History Main / WildlifeCommentarySpoof

* In Germany, Bernhard Grzimek and to a lesser extent, Heinz Sielmann were targets for parodies like that. {{Loriot}} did one on the former.

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''{{Jungle2Jungle}}''.

* WebOriginal/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''{{Jungle2Jungle}}''.

* In Gregory Maguire's novel {{Wicked}}, Elphaba gives running commentary on Boq's clumsy flirtation with Galinda as if they were wildlife.

* An early ''OverTheHedge'' strip has Verne documenting R.J. on camera. Yes, he's wildlife (in theory), but so is Verne.

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* Dogbert studies "[[GorillasInTheMist Engineers In The Mist]]" in [[http://search.dilbert.com/search?w=engineers+mist&view=list&filter=type%3Acomic this]] ''{{Dilbert}}'' strip:
--> A small band of creatures were known to live high in an artificial structure. ... The dominant male had a gray back. He controlled the others by waving little envelopes.

* In Portugal, Herman Jose had a recurring skit where he channeled an english-speaking Attenborough ersatz with a Brazilian Portuguese voice-over usually as means to criticize behavior foibles: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIZs3W3k7l4 case in point]].

* Several ''RoadRunner'' cartoons would freeze an early appearance of the roadrunner and the coyote with a ''faux'' [[CanisLatinicus scientific name]] and short description.

* On ''{{Mythbusters}}'', Adam frequently describes Jamie as a "wild Hyneman in its natural environment." On the episode when the Build Team tests out the Sand Necktie myth:
-->'''Grant:''' Right, here we have a very rare sight-the Burrowing Belleci. He's almost formed his little burrow, and that'll be his home for the next five years.

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* '''Voice''': Often [[BriefAccentImitation the 'documentarian' will affect an accent]] of the wildlife adventurer or commentator of their choice. Popular English language examples are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y David Attenborough]]'s soft, clipped BritishAccent; the iconic AwesomeAussie [[CrocodileHunter Steve Irwin]]'s easily recognizable AustralianAccent ("Crikey! She's a beauty!"); and recently, imitating the voice of Morgan Freeman, due to the popularity of the ''March Of The Penguins'' documentary. JacquesCousteau is another.

* This ''{{Dilbert}}'' strip: http://search.dilbert.com/search?w=engineers+mist&view=list&filter=type%3Acomic

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': IIRC Xander talking about the other students,"We shall mingle among them, learn their mating rituals and tag them before they migrate."

A big component of what makes this amusing is the fact that AnythingsAwesomeWithAnnouncers. Compare {{Mockumentary}}. MockCousteau is a sub-trope.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In the episode "Feeling Pinkie Keen". Twilight Sparkle does this while spying on Pinkie Pie and trying to disprove that her [[WrongContextMagic random ability]] (called Pinkie Sense) exists. She even gives Pinkie Pie the "scientific name" ''[[CanisLatinicus Pinkius Piecus]]'' and wears a safari bucket hat.

Invoked by many a work ForTheLULZ is the WildlifeCommentarySpoof. At its most basic, this gag is when one character imitates the style of commentary used on wildlife documentaries in describing, not wildlife, but a person or some other object or event. Generally this is to spoof both the shows that use this type of commentary, and to imply the person being described is some kind of exotic or weird animal whose behavior has to be documented to be understood, and exists as a form of entertainment and curiosity to normal people.

* '''Content''': The character being observed will often be given a fake "scientific name" in DogLatin, that usually sounds like some funny or insulting description of the person. ("Here we have the ''stupidus idius'', the dumbest creature on the planet...") There may also be references to a character's "mating habits" or "courting ritual" are a common joke, especially if this is what is [[DatePeepers prompting the spying in the first place]]. Sometimes the joke ends with a "tune in next week!" line, saying they will observe more behavior from the subject, or sometimes promising dangerous and crazy stunts with animals ("Tune in next week, where I'll crawl inside a tiger's mouth and tickle its stomach! ForScience!") or alluding to more observations of the 'animal'.

* '''Voice''': Often [[BriefAccentImitation the 'documentarian' will effect an accent]] of the wildlife adventurer or commentator of their choice. Popular English language examples are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y David Attenborough]]'s soft, clipped BritishAccent; the iconic AwesomeAussie [[CrocodileHunter Steve Irwin]]'s easily recognizable AustralianAccent ("Crikey! She's a beauty!"); and recently, imitating the voice of Morgan Freeman, due to the popularity of the ''March Of The Penguins'' documentary. JacquesCousteau is another.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In the episode concerning Pinkie Pie's 'Pinkie Sense', Twilight Sparkle does this while spying on Pinkie Pie and trying to disprove that her random ability exists. She even gives Pinkie Pie the scientific name ''[[CanisLatinicus Pinkius Piecus]]'' and wears a safari bucket hat.

[[quoteright:170:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wildlife_commentary_6711.jpg]]

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* In ''RuneScape'', the various dialogues when speaking with the Arctic Bear familiar have the animal observing the human in the style of Steve Irwin of ''CrocodileHunter''.
-->'''Arctic bear:''' Crikey! We're tracking ourselves a real live one here. I call 'em "Brighteyes".\\
'''Player:''' Will you stop stalking me like that?\\
'''Arctic bear:''' Look at that! Something's riled this one up good and proper.\\
'''Player:''' Who are you talking to anyway?\\
'''Arctic bear:''' Looks like I've been spotted.\\
'''Player:''' Did you think you didn't stand out here or something?

* Jay Leno did this behind the scenes while visiting Top Gear. He spoofed the clutter and filth in the Top Gear offices, especially an abandoned filthy plate and fork.

* '''Set-up''': It often begins with one character sneaking up "unsuspectingly" on another, usually hiding behind a bush and possibly wearing some sort of safari or AdventurerOutfit, completely in khaki if they want to be really authentic (and/or imitate [[CrocodileHunter Steve Irwin]]). The character then begins to commentate as if he were a scientist observing a rare creature, often noting "this is the rare ''[insurt name/stereotype/other gag of person]''". Speech is in the same volume level as golf commentary, so as not to disturb the "creature" being observed.

* '''Content''': The character being observed will often be given a fake "scientific name" in DogLatin, that usually sounds like some funny or insulting description of the person. ("Here we have the ''stupidus idius'', the dumbest creature on the planet...") There may also be references to a character's "mating habits" or "courting ritual" are a common joke, especially if this is what is [[DatePeepers prompting the spying in the first place]]. Sometimes the joke ends with a "tune in next week!" line, saying they will observe more behavior from the subject, or sometimes promising dangerous and crazy stunts with animals ("Tune in next week, where I'll crawl inside a tiger's mouth and tickle it's stomach! ForScience!") or alluding to more observations of the 'animal'.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In the episode concerning Pinkie Pie's 'Pinkie Sense', Twilight Sparkle does this while spying on Pinkie Pie and trying to disprove that her random ability exists. She even gives Pinkie Pie the scientific name ''Pinkius Piecus'' and wears a safari bucket hat.
* In a variant, ''CelebrityDeathmatch'' had SteveIrwin spend his time in the ring doing a running naturalists' commentary on the Medusa he was ''supposed'' to be fighting.

* ''DextersLaboratory'' did an entire half-episode in this style, with an unseen and unexplained narrator referring to Dexter as "Blackfoot" (because of his boots) and Deedee as "Slim" (because of her [[NoodlePeople stretched appearance]]), and treating the wholly domestic setting as though it were deep wilderness.

-->'''Arctic bear:''' Crikey! We're tracking ourselves a real live one here. I call 'em "Brighteyes".
-->'''Player:''' Will you stop stalking me like that?
-->'''Arctic bear:''' Look at that! Something's riled this one up good and proper.
-->'''Player:''' Who are you talking to anyway?
-->'''Arctic bear:''' Looks like I've been spotted.
-->'''Player:''' Did you think you didn't stand out here or something?

* Jay Leno did this behind the scenes while visiting Top Gear. He spoofed the clutter and filth in the Top Gear offices, especially an abandoned filthy plate and fork.

* On ''{{Mythbusters}}'', Adam frequently describes Jamie as a "wild Hyneman in its natural environment." On wpisode when the Build Team tests out the Sand Necktie myth:

* '''Voice''': Often [[BriefAccentImitation the 'documentarian' will effect an accent]] of the wildlife adventurer or commentator of their choice. Popular English language examples are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y David Attenborough]]'s soft, clipped BritishAccent; the iconic AwesomeAussie [[CrocodileHunter Steve Irwin]]'s easily recognizable AustralianAccent ("Crikey! She's a beauty!"); and recently, imitating the voice of Morgan Freeman, due to the popularity of the ''March Of The Penguins'' documentary. Jacques Cousteau is another.

A big component of what makes this amusing is the fact that AnythingsAwesomeWithAnnouncers. Compare {{Mockumentary}}.