History YMMV / Iznogoud

* AdaptationDisplacement: The few American, English or Latin American people who have heard of this are either thinking of the infamous PC game, or the pretty decent AnimatedAdaptation.

* EarWorm: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOncbfWKM38 G-g-goud, g-g-g-goud, g-g-g-g-g-g-g-goud! Iz, Iz-No-Goud!]]

* AdaptationDisplacement: The few American, English or Latin American people who have heard of this are either thinking of the god-awful game, or the pretty decent AnimatedAdaptation.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Seeing the Caliph being convinced Iznogoud is a nice, well-meaning and caring friend despite [[ObviouslyEvil every evidence of the contrary]] suddenly becomes tragic after ''Iznogoud's Childhood'', where it's revealed [[spoiler:Iznogoud [[UsedToBeASweetKid really was that nice and caring friend to him as a child]] before being turned into his present-day JerkAss by a potion, and this once genuine friendship very likely is why the Caliph cannot accept the idea of his once bestfriend being evil]].

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Some jokes verge on this. For exemple, in ''Iznogoud's Childhood'', we get a scene of the Caliph interrupting the headman about to cut a fruit thief's right hand. The Caliph forbids it, arguing that he won't be able to atone if he is missing his right hand... and as such orders the headsman to cut his ''left'' hand. Then we cut to Iznogoud himself, who explains that part of why he wants to be Caliph is to remove that law about cutting a fruit thief's hand which he finds stupid ''because he think they should just cut both hands''.

** Is Wa'at Alaaf [[UndyingLoyalty truly loyal]] to Iznogoud, or does he serves him and helps him only because he knows his whole situation depends from him? Especially ambiguous in that some of the books contradict each others on that point.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Despite [[TheNapoleon physical]] and [[TheStarscream psychological]] similarities, Iznogoud was ''not'' inspired by French president Nicolas Sarkozy. (He did, however, meet Jacques Chirac at one point.) Which in no way prevented photoshops of Sarkozy dressed as Iznogoud from appearing on the Internet shortly after his election, mostly with captions on the subject of "Well, he finally succeeded." There was also a Google bombing mixing Sarkozy and Iznogoud. Moreover, an ''Iznogoud'' book written after Tabary's death in 2011 made extensive use of the similarity, and Sarkozy also won the 1999 Iznogoud Award, which is presented to the person who made the year's most high-profile failure.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Is Wa'at Alaaf [[UndyingLoyalty truly loyal]] to Iznogoud, or does he serves him and helps him only because he knows his whole situation depends from him? Especially ambiguous in that some of the books contradict each others on that point.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Iznogoud, of all people, gets one in ''Iznogoud Finally Caliph'', where he is put on trial in what he pretty much knows is going to be a KangarooCourt, since an entire conspiracy is behind it. He convinces the Caliph to act on his behalf, but the conspiracy has the trial take place right as the Caliph is sleeping, so they can sentence him to death without any interruption. Iznogoud answers by [[BatmanGambit pretending he didn't hear the sentence, until the court is screaming it loud enough to awaken the Caliph]]. Since awakening the Caliph without a good reason is a major crime, and announcing a sentence ''isn't'' a good reason, the court is forced to justify themselves by saying they awakened him so he would help Iznogoud as promised.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Despite [[TheNapoleon physical]] and [[TheStarscream psychological]] similarities, Iznogoud was ''not'' inspired by French president Nicolas Sarkozy. He did, however, meet Jacques Chirac at one point.
** Which in no way prevented photoshops of Sarkozy dressed as Iznogoud from appearing on the Internet shortly after his election, mostly with captions on the subject of "Well, he finally succeeded." There was also a Google bombing mixing Sarkozy and Iznogoud.
** However a recent book, not written by any of the original authors (now both dead), did make extensive use of the similarity.
** Sarkozy also won the 1999 Iznogoud Award, which is presented to the person who made the year's most high-profile failure.
* TheWoobie: Dilat, for being Iznogoud's personnal [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]].

* FunnyAneurysmMoment, HilariousInHindsight: See WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical below.

* TheWoobie: Dilat, for being Iznogoud's personnal [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]].

* MemeticMutation: Iznogoud's CatchPhrase "I want to be Caliph instead of the Caliph" is often used in European countries when describing a leader's ambitious and unscrupulous underling, or general KlingonPromotion tendencies.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Is Dilat [[UndyingLoyalty truly loyal]] to Iznogoud, or does he serves him and helps him only because he knows his whole situation depends from him? Especially ambiguous in that some of the books contradict each others on that point.
** Conversely, it's left ambiguous in later books if Iznogoud does care to some extent about Dilat or just sees him as a pawn. A scene in ''Who Killed the Caliph'' especially stands out, as it features Iznogoud being horrified when he realizes Dilat is about to get beheaded and immediatly rushing to save him.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Iznogoud, of all people, gets one in ''Iznogoud Finally Caliph'', where he is put on trial in what he pretty much knows is going to be a KangarooCourt, since an entire conspiracy is behind it. He convinces the Caliph to act on his behalf, but the conspiracy has the trial take place right as the Caliph is sleeping, so they can sentence him to death without any interruption. Iznogoud answers by pretending he didn't hear the sentence, until the court is screaming it loud enough to awaken the Caliph. Since awakening the Caliph without a good reason is a major crime, and announcing a sentence ''isn't'' a good reason, the court is forced to justify themselves by saying they awakened him so he would help Iznogoud as promised.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Some jokes verge on this. For exemple, in ''Iznogoud's Childhood'', we get a scene of the Caliph interrupting the headman about to cut a fruit thief's right hand. The Caliph forbids it, arguing that he won't be able to atone if he is missing his right hand... and as such orders the headsman to cut his ''left'' hand. Then we cut to Iznogoud himself, who explains that part of why he wants to be Caliph is to remove that law about cutting a fruit thief's hand which he finds stupid ''because he think they should just cut both his hands''.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The few American or English people who have heard of this are either thinking of the god-awful game, or the pretty decent AnimatedAdaptation.

* CompleteMonster: Arguably Iznogoud, though it's played for laughs.
** Also, Katroun in ''Iznogoud Finally Caliph'', who had an obsession with making disappear everyone and everything. While he is shown using it as revenge when he finally came up with a machine apparently allowed to do this, he crosses the MoralEventHorizon when he tries to erase ''all Bagdad''. You actually end up cheering for Iznogoud when [[HoistByHisOwnPetard he turns his machine against him]].

* MemeticMutation: Iznogoud's CatchPhrase "I want to be Caliph instead of the Caliph" is often used in European countries when describing a leader's ambitious and unscrupulous underling.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Despite physical and psychological similarities, Iznogoud was ''not'' inspired by French president Nicolas Sarkozy. He did, however, meet Jacques Chirac at one point.

* CompleteMonster: arguably Iznogous, though it's played for laught.
** Also, Katroun in ''Iznogoud Finally Caliph'', who had an obsession with making disappear everyone and everything. While he is shown using it as revenge when he finally came up with a machine apparently allowed to do this, he cross the MoralEventHorizon when he tries to erase ''all Bagdad''. You actually end up cheering for Iznogoud when he turns his machine against him.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: See WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical below.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Despite physical and psychological similarities, Iznogoud was ''not'' inspired by current French president Nicolas Sarkozy. He did, however, meet Jacques Chirac at one point.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: See WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical on the main page.

* MemeticMutation: Iznogoud's CatchPhrase "I want to be Caliph instead of the Caliph" is often used in European countries when describing a leader's ambitious and unscrupulous underling.