Line #39 Main/IgnoreTheDisability


1	->''"Suppose you're carefully warned not to mention Bill Fields's nose. You keep repeating that to yourself 'Don't mention the nose.' The words, eventually, fail to make sense. If you met Fields, you'd probably say, quite unconsciously, 'Hello, Mr. Nose.' See?"''
2	-->-- '''Professor Rutherford''', ''Nothing but Gingerbread Left'' by Creator/HenryKuttner
3
4	The cast is about to meet an important person with a peculiarity or disability, such as [[ArtificialLimbs a wooden leg]] or [[GagNose an extraordinarily large nose]]. One of the cast who is in a position of authority exhorts the others not to comment on the guest's unusual feature, lest the guest [[BerserkButton take it as an insult]].
5
6	When the guest arrives, some member or members of the cast--usually children or [[TheDitz ditzes]]--come close to commenting, but to the relief of the exhorting character, they say nothing. But as soon as they are out of sight, the character then turns to the guest and blurts a FreudianSlip that delivers the very insult he was afraid the others would give.
7
8	This is merely the television version of a much older joke; Louis Untermeyer's 1946 humor anthology ''A Treasury of Laughter'' includes a version dating to the 1930s (if not earlier) casting 19th-century financier J.P. Morgan (and his prominent nose) as the guest, a young Anne Morrow (the future Mrs. Charles Lindbergh) as the exhorted child, and Morrow's mother as the authority figure who embarrasses herself.
9
10	Compare ForgotTheDisability, FreudianSlipperySlope, and ThoughtAversionFailure. May overlap with ThinksOfSomethingSmartSaysSomethingStupid if the character is mentally reminding themself to not mention some awkward topic, only to blurt it out as soon as they open their mouth.
11
12	----
13	!!Examples:
14	[[foldercontrol]]
15	[[folder:Advertising]]
16	* Done in a Southwest Airlines commercial. A couple is seen heading towards a door, the wife turns to her husband "...And furthermore, Aunt Whatever is rather sensitive about her mole". Cut shot to doorbell, and the door opening.
17	--> '''Husband:''' Hi, Aunt Mole! [cue OhCrap face]
18	[[/folder]]
19
20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* PlayedForDrama in ''Manga/InsideMari''. [[spoiler: Mari's mother]] tries her best to ignore [[spoiler: her daughter's]] mental health problems and pass them off as less serious than they are.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Audio Play]]
25	* In ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'', this applies to the Sixth Doctor's companion Hebe Harrison up to a point, as she has to use a wheelchair but doesn't like being treated as incapable because of her condition. However, she's not so obsessive about the way people treat her because of her disability that she would be offended if someone made a comment that didn't take it into account. An example of this is when Mel told her to run from apparent danger and later apologised for her choice of words; Hebe clarified that she was only offended at the suggestion that she should be afraid, but accepts that in a dangerous situation, Mel can't be expected to remember a term different from what she'd say to someone who ''could'' actually run.
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	[[folder:Comedy]]
29	* Creator/BillCosby had a routine in his standup about a conversation with Ray Charles, in which he kept asking Ray why he had all the lights off in his hotel room.
30	* Creator/JohnMulaney has a bit from when he was young, his family rented a beach house for a vacation. His father warns him and his siblings that the owner of the house has one arm and tells them to not react to it when they meet him. They decide they'll do it anyway because KidsAreCruel.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
34	* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}''
35	** An old strip featured a short engineer named Les, who was defensive about his height. This led to the following conversation.
36	-->'''Dilbert:''' Hi, Les.\
37	'''Les:''' You say that almost mockingly. The way you say it, my name sounds like "less". I've told you a thousand times, my name is French -- pronounced "Lez".\
38	'''Dilbert:''' You seem a little short-tempered.\
39	'''Les:''' Hey! That time you did it on purpose!
40	** One strip from ''Dogbert's Clues for the Clueless'' [[DiscussedTrope discussed]] when it is acceptable to ask someone about their disability. Disabilities you should not ask about are awareness-impairment and attractiveness-impairment.
41	* ''ComicStrip/ShermansLagoon'': Megan tells Sherman not to mention the string of bad luck a friend has been going through.
42	-->'''Sherman:''' Please pass the hook in the mouth.
43	* In ''ComicStrip/SafeHavens'', Luis got annoyed at meddlesome Samantha always trying to do things for him. In fact, the whole reason Luis fell for [[JerkAss Jenny of all people]] is that she alone ignored his wheelchair, even forgoing designated parking spaces.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Fanfiction]]
47	* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9051968/5/Harry-Potter-Unexpected-Animagus Harry Potter, Unexpected Animagus]]'' Knutsack raises his head while bowing to the Goblin King, which brings it rather close to the king's sizable privates.
48	-->'''Knutsack:''' King Jareth, there's no need to get testes- I mean testy- ah nuts- I mean crap!
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
52	* ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'': At one point, Ralph journeys into "the Dark Net" to buy a virus from Double Dan, a virus dealer. JP Spamley, who takes him there, warns him to not look at Double Dan's "little brother", a malformed face on the guy's neck. When Ralph explains what he came to do, [[FreudianSlipperySlope he really doesn't give Double Dan a good first impression.]]
53	-->'''Ralph:''' The reason I came to your [[FreudianSlip neck in the face...]] I mean there's a [[DiggingYourselfDeeper face in your neck...]] I mean woods, neck of the woods. I heard a tumor— RUMOR that you had a virus that can help us.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
57	* In the live-action adaptation of ''Film/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians1996'', [[ThoseTwoGuys Jasper and Horace]] are meeting with the skinner who has a large animal attack scar on his neck and can't speak. Jasper tries to emphasize to Horace not to comment about [[TheVoiceless Mr. Skinner's]] huge scar on his throat. First words out of his mouth when Skinner opens the door?
58	-->'''Horace:''' Ah! Look at the size of that scar! [[DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch No bloody wonder]] you can't talk, mate!\
59	'''Skinner:''' (''{{death glare}}'')\
60	'''Jasper:''' 'Scuse me just a minute, would you? ''(closes the door and decks Horace)''
61	* In ''Film/WaynesWorld2'', Wayne and Garth encounter a man with heterochromia and struggle to avoid mentioning it ("Yes sir, I'll remember to cross the T's and and dot the... uh... lower-case J's.").
62	* Sticking with Mike Myers movies, the whole thing with Number Three's mole in ''Film/AustinPowers in Goldmember'', which is an absolutely massive mole on his upper lip that is nearly impossible not to gawk at.
63	-->'''Number Three:''' By the way, I realize that I have a large mole on my face.\
64	'''Austin:''' ''[very unconvincingly]'' ...Where?! What? Where's that mole? I didn't... see one...\
65	'''Number Three:''' [[DontExplainTheJoke I also realize]] the {{irony}} that I am ''myself''... [[TheMole a mole]].\
66	'''Austin:''' No one would make that connection...
67	::Eventually, Number Three relents and tells Austin to just get it out of his system because it's the only way they're ever going to be able to have an actual conversation.
68	-->'''Austin:''' ''MOLE''! BLOODY ''MOLE''! WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT THE BLOODY MOLE BUT THERE'S A BLOODY MOLE ''WINKING ME IN THE FACE''! I'M GONNA CHOP IT OFF AND CUT IT UP AND MAKE SOME GUACA-''MOLE''-E!\
69	'''Number Three:''' ...Better?\
70	'''Austin:''' Yeah. ''[[[ImmediateSelfContradiction immediately starts trying to poke the mole with a stick]]]''
71	* To continue with Mike Myers films, there's another good example in ''Film/ViewFromTheTop''. His character, John Whitney, has a lazy eye and when one of the flight attendants is being interviewed by him, she has a hard time not mentioning the eye at all. Finally, she slips up at the end and as a result does not get the job.
72	-->'''Whitney:''' Does anything frighten you?\
73	'''Preston:''' Oh, you mean the eye?
74	* Happens in ''Film/UncleBuck'', where John Candy, playing the titular uncle, goes to see the principal of his niece's school, who has a large mole:
75	-->'''Ms. Hoargarth:''' I'm Anita Hoargarth.\
76	'''Uncle Buck:''' Buck Melanoma, Moley Russell's wart. (''{{beat}}'') [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud Not her wart.]] Not her wart, I'm the wart, she's my tumor. ''[[DiggingYourselfDeeper My growth. My pimple.]] I'm "Uncle Wart", just Buck "Wart" Russell. Or "melanoma head"...
77	** Then subverted when the principal makes the mistake of [[BerserkButton insulting his niece]]. He drops all pretense of ignoring her mole. "Take this quarter, go downtown, and ''have a rat gnaw that thing off your face''. Good day to you, madam."
78	* Happens in Steve Martin's ''Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac'' remake ''Film/{{Roxanne}}'': "Would you like a little wine with your nose?" He tolerates this from Roxanne, but with other people... watch out. It helps that he's an expert martial artist and beats up several hooligans over the course of the film for it.
79	* Used in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', with a twist. Wraith warns Logan not to mention Dukes' extreme weight gain, as he is sensitive about it. The very first thing that Logan says is "Hey, [[FreudianSlip Fat- uh, Fred]]!" It's clearly accidental, but as Dukes doesn't seem to care, Logan continues doing it on purpose, calling him "Slim" and the like. Logan doesn't hit the BerserkButton until he uses the word [[VerbalTic Bub]], which Dukes mishears as ''Blob''. [[ContinuityNod The joke here is that Fred Dukes is a long-standing Marvel Comics villain, who uses the identity "The Blob".]]
80	* In the first ''Film/TheThinMan'', it becomes increasingly obvious that the family Nick and Nora are serving dinner (for a SummationGathering) are all a little... eccentric. Nora says one of the funniest lines in the film: "Waiter, will you please serve the nuts? I mean, will you please serve ''the guests'' the nuts?"
81	* Hilarious variant in ''Film/MoneyTalks''. Before walking into his rehearsal dinner, Russell tells Hatchett not to mention his fiancee's weight. The instant the (incredibly hot) fiancee comes to the door, Hatchett immediately says "You're fat" to her chagrin. He then clarifies that he meant "P-H-A-T: pretty, hot, and tempting."
82	* ''Film/MenInBlack3'': When Boris the Animal meets his past self through TimeTravel, [[IHatePastMe the two get along very poorly]] in part because Young Boris keeps trying to ignore Old Boris's [[AnArmAndALeg missing arm]]... and fails catastrophically:
83	--> '''Old Boris''': We'll get the Arknet, kill Agent K, the invasion will be a success, and we won't lose our (''realizes Young Boris is staring at his stump'') [[{{Angrish}} arrRRGGGHH]]!! STOP STARING AT IT!!!
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Jokes]]
87	* [[http://www.blap.com/joke.php?query=176 This joke]] tells of a man who lost both ears in an accident and used the insurance money to start a computer company. After realizing that he doesn't know how to run such a company, he sets out to hire someone who can. Three interviewees are brought in for the position. The first is impressive, but the man asks him if he notices anything about him and dismisses him when he mentions his lack of ears. The second is just as impressive, but the man asks her if she notices anything about him and dismisses her when she mentions he has no ears. The third is impressive as well and the man asks him if he notices anything about him. The interviewee says that he wears contacts. The man is thankful and asks how he knew that. The interviewee says he can't wear glasses because he has no ears.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Literature]]
91	* From ''Literature/TheMeaningOfLiff'':
92	-->'''Wigan''' (n.) \
93	If, when talking to someone you know has only one leg, you're trying to treat them perfectly casually and normally, but find to your horror that your conversation is liberally studded with references to (a) Long John Silver, (b) Hopalong Cassidy, (c) The Hokey Pokey, (d) 'putting your foot in it', (e) 'the last leg of the UEFA competition', you are said to have committed a wigan.
94	** The UK edition claims that the word has its origins in an Creator/{{ITV}} newsreader with a DodgyToupee, who kept getting stories about the town of Wigan or the politician Lord Wigg.
95	* Completely ignored, {{subverted}} and {{lampshaded}} in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' where if you are a bastard (born out of wedlock), everyone mentions it. If you are crippled, it won't be spoken about with sugar; and resident dwarf Tyrion mentions being short more than anyone else, especially to prove a point about being thin-skinned to said HeroicBastard. Of course, this ''is'' what you might expect from a CrapsackWorld.
96	* In an essay from ''Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim'', David Sedaris mentions how his older sister started wearing baggier clothes after her father-in-law, noticing her scooting away from the fireplace, asked, "What's the matter, Lisa? Getting too fat? I mean, hot! Getting too hot?"
97	* Emily from ''Literature/EmilyOfNewMoon'': "Hello, Mr. Cup. Would you like your ''Johnson'' filled?"
98	* Creator/DaveBarry did a version of this joke involving the mark on Mikhail Gorbachev's forehead.
99	* At the beginning of Creator/PiersAnthony's ''Mute'', Knot mentions "sights" in front of a blind mutant, then quickly apologizes. Flas isn't bothered by the comment at all.
100	* In Creator/GKChesterton's ''Tales of the Long Bow'', a character wears a cabbage as a hat. Other characters slip and slide about the matter, until one woman straightforwardly observes to his face that it's mad.
101	** Amusingly enough, the character in question also thought it was ridiculous. He'd idly sworn to "eat his hat" if a third character did something not relevant to this example. When that oath was called due, the only way he could think of to carry it out was to wear something edible, such as a cabbage, for a sufficient time for it to qualify as his hat. He'd been walking on eggshells (figuratively) waiting for somebody to bring it up.
102	* ''Literature/MakingMoney'': The bank's private chef has an allergy to anyone mentioning the word garlic, going catatonic for four seconds, throwing whatever's in his hand straight ahead, then babbling in fluent Quirmian. Moist is warned (in writing) not to say it, but of course it ends up slipping out a few minutes later.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
106	* ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'':
107	** On an episode of ''The Golden Girls''. Rose brings her date home and he turns out to be a little person. Blanche and Dorothy are both extremely uncomfortable about this but decide to conceal that fact out of friendship. Blanche comes out of the kitchen and offers Rose's date a plate of hors d'oeuvres by saying "Shrimp?" then turns tail and walks rapidly right back into the kitchen. It doesn't stop there: Shortly thereafter Dorothy announces -- ''very'' reluctantly -- that she is serving "short ribs" for dinner.
108	-->"Can I take your height- ''HAT?''"
109	** In another episode, when Rose needs to be hospitalized, the doctor introduces himself. Upon hearing his last name, Blanche brightens up and exclaims, "Dorothy, Rose is going to be all right! Her doctor is a Jew!" Dorothy rebukes Blanche for the comment, and then immediately asks, "How is she, Dr. Jew?"
110	** When Blanche goes on a date with a man in a wheelchair, she tries to speak normally, but randomly blurts out the word "wheelchair".
111	* In an episode of ''Series/FawltyTowers'' "Gourmet Night,":
112	** There was also a notably short lady in the episode about whom Basil ''and Sybil'' had to struggle to avoid referencing the height of.
113	--->'''Sybil''': What would you like to drink, Mrs. Small? ''Hall''!\
114	'''Basil''': Yes, a tall or a...not..quite...so tall?
115	** Also, her husband Colonel Hall has a facial twitch making it hard for Basil to introduce Mr. Twitchen.
116	--->'''Mr. Twitchen''': It's pronounced ''[[PronouncingMyNameForYou Twy]]''-[[PronouncingMyNameForYou chin]], actually.
117	* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Hollow Pursuits", Captain Picard orders the crew to stop referring to the unpopular Lieutenant Barclay as "Broccoli", and further orders Lieutenant Commander Geordi [=LaForge=] to work with Barclay and help raise his self-esteem. Later, after Barclay makes a breakthrough in determining the cause of various shipboard malfunctions, Picard is pleased with his progress and tells him, "I'll look forward to your report, Mr. Broccoli."\
118	\
119	After Picard realizes what he's said, Creator/JonathanFrakes as Riker does one of his trademark grins, but the look on Creator/PatrickStewart's face is ''classic''. It can't truly be described; [[https://youtu.be/T41gqFO9zb0 you have to see it for yourself.]] He '' makes a D: face''.
120	** Then Data [[DiggingYourselfDeeper tries to help]] by pointing out it was a simple pronunciation transposition error - "Barc":"Brac" - and for once realizes [[ShuttingUpNow it wasn't helping at all]] and that it might be a good time to find a control panel to be unusually interesting.
121	* On ''Series/GilligansIsland'', Gilligan becomes bald for one episode. Everyone decides not to talk about it, but Mrs. Howell then says she'll have a "hard bald egg".
122	* Happens in one episode of ''Series/TheAdventuresOfLanoAndWoodley'', with neighbour Susannah's lithp. I mean, lisp.
123	** TruthInTelevision - [[{{Speech Impediment}} Thpeech Impedimentth]] can be extremely and embarrassingly contagioth...
124	* Spoofed in ''Series/JackOfAllTrades'', Jack is warned urgently by Croque, not to comment on Napoleon's height. The audience is led to believe that it will lead to this trope, but Jack's tell-it-like-it-is nature turns it, and he comes right out and calls Napoleon shorty.
125	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6bn3JridsI From episode 24]] of ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''.
126	-->'''Presenter:''' From the world of the theatre, we turn to the world of dental hygiene. No, no, no, no. From the world of the theatre, we turn to the silver screen. We honour one of the silver screen's outstanding writer-dentists... writer-directors, Martin Curry, who is visiting London to have a tooth out, for the pre-molar--premiere of his filling-film next Toothday-Tuesday, at the Dental Theatre-Film Theatre. Martin Curry, talking to Matthew Palate...Padget!\
127	'''Interviewer:''' Martin Curry, welcome. Now one of the big teeth-uh, big points that the American critics made about your latest film, ''The Twelve Caesars'', was that it was on so all-embracing a topic. What made you undertake so enormous a tusk-task?\
128	''[We see the reason for the slips: the interviewee has two gigantic front teeth]''\
129	'''Interviewer:''' ...well, let's have a look at a clip in which Julius Incisor...Caesar talks to his generals...
130	* An episode of ''Series/BostonLegal'' had this with a witness who had a glass eye.
131	* On ''Series/TheOddCouple1970'' when Felix photographs a family of little people, he develops a complex etiquette for his friends for fear they might offend them. However, when the time comes to take the picture he shouts: "Everybody say 'midget'!"
132	* In one episode of ''Series/{{Wings}}'', Fay helps a passenger named Tupperman with a ''very'' [[DodgyToupee bad toupee]]. Although she's distracted by it, she manages to get through the conversation without mentioning it...until the end, when she accidentally calls him "Mr. Toupee-man."
133	* Kramer on ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' always manages to avert this trope.
134	** For example, when Jerry is dating a woman with a very large nose, nobody says anything about it until Kramer walks in and comments on it nonchalantly. The woman's actually fine with this.
135	** In one episode, they try to use this to their advantage. One of Elaine's friends has a ridiculous hairdo, but none of them have the nerve to tell her to change it, so they decided to introduce her to Kramer, reasoning that he won't be afraid to say what they're all thinking. It backfires when it turns out that Kramer likes her hair. In fact, she had been considering changing it, but Kramer convinces her not to.
136	* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' plays with this spectacularly in the episode "Roz and the Schnoz." Roz is pregnant, and Frasier plays host to the birth father's parents, who, unknown to anyone (including themselves), have extremely large noses. It doesn't help matters that they keep unwittingly setting up nose-related {{pun}}s, such as mentioning that they have two Giant Schnauzers when the topic of dogs is raised.
137	-->'''Steve:''' Boy, that [quiche] smells wonderful.\
138	'''Paula:''' Does it ever!\
139	''[Frasier holds in his laughter]''\
140	'''Paula:''' Do you mind if I ask? Is this homemade or store-bought?\
141	'''Steve:''' Honey, don't ask that! Pardon my wife, sometimes she gets a little nosy.\
142	''[Niles, Daphne and Martin enter the room to hear the above, and laugh into their hands]''\
143	'''Paula:''' Me, nosy? You're the nosy one in the family.\
144	'''Steve:''' Anyone who knows you, knows you're nosy!\
145	'''Paula:''' Anyone who knows you, knows you're nosier!
146	* The fifth season of ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' brings us a variation: After Michael [[spoiler: is fired from Dunder-Mifflin]], Dwight uses his notes on his sales clients, which have detailed notes about their families and personal lives on different colored stickers. Dwight tries to chat up a client using something in green ink -- "1 son, gay" -- and turns out that ''all'' of Michael's client notes are about the things he ''shouldn't'' say to their faces, in an attempt to avoid this trope!
147	-->'''Michael:''' Green means "go ahead... and shut up about it." Orange means "Orange you glad you didn't bring it up?" Pretty much every color means ''don't say it.''
148	** This was a rather sneaky BatmanGambit of Michael to trip up Dwight who had been using Michael's stolen client notes. By going after Dwight's biggest client whom he remembered he had some colored notes info ''and taunting Dwight about it'', he was certain Dwight would try and use that information, invoking the trope full force and making him lose the account.
149	* The first episode of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' has her completely wrecking her day and thus going to the Witchs' Council to ask them to reverse the time back to the previous one. The leader of the council is [[FluffyTheTerrible Drell]], and her aunt, his ex-girlfriend, warns Sabrina not to stare at his mole. [[VisualPun It's a literal one.]]
150	* The first appearance of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Davis_Jr Sammy Davis, Jr.]] on ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' has Archie successfully keep Edith from saying something stupid to Davis about his glass eye, then promptly [[FeeFiFauxPas does so himself]].
151	-->'''Archie:''' "Do you take cream or sugar in your eye?"
152	* During the ColdOpen of the ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' episode "My Karma", Dr. Kelso gets his coffee splashed onto his face, and, when J. D. runs into him later on, his face is covered in splotches.
153	-->'''J. D.'s internal monologue:''' Oh, my god. Do ''not'' say 'splotchy'.\
154	'''J. D.:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QAhQb77dXI Good splotchy, Dr. Splotchy.]]
155	* In one episode of ''Series/TopGearUK'', the guys buy cars at an auction and enter them in a Spanish road rally. Jeremy gets an Austin-Healey Sprite from the generation where it was based on the same platform as the MG Midget. Richard makes a number of jokes about this...until he winds up paired with a little person as his rally partner. Cue Richard constantly fumbling over what he called the car and words like "short" to describe their time.
156	* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] in one episode of ''Series/TheITCrowd'' when talking about Roy's TemporaryLoveInterest, Julia the orphan.
157	--> '''Roy''': Don't call her that!\
158	'''Moss''': Why?\
159	'''Jen''': It was the first thing you told us about her.\
160	'''Moss''': I totally think of her as Julia the orphan.\
161	'''Roy''': Well, get out of the habit of it. What if it slips out when you meet her in person?\
162	'''Jen''': I'm hardly likely to say "Hello, Julia the orphan" to her, am I?\
163	'''Moss''': I totally would say that to her.
164	* Averted in ''Series/TheDefenders2017'' with Stick, who cuts off his right hand to free himself from his shackles and escape from Alexandra and Elektra. When he approaches the heroes at the Royal Dragon, no one says anything about it other than Jessica asking him about what happened, to which Stick shrugs it off with an "I cut it off to free myself." Matt is blind and too annoyed by his old mentor coming back to care, while Luke and Danny are more interested in the information Stick is giving them about the Chaste and their ties to K'un-L'un.
165	* ''Series/LukeCage2016'' season 2 sees Misty Knight dealing with hostility from her coworkers who are uncomfortable about seeing her with her missing right arm to the point of making very poor taste jokes about it, although are also doing so to project their hatred for Misty's late partner Scarfe, who turned out to be corrupt.
166	* Thelma of ''Series/GoodTimes'' covered her mouth in horrified embarrassment after blurting out the slang expression, "outta sight!" in the presence of a blind guest.
167	* One episode of ''Series/AdventuresInWonderland'' invokes this trope for its weekly [[AnAesop Aesop.]] The Mad Hatter's cousin, Hedda, comes to town; as it happens, she's physically handicapped and uses a wheelchair to get around. Before she arrives, the Hatter tries to tell everyone to treat her normally, and that the only thing she doesn't like is stairs, as she can't use her chair to scale them. Unfortunately, [[PoorCommunicationKills his friends misinterpret his words]] and think that he means that she doesn't like ''stares''--as in, people looking at her or her wheelchair. The resulting confusion nearly drives her out of Wonderland, until the [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Queen of Hearts]] steps in and tells everyone to treat Hedda like they would anyone else.
168	** A surprising inversion of the trope happens when the March Hare's cousin April ([[ThemeNaming yes, everyone in the Hare family is named for a month]]) visits after the Queen bans all talking from Wonderland. April is deaf, and teaches the gang about sign language--but neither the White Rabbit nor the Queen of Hearts realizes she's deaf, and after she doesn't respond to them talking, she's actually banished from the kingdom. Thankfully, the rest of the group clears up the confusion, and they all welcome April back with open arms. It makes for an interesting balance of the Aesop--while you should treat people as equal regardless of impairments, you should still acknowledge that they might have different needs.
169	* Defied in an episode of ''Series/{{Community}}''. During a party at a wealthy law firm the head of the law firm makes an impromptu ‘thanks for coming’ speech and continues to say...
170	-->'''Ted:''' When I became a lawyer I had a dream; a dream that one day I’d become head of a firm so nobody would be able to talk about the big weird hole in my hand. I know everybody talks about it behind my back, that’s okay, I would, what’s great though is you don’t stare or ask any questions. As a reward for your restraint ''[Picks up an hors d’oeuvre and drops it through the hole in his hand]''\
171	'''Jeff:''' Anyone else with that hand would wear a glove, he controls a room with it.
172	* ''Series/{{Monk}}'': In "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink," Dr. Kroger temporarily quits his practice after his cleaning lady is murdered in his office. In the interim, he refers Monk to a colleague, Dr. Jonah Sorenson, who lost his right arm in a boating accident (though Dr. Kroger seems not to have known about it). During the one session Monk has with Dr. Sorenson, he very conspicuously holds up a coaster in front of his face deliberately to hide Dr. Sorenson's stump, something Dr. Sorenson is quick to catch on.
173	* On ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', Mary is worried that Rhoda might make a mean comment about her date's height. Rhoda responds by asking "You really think I'd make a derogatory remark about a person just because he's a shrimp?" Mary is annoyed by her insensitivity only to finally introduce them with: "Eric, I'd like you to meet my friend, Rhoda Morgenstern; Rhoda, this is Eric Shrimp."
174	[[/folder]]
175
176	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
177	* Before Wrestling/JillianHall became a HollywoodToneDeaf singer she was MNM's publicist. In her first appearance Wrestling/{{Melina}} told M and [[Wrestling/JohnMorrison N]] that Jillian had a mole on her face and not to mention it. Jillian comes in and we see her only from profile, and we see MNM stare at the mole - but they successfully refrain from saying anything. It is revealed later in the episode that the mole covers most of the left side of her face. Later the Wrestling/{{Boogeyman}} ate it off her face.
178	[[/folder]]
179
180	[[folder:Roleplay]]
181	* Edward from ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'' is in a wheelchair, and multiple other characters get themselves in knots while trying to avoid acknowledging it. When Ivy casually refers to him as 'the guy in the wheelchair', Luna is horrified at her supposed faux pas, which in turn causes Ivy to have a miniature crisis. Ed himself doesn't actually mind if people point it out.
182	[[/folder]]
183
184	[[folder:Video Games]]
185	* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': Though it doesn't turn out as badly as one would think. While it's clear he's annoyed by it to some degree, Koris takes no offense at the name, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNDimDd4mfs even states]] that though he has thought of requesting a transfer to another ship, he would never leave the Qwib Qwib. He also notes that, due to the massive bureaucratic red tape associated with ship registries, they ''can't'' "just change the name".
186	-->'''Tali:''' Commander, this is Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib. (''aside'') Do not ask about the name.\
187	'''Commander Shepard:''' You have a ship called the Qwib Qwib?\
188	'''Tali:''' Oh, here we go.
189	* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': A Nosferatu player character's LooksLikeOrlok appearance provokes a lot of horrified reactions, but one convenience store clerk tries gamely not to mention it. It doesn't work.
190	--> '''Slater:''' ''Whoa!'' Uh, welcome to the Red Spot, home of the Monstro Face -- I mean, [[BlandNameProduct Monstro Chug]]...
191	* PlayedForDrama in ''VideoGame/PathfinderKingmaker''. After [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman Valerie]] [[spoiler:gets a horrible facial scar from a duel gone wrong]], people she talks to begin averting their gaze out of discomfort or [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial trying too hard to not insult her appearance]], and it does about as much damage to her self-esteem as you would expect.
192	[[/folder]]
193
194	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
195	* Hanyuu from ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' was born with horns. [[spoiler:When she's a human]], no one mentions her horns (except for Takano in a plot-relevant scene) due to this. People either think they're hair accessories, like them, or try to avoid commenting on them.
196	* ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'': Hisao finds himself struggling with this a bit when he comes to Yamaku Academy, a school for the physically disabled, often wondering whether it's polite or not to even mention another person's disability. For their part, most of the characters at the school are perfectly comfortable with themselves and think Hisao is worrying over much. Lilly in particular seems to find it funny when people try to avoid words like "see" in her presence (she's blind).
197	* ''VisualNovel/{{SOON}}'': Atlas' wheelchair only became an issue when trying to sneak into the lab that created the robots. [[spoiler:When a clerk appears to help, Atlas takes advantage of his goodwill to borrow his security pass and plans on using it on a reseted timeline.]]
198	-->'''Atlas:''' You start heading towards the door, only to encounter your other arch nemesis... STAIRS. No wonder these guys accidentally doomed the world, if they can't even be bothered with accessible entranceways...
199	* ''VisualNovel/MissingStars'':
200	** Erik has this issue when he first enrolls at his new school, which is aimed at students with mental health problems. Erik can't help but wonder "what's wrong" with Ela, the first student he meets. Even ignoring mental problems, Erik has a hard time ignoring the fact that Katja has an eye patch on her right eye and that Lena wears a metal mask.
201	** Lena, being a blunt individual, ''doesn't'' do this. She's gotten in trouble for asking others why they're at the school.
202	** Katja has a roundabout way of figuring out how to deal with her fellow students without outright questioning them, She makes small talk that helps her figure out how to talk to them, or even if it's advisable to talk with them.
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Web Comics]]
206	* In ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', Gregory manages to blow [[http://dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2002-10-22 Luna's first impression of him]] by mentioning her tusks this way. Though really, that's just the fact that Gregory's a master of the {{Pun}} and pops them off constantly. In this particular case, it was just the wrong subject to pick.
207	* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', just after admonishing Tangent about dog references to Florence (a sentient wolf), Niomi [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff600/fv00560.htm promptly sticks her foot solidly in her mouth]].
208	* General consensus among the townsfolk in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' seems to be that Molly the Monster is a deformed human. Ms. Hatbrim even addresses her as, "Hi, Bob's Friendly Deformed Niece!" When it's pointed out that she has "claws, fangs, and a tail," the stock response is a polite, "Well we all ''try'' not to stare..."
209	* Martin Schetselaar wrote (well, drew) [[http://schetch.net/wp/?comic=dear-dmv an open letter]] to the DMV in his Webcomic ''Webcomic/TheSchetchPad'' saying exactly this.[[note]]To be clear, Martin has only half a left arm.[[/note]]
210	* In ''Webcomic/StarGuys'', when Neptune's parents come over to visit, he asks Earth not to comment on his mother's appearance. Turns out she has a moustache (she's a [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Sealeo_(Pok%C3%A9mon) Sealeo]])...[[spoiler:and Earth ends up ''exploding'' from keeping comments about it in his system]].
211	* Torg from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' is famous for this, as exemplified in [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20071112 this strip]] (Zoë is wearing a wig, but she hadn't been a few minutes before, when Torg saw her without).
212	* ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}'': Peanut puts his foot firmly in his mouth when accidentally using a bunch of awful puns about hands and arms [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2013/04/03/disarming-situation/ when talking with "Four Finger Discount" Jack, who is missing an arm.]] Jack looks angrily at Peanut over it but then lets up in the last panel, saying he was just messing with Peanut.
213	* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': When Sydney finds out Peggy has a prosthetic leg, she can't stop referencing it. [[http://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/925 No matter how much she wants to.]] (At least she did better than the doctor that- jokingly- told Peggy to "walk it off.")
214	* ''Webcomic/PixieAndBrutus'': Brutus the retired military service dog has the heavily scarred FaceOfAThug, which the neighbours' pets try gamely to ignore.
215	-->'''Lola:''' You must be our-- ''[Brutus [[FaceRevealingTurn turns to face them]]]'' ...new ...n-neighbor.\
216	''[BeatPanel while Lola and Mr. Wrinkles stare in horror]''\
217	'''Lola:''' ...yeeeah, so we just thought we'd introduce ourselves, a-and wish you a merry scar face--\
218	'''Mr. Wrinkles:''' ''--CHRISTMAS''
219	[[/folder]]
220
221	[[folder:Web Original]]
222	* Parodied and PlayedForLaughs with ''WebVideo/GameGrumps'', as they talk about a woman with a narwhal tooth sticking out of her head while speed dating.
223	[[/folder]]
224
225	[[folder:Western Animation]]
226	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
227	** In one episode, Brian warns Stewie not to say anything about Tom Tucker's son's facial deformity (it's upside down). While they are talking, Brian inadvertently says "This whole thing has really just turned Chris' life [[FreudianSlip upside-down face]].", to which Stewie [[DeathGlare sloooowly turns to glare at a mortified Brian.]] Subverted when Tom Tucker doesn't take offense at the comment or even seem to notice. "It's no problem of mine if it's turned his life upside-down face."
228	** Played with in another episode. Brian is staying with Quagmire, who goes on and on about how his girlfriend with a gimpy leg is visiting, and repeatedly tells Brian not to mention it. It's basically one painfully obvious setup for this joke. Then Quagmire leaves and Stewie shows up. After a minute of conversation between Brian and Stewie, the girl shows up and it's Stewie who says "Oh my God, what happened to your leg?" The girl runs out crying, and Quagmire follows her shouting "[[NotMeThisTime Dammit, Brian]]!"
229	** And again when Peter is talking to a man with one leg: "Alright, well, if you like movie trivia, I got one that will stump ya...aaaaah....of course you're probably not into tibia-Trivia!...aaaah...Boy, that global warming, hm? They say we lost a foot of snow last wint-aaaaah...Hey! How about another beer? I bet you like the taste of hops..aaaaah.....You only have one leg, sir."
230	* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' the school's Nurse Gollum, who has a [[BlackComedy dead fetus]] hanging off the side of her head, is invited to a dinner party at the Brofloskis' where this memorable exchange takes place;
231	-->'''Mr Mackey''': (Talking about the school's dodgeball team) I don't think they have much of a chance, the Denver team always win m'kay.\
232	'''Gerald''': Maybe so but I think our boys might have the dead fetus to win-HEART!!\
233	'''Sheila''': Clobbers him Gerald, keep your damn mouth shut!!
234	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Kim falls prey to this the first time she meets Felix, using a wheelchair. Except her behavior has her acting in a very protective ([[DisabledMeansHelpless yet condescending]]) way. [[WhatTheHellHero Ron snaps her out of it]].
235	-->'''Kim:''' RON! What do you think you're doing?\
236	'''Ron:''' Shooting hoops with Felix.\
237	'''Kim:''' No! But it looks like you're really trying to, you know...\
238	'''Ron:''' Win?\
239	'''Kim:''' Exactly. Y-you can't!\
240	'''Ron:''' Look, I know I'm down 2 buckets, but if I focus on rebounding, and boxing out, I think that I can--
241	-->'''Kim:''' You're acting like...like...\
242	'''Ron:''' ...like he's just a normal person?
243	-->'''Kim:''' (''{{beat}}'') [[ThatCameOutWrong I've got to just...stop talking.]]
244	* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' {{crossover}}, "Simpsorama", the first thing that happens when Marge sees Leela is her mentally reprimanding herself not to mention the fact Leela's a {{mutant}} {{cyclops}}, whilst Leela does the same thing about Marge's ridiculous beehive hairdo.
245	* One of the bullies on ''WesternAnimation/PepperAnn'' has a prominent mole on his face that he ''does not'' like anyone talking about. Unfortunately, he tends to hear any word rhyming with "-ole" as "mole", leading him to threaten to beat up people who are merely mentioning "control", "roll", or "bowls".
246	* In ''WesternAnimation/MayaAndMiguel'', the titular characters meet Andy, who only has one arm. They try to make him feel welcome, but Maya overzealously hides anything that requires two hands to operate (like silverware, replacing them with chopsticks).
247	[[/folder]]
248
249	[[folder:Real Life]]
250	%%* TruthInTelevision, according to [[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31714129/ns/health-behavior/ this article.]]
251	* Defied by Aimee Mullins; at a TED talk she gave, she describes how she was once going to talk to a class of children and she just knew the grownups were going to hush up the kids and insist they not stare at her [[ArtificialLimbs prosthetic legs]] or acknowledge them in any way, which would largely defeat the purpose of her coming to talk. So she made the teachers agree to give her ten minutes with the kids completely unadulterated before the adults were even allowed in the room so the kids could ask all the questions they wanted. So a little girl asked whether she could get jetpack legs and fly.
252	[[/folder]]

Context Main / IgnoreTheDisability