->'''Nazi Captain:''' ''[to Pvt. Pike]'' Your name vill also go on ze list! What is it?\\
'''Captain Mainwaring:''' Don't tell him, Pike!
-->-- ''Series/DadsArmy''

This is when someone -- usually a villain -- grabs hold of the IdiotBall, and denies information in such a fashion that ''states exactly what is allegedly being denied''. For example, Alice has defeated Bob, TheDragon, whose boss has kidnapped Carol. Alice demands to know where Carol is, but Bob just smirks at her and says, "Ha! I'll never tell you that she's in the warehouse in Somewhere City!"

A sort of AccidentalPublicConfession, with a little SuspiciouslySpecificDenial thrown in for good measure. If the person is doing this ''deliberately'', it's CouldSayItBut. Or it could be that the villain has a gun in his face and he's a coward. If the person saying this is not a ''complete'' moron, he may follow it with "DidIJustSayThatOutLoud" Also related to YouJustToldMe. TruthSerums in fiction have been known to cause this. Compare CannotKeepASecret and LooseLips. sub trope of SayingTooMuch
----
!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/OnePiece''
** A heroic example when Vivi says it would be best if the Straw Hat Pirates don't know that the one trying to ruin Alabasta Kingdom is Crocodile.
** A running gag with Sentomaru, who claims to have the world's tightest mouth, yet will immediately tell anyone whatever they want to know, even if they're not actually addressing him. He immediately adds that he's doing it just because he wants to, not because they asked.
** Before him came Fukurou from [[NebulousEvilOrganization CP9]], who spills vital information at the first opportunity for absolutely no reason and does it so much that he was fitted with a zipper over his mouth... which he unzips before spilling vital information.
** A character in the Punk Hazard arc claims to know nothing about two enemies coming their way... then recites a long list of personal facts up to and including their ages (25).
* ''Anime/RurouniKenshin'':
-->'''Shishio's guard:''' Who are you?!\\
'''Misao:''' Makimachi Misao gives her name to no villain!\\
'''Guard:''' ... You just did.\\
'''Misao:''' '''AGH!'''
* In an episode early in the second season of ''Manga/KeroroGunsou'', Keroro leaves a robotic copy of himself to head the invasion so he can go to the amusment park and see the Java Risers live show. After discovering the robot, Giroro presses Tamama to tell him where Keroro went. Tamama replies by saying that he'll never tell them that Keroro's at the amusment park. Later in the episode, Tamama finds a candy house and assumes it's a gift from Keroro for keeping his secret. This adds on to an already-established gag of Tamama not being able to keep secrets.
* ''Anime/MegaManNTWarrior'' manga:
-->'''Torakichi Arakoma:''' I'm sworn to never reveal that I'm here to defend th' world from impendin' doom!! I may be lost, starvin', without a single zenny t' my name, but wild horses couldn't whip that outta me!!\\
'''Lan and Maylu:''' ''(SweatDrop and FaceFault)''
* ''Manga/BunnyDrop''
-->Rin, the girl in Daikichi's care, abruptly starts dancing and singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.\\
'''Daikichi Kawachi:''' Rin, what are you doing? \\
'''Rin Kaga:''' It's a secret, so I can't tell anyone at home about Parents' Day!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* The very first appearance of Mr. Mxyzptlk in the comic book ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' is a textbook example of this trope, when the imp declares, "Ha! You thought you could trick me into telling you that the magic word is 'Kltpzyxm'!"(poof). Also played with in the animated series:
-->'''Mxyzptlk:''' You make me say, spell, or otherwise reveal my name backwards and I'll split until our dimensions come into alignment again in about, oh, three months, give or take.\\
'''Superman:''' I can't even say your name ''forwards''. How am I supposed to say it backwards?\\
'''Mxyzptlk:''' ''No'', dope! You don't have to say it backwards! You've got to get ''me'' to say it!\\
'''Superman:''' Say what?\\
'''Mxyzptlk:''' '''''KLTPZYXM!''''' ''Gosh'', you're thick! Now, for the last time... ''(realizes)'' ahh nuts! ''(disappears)''\\
''(ninety days later)''\\
'''Mxyzptlk:''' ''(reappearing in the bathroom mirror)'' Hi guy! Your three months are up, and ''this'' time, you're not gonna cheat me out of my fun!\\
'''Superman:''' Oh, it's you again, Mr. Kltpzyxm.\\
'''Mxyzptlk:''' ''Not'' "Kltpzyxm"! Mxyztplk! Now the first thing I'm gonna do... ahh nuts! ''(poof!)''
:: ...and so on and so on... Eventually reached the [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome height of awesome]] when Mxyztplk showed up, screwed up, and poofed ''without Superman saying a word''. All he does is smile... and continue drinking his coffee.
* Done by the title GentlemanThief in DonRosa's [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Scrooge McDuck-story]] ''The Black Knight Glorps Again'', not out of stupidity, but sheer ballsiness. In his civilian persona of [[UpperClassWit playboy millionaire]] [[{{Expy}} Arpin Lusene]] he gives the following statement to the press:
-->'''Lusene:''' Zat would be ze greatest crime in histoire, non? But... Ah 'ave no idea what ze Black Knight plans to do... tomorrow morning at 10AM! Here! Pass zese out!\\
''(passes a written program of the caper's details)''
* Thompson and Thomson from the ''{{Tintin}}'' series do this a lot. An example from ''Recap/TintinTheCastafioreEmerald'':
-->'''Thomson''' or '''Thompson:''' No, our lips are sealed. We can't tell you whom we suspect, but it isn't anyone in the house. Mum's the word, you know.\\
'''Thompson''' or '''Thomson:''' Yes, dumb's the word, that's our motto. So we're not allowed to tell you about the gypsies, though we suspected them from the start...
* In one story of ''MonicasGang'', Smudge (Cascão) had his right arm in a cast and Jimmy Five (Cebolinha) wrote on it that Monica was short, fat and buck-toothed. Upon reading it, she became furious but realized it wasn't Smudge who wrote it. When she asked who was, he told her she'd never make him tell it was Jimmy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* ''ComicStrip/BrewsterRockitSpaceGuy'' Brewster Rockit does this once when he decides to narrate his life out loud.
* Calvin in ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' writes Susie a [[CutAndPasteNote cut-and-paste ransom note]] for her doll, which reads:
-->''If you want to see your doll again, leave 100 dollars in this envelope by the tree out front. Do not call the police. You cannot trace us. You cannot find us. Sincerely, Calvin.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/HarryPotter'': The movie version of Hagrid. "I shouldn't'a told ya that..."
* Gretchen [[CouldSayItBut pretends to do this]] throughout ''Film/MeanGirls'' as a way of spreading gossip. ("Maybe she feels weird around me because I'm the only one who knows about her nose job.... Oh my god. Pretend you didn't hear that.") Later the tables get turned when [[TheDitz Karen]] does it sincerely in her apology during the trust exercise:
-->"Gretchen. I'm sorry I laughed at you that time you got diarrhea at Barnes and Noble. And I'm sorry I told everyone about it. And I'm sorry for repeating it now."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'''s Hagrid in the book version too, just without the catchphrase. For example, the heroes that are looking for info on the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, and Hagrid tells them that they should give up and the only people who need to worry about the Stone are Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel... when they didn't know about Flamel yet. In Hagrid's defense he had downed a few pints earlier...
* In a variant, the Death of ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' once tricked a swan into singing its "swan song", a necessary prerequisite before it could die, using this trope:
-->'''Swan:''' Thought you'd got me there, didn't you. Thought you'd tricked me, eh? Thought I might unthinkingly give you a couple of bars of the Pedlar's song from ''Lohenshaak'', eh?\\
'''Death:''' [[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: I don't know that one. ]]
\\
'''Swan:''' That's the one that goes ''"Schneide meinen eigenen Hals--"''\\
'''Death:''' [[/folder]]

[[folder: Thank ''you''. ]]
\\
'''Swan's ghost:''' Bugger!
* In Creator/StephenKing's ''PetSematary'', when Louis buys Rachel a sapphire necklace for Christmas:
-->'''Rachel:''' Louis, we can't afford... you can't afford...\\
'''Louis:''' I socked some money away off and on since last Christmas... and it wasn't as much as you might think.\\
'''Rachel:''' How much was it?\\
'''Louis:''' I'll never tell you that, Rachel. An army of Chinese torturers couldn't get it out of me. Two thousand dollars.
* Charles Hamilton, writing under the pseudonym Frank Richards, made his William George (Billy) Bunter character practically live this trope. If questioned about something wrong which he had done, Bunter would almost always reveal his indisputable guilt while trying to deny it.
* In the ''[[{{Literature/TheSagaOfTheVolsungs}} Fáfnismál]]'', when Sigurth has hit the dragon Fafnir and both know Fafnir will die, the dragon asks Sigurd who he is. Sigurth knows that telling a dying person your name is stupid, since they have a special nasty curse power.
--> '''Sigurth:''' "My name is Badass, I have no mother and no father either."
--> '''Fafnir:''' "How were you fathered without a father?"
--> '''Sigurth:''' ''"My race, methinks, is unknown to thee, And so am I myself; [[TooDumbToLive Sigurth my name, and Sigmund's son, Who smote thee thus with the sword."]]''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* A ''MadTV'' sketch has the following exchange:
-->"I'm not going to tell you my name. Because when you tell someone your name, you give them power over you. Like if you said, 'Ron,' I'd say 'What?' And no-one's going to have that kind of power over Ron Shaffer!"
* ''{{Blackadder}}''
** ''Blackadder I'': The queen insists she can keep the secret of Prince Edmund oversleeping and missing the battle altogether:
---> '''Queen:''' Do I tell people that your brother is afraid of spoons? Or that your father has [[CompensatingForSomething very small private parts]]?
** ''Blackadder Goes Forth'': Baldrick and George, [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial denying that Captain Blackadder shot the pigeon.]] [[TheNeidermeyer General Melchett's]] [[OhCrap pigeon.]]
** And in ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'' Prince Albert does this repeatedly, when not telling Queen Victoria about his surprise presents.
* ''TwoPintsOfLagerAndAPacketOfCrisps'': Louise attempts to avoid giving any indication that [[spoiler:Gaz]] is Corinthian's father. She eventually encounters Gaz and says she's not going to tell him [[spoiler:he himself]] is the father.
* In the functional finale of ''[[{{Beetleborgs}} Beetleborgs Metallix]]'', [[spoiler: the heroes have just managed to swipe the Astral Axe, which controls one of the two HumongousMecha of the season, Boron. The one who snatched it holds the axe high, intending to summon Boron by shouting his name...nothing happens. The villains laugh at him, one of them snorting derisively about how he forgot to say "Arise," after which of course the hero repeats the incantation, giving them the key to defeating the bad guys' plot.]]
* ''Series/DadsArmy'', regarding Pike's name:
-->"Don't tell him, Pike!"
* A particularly clunky example occurs in a second-season episode of ''Series/LieToMe'': a guy suspected of killing a woman named Connie claims to not know her husband, Eric. When asked if he'd ever been to Connie's house, the suspect immediately replies, "No, I've never been to ''Eric's wife's'' house." As an inadvertent slip, it seems oddly deliberate.
* The Daleks and Cybermen have a variation in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Doomsday".
-->'''Cyberman''': [[/folder]]

[[folder: You will identify! ]]
\\
'''Dalek''': [[/folder]]

[[folder: Daleks do not obey orders! ]]
\\
'''Cyberman''': [[/folder]]

[[folder: You... have identified as Daleks. ]]

* A variation in the second ''Series/DoctorWho'' Series 5 DVD "Meanwhile in the TARDIS" short.
-->'''Amy:''' This big old machine must have some kind of visual records [of the Doctor's previous companions].
-->'''Doctor:''' [quietly] Oh, God. [louder] I mean, no - and anyway they're voice-locked.
-->'''Amy:''' [laughs] Oh, voice-locked. So I'd just have to say "Show me all visual records of previous TARDIS inhabitants"?
-->'''Doctor:''' No, nonono, I mean voice-locked. '''I''' would have to say, "Show me all visual records of previous TARDIS inhabitants."
-->'''Amy:''' Awww. Thank you.
-->'''Doctor:''' No, no! No! No!
* In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Doctor Bashir's father comes into the public medical facility and proceeds to say to what he thinks is his son, "Don't worry, I'll never tell anyone " Slightly more of an AccidentalPublicConfession, but wins extra idiot points for pretty much explicitly I'll Never Say What I'm Saying Right Now.
-->'''Amsha:''' What he's trying to say is, we would never do anything to jeopardise your career.\\
'''Richard:''' And just so there's no misunderstanding, I give you my word that at no time in our interview with Doctor Zimmerman will we ever mention or even hint at the fact that you were genetically enhanced as a child.\\
'''Amsha:''' Jules, you can trust us. Your father and I have kept the secret of your DNA resequencing for almost twenty-five years and we're not going to let it out now.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': Sheldon Cooper is absolutely unable to keep secrets.
-->'''Penny:''' ''(inside a restaurant)'' Look, why is it so hard for you to keep one little secret?\\
'''Sheldon:''' I'm constitutionally incapable. That's why I was refused clearance for a very prestigious government research fellowship at a secret military super-collider, located beneath a fake agricultural station 12.5 miles south-east of Traverse City, Michigan.\\
'''Penny:''' ''(JawDrop)''\\
'''Sheldon:''' Which you did not hear about from me.
* ''TopGear'' parodies this. Very often they'll take their cars (supercars or [[TheAllegedCar otherwise]]) to a manufacturer's "top-secret road-testing facility" while the camera pans over the facility's address. That is, if Jeremy doesn't outright ''say'' the address himself, pausing to let the audience take notes.
* From ''{{Eureka}}'':
-->'''Sheriff Carter:''' So... what? You're taking credit, but you had help? I'm guessing from somebody who'd want to hurt the new sheriff?\\
'''Dr. Fielding:''' No! ... Marguerite would never harm anyone!
* From ''Series/{{Glee}}'', when Brittany is asking Will embarrassing questions.
-->'''Will:''' Brittany, who told you to ask these?!\\
'''Brittany:''' Miss Sylvester says I'm not at liberty to say.
* The 1950s show ''House Party'' (redone by BillCosby as ''Kids Say the Darndest Things'') was hosted by Art Linkletter, who'd interview children in hopes they'd say something amusing; one of his favorite tricks was to ask "What did your mother tell you not to say today?"
* ''TheFastShow'' featured the character of Janine, a DumbBlonde teenage single mother, who refuses to disclose the identity of her baby's father because "it's not fair to [[TeacherStudentRomance grass on your headmaster]]."
* An episode of BurnNotice, Michael is tracking down a sniper, but his personnel file only has his initials, "T. G.". So they go to his boss trying to hire someone who fits his exact description, in the hopes of determining who the guy is. His boss responds that he knows exactly what they're up to: "Did you think I wouldn't figure out you're looking for Tyler Grey?"
* The episode of ''FamilyMatters'' "Life of the Party" has this exchange:
-->'''Laura''': Waldo, what's with Steve, he's acting weird, even for him!
-->'''Waldo''': Willie told me not to tell.
-->'''Laura''': Tell what?
-->'''Waldo''': That he spiked Urkel's punch.
* PlayedForLaughs towards the beginning of ''Series/TheNanny'' episode "Maggie the Model" between Fran Fine and Niles as they discuss supermodel Chloe Simpson, Maxwell Sheffield's old flame.
-->'''Fran:''' Niles, I'm sensing some hostility here. (''nudges him'') Now, dish!
-->'''Niles:''' Divulge the details of their torrid love affair, which ended with Mr. Sheffield's heart, still beating, being torn from his chest? No, I couldn't!
-->'''Fran:''' Oh yeah, you know, it's best left unsaid. Now, don't tell me more!
-->'''Niles:''' Mmm, not-not if you tortured me would I reveal the way he kept going back to her for more like a moth to a flame. An incredibly stupid moth.
* Happens on ''Series/iCarly'' where Sam tells Carly she kissed Freddie, and then says "[[MakesSenseInContext sshhh, don't tell Carly...]]"
** However, this is because she was on laughing gas at the time and wasn't aware of what she was saying.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* ''CyranoDeBergerac'': Amazingly PlayedForDrama at Act V Scene V, where [[MasterOfDelusion Roxane]], after fourteen years, at last realizes that Cyrano was PlayingCyrano (the whole point of the play is that Cyrano is not capable of [[BeYourself admit her own feelings]]):
--> '''Cyrano:''' I loved you not.\\
'''Roxane:''' You loved me not?\\
'''Cyrano:''' [[LovesMyAlterEgo 'Twas he!]]\\
'''Roxane:''' You loved me!\\
'''Cyrano:''' No!\\
'''Roxane:''' See! how you falter now!\\
'''Cyrano:''' No, my sweet love, I never loved you!
* Launce, of ''Theatre/TwoGentlemenOfVerona'', does this in monologue to the ''audience:''
-->''He lives not now that knows me to be in love; yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who 'tis I love; and yet 'tis a woman; but what woman, I will not tell myself; and yet 'tis a milkmaid.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* A variant of this is an obvious and yet surprisingly common for newbie Game Masters. {{GURPS}} gives this piece of sage advice: "It defeats the purpose (of a search roll) to say 'You don't find the gun under his jacket.'" Granted, most people are smart enough to at least downplay it to "You don't find what he's hiding" or giving other accidental cues that something is there to be found, but still.
* Related to this, DungeonsAndDragons game masters are often given advice on how to avert this; be as evasive as possible. "You don't find anything." "So there's no traps, then?" [[ParanoiaFuel "I never said that..."]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''StreetFighter Alpha 3'', this is how Birdie reveals Shadoloo's headquarters to Chun Li.
* Invoked in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', when Harley Quinn says, regarding the Joker's location: "You'll never find him! He's in a [[spoiler: secret lab in the gardens]] and... aw, ''[[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud crap]]''!" Of course, [[CrazyPrepared Bats already knew]], so this just served as another item on the HumiliationConga she was currently going through.
** In a CallBack, Harley does this once again in the second game by not telling Batman about the Freeze Tech in the boiler room, and ''[[RunningGag again]]'' in the "Harley Quinn's Revenge" DLC by [[spoiler:not telling Robin about the secret room she and many of her mooks are hiding in.]]
* ''Videogame/FinalFantasyVII'' plays with this trope a bit, if this is the right trope; Elena doesn't exactly tell you what she's denying, but she does continue to tell you the enemy's plans verbatim after being told explicitly that she talks too much...for telling you the enemy's plans verbatim.
* ''SonicTheHedgehog''
** Deliberately [[InvokedTrope invoked]] in ''SonicBattle'', where Eggman states, very loudly, "They'll never find me in Gimme Shelter!" However, Eggman was actually trying to ''trick'' Knuckles and Emerl to "follow" him to Gimme Shelter.
** Also happens in ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush Adventure]]''; apparently, Captain Whisker is ''that'' dumb.
** ''[[RuleofThree Also]]'' happens in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' when Eggman finally has Sonic and Tails where he wants them, and just needs the real [[MacGuffin Chaos Emerald]] to complete his scheme. Sonic sees through it. Tails... not so much.
-->'''Eggman:''' Did you really think you could trick me with that fake Emerald?\\
'''Tails:''' So... how did you know it wasn't the real one?\\
'''Sonic:''' Tails!\\
'''Eggman:''' Because YouJustToldMe, Fox Boy!
::: To Eggman's credit, he did know there was ''a'' fake Emerald, due to him having 6 and there being 2 more aboard the ARK (and there are only seven Emeralds).
* In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', Professor Frankley says "I don't think we can trust this [[SealedEvilInACan box]]. We'd better not tell it we're looking for the [[PlotCoupon Crystal Stars]]."
* In ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', Luigi announces that he'll never give his name to scoundrels like Count Bleck. Which he then immediately follows with "Now taste the wrath of Luigi!"
* In ''EndlessFrontier'', CuteWitch Kyon does this. A lot. Usually followed by "Oops. Now I have to kill you."
-->'''[[ThirdPersonPerson Kyon]]:''' Sorry! Kyon's on a secret mission right now. I can't tell you my name.\\
'''[[DeadpanSnarker Aschen]]:''' ... So, Kyon, what were you doing in a place like this?\\
'''Kyon''': Wha--!? D-Did you read my mind!? Are you a psychic robot!?\\
'''Aschen:''' Yes.
* In ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', there are two girls on Windfall Island who embody this trope. They "won't" tell you anything, not even for two Rupees!
** And in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'', a Goron tells you that, since you're an outsider, he shouldn't tell you that the Elder's home is right over there, in this spot on your map! (Of course, the home is a big and obvious cave anyway.)
* ''[[ShadowHearts Shadow Hearts: Covenant]]''
** When Yuri and company reach Roger Bacon's house, Lenny appears to tell taunt them by saying Roger's been kidnapped. Yuri tricks Lenny into blabbing by claiming Lenny doesn't know where he's been taken, annoying him to the point where he vehemently tells them Roger's in Florence, Italy just to prove he does know. [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud He then slumps to the ground, mouth agape, and sobs at what an idiot he's been.]]
** Yuri tries the exact same trick on Veronica later on when trying to figure out where their leader, Nicolai, went. She pretends to fall for it before responding with "That's right. I don't know. What kind of idiot would fall for that stupid trick?!", making Lenny feel like a complete jackass in the process.
* Commonly done by the villains in the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games.
* During the tutorial in ''CityOfVillains'', [[LeeroyJenkins Operative Jenkins]] tells the Longbow agents that have him pinned, "I'm a trained Arachnos soldier, you won't get me to spill the name of that easy!"
* In ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'', Alec confronts Lucas regarding Claus's whereabouts (this is before Lucas becomes a HeroicMime). He says:
-->'''Alec:''' Don't tell me Claus went after that detestable Drago to try to...\\
'''Lucas:''' Okay. I won't. I also won't tell you he grabed Dad's knife and ran off into the mountains to try and kill the Drago.\\
'''Alec:''' [[LampshadeHanging It's a good thing you raised him to be honest, Flint.]]
* The punchline when you interrogate (or [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment "interrogate"]]) the quillboar prisoner in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''.
* In ''[[StarControl Star Control II]]'', this exchange between the PC Captain and the Thraddash:
-->'''PC Captain:''' Why didn't you fight against the Alliance, and where ARE the Ur-Quan?\\
'''Thraddash:''' Where did they go, you ask? This is a secret, of course! We can't tell you! If we told you that they were fighting a secret war against a mysterious invader you might find some way to use that information against our masters. So forget it! No secrets!\\

* When Volgin tortures Snake in MetalGearSolid3 he insists that Snake is after "the legacy." Snake actually doesn't know what he is talking about, so Volgin brags of what it is and where he's hidden it. Cue TheMole, currently in the room with them, going to steal it for themselves.
* Nintendo games seem to do this a lot. In The Legendary Starfy, when Snips, Ronk, and Papes break into Pufftop Castle looking to kidnap Bunston, Starly very cleverly tells them, "I'll never tell you that he (Bunston) is safe with my brother in Sogwood Forest!"

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue: Recreation'' has Sarge pulling several in a row early in the series, when trying to warn Donut, "captured" by Caboose, not to tell him about their new vehicle or hologram chamber. Of course, since this is [[TheDitz Caboose]] we're dealing with, nothing comes of it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''
** [[DumbMuscle Thog]] has a slight variation -- he [[EvilGloating gloats]] along with Nale about how the heroes will ''never'' be able to turn a petrified Celia back to normal... so long as they don't have the scroll Nale is carrying.
** In the {{Prequel}} ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'', Elan has an exceptionally long and detailed instance:
-->'''Elan:''' Sir, I'm not about to tell an innkeep I just met about the priceless antique shield Sir Francois carries, or the pouch of rare gems he keeps hidden in his saddlebags, of his purse filled with platinum pieces that he hides in his left boot when he sleeps.
** Which is then Lampshaded in the next panel as the innkeeper is seen scribbling down notes.
-->'''Innkeeper:''' left... boot..
-->'''Elan:''' Platinum has an "i" in it.
* Yori almost [[http://noneedforbushido.com/2002/comic/55/ gets himself killed]] doing this early on in ''NoNeedForBushido''.
* DarthsAndDroids: Jim (as Captain Antilles) does this while talking to Darth Vader.
-->'''Jim:''' I'll never tell you how we stole the the plans! Or if we did steal them. Which I'm not saying.
* IllNeverTellYouWhatImTellingYou: Umesh.
-->'''Desmond:''' How come you and Fang aren't fighting anymore?\\
'''Umesh:''' What? No! [[SlapSlapKiss I've never even ''had'' sex]]! ''How dare you sir!''
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original]]
* In WebVideo/SuburbanKnights the [[spoiler: WebVideo/AskThatGuyWithTheGlasses]][[note]]not to be confused with WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic[[/note]] helped Team B [[spoiler:find the location of Malachite's Hand]] while specifically claiming he was keeping it a secret.
[[/folder]]


[[folder:Western Animation]]
* From an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
-->'''Pieman:''' No trap can hold Homer Simpson! Uh, but I'm not Homer Simpson... I'm the Pieman! Homer Simpson away! I mean, the Pieman.
** On the advice of our lawyers, we swear we have never heard of a musical based on the life of Eva Perón.
** There's a much more extended example: "Oh, I'm sorry. I can't divulge information about that customer's secret illegal account. ''(hangs up the phone)'' Oh, crap. I shouldn't have said he was a customer. Oh, crap. I shouldn't have said it was a secret. Oh, crap! I certainly shouldn't have said it was illegal. Ah, it's too hot today."
* In ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'':
-->'''Zim:''' I'm infecting this city with genetically enhanced vermin, but you'll never know.\\
'''Dib:''' You just told me.\\
'''Zim:''' YOU'RE LYING!!!
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants''
** Done in TheMovie:
-->'''Dennis:''' Plankton was very specific.\\
'''Spongebob:''' Plankton?\\
'''Dennis:''' For some reason, he wanted me to step on you.\\
'''Patrick:''' Step on us?\\
'''Dennis:''' Yeah, that way you'll never find out he stole the crown!\\
''({{beat}})''\\
'''Dennis:''' Perhaps I've said too much...
** There also a variation with Mr. Krabs.
-->'''Mr. Krabs:''' Well, you can't. That door will only open if I say "Open"! ''(cue FacePalm)''
* Seen in an episode of ''ComicBook/LukcyLuke'', unsurprisingly by [[TooDumbToLive Averell]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', Robotnic captured Tails and used him as a bargaining chip to convince Sonic to deliberately lose a race, which will have every member of a sheep race put into slavery. It works until Sonic demands Grounder (his opponent) to reveal where Tails is. Grounder responds, "You'll never find him under the arena."
* The classic in this genre: ''WesternAnimation/PrivateSnafu - Spies'', from a series of WWII training films. "Private Snafu has a military secret which he tells us he will never tell." Directed by Creator/ChuckJones, written by Creator/DrSeuss.
* This was done in a ''WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird'' cartoon. Sylvester has immobilized the dogs in a dog pound, and Tweety wants to know how to break the spell. Sylvester's reply: "You expect me to tell you that the only way to wake them up is with a police whistle?"
* In one ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' episode, Penfold is hypnotized into going with Danger Mouse in a roller coaster ride and not telling anyone it was a trap. While in trance, he constantly mentioned in front of Danger Mouse he'd never tell anyone it was a trap. Because of how much the show follows the RuleOfFunny, Danger Mouse didn't suspect a thing until Penfold broke free from the trance and "told" him it was a trap.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', Goofy tells a group of criminals, "I'll tell you where I live, but I'll never tell you where ''my next door neighbor'' Pete lives".
* It happened to Slushhead at least once in ''[[WesternAnimation/{{He-ManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse}} The New Adventures of He-Man]]''. During a peace meeting with the Galactic Guardians, he slips the fact that the meeting is just a diversion while Skeletor and Flogg attack Primus.
* In ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', Soos promises to an enraged Gideon, "You'll never find Stan on the second door to the left down the hall! Uh, wait, why did I say that?"
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