flicks.

-->'''Alien:''' Take us to the Supreme Earth Potentate.
-->'''Calvin:''' Uh..Um...Speaking.

* Implied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0553.html this strip]] of ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''.

* In a Halloween episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', during the 1996 elections, the aliens ask this and are informed that America may be switching leaders soon. This gives the aliens an idea, and they abduct and replace both Clinton and Dole.

* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/PixarShorts Mater's Tall Tales]]'' episode "Unidentified Flying Mater", [[WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} Mater]] meets a FlyingSaucer who asks "Take me to your leaders". Mater then [[VisualPun takes him to his]] ''[[VisualPun liters]]'' [[VisualPun of motor oil.]]
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', the cast, along with [[GeneralFailure Zapp Brannigan]], meets with a tribe of Martians. When one of them introduces himself as tribe chief, Zapp's reply is this line.

-->'''Rocky:''' Bullwinkle, they think we're moon people.
-->'''Bullwinkle:''' They do? Then, take me to your president!

* An Al Brodax WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} cartoon had Popeye, Olive and Wimpy accidentally sent to the moon on an experimental rocket. They find the moon is made of cheese and are approached by a little cheese sentry:
-->'''Popeye:''' What's ''your'' name, little fella?
-->'''Sentry:''' Krantz, captain of the guards.
-->'''Popeye:''' [[IncrediblyLamePun Takes me to your leader, Krantz!]]

* A bumper from ''WesternAnimation/TheBeatles'' show had Ringo confronted by a little alien who floats to earth.
-->'''Alien:''' Take...me...to...your...leader.\\
'''Ringo:''' (''doubling over laughing'') "Take me to your leader?" You must be kidding with ''that'' old line! (''Angered, the alien uses a ray gun to zap and shrink Ringo to tiny size; to the camera'') Now here's a word from ''our'' leader.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'': In "The Swimming Pool", Barney jokingly says this after spooking Wilma with his spear-fishing suit.

** This whole scene, "leader" and all, is seen in animated form in ''[[GarfieldSpecials Here Comes Garfield]]''.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. Inverted in "Powerplay" when Servalan (the President of the Terran Federation) is on the spaceship of a neutral species. Tired of how everyone is giving her the runaround, she puts her foot down and demands that their leader [[RefugeInAudacity be brought to her immediately]]. It works.

* In Creator/JamesPHogan's ''Voyage From Yesteryear'', a [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression military expedition from Earth]] tries this on a colony of LiberatariansInSpace and gets rather stymied by the fact that there aren't any leaders.

* Averted in ''Series/TheGoodies''. Big Bunny plans to TakeOverTheWorld with an invasion of giant rabbits from the Moon. So he teaches his vanguard to say the only rabbit words that humans can understand. [[WesternAnimation/BugsBunny "Ehhhh, what's up, Doc?"]]