Line #232 Main/VerbalBackspace


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10	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/SchlockMercenary https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lieutenant_pibald.png]]]]
11
12	->'''Mr Popo''': This carpet gets 10,000 miles to the soul.\
13	'''Bulma''': What?\
14	'''Mr Popo''': The gallon.
15	-->-- ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''
16
17	Comedy trope: Alice says something. Then Bob says something or something happens that makes it clear that what she just said doesn't make sense. Alice quickly revises her statement and repeats it. OnSecondThought is a more specific case of this, as are some forms of InflationaryDialogue.
18
19	Alternatively, Alice attempts a compliment or insult. However, Bob responds with information contradicting what they thought, which could include ComplimentBackfire or InsultBackfire. So, Alice tries again with a new insult or compliment, directly opposed to what they had just said. Could be compounded by a HairTriggerTemper.
20
21	Students of rhetoric may describe this as "epanorthosis". If Alice has to retract a practical idea that uses bad methods, it's a case of AndThatWouldBeWrong. If she has to retract a controversial opinion, it's a case of NotThatTheresAnythingWrongWithThat or PresentCompanyExcluded. If she's retracting an opinion based on who else does or doesn't agree with it, it just might be a FavouritismFlipFlop. If she's retracting an insult to someone she hadn't meant to insult, it's because of InsultFriendlyFire.
22
23	Compare FreudianSlip (where the character says something that reveals thoughts he's concealing or repressing) and LastSecondWordSwap (where the character revises what he was ''just about'' to say before he actually says it). Also see VerbalBackpedaling where an improper statement is covered up with a flimsy explanation. Related to CantBelieveISaidThat.
24
25	----
26	!!Examples:
27	[[index]]
28	* VerbalBackspace/AnimeAndManga
29	* VerbalBackspace/FanWorks
30	* [[VerbalBackspace/AnimatedFilms Films - Animated]]
31	* [[VerbalBackspace/LiveActionFilms Films - Live-Action]]
32	* VerbalBackspace/LiveActionTV
33	* VerbalBackspace/VideoGames
34	* VerbalBackspace/{{Webcomics}}
35	* VerbalBackspace/WesternAnimation
36	[[/index]]
37
38	[[foldercontrol]]
39
40	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
41	* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'':
42	** Gopal, laughs along with Ying and Yaya when [=BoBoiBoy=] says he has superpowers. After he demonstrates his powers, Gopal says: "See? Didn't I tell you so?"
43	** When Adu Du threatens to destroy their school, Gopal and several other students celebrate since they would get a day off. As Yaya is about to fine them, Gopal backtracks and tells the others that they shouldn't like it if their school is destroyed and the others nod followingly.
44	* ''Animation/{{Mechamato}}'': Deep initially celebrates at the news of Mr. Jamie possibly being attacked by a bad robot, but when Mara interjects on his behaviour, Deep instead claims he's concerned, turning his "Yahoo!" into "Hu hu hu..."
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Comic Books]]
48
49	* ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'': OneShotCharacter Dingo goes from gloating to his employer's corpse about how he'll take over Toomey's drug racket (Punisher blackmailed Dingo into helping him ambush said boss) to desperately saying that he'll actually get an honest job and leave town after he realizes that [[SayingTooMuch he's just been gloating about his future drug-running plans]] ''in front of a drug-hating KnightTemplar VigilanteMan''. Said backspace doesn't save him.
50	* In the ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'' comic "Anoraknophobia", Wallace's neighbour is the pigeon-obsessed Mr Patel. Towards the end of the comic, as Wallace is desperately trying to survive a deadly game of ping-pong against a MadScientist, the day is saved when Mr Patel's favourite pigeon catches the exploding ping-pong ball and flies off with it. When Wallace expresses concern, Mr Patel assures them that the pigeon can tell the difference between an exploding ping-pong ball and margarine.
51	-->''Distant explosion''\
52	'''Mr Patel:''' Well he can now!
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Literature]]
56	* ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath''. Regarding Bane being locked up in a SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere, Jame says she wouldn't wish such a fate on her worst enemy...then [[HypocriticalHumor names a few exceptions who have annoyed her recently]].
57	* ''Literature/ChrysalisRinoZ'': Anthony takes the chance to vent to Morrelia about the guy who nearly cut him in half, and how unfair it is for someone to be so ridiculously powerful -- until she tells him that that was her father.
58	--> '''Anthony:''' [Lovely guy. Charming even. I mean, so human. Such a warm personality and totally regular level of strength.]
59	* ''Literature/DearDumbDiaryLetsPretendThisNeverHappened'': An illustration of Jamie looking "irresistible" has an arrow pointing to her hair; on the other end is the words "gorgeous", "beautiful", and "okay" crossed out, followed by "[[TriviallyObvious some hair]]".
60	* The last line of the children's book ''I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean'' is [[spoiler:"I'm the biggest thing in this whale!"]]
61	* In ''Literature/PeterPan'', after Peter learns that Tinker Bell was responsible for tricking the Lost Boys into shooting down Wendy, he orders Tink to leave forever. Wendy encourages him to be lenient, so he changes it to a week.
62	* In ''Literature/SuperMinion'', any time human.exe gets shut down, Tofu's inner monologue will resume from a few lines back and say something different.
63	* In ''Literature/TalesFromNetheredge'', Piff has a habit of beginning to correct someone of a higher social sta-- Deciding it's not worth it in mid-sentence.
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:Podcasts]]
67	* ''Podcast/MysteryShow'' has two from the same person, during the same conversation:
68	** Some helpful career advice:
69	-->'''Jake:''' One thing I have learned: when you try to destroy your career, it only brings wonderful things. Don't ever use that advice. That's the worse piece of advice anyone has ever given.
70	** And a few minutes later:
71	--->'''Jake:''' Maybe we can all go out to dinner, and then you can measure me, and you can make sure.\
72	'''Starlee:''' [beat] Okay. I mean...\
73	'''Jake:''' Or not. Forget about it.\
74	'''Starlee:''' No, my pause was not that that was a bad idea.\
75	'''Jake:''' No, never mind. I didn't want to anyway.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
79	* ''Series/TheMuppetShow'':
80	-->'''Kermit:''' But first, meet the Vikings, those cruel, heartless Scandinavian marauders whose savage brutality earned them the reputation "worst human beings in history".\
81	''(The Swedish Chef berates Kermit and [[FryingPanOfDoom hits him over the head with a frying pan]])''\
82	'''Kermit:''' Uh, I'm sorry about that. Uh-uh, ladies and gentlemen, uh...uh, the Vikings, those gentle, quaint, fun-loving old charmers.
83	* ''Series/MuppetsTonight!'': Creator/JohnGoodman is fighting in a war with a bunch of rats:
84	-->'''John Goodman:''' Don't worry, I promise to get all of you home back in one piece.\
85	(''a rat explodes and then comes back into view with his top torso separated from his bottom torso'')\
86	'''John Goodman:''' Okay, maybe several pieces.
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Radio]]
90	* ''Radio/CabinPressure:'' At one point Arthur serves Martin what he says is a nice warm cup of coffee. Martin's reactions mean Arthur is forced to repeatedly change the description until it's eventually just down to "cup".
91	* ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'', Series 79, Episode 4:
92	-->'''Jack Dee''': Literary legend Creator/GeorgeOrwell lived in Suffolk. Born Eric Blair, the author took his celebrated surname from the local River Orwell. Imagine what kind of loser takes his surname from the name of a river.\
93	[sound of someone talking in Jack's earpiece]\
94	'''Jack''': What, really? In Scotland? As I said, what a great idea, naming yourself after a river.
95	* ''Radio/TheGoonShow'': At one point, Bloodnok demands to know what blasted idiot thought of a given idea.
96	-->'''Seagoon:''' You did, sir.\
97	'''Bloodnok:''' What a brilliant idea.
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Roleplay]]
101	* In ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'', Hyeon asserts that his squirrel can't help Benedict on account of it being the 'dumbest motherfucker' in Oldport. He then retracts his statement when he notices [[DumbMuscle Carlie]] next to him.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
105	* ''TabletopGame/{{Atmosfear}}'': Kufu, inviting the players to gamble, ''So, who are the suckers... uh, I mean, winners that are taking me on?''
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Theatre]]
109	* 'Sincerely Me' from ''Theatre/DearEvanHansen'' is basically 'Verbal Backspace: The Song'.
110	-->'''Connor:''' ♫ I gotta tell you life without you has been hard. ♫\
111	'''Jared:''' (Snarky) Hard?\
112	'''Connor:''' ♫ ...has been bad. ♫\
113	'''Jared:''' Bad?\
114	'''Connor:''' (Annoyed) ♫ ...has been rough. ♫''\
115	'''Jared:''' Kinky!
116	** Later:
117	--->'''Connor:''' ♫ If I stop smoking drugs then everything might be alright ♫\
118	'''Jared:''' "Smoking drugs"?!\
119	'''Evan:''' Just fix it!\
120	'''Connor:''' ♫ If I stop smoking crack- ♫\
121	'''Evan:''' Crack?!\
122	'''Connor:''' ♫ If I stop smoking pot then everything might be alright ♫
123	* ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'': The song "Notes" has a quick gag as the managers are increasingly baffled by a series of letters:
124	-->'''Raoul''': Isn't this the letter you wrote?\
125	'''Firmin''': And what is it that we're meant to have wrote? (''beat'') written?
126	* In ''Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung'' Hagen asks his father Alberich who will inherit the "eternal power" (''ewige Macht'') of the Ring if Hagen manages to get it back from Siegfried.
127	-->'''Alberich''': I (beat) [[BlatantLies and you]].
128	* The 2012 Royal Shakespeare Company production of ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'': Creator/CatherineTate, a redhead, played Beatrice, so when Benedick (Creator/DavidTennant) described his ideal wife, he declared, "And her hair shall be re...whatever color it please God!"
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
132	* ''VisualNovel/MuvLuv'': When Takeru calls Sumika a slug, combined with InsultToRocks:
133	-->'''Sumika:''' Gaaaaah!!! Apologize to slugs!\
134	'''Takeru:''' Gyahahahahaha!! Do you even know what you're saying!?\
135	'''Sumika:''' Shut uuup! Apologize to me too!!
136	[[/folder]]
137
138	[[folder:Web Animation]]
139	* ''WebAnimation/ButReallyReallyFast'':
140	** In "[=JoJo=]'s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders But Really Really Fast", the heroes learn that their next nine enemies are all based on the nine Egyptian gods. However, they already defeated one, and two more are completely skipped over in the adaptation, so we get the following exchange:
141	--->'''Jotaro:''' Hey so we need to defeat 9 Egyptian gods.\
142	'''Joseph:''' So you mean we have to defeat 8 Egyptian gods?\
143	'''Jotaro:''' Yes, we need to defeat 6 Egyptian gods.
144	** In "[=JoJo=]'s Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind But Really Really Fast":
145	--->'''Florist:''' Bucciarati!! Please exact revenge on my daughter's murderer!\
146	'''Bucciarati:''' We're not assassins.\
147	(''The florist dumps a StockMoneyBag in front of Bucciarati'')\
148	'''Bucciarati:''' ...Alright we're conditional assassins.
149	* ''WebAnimation/EpithetErased'':
150	** Giovanni is in the middle of taking well-earned praise for the taste of his [[EdibleAmmunition soup projectiles]] when he realises he's [[HarmlessVillain undermining his villain cred]] and starts blustering that they're actually "[[BreadEggsBreadedEggs lava, uh, acid, uh, lavacid]] grenades."
151	** Mera, thinking she's defeated Sylvie, calls him a weenie and says, "[[MajorInjuryUnderreaction Half of my bones are broken]] and you don't hear me complaining!" After a moment, something, presumably honesty, compels her to add, "...Much."
152	* Happens in the ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' short "Donut Unto Others", Homestar sets up his donut shop right in front of Bubs's Concession Stand. Bubs confronts Homestar about it:
153	-->'''Bubs:''' You opened up a competing donut place right across the street from me!\
154	(''Homestar looks at the empty field between the two shops'')\
155	'''Homestar:''' Street?\
156	'''Bubs:''' (''same tone'') Right across the way from me!
157	* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': In [[WebAnimation/RedVsBlueTheBloodGulchChronicles season 5]] episode "[[Recap/RedVsBlueS5E17TuckerKnowsBest Tucker Knows Best]]", when Sarge thinks the Blues are planning to attack them, he calls them "dirty backstabbers". Donut points out that the Blues are ''supposed'' to attack them, and Sarge amends that to "dirty frontstabbers".
158	* The ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' review of ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' makes a RunningGag of {{Freudian slip}}s due to the game's sexualisation:
159	-->"Get past the cock-tease presentation and the game is adequate at breast. Best."
160	[[/folder]]
161
162	[[folder:Web Original]]
163	* In one of the ''Creator/RoosterTeeth Podcast'' episodes, Jon is explaining about how, during his divorce case, he had to bring Blaine in as a character witness to prove that Jon isn't having gay sex with him (long story). As Blaine takes over, we get this wonderful snippet:
164	-->'''Blaine''': So, the night before the case, I'm in my closet--wait... (''sputtering noise'') Phrasing! (''Jon and Gus bust out laughing'')
165	* ''That Annoying Guy'' does this unintentionally while carving a pumpkin with his girlfriend.
166	-->'''Oh my God, this smells like your momma-mamma-mama mia it's a pizza-a.'''
167	* [[https://morbidlyqueerious.tumblr.com/post/189019489212/captain-americas-ass-tm-another-exclus This]] tumblr post:
168	-->'''horreurscopes:''' there is literally no logical, emotional, aesthetic, philosophical, moral, or sexy reason for the sun to be gone at 4.30 pm\
169	'''another-exclus:''' Vampires can come out earlier\
170	'''horreurscopes:''' One sexy reason
171	[[/folder]]
172
173	[[folder:Web Video]]
174	* ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'':
175	-->'''Nerd:''' Don't kill me!\
176	'''Jason:''' (''shows VideoGame/FridayThe13th cartridge'')\
177	'''Nerd:''' KILL ME!
178	* WebVideo/BennettTheSage's review of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'' sees a skit where, after a little girl in the story asks why there's fighting, Bennett as her grandpa says Bandai needs money for milk and cookies immediately after saying it was for HookersAndBlow.
179	-->'''Bennett (as the grandpa):''' Because Bandai needs that coke and whore money, dear. (gasps) Oh, I'm sorry--milk and cookies money.
180	* WebVideo/BillWurtz:
181	** ''WebVideo/HistoryOfJapan'': Describing how Russia built the South Manchuria Railway:
182	--->And Russia builds their railroad, supervised by a shit-ton of soldiers. And then, when the railroad was done, they downgraded to a ''fuck''-ton. Did I say "downgrade"? I meant "upgrade".
183	** ''WebVideo/HistoryOfTheEntireWorldIGuess'': Chandragupta after giving 500 elephants to Seleucus:
184	--->'''Chandragupta:''' Time to conquer all of India...most of India.[[note]]Because nobody conquers the Tamil Kings.[[/note]]
185	* ''WebVideo/CheckPoint'', [[http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/zyng-and-zag Zyng and Zag]]
186	-->'''Kathleen:''' (''offering Major Nelson a job at Checkpoint'') We can't technically ''pay'' you money, but we do have free soda!\
187	'''Paul:''' No we don't!\
188	'''Kathleen:''' Free water!
189	* ''WebVideo/CityNerd'': When describing typical businesses on stroads one is money laundering operations, which is quickly corrected to mattress stores.
190	* ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'':
191	** For starters:
192	--->'''Billy:''' I wanna do great things, you know? I wanna be an achiever. Like Bad Horse...\
193	'''Penny:''' "[[RedBaron The Thoroughbred of Sin?!]]"\
194	'''Billy:''' ...I meant "Gandhi".
195	** Also, from the first musical number...
196	--->'''Billy:''' Love your hair!\
197	'''Penny:''' What?!\
198	'''Billy:''' No, uh, I love the... "air". Heh.
199	* A favoured comedy technique of British Youtuber WebVideo/{{Hbomberguy}}.
200	-->'''Hbomb:''' (on pick-up artist Roosh V) He's basically writing horoscopes, only for desperate and lonely people. [beat] [[TakeThat He's basically writing horosco-]] [hard cut]
201	** There's a particularly intricate example in his "In Defence of ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII''" video, combined with jokes about his Youtube subscriptions going up and down with comedy sound effects depending on how effectively the backspaces land.
202	--->'''Hbomb:''' [count: 65,907] It's not as good as ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', but it's a little bit...a little bit better than ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI''. [count: 4] Oh, I mean, in my opinion it's a little bit better than ''Dark Souls I''. [count: 2,500] OK, it's ''about'' as good as ''Dark Souls I'' but it has some differences I prefer. [count: 12,500] Okay, it's ''not'' as good as ''Dark Souls I'', but the changes were an interesting and useful risk that's more valuable existing than not existing, and is genuinely better than getting more of ''Dark Souls I'', which we already have, and you can still just go back to and play if you want to. [count: 24,000] And I personally think I had more fun with it. [count: 4] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I think the Emerald Herald is a better waifu than Gwynevere.]] [count: "seven hundred million"]
203	* ''WebVideo/HonestTrailers'': Occurs in the trailer for ''[[Film/BlackPanther2018 Black Panther]]''.
204	-->'''Narrator:''' After taking eighteen movies to get six quality villains, cry as Marvel takes [[Film/ThorRagnarok just]] [[Film/BlackPanther2018 three]] [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar movies]] to cut it back to two.\
205	''(cut to [[spoiler:[[Film/AvengersInfinityWar The Vulture disintegrating after the snap]]]])''\
206	'''Narrator:''' Maybe one.
207	* ''WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun'', [[http://loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/305/Bandwidth-Exceeded Bandwidth Exceeded.]]
208	* ''WebVideo/MothersBasement'', In "I Miss English Anime Openings":
209	--> "I bet you didn't even remember ''Anime/MonColleKnights'' existed until just now, and I blame that 30 seconds of farting tubas, because the show was awes-... goo-... okay, look, ''I'' liked it."
210	* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick'':
211	** Their ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' review:
212	--->"I think everyone remembers their first [[FreudianSlip boner]]... ''Bowie''."
213	** Later used in her ''Film/YouveGotMail'' review when trying to explain the plot of the movie:
214	--->''You've Got Mail is a two-hour AOL commercial -- I mean, You've Got Mail is the only title more dated than Film/ShesAllThat - I mean...''
215	* ''WebVideo/OutsideXbox'':
216	** [[TokenEvilTeammate Jane]] isn't impressed by the masks in ''VideoGame/WeHappyFew'', because she's worn creepier - ''seen'' creepier.
217	** In one of their Let's Plays of ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', Andy delivers some in-character dialogue:
218	--->'''Andy:''' You can stop protesting, I killed him, I mean someone killed him, I mean it was an accident.
219	* ''WebVideo/TFSAtTheTable'': When the cast discover that Wake's [[spoiler: long-lost brother Sheldon]] is somehow alive and meet him in the monastery at Rite, Zito narrates that he looks extremely old and a lot worse than the last time Wake saw him. Zito then reflects that Wake last saw the guy being impaled alive, and that technically he looks a lot ''better'' than the last time Wake saw him.
220	* ''WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows'':
221	** He mishears the lyrics to "I've Got Nerve" by Hannah Montana[=/=]Miley Cyrus as "I've Got [[Toys/NerfBrand Nerf]]".
222	---> "Heh, Nerf should use this in their commercials. Nerf should not use this in their commercials, I ''immediately'' take that back."
223	** Happens again in his Top 10 Best Pop Songs of 2011.
224	---> "Ah, Usher. The women want him and the men want him. Want to be him. I meant want to be him."
225	** When he is talking about the "two-ply Hefty bag" line from Train's "Drive By":
226	---> '''Todd''': This song has to be the worst commercial for Hefty bags ever!
227	--->(A commercial with jumping Hefty bags is shown.)
228	--->'''Todd''': (beat) This song has to be the second worst commercial for Hefty bags ever!
229	[[/folder]]
230
231	[[folder:Real Life]]
232	* Online, there are two additional methods to invoke this: writing the text in a strikethrough font, and writing one thing and then "backspacing" over it with control-H, written '''^H'''. (Each control-H deletes one letter^H^H^H^H^H^H^H character.) This is a reference to 1980s-era Unix systems, where misconfigured terminals would display control codes instead of invoking them. (A more obscure option is control-W, which deletes entire words ^W^W^W deleted one word in the Berkeley UNIX and in the vi text editor, and was therefore used for more succinct examples.)
233	* [[ConLang Lojban]] has actual words for this: The words "si", "sa" and "su", to be specific.
234	* In the US Armed Forces' basic training programs, a drill instructor will ''never'' admit to having misspoken. Instead, they'll use the phrase "As you were" to indicate that the recruit(s) should mentally rewind and forget the DI's mistake. Alternatively, the British Army would have the officer saying "Carry on, Sergeant" whenever this situation occurred, which is probably where the [[Film/CarryOnSergeant popular army-based comedy film name]] came from. From the Navy, we get the expressions "Belay that" or "Belay my last", a reference to belaying, or tying off a rope to stop further movement.
235	[[/folder]]
236	----
237	->Here's the [[FlippingTheBird finger]]--oops, I mean stinger.

Context Main / VerbalBackspace