History Main / WeNeedaDistraction

* In ''Fool Moon'', the second of the ''DresdenFiles'', [[NoNudityTaboo Tera]] volunteers to distract a group of police officers so Harry can get his magical equipment. She does this by dancing naked, in the rain. Harry himself almost got too distracted to get away.

* ''RaceForTheYankeeZephyr'' (1981). The hero tells the DamselScrappy to shoot a captured AR-10 rifle in the air while he sneaks in and rescues her father. The rifle's recoil (it's a 7.62mm version of the M16) unbalances her and she ends up machine-gunning the villain's encampment.

* In BenCounter's novel ''[[Literature/SoulDrinkers Chapter War]]'', the Howling Griffons send the 901st Regiment onto the ''Brokenback'' first, as the distraction.

* A page on comical distractions that does not mention ''ScoobyDoo'' is a page not worth having.

->"Excuse me, could I just distract you for a brief second?"

* In order to get some tuna to put in his famous tiger trap in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'', Calvin bribes a kid with two bucks to call his mother to distract her from the kitchen.

* In ''[[FanFic/ThreeSlytherinMarauders 3 Slytherin Marauders]]'' Draco throws a tantrum and [[BavarianFireDrill Lucius demands the Ministry workers stop whatever they're doing and assist him]] so that Arthur Weasley can sneak in to find evidence that Rufus Scrimgeour and Dolores Umbridge are plotting to steal Harry away from his family.
* In ''Fanfic/ThoseWhoStandForNothingFallForAnything'' L and Light get into a quarrel over how Light [[SeriousBusiness wants his steak cooked]] so that they can storm out of L's dinner party together and get away from their "friends".
* In ''FanFic/SophisticationAndBetrayal'', the protagonist and Rarity discuss ways to distract [[spoiler: Slate]] so they can break into his house and look for evidence of his stalking activities. After much debate, they eventually agree to use Rarity herself as a lure.

* In ''Fanfic/TalesOfFlame'', Blacky is sent to distract Scarlet as Fervo and Squirt get to matchmaking. When Scarlet questions Blacky's intentions, Blacky eagerly replies with, "I'm being a distraction!"

** "Hey, Melvin! Wanna make a buck?"

* In ''Webcomic/TalesOfTheQuestor'', madly fleeing the mad scientist, stumble on his lab and the poor animals there, regret that you can't free them, and think on how you need a distraction -- and [[http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00790.html then realize that you can kill two birds with one stone.]]

!Examples (that do not fit into the subtropes):

* The MonkeyIsland series often used the "Look! A three-headed monkey!" line.

* Exaggerated At the WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing episode The Clock King]], the villain mess with the traffic lights only to get the Batman LuredIntoATrap, and organizes a TrainwreckEpisode just to kidnap Mayor Hill.

* In ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', Elaine distracts George's boss so that George can drug him by using the line "[[CodeWordCoitus So I was thinking about going to this nudist colony...]]"

* Exaggerated At the BatmanTheAnimatedSeries [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing episode The Clock King]], the villain mess with the traffic lights only to get the Batman LuredIntoATrap, and organizes a TrainwreckEpisode just to kidnap Mayor Hill.

* From SuicideSquad:

!!Examples (that do not fit into the subtropes)

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''VoyageOfTheUnicorn'', after the main characters reach the camp of the trolls who have captured a powerful artifact that they need, Alan, the father of the two [[KidHero kid heroes]], says "we need a distraction." Without saying a word, Cassie, the younger of the two daughters, rushes off, runs right in front of a troll, and removes her disguise. "Hi guys!" What follows next is her being chased and ultimately captured and tied up. Probably not her intent, but it ''did'' help the rest of her family retrieve the artifact while the trolls were distracted - while trying to rescue her, that is.
* ''AnimalHouse:''
--> '''Otter''': Look at my thumb, Greg. (''he does; Otter knocks him out)'' Gee, you're dumb.
* A RunningGag in the BobHope / BingCrosby ''RoadTo'' pictures of the 1940s was the "patty-cake" routine: When faced with a foe, Bob and Bing start playing patty-cake, and while the bad guy watches in bemusement, they each punch him out simultaneously. Occasionally, the villain [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy is onto them]] and hits them first, causing Hope to [[LampshadeHanging point out]] that "he must have seen the picture."
* A deleted scene in the third ''AustinPowers'' movie involves Mini Me killing an uncooperative prisoner. When the guards come for an inspection, Dr. Evil and Mini Me proceed to quickly cover it up while a fellow prisoner does an impromptu dance to distract the guards.
* ''TheLandBeforeTime'': "And now we need some bait..."
* ''{{Tremors}}''. The Graboid monsters live underground but can sense vibrations and use them to hunt humans. Several times characters try to distract the Graboids away from their prey by stamping on the ground.
** "Hey, Melvin! Wanna make a buck?"

* [[DogSoldiers "We need a diversion...something fast and loud."]] Cue them looking at Spoon, who is both, plus a heavy dose of crazy.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''The SpongeBobSquarePants Movie'': [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have to go into the BadGuyBar to get the key to the Patty Wagon. At first the plan is for [=SpongeBob=] to do the distraction while Patrick gets the key, but Patrick wants to do the distraction. So while [=SpongeBob=] tries to get the key, Patrick stands in the middle of the bar, and... announces that he has to use the restroom.
* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Where's Terry?". Bruce Wayne and Max Gibson trace a missing Terry [=McGinnis=]' whereabouts to an abandoned subway system and need to make their way down a particular tunnel that is being zoned off by a construction crew. Bruce then walks up to the construction crew and momentarily gains their attention by playing the part of a senile citizen while Max stealthily sneaks her way down the other tunnel. Just as Max is almost out of sight, Bruce 'worriedly' points her out to the construction crew who all then chase after her while he casually strolls through the construction area to finish the rescue mission by himself.

* Slightly parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Where's Terry?", when Bruce Wayne and Max Gibson trace a missing Terry [=McGinnis=]' whereabouts to an abandoned subway system and need to make their way down a particular tunnel that is being zoned off by a construction crew. Max notes they need a distraction and Bruce agrees to distract the construction workers while he points Max towards an alternate route nearby so she can continue the search solo. This is a surprise to her as Bruce admits he actually does admire her skills and capabilities, despite saying/acting otherwise for the duration of the episode. Bruce then walks up to the construction crew and momentarily gains their attention by playing the part of a senile citizen while Max stealthily sneaks her way down the other tunnel. Just as Max is almost out of sight, Bruce 'worriedly' points her out to the construction crew who all then chase after her while he casually strolls through the construction area to finish the rescue mission by himself.

* ''TheTick'', "The Tick Vs. Arthur's Bank Account": "My name is Arthur, and this is my diversion: 'The Itsy-Bitsy Spider went up the waterspout'..."

** The Harlem Globetrotters occasionally used their routines for this purpose when they still played "straight" games (before they switched to only playing the [[{{Jobber}} Generals]].

* In 1907, baseball player Germany Schaefer was part of an attempted double steal (With runners on first and third, the runner on first tries to steal second, hoping to draw a throw whereby the guy on third can steal home). The catcher didn't bite, so on the next pitch, Schaefer, now on second, turned around and stole ''first base'', again hoping to distract the defense so the guy on third could score. As with the ''Firefly'' example above, it didn't work; the guy on third just stood there, as bewildered as everyone else. No problem; the pitch after ''that'', Schaefer just turned around and ''stole second again''. Supposedly, it finally worked on this attempt. (MLB rule 7.08(i) [[ObviousRulePatch now disallows running the bases in reverse to confuse the opponent]] [or to make a mockery of the game]; if it were tried nowadays, the umpire would call "time" and declare the runner out.)