History Main / IllPretendIDidntHearThat

** In a later episode, a friend of Carisi's who works as a prosecutor in Queens tells him that he "may have" gotten the Queens DA, who is suffering from dementia that his assistants have been covering up, to sign off on vacating a wrongful conviction by telling him it was a letter of recommendation for law school. Carisi replies, "I didn't hear that and you did not say that, but thank you."

* Happens word-for-word in the '90s ''[[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk Incredible Hulk]]'' cartoon, when Bruce Banner and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Ben Grimm]] get into a heated debate:

* ''Series/ColdCase''. The team has determined that a SerialRapist was shot and killed by the brother of one of his victims. As two detectives interrogate him, they subtly suggest that his actions were in self-defense (as he was only thirteen at the time). Two other detectives watching the interview ask, "Is she doing what I think?" "I'm not hearing it, are you?", and promptly turn off the monitor and walk away.
** A similar incident occurs in another episode, when one witness indirectly but clearly admits he killed his fiancee's abusive husband [[spoiler:who is ultimately revealed as the killer of the primary victim, a little girl.]] Jeffries suggests there's no need to put that comment on the record, to which Vera replies, "Don't remember what the man said anyhow."

** ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' has a strange variation. During basic training, a recruit strikes a drill instructor. Though the instructor -- and later the base commander -- do their best to ignore this, the recruit makes it impossible for them to do so (saying point-blank that he did it during a formal legal procedure). He's ''instantly'' court-martialed, found guilty, [[ATasteOfTheLash whipped]], and dishonorably discharged -- which is actually a light sentence possible only through some deft legal maneuvering on the part of the commander, because striking a superior is normally a ''hanging offense''.

** In a later episode, Klinger asks Potter to do this after he comments that he's "not crazy" in response to Winchester suggesting to Potter that Klinger drive him to the airport as a storm is bearing down on them (meaning Klinger would have to make the return trip through said storm). Potter apparently takes it to heart (or else legitimately forgets in all the chaos), as the conversation is never mentioned again.

** In a later episode, Klinger asks Potter to do this after he comments that he's "not crazy" in response to a potentially dangerous request. Potter apparently takes it to heart (or else legitimately forgets in all the chaos), as the conversation is never mentioned again.

** In ''Discworld/MonstrousRegiment'', Sergeant Jackrum says to a sentry who has left her post, "I must have bleeding good eyesight because I know for a fact you are on sentry duty over by those trees."
** In ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}'', Lord Rust doesn't ''have'' to pretend he didn't hear Commander Vimes call him an "inbred streak of piss", because Rust is so convinced that anyone beneath his station would ''never'' blatantly insult him that [[WeirdnessCensor he literally]] ''[[WeirdnessCensor doesn't]]'' [[WeirdnessCensor hear Vimes]].
** Vimes has been on the other ends of it, too, such as during the events of ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', when a fight nearly breaks out between dwarfish and troll members of the Watch over growing racial tensions. To save face for those involved, Corporal Nobbs tells an almost-plausible tale. Vimes "pretended he believed it, and they pretended to believe he believed it."
** By ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', Sybil has insisted Vimes give up cigars, and Willikins ''usually'' helps enforce this rule. However, under specific circumstances:

** In ''Discworld/TheTruth'' Harry King can't ''sell'' the Ankh-Morpork Times any paper since he's already agreed to sell his stock to their competitor. He can, however, leave a cart full of paper unguarded and pretend he doesn't notice them stealing it.
** In ''Discworld/RaisingSteam'', Angua, investigating a terrorist attack on a clacks site, pretends not to notice evidence that [[spoiler:one of the terrorists was killed and mutilated by a conveniently missing goblin worker.]]

** In a later episode, Klinger asks Potter to do this when he refuses a dangerous request because he knows better, he's not crazy. Potter apparently takes it to heart (or else legitimately forgets in all the chaos), as the conversation is never mentioned again.

** He spends the rest of the night guarding the vault before turning himself in the next morning. [[spoiler:This is played for laughs in the epilogue, when it is revealed that Princess Celestia [[AchievementsInIgnorance had no idea that he was the thief]], that she only knew his name because of a {{Namedar}} spell she had (because addressing her little ponies by their names always made them feel special and important), and she can't even remember his name without the spell.]]

: [[spoiler:Played for laughs in the epilogue, when it is revealed that Princess Celestia had no idea that he was the thief, that she only knew his name because of a {{Namedar}} spell she had (because addressing her little ponies by their names always made them feel special and important), and she can't even remember his name without the spell.]]

:[[spoiler:Played for laughs in the epilogue, when it is revealed that Princess Celestia had no idea that he was the thief, that she only knew his name because of a {{Namedar}} spell she had (because addressing her little ponies by their names always made them feel special and important), and she can't even remember his name without the spell.]]

:[[spoiler: Played for laughs in the epilogue, when it is revealed that Princess Celestia had no idea that he was the thief, that she only knew his name because of a {{Namedar}} spell she had (because addressing her little ponies by their names always made them feel special and important), and she can't even remember his name without the spell.]]

Related to CouldSayItBut. See also FakeStatic, SuspiciouslySpecificDenial, SteppingOutForAQuickCupOfCoffee and YouDidntSeeThat. Also compare with SelectiveObliviousness, where a character may pretend not to hear or notice something for their own sake.

Related to CouldSayItBut. See also FakeStatic, SuspiciouslySpecificDenial, SteppingOutForAQuickCupOfCoffee and YouDidntSeeThat.

* ''Franchise/StarTrekNovelVerse'':

* ''Series/{{Frasier}}:

-->'''Bebe:''' (''in a bathrobe, greeting Niles after having sex with Frasier'') Good morning, Niles! What a lovely surprise! We were just bout to sit down to a big family breakfast. Won't you join us?\\
(''Niles gives a very frozen smile, and rings the doorbell again.'')

* When K climbs on top of the Apollo 11 rocket in ''Film/MenInBlack3'', this exchange takes place among the crew.
-->'''Buzz Aldrin:''' If we report this, they'll scrub the launch.\\
'''Neil Armstrong:''' I didn't see anything.

* Inverted in ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015''. The CIA spymaster says he knows BoxedCrook Napoleon Solo is making money on the side, "but do not make the calamitous error of mistaking my ''deliberate'' short-sightedness, for blindness."
* Inverted in a different way in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'': when John Connor gets in an argument with General Ashdown over the radio, the general orders John relieved of his position, then signs off. Two of John's men who overheard the argument immediately say that they didn't catch the general's last order, indicating that they'll help with John's plan.