Line #78 Main/LampshadedTheObscureReference


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/FinalFantasyVIITheSevening https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ff7_obscure_reference_9039.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[http://obstinatemelon.deviantart.com/art/Final-Fantasy-7-Page208-202630330 Next time]], make a ''VideoGame/{{Growlanser}}'' reference.]]
3
4	->"''Welcome to Creator/JulieTaymor's Playhouse. (''beat'') Like five of you got that, but the five of you who got it are gonna be laughing''."
5	-->-- '''Creator/DougWalker''' (during his tour of Austria)
6
7	When a reference or ShoutOut is made, and it's acknowledged InUniverse to be obscure.
8
9	This isn't done all the time. Sometimes obscure references are subtle, so that anyone who doesn't get them can just enjoy the show. Doing it once in a while can give the audience a bit of curiosity about the reference, but not slow down the show with them wondering about every single one.
10
11	This trope can be done by the lampshading character talking to other characters, or by the character BreakingTheFourthWall.
12
13	A SubTrope of GeniusBonus.
14
15	Compare PopCulturalOsmosisFailure, ShownTheirWork, LateToThePunchline.
16
17	See also NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer (when someone might not even think the reference is real).
18
19	Contrast SmallReferencePools.
20
21	'''Not to be confused with characters not getting a commonly known thing (unless it's meant to invert this).'''
22	----
23	!!Administrivia/InUniverseExamplesOnly
24
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28	* The ReferenceOverdosed ''Literature/NyarukoCrawlingWithLove'' pulls this on occasion, with [[OnlySaneMan Mahiro]] admonishing [[{{Otaku}} Nyarko]] for dropping references that nobody could possibly get.
29	* ''Manga/PopTeamEpic'':
30	** One strip has Popuko cheering Pipimi on, by playing the ''taiko'' drums and shouting "Bettora!" (in a reference to an ad for fish cakes). Pipimi tells her to stop making references to obscure regional TV ads. In the official English translation, she simply points out it's "Way too obscure a refeence."
31	** In the anime's "Let's Pop Together" song, one of the comments scrolling by during the video is "what are they even parodying?". For the record, the music video for [[Music/EarthWindAndFire "Let's Groove"]] is not as well known in Japan as it is overseas.
32	** The AprilFoolsDay special references this again by having Popuko and Pipimi briefly sing about how nobody gets the references they make if they go too hard -- in the middle of a parody of "I Want to Love You Tender" by Armi da Jany.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Comedy]]
36	* Creator/DennisMiller constantly uses obscure pop culture references in his stand-up routine. He occasionally mentions that he's doing so and that many of the people watching won't get them.
37	* Creator/PattonOswalt also did this after making an Creator/HPLovecraft reference.
38	* In ''Dressed To Kill'', Creator/EddieIzzard called out his audience for not knowing who Lafayette was. Of course, Eddie will also do this for stuff that really isn't obscure: after mentioning a few places that aren't America in front of an American audience, to minimal effect, he pauses and asks, "Do you know there's other countries?" [[note]]It gets a pretty good laugh, considering.[[/note]]
39	* In his HBO special ''Complaints And Grievances'', George Carlin mentioned pussy farts as something people don't talk about in public. He opened his next HBO special by saying the very same thing, adding "apparently some people don't know what a pussy fart is, because I got some inquiries." He then [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484855/quotes?item=qt0366489 explained the concept]].
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Fan Works]]
43	* In the ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' story, ''[[Fanfic/LegacyTotalDrama Legacy]]'', Trent identifies ''Theatre/UtopiaLimited'' -- one of the least known of the Creator/GilbertAndSullivan operettas -- only as "some old musical" because he didn't remember the name and couldn't be bothered to look it up. The narrative expressly notes that [[http://gsarchive.net/utopia/webop/ul021.html the song]] from ''Utopia, Limited'' that became the basis for Trent's [[GriefSong tribute song]] is quite obscure.
44	* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' did a scene which referenced JustForFun/{{Rickroll}}, ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. Tea said she was leaving due to getting annoyed by all the obscure references.
45	* ''[[WebVideo/MarikPlaysBloodlines Marik Plays]]'': ''VideoGame/SlenderTheArrival'' includes a reference to Richard Linklater's ''Film/BeforeSunset''. Marik immediately points out it's the most cultured and obscure joke he's ever made. "Drink that in, 'cause it's never going to happen again. From now on, it's just poop and fart jokes."
46	* Creator/{{hbi2k}} calls some of his jokes "2 percenters" based on how much he thinks his viewers get them.
47	* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', after they'd been talking about Raditz, Nappa asks, "But then you have to worry about the [[Series/FraggleRock Fraggles]]." Vegeta answers "Goddammit, Nappa, no one is going to get that!"
48	-->'''Tien:''' As a matter of fact, I did.
49	* In Episode 11 of ''WebVideo/TeenTitansTheAbridgedSeries'', Robin wondered who declared it obscure reference day.
50	* In episode 13 of ''WebVideo/CodeMENT'', Lelouch calls himself "a regular ComicStrip/DickTracy." Suzaku says back, "Five people left on the planet know who that is and I'm not one of them!"
51	* In ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de06YM2mDlA "Ways to Screw Up the Avengers Movie"]], it's mentioned that the villain is "not [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Loki]], but [[Film/TheAvengers1998 Sean Connery and his weather machine]]". ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} appears to say "Obscure reference for the win!"
52	* One of the two main villains of ''[[Fanfic/AngelOfTheBat Angel of the Bat: Times of Heresy]]'' uses the title, "Odmience." Odmience are demons in Myth/SlavicMythology, but are so rarely referenced that Batman himself claims the name tells them almost nothing about his MO.
53	* ''Fanfic/HalloweenUnspectacular: Watchmeh'': The denouement for "Robot Wars" mentions that Mecha-Godragontron's body was buried in a closed-casket ceremony at the Woomera Test Range, but his head had gone missing, with it being believed to have been stolen by his old university and buried in an unmarked spot on its grounds. The narrator then says that the author "erroneously believed that people would get this UsefulNotes/OliverCromwell joke".
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
57	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOBatmanMovie'', the Joker forms a supervillain team including characters from entirely different franchises. He introduces his new Legion of Doom to Gotham, but when he gets to [[Series/DoctorWho the Daleks]]:
58	-->'''The Joker:''' British robots! (Ask your nerd friends.)
59	** What makes it funnier is that they're ''not'' robots, they're aliens that control robot bodies, so the Joker doesn't even know that much about them.
60	** Before that, after introducing his ''original'' Legion of Doom to the pilot of a plane he just hijacked (who accuses him of making some of them up), he states that they're [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer all real]][[note]]Yes, including the Condiment King.[[/note]], and adds, "probably worth a [[Website/{{Google}} Google]]".
61	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'': In his VillainSong "Shiny", Tamatoa sings to Maui, "You can't expect a demigod to beat a decapod (Look it up)!"
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
65	* ''Film/KissKissBangBang''. When two goons appear to accost Harry, one of them introduces himself and his colleague as "Ike, Mike, and Mustard"[[note]]Salt, Pepper, and Mustard, your standard-issue dinner condiments[[/note]]. Harry doesn't get it, and even the other goon outright agrees that it's pretty damn obscure, and the two start arguing over it.
66	* {{Inverted\|Trope}} in ''Film/TheAvengers2012''. Almost all of the modern well-known cultural references, such as Creator/StephenHawking and Pilates, are lost on [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Steve Rogers]], who had been frozen since World War II. When Nick Fury makes a reference to ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', he's delighted to be able to point out that he actually got it. In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' it's revealed he has a list of pop cultural things he has to experience, like ''Franchise/StarWars'' (or ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' in some versions), and [[UsefulNotes/{{Thailand}} Thai food]] -- and he managed to watch ''Film/WarGames''.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* ''Literature/{{Bakemonogatari}}'': This is a common gag in the characters' {{Seinfeldian Conversation}}s.
71	** In ''Tsubasa Cat'', Nadeko compares [[LesbianJock Kanbaru's]] running speed to the ''takkyudo'' technique from ''Bikkuriman''. Araragi is baffled that someone her age knows what that is, claiming that even ''he'' only knows it because he's obligated to as the [[BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine "designated quipper"]] of the group.
72	-->'''Nadeko:''' "I watched it on DVD."
73	-->'''Araragi:''' "Ah, I see...we live in such a world of convenience. But still, that's a difficult reference to get. You could have at least compared it to a [[Manga/{{Bleach}} flash step]]."
74	-->'''Nadeko:''' [[PopCulturalOsmosisFailure "Flash step...um, is that when...flashing images begin to look like motion?"]]
75	-->'''Araragi:''' "That's persistence of vision!"
76	* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' novel ''Literature/SkinGame'', Goodman Grey can't believe Harry prefaces their underworld heist with a quote from ''Film/TheBlackHole'', which he says no one even remembers (Harry, on the other hand, thinks it's a classic). [[spoiler: It also doubles as {{Foreshadowing}} via AuthorAppeal--none of the ''real'' villains ever get Harry's references.]]
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
80	* Played with in an episode of ''Series/TheMiddleman'', where Middleman '69 (who has been [[HumanPopsicle in cryonic stasis for the past four decades]]) makes a ''Franchise/StarTrek'' reference and notes the [[ItWillNeverCatchOn unlikeliness]] of Wendy getting it.
81	* ''Series/ThirtyRock'':
82	** Liz tells her writers not to use Krang from ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles\|1987}}'' on sketches. "No one knows who Krang is! It would be a waste of time to talk about Krang on television! No more Krang!"
83	** Another instance, this time when Liz is having a fake argument with [[GentleGiant Dot Com]] her pretend-boyfriend to make her new roommate move out (ItMakesSenseInContext):
84	--->'''Dot Com:''' I feel ANGRY! Like Warren Moon must have felt back in 1995!\
85	'''Liz:''' As I have told you many times in our relationship, no one gets that reference.
86	* In the ''Series/{{House}}'' episode "Perils of Paranoia", House's team doubts that their PatientOfTheWeek was a victim of chlorine gas poisoning. House, however, says that there still might be a toxin involved because "[[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Arceus]] created a universe with three states of matter and 300 solid or liquid poisons that could cause his symptoms." Puzzled, Taub asks, "Arceus?" House casually replies, "Look it up."
87	* In ''Series/FatherTed'', Ted makes a reference to the Jeff Bridges movie ''[[Film/Fearless1993 Fearless]]''. When Dougal remarks that he hasn't seen it, Ted replies, "Not a lot of people have, Dougal, so it's probably a bad reference."
88	* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''. The episode ''Gamera vs. Guiron'' has what is usually acknowledged as the most obscure joke in the entire show's history. Tom Servo makes a reference to head writer Mike Nelson's recent break-up with his girlfriend (and the fact that she took his Casio when she left):
89	-->''[a girl runs away from the camera]''\
90	'''Tom Servo:''' Look out, Mike, she's got your keyboard!\
91	'''Joel:''' Huh?\
92	'''Tom Servo:''' Oh, it's obscure.
93	* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', "New Moon Rising", Buffy threatens to "[[PersonAsVerb pull a William Burroughs]]" on [=MacNamara=][[note]]Not a perfect analogy. The Burroughs case was WilliamTelling gone wrong and Buffy would be deliberately shooting [=MacNamara=][[/note]], earning a lot of blank looks until Xander speculates she intends to "bore him to death with free verse".
94	-->'''Buffy:''' Was I the only one awake in English that day? I'll ''kill him''.
95	* In one episode of ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'', a game of Scenes from a Hat had the cast doing redneck versions of Shakespeare plays. Wayne Brady enters and, in a thick hillbilly accent, recites a line from ''Theatre/TwoGentlemenOfVerona''. When the audience fails to respond, he admonishes them with "Read a book, people!"
96	* A line about a character's Native American heritage in the ''Series/AngieTribeca'' episode ''Commissioner Bigfish'' leads to a cutaway parodying the "Crying Indian" PSA from the early 1970s. Cue Geils' remarking, "Wow, that's a really old reference."
97	* During an episode of ''Conan'', Creator/PattonOswalt is called out for continuously making obscure, geeky movie references.
98	-->'''Patton:''' You guys saw the end of ''[[Film/HalloweenIIISeasonOfTheWitch Halloween III,]]'' right? Put your masks on...wow, that was for four people.\
99	'''Conan:''' Your references are getting narrower and narrower. As we get closer to me telling people to change the channel, I don't think I'm gonna have to tell them.
100	* ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'': Colbert is [[JustForFun/OneOfUs something of a nerd,]] especially when it comes to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', and he will sometimes make references and jokes he doesn't expect his mainstream audience to get. For example, when discussing the fact that you can name your Tesla, he states he named his [[Literature/TheSilmarillion "Vingilótë",]] and adds, "If you understood that, I'm sorry you also had a hard time in high school."
101	* ''Series/StargateSG1'': In "200", Vala pitches some ideas to a movie producer which all turn out to be thinly-veiled versions of well-known shows, like ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Gilligan's Island''. He tells her that if she's gonna rip off something, at least pick one that nobody knows. So her next pitch is a mockery of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', which he admits he's never heard of. [[note]] Although ''Farscape'' would not have been that obscure to the show's main audience at the time, casual viewers and those coming to the show after its original run on the Sci-Fi channel would be less likely to get it.[[/note]] Doubles as ActorAllusion, as the actors for [[Creator/ClaudiaBlack Vala]] and [[Creator/BenBrowder Mitchell]] formerly starred in ''Farscape'' before jumping to ''Stargate SG-1'' after ''Farscape'' ended.
102	* In ''Series/TheGoldenGirls,'' in reference to one of Blanche's emotionally abusive boyfriends, Sophia states that "he makes Wallace Beery look like Adolphe Menjou," leading Dorothy to comment that it's apparently been a while since she's taken Sophia to the movies.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Video Games]]
106	* ''VideoGame/TheDarksideDetective: A Fumble in the Dark'': After a brief incident involving a nightstand with a woman's screaming face in one of the drawer knobs, which comes out of nowhere and contributes nothing to the plot, Dooley remarks that anybody in the audience who doesn't know what it's a reference to[[note]]the ''Series/TwinPeaks'' episode "The Condemned Woman"[[/note]] is going to be very confused.
107	* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': If James talks Shepard into buying some fellow marines a round, the soldiers start a toast based on Creator/RobertBurns (that was also used in the videogame ''VideoGame/ReturnToZork''). Shepard's half is based on a Renegade Interrupt -- hit it, and James admits he wasn't sure they'd know the line.
108	* Tsumugi in ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'' is a CosplayOtakuGirl who frequently makes references to anime and video games that always flies over the others' heads. When she references ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' on one occasion, Kokichi retorts "Wow... Another reference we don't get. Heh, you must be a hardcore loser."
109	* In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Mandricardo's first line on being summoned is to [[SelfDeprecation wonder aloud if you even know who he is]]. During the story chapter where he's featured, your MissionControl has to brief you on ''Literature/OrlandoFurioso'', so apparently you don't.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Web Animation]]
113	* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' frequently makes jokes about obscure Halloween costumes, either during the annual Halloween cartoon or during the fan costume commentaries:
114	** In "Halloween Fairstival", Strong Bad comments on Bubs dressing as one of The Three Most Important People in the World from ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'', saying, "Your approach this year was to ensure that absolutely no one recognized your costume?"
115	** In "Fan Costumes '09", Strong Bad fails to recognize one fan costume, and Strong Sad explains that it's based on a sketchbook drawing of a humanized version of Gunhaver of ''Cheat Commandos''.
116	--->'''Strong Bad:''' That is A) amazing, B) depressing, and C) [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs amazingly depressing.]]
117	** In "Fan Costumes 2016", Strong Bad finds a fan costume so obscure ("Anonymous Contributor" from the Strong Bad Email "rock opera") he complains about having to look it up on the Homestar Runner wiki.
118	** In "Mr. Poofers Must Die", Strong Sad starts [[WaxingLyrical dropping the names of songs and albums]] by Music/DinosaurJr in reference to Marzipan's J. Mascis costume, and Strong Bad complains that no one's going to get it. Meanwhile, Strong Mad dresses up as Kano from the ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'' feature ''Bad Company'', and is distraught when no one can guess who he's supposed to be. Even the caption box describing his costume isn't exactly sure who he's dressed up as.
119	--->'''Strong Mad:''' FUNNY JOKE ABOUT MY COSTUME?\
120	'''Strong Bad:''' No, big fella. There are no jokes about your costume. Because no one knows who it is.\
121	'''Strong Mad:''' BUT [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd JUDGE DREDD!]]\
122	'''Strong Bad:''' Yeah, but you didn't dress up as Judge Dredd, did you?\
123	'''Strong Mad:''' BUT... PROXIMITY TO JUDGE DREDD!\
124	'''Strong Bad:''' I'm sorry. It's not enough. You're just blue Frankenstein. Better luck next year.\
125	'''Strong Mad:''' (''disappointed'') D'AWWW...
126	** "The Homestar Runner Enters the Spooky Woods" is full of this.
127	*** The King of Town dresses as Charlie from ''Series/TheMightyBoosh'', but admits he only went with the costume when he fell asleep trying to chew eight packs of bubble gum at once.
128	*** Strong Bad guesses that Strong Sad (dressed as the Loughton Candidate from ''Cremaster 4'') is [[CrackPairing "the love-child of Dobby the House-Elf and Ron Weasley",]] and Strong Sad replies that his costume is way more pretentious than any of his Literature/HarryPotter fanfics.
129	*** Coach Z dresses as The Fresh Prince's Mom from the intro to ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', and admits to be running out of mid-90s rap references for costume ideas. "I'm grawrsping at straws here!"
130	*** Marzipan stops Homestar from misidentifying her costume (Maetel from ''Manga/GalaxyExpress999'') to admit that she got the costume idea from Strong Sad, who saw the movie once when he was ten.
131	** ''VideoGame/HalloweenHideAndSeek'' has a few jokes involving the characters lampshading the obscurity of their costumes, which all come from old adventure games (such as Marzipan as Trixie the Giraffe-Necked Girl from ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxHitTheRoad'' or Pom Pom as the eponymous Manhole from ''VideoGame/TheManhole'').
132	* In the first season finale of ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'', Kirito earns VillainRespect by being the only one to get the BigBad's [[NerdInEvilsHelmet movie references]] and passing his impromptu trivia quiz. Although he's later disappointed when Kirito's stumped by ''Film/TheDungeonmaster''.
133	-->'''Kayaba:''' "DRY LAND IS NOT A MYTH! I HAVE SEEN IT!"\
134	'''Kirito:''' Ah, getting tricky are we? While that line is [[BeamMeUpScotty famously attributed]] to the 1995 film ''Film/{{Waterworld}}'', it is never actually spoken in the movie.\
135	'''Kayaba:''' ...Hot damn. You're the real deal.
136	[[/folder]]
137
138	[[folder:Webcomics]]
139	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
140	** Not as old nor as obscure, but the SuddenVideogameMoment featuring ''VideoGame/{{Centipede}}'' is lampshaded.
141	--->'''Chief:''' Man, that brought back memories.\
142	'''Rookie:''' I don't get it.\
143	'''Chief:''' Before your time, kid. Before your time.
144	** One comic ends with gladiators being torn apart by a giant version of Ollie from ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie''. The comic's title is [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0746.html "Ask Your Grandparents".]]
145	--->'''Roy:''' (''[[MediumAwareness looking at the cutaway panel]]'') ...Wow, that's, uh...that's a bit of a dated reference, don't you think?\
146	'''Geoff:''' Tell you what, you get back to me after your first grandchild is born and we'll see how daisy-fresh YOUR pop culture jokes are, okay?\
147	'''Ian:''' I told you we should've gone with one of those [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} "Pokey-Men"]] the kids are always talking about.
148	** ''Start of Darkness'' has the Oracle calling Eugene "Film/GhostDad". Eugene, still being alive, is confused. The Oracle replies it'll be funnier later -- and far funnier than the film was.
149	* The commentary to ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic'' [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/617.html strip #617:]]
150	-->''Yes, to understand this joke you need to know relativity ''and'' image processing theory. No, I am unrepentant.''
151	* In [[http://unrealitycomic.tumblr.com/post/152784977297/what-you-think-im-going-to-tell-you-what-that-is this strip]] of ''Webcomic/{{Unreality}}'' Sarah explicitly states that most general audiences wouldn't understand a reference to an obscure 80's Mexican comic book called Karmatron Y Los Transformables.
152	* This happens occasionally in ''Webcomic/WhiteDarkLife''. For instance: "[[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/391554427/3723583874 Did you get your]] "[[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2010-08-14/comic/voiding-your-warranty/abused-by-an-angel/ all female cats are promiscuous nymphomaniacs]]" rhetoric from WebComic/ExterminatusNow?"
153	* An ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' comic [[https://xkcd.com/1262/ depicts a future]] where even ''Franchise/StarWars'' has been forgotten to the point where a kid admits he doesn't understand the one quote he picked up from his grandmother ("May the Force be with you").
154	* The ''Webcomic/DumbingOfAge'' strip [[https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/04-vote-for-robin/storge/ for May 15, 2019]] is titled "Storge", in reference to the fact that the joke of the day is that [[TheFourLoves Carla actually likes her parents]]. The AltText imagines "everyone googling to figure out what the strip title has to do with anything".
155	* "Nero fiddled while Rome burned" [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2013-05-09 gets referenced]] in ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'', and it turns out that (maybe) only two people on the entire ship have an idea of what it means: the AI that set the joke up (and was originally geared towards entertainment), and a cook with a college degree in 'Terran Memetics'.
156	-->'''Tagon:''' You said she'd get the joke.\
157	'''Ennesby:''' She's smart. She really should have.\
158	'''Liz:''' Not really. "Nero fiddling while Rome burns" only plays with historians and memeticists these days.\
159	'''Ennesby:''' Oh, good. I'm not the only one who thought it was funny.\
160	'''Liz:''' Yeeeaah... I'm pretty sure you are.
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:Web Original]]
164	* In ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', after Rockford grumbled about Dino Attack Team's code being blatant ''Franchise/StarWars'' references, Mur just remarked that he was glad it wasn't a much more obscure ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' reference instead, much to Rockford's confusion.
165	* WebVideo/StuartAshen has a recurring segment in his reviews, "Quincy: a caterpillar that sings obscure Beatles songs".
166	* ''WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment'':
167	** The Spoony One occasionally succumbs to this:
168	--->'''Spoony:''' Actually my first thought was that he kinda looks like Locklear from ''VideoGame/BetrayalAtKrondor''... Oh God... I just made a ''Betrayal at Krondor'' reference in Two-Thousand-and fucking-Eleven... I don't get out much...
169	** He also feels the need to explain to his younger viewers what things like [[TechMarchesOn floppy disks and BBS were]].
170	* ''Podcast/{{Psycomedia}}'' does this, often via the use of Venn diagram. Often involving the Star Wars Expanded Universe in one of the host's case.
171	* Linkara of ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' does this once in a while.
172	-->'''Linkara:''' My thanks to the three people who get that joke.
173	* In his "review" of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', WebVideo/MikeJ compares the flyover establishing shots in the film to the [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disney attraction]] ''Soarin' Over California''.
174	-->'''[=MikeJ=]:''' It's like ''Soarin' Over Gotham''! (''beat'') Little uh, theme park humour for you there so uh, thanks to those three people out there who got that joke. (''whispers'') You're my favourites!"
175	* ''WebVideo/TheyMadeMeWatchThis'' thanked the 1% of his viewers who got one of his references.
176	* GuitarMasterx7's Master Chief series pulls one in the retard daycare episode, racial stereotype and all.
177	-->'''Ali Baba:''' Nobody would be getting a ''WesternAnimation/{{Captain Planet\|AndThePlaneteers}}'' reference!
178	* WebVideo/DiamandaHagan's crossover review of "Zombeak" with Creator/JewWario has her make a comparison between the goth characters in the movie splitting up with Music/TarjaTurunen leaving the band Music/{{Nightwish\|Band}}. [=JewWario=] sums it up in one line:
179	-->'''[=JewWario=]:''' You lost me about five obscure references ago.
180	* ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'':
181	** It describes the evil alien race that wants to [[AlienInvasion invade Earth]] in ''VideoGame/DarkVoid'' as "about two parts [[VideoGame/HalfLife Combine]], to two parts [[VideoGame/{{Halo}} Covenant]], to one part VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}} (now there's an obscure reference; I'll probably bring up ''VideoGame/FlightOfTheAmazonQueen'' next)."
182	** Also, in his "VideoGame/EverybodysGoneToTheRapture" review, he says: "It's like Radio/TheArchers [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] [[Franchise/{{Quatermass}} Quatermass and the Pit]]. Blimey, no one's going to get THAT reference"!
183	** At one point in his review of ''VideoGame/FatalFrameMaidenOfBlackWater'', he mangles the name into "Fatal Frame: [[WesternAnimation/ThePiratesOfDarkWater Pirates of Dark Water]]". ("Who remembers ''that!?''")
184	* In WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows and [[WebVideo/BadMovieBeatdown Film Brain's]] review of ''Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks The Squeakquel'', one of the scenes they show has Theodore being into Meerkat Manor. Matthew hopes they won't get a cameo of Aleksandr from the Compare the Meerkat commercials. Todd asks what the hell was that, and Matthew says the UK viewers will get the joke.
185	* In WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'', he says that he hopes a scene of an arrow being shot at Prince Derek will lead to a [[http://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Sebastian Saint Sebastian]] homage. He then looks down on the audience for not knowing what that is and tells them not to Google it so they can pretend they do.
186	* ''Podcast/FatFrenchAndFabulous'': After a joke about the failure of Enron, "Maybe if we started making jokes that have punchlines that come after 1997, we'll start doing better."
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:Western Animation]]
190	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' did a short where the Warner brothers (and the Warner sister) met Rasputin. They did a pun involving "Anastasia" getting mixed up with "anesthesia", and Dot said "Obscure Joke. Ask your parents." (This was years before [[WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}} that Don Bluth film]] came out.)
191	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
192	** "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea" mentions UsefulNotes/BenjaminDisraeli to set up a CutawayGag. It cut to Disraeli working at his desk, when he suddenly [[BreakingTheFourthWall glares at the camera and snaps]] "You don't even know who I am!"
193	** When "WesternAnimation/StewieGriffinTheUntoldStory" was re-edited into a three-parter for television, the beginning of part two recaps the first part while parodying ''Series/{{Soap}}'', complete with the narrator and the theme song playing in the background. Finally, by the end of the recap, the narrator asks if the younger audience will even understand the reference.
194	* The ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' GrandFinale had a character from Franchise/TheDCU appear for the first time.
195	-->'''Bat-Mite:''' ComicBook/AmbushBug? You're a pretty obscure hero, even for this show.
196	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has done this a few times.
197	** "In the Name of the Grandfather":
198	--->'''Grandpa Simpson:''' I was lonelier than Estes Kefauver at a meeting of Murder Incorporated! ''[{{beat}}]'' [[ScatterbrainedSenior That actually makes sense]]. Look it up!
199	** "They Saved Lisa's Brain":
200	--->'''Lisa:''' (''reading Comic Book Guy's shirt'') "C:/DOS C:/DOS/RUN RUN/DOS/RUN". (''laughs'') Oh, only one person in a million would find that funny.\
201	'''Frink:''' [[TakeThat Yes, we call that the "Dennis Miller Ratio"]].
202	** "We're On The Road To D'ohwhere":
203	--->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Save it, Ma Peddle.\
204	'''Lou:''' Ma Peddle?\
205	'''Chief Wiggum:''' It's a reference to Ma Kettle, a movie character from the 1940s.\
206	'''Lou:''' [[DontExplainTheJoke Chief, if you have to explain it, it's not very good.]]
207	** In a Treehouse of Horror story mainly spoofing ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' but with references to most of Creator/StanleyKubrick's work, Comic Book Guy is cast as Film/BarryLyndon, and comments that even ''he'' isn't sure he gets the reference.
208	* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'':
209	** A sketch revolving around movie plot twists spoofed the ending to ''Film/SleepawayCamp''. At the end of the skit, the director of ''Sleepaway Camp'' suddenly shows up, ecstatic that ''someone'' remembered his movie and decided to spoof it.
210	** One sketch parodying 80s cartoon ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' has Miles Mayhem show up. One of the characters then has to remind one of the others that Miles Mayhem was the BigBad of the series.
211	* On an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'', a hand puppet compared The Tick to [[Literature/TheIliad Achilles in his tent]]. When no one, even his ventriloquist, got it he said "The Illiad?" (looks around) ''"Homer?"'' (still no reaction) "READ A BOOK!!"
212	* A joke from ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'':
213	-->'''Bullwinkle:''' Twenty dollars!? That's antihistamine money!\
214	'''Rocky:''' Antihistamine money?\
215	'''Bullwinkle:''' Yes. It's not to be sneezed at. [[DontExplainTheJoke Get it? Not to be sneezed at?]]\
216	'''Rocky:''' [[LamePunReaction I get it.]]\
217	'''Bullwinkle:''' Thousands won't!
218	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'': Archer is prone to making very obscure references that sail over the heads of everyone else, prompting him to call out the reference. These help show his HiddenDepths in spite of being a PsychopathicManchild.
219	** In season 1, when Archer is training Cyril to be a field agent, he gives him a pistol (Chekhov 9mm) and a poison pen, both of which, he warns, go off for "basically no reason". Later, when a prostitute is accidentally killed by the pen, Cyril bemoans that he figured he have to watch out for the ChekhovsGun. Archer dismisses this as "a facile argument" and Woodhouse chimes in that it's "also woefully esoteric".
220	** In another episode, Archer makes a reference to ''Bartleby, The Scrivener'', and is annoyed when no-one else gets it.
221	* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', where Rick makes a reference to "Redgren Grumbholdt" that his grandchildren laugh at. He then tells them that he just made it up and mocks them for not thinking for themselves.
222	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
223	** In "Sidetracked", while pummeling Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Canadian secret agent Lyla Lolliberry shouts "[[AndThisIsFor This is for]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hull#Invasion_of_Canada William Hull and the War of 1812]]! Look it up, kids!"
224	** In the episode "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo", a version of Doofenshmirtz in a future [[TheBadGuyWins where he finally gets to take over the entire tri-state area]] sings "[[Creator/KarlMarx Everyone else is the proletariat / And baby, I'm the bourgeoise]]!" Then he adds "Look it up, Joe!"
225	[[/folder]]

Context Main / LampshadedTheObscureReference