History Main / InanimateCompetitor

* In a strange meta example, the first [[https://chainsaw-man.fandom.com/wiki/Popularity_Polls popularity poll]] for ''Manga/ChainsawMan'' had Kobeni's car[[labelnote:*]]Which Power [[spoiler:accidentally killed an assassin]] with and Denji [[spoiler:performed the FinishingMove on a major villain]][[/labelnote]] as an option, and it managed to take 7th place. [[ButtMonkey Kobeni herself ranked 8th.]] The second poll included several more inanimate objects, including Power's [[FakeBoobs breast pads]], Aki's cigarette, and the grilled meat [[spoiler:made from Makima's corpse]]. The latter ranked the highest (right above Kobeni's car) at 14th place. [[https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/chainsaw-man-popularity-poll-results-august-2022 The poll for English fans]] made the car the only object as an option. Even though Kobeni was elevated all the way to fifth place, her car was once again just above her!

* In the ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' episode "The Bounty", Lord Hater hires three bounty hunters to capture Wander and Sylvia, one of whom is a potted plant. To [[TheDragon Commander Peepers]], who's repeatedly failed at the same task, this is the unkindest cut of all. [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope Turns out]] it's not only alive but a ManEatingPlant to boot.]]

* ''Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou'' once had a Tub of Lard appearing as Paul Merton's team-mate, after politician Roy Hattersley offered to make a guest appearance on the show but backed out at the last minute (for the third time since the show began). Angus Deayton, the host, joked that the lard was "imbued with similar qualities and liable to give much the same performance". And Paul's team ''won'' (which they managed in spite of the producers having all their questions in the last round given in foreign languages, none of which Paul spoke).

* In ''WebAnimation/ASDFMovie 12'', a cowboy gets into a duel with a toaster. The toaster produces a gun and shoots the cowboy.

* In 2000, Creator/MichaelMoore campaigned to get a ficus plant elected to Congress, a reaction to the frequent unopposed re-election of incumbents. This inspired ficus campaigns in several other states.

** In the episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E15DeepSpaceHomer Deep Space Homer]]", Homer is sure he's going to get the "Worker of the Week" award because he's the only person in the power plant who hasn't received the honor at least once already (and union rules say everyone has to win at least once), but instead it's given to an inanimate carbon rod. At the end of the episode, Homer uses the rod to hold the broken space shuttle door to allow a safe atmospheric re-entry and landing, saving the lives of the entire crew. A parade is given to the hero of the space mission... the carbon rod. Bart is a fan of the rod.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/carbonrod_9.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"So, a round of applause for: this inanimate carbon rod!"]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' episode "Most Wanted Wish", Timmy was annoyed for once again being PickedLast in gym class. When he's the last one left, the team captain chooses a rock lying next to Timmy to join his team. Later in science class when the kids have to pick partners, the last two kids without partners are Timmy and Trixie. Mr. Crocker ends up pairing Trixie with the same rock from before which she was happy to accept.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' episode "Most Wanted Wish", Timmy was annoyed for once again being PickedLast in gym class. When he's the last one left, the team captain chooses a rock laying next to Timmy to join his team. Later in science class when the kids have to pick partners, the last two kids without partners are Timmy and Trixie. Mr. Crocker ends up pairing Trixie with the same rock from before which she was happy to accept.