History Main / IdentityDenial

* Urban legend holds that Creator/AlbertEinstein would sometimes be approached in the street by people curious to meet him, but he responded with NeverHeardThatOneBefore.

-->'''Miss Brooks''': '''(in an Italian accent)''' I no speaka good English. I no a be in the country so long.
-->''Mr. Stone''': You no a gonna teach a too long.

-->'''Roger Murdock:''' All right, but just remember, my name is Roger Murdock. I'm an airline pilot.\\
'''Joey:''' I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, you don't even run downcourt. And that you don't really try except during the playoffs.\\
'''Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:''' ''The hell I don't!'' Listen, kid! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!
-->-- '''Film/{{Airplane}}'''

* The Fnrrns in the ''Literature/{{Terra}}'' books don't have the concept of lying, which is why prior to ''Terra's World'' Lppb, who's learned a thing or two from humans, is able to get out of a conversation by saying he's not Lppb, he just looks like him. This comes back to bite him in a major way, when [[spoiler: the Fnrrn he's lied to figures it out, and uses the fact all other Fnrrns believe what people tell them to take over Mlml.]]

[[quoteright:298:[[ComicBook/GreenLantern https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/green_lantern_secret_identity.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:298:[-It's a miracle it didn't happen to Hal Jordan sooner.-]]]

* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'' has a more personal variant: the vampire player character is recognized by an old friend from their living days, and has to convince her she's mistaken in order to preserve the {{Masquerade}}. It's a sobering reminder of the life that's been stripped from them... unless the player character is a CrazyAwesome {{Cloudcuckoolander}} [[VampireVarietyPack Malkavian]], in which case they can convince her that they're actually her long-lost pet turtle instead.

* In Creator/ClintEastwood's ''Hereafter'', George Lonnegan has quit being a professional psychic, but is recognised by a young boy at the book fair. He pulls this one as well, but it doesn't work, and [[spoiler: he eventually helps the boy talk to his dead twin brother, offering him some closure]].
* This happens to Don Lockwood in ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', and he only escapes through a MeetCute.

* The hidden-camera prank show ''I Get That a Lot'' takes this UpToEleven by having actual celebrities pretend to be workers in everyday establishments like clothing stores, hot-dog stands and fast-food restaurants. Customers usually immediately recognise them, but the celebrities play along by pretending that they merely [[ShapedLikeItself look like... themselves.]]

* Happens in ''Literature/TheBible'', making this one OlderThanFeudalism. Peter is in the courtyard the morning after Jesus' arrest, and has people coming up to him recognizing him as a disciple of Jesus. This leads to Peter's famous denial of Christ.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' has him attempt to learn the secrets of a handsome rock star who suffers from this every other half hour of his life.
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/GreenLantern https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Green_Lantern_secret_identity_2169.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:It's a miracle it didn't happen to Hal Jordan sooner.]]

'''Millie:''' Oh, you are, I know you are.\

[[folder: Comic Books]]

-->Millie: Oh, wait a minute, don't tell me, you are...
-->John: No, I'm not.
-->Millie: Oh, you are.
-->John: I'm not.
-->Millie: Oh, you are, I know you are.
-->John: I'm not, no.
-->Millie: You look just like him.
-->John: Do I? You're the first one that's said that ever.
-->Millie: ''motions to the mirror'' Yes, you do. Look.
-->John: No, my eyes are lighter. The nose.
-->Millie: Oh, your nose is very.
-->John: Is it?
-->Millie: I would have said so.
-->John: Oh, you know him better, though.
-->Millie: I do not! He's only a casual acquaintance.
-->John: That's what you say.
-->Millie: What have you heard?
-->John: ''leans in, lowers his voice'' It's all over the place.
-->Millie: Is it? Is it really?
-->John: Mmm, but I wouldn't have it. I stuck up for you.
-->Millie: I knew I could rely on you.
-->John: Thanks.
-->Millie: ''puts on her glasses'' You don't look like him at all.
-->''John walks away, pouting''
-->John: ''to himself'' She looks more like him than I do.

* The classic comedy example is from ''Film/AnnieHall'',when Alvy is accosted by a man on the street who recognizes his face but can't remember his name. "Hey, dis is Alvy Singah! Dis guy's on television! Alvy Singah!"

* ''Film/{{Airplane}}'', the co-pilot is Roger Murdock (pro basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). A kid recognizes him as Kareem, but he initially denies it until the kid repeats some insulting statements his father made about him. He then admits he ''is'' Kareem, and apparently has a second career as an airline pilot that he performs under a false identity.

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live-action Television]]
* In the episode "The Comic Book Store Regeneration" of Series/TheBigBangTheory, Leonard and Raj approach Creator/NathanFillion for a photo while he is eating at a cafe. He initially denies that he is Nathan Fillion, but eventually admits that he is and poses for the photo.
* The hidden-camera prank show ''I Get That a Lot'' takes this UpToEleven by having actual celebrities pretend to be workers in everyday establishments like clothing stores, hot-dog stands and fast-food restaurants. Customers usually immediately recognise them, but the celebrities play along by pretending that they merely [[ShapedLikeItself look like...themselves.]]

* Happens in Literature/TheBible, making this one OlderThanFeudalism. Peter is in the courtyard the morning after Jesus' arrest, and has people coming up to him recognizing him as a disciple of Jesus. This leads to Peter's famous denial of Christ.

[[folder: Western Animation]]