[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unclesam.jpg]]
[-[[caption-width-right:300:[[MundaneMadeAwesome Because the best way to convince people to go along with your cause is]] [[GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger to point at them]]. And put on a DeathGlare. And, you know, ask them to.]]-]

The famous UsefulNotes/WorldWarI-era poster of the AnthropomorphicPersonification of [[{{Eagleland}} the United States of America]] imploring young men to enlist in the military by GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger. Usually depicted as an [[CoolOldGuy old guy]] with [[ManlyFacialHair a beard]], a [[HatOfAuthority top hat]] and [[BadassInANiceSuit a suit]] decorated with the Stars and Stripes. The famous American poster, created by J.M. Flagg (no kidding) in 1917, is actually based on a British poster from several years earlier, featuring Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener and the famous legend "Your Country Needs YOU".

It is yet another common ArtImitatesArt situation, the most popular {{subversion}} of which is to use the pose as an anti-war protest instead. Other parodies substitute Uncle Sam entirely with some other character wanting you to do whatever ''they'' want, whether it is to join some other war effort, to go about with some form of community service, or simply "''[[SophisticatedAsHell to shut up]]''".

Compare SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou.
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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* In the 80s, ''ampm'' convenience stores had an advertising campaign of animated commercials that ended with him pointing and saying, "You want it, we got it!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Literature/YakitoriSoldiersOfMisfortune'': A VichyEarth recruits humans from deprived backgrounds as RedshirtArmy mercenaries for the Trade Federation. At one point there's a recruitment poster of an alien dressed as Uncle Sam doing this trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica: Reborn'', when Cap is trapped in [[spoiler:his own mind after Red Skull [[GrandTheftMe stole his body]]]], he sees a variant of this poster with ComicBook/RedSkull saying ''Red Skull wants you to DIE!''
* Somewhere out there, there's a cover with ComicBook/TheJoker running for president in this format, with the caption ''Vote for me or I'll kill you!''
* [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed Obligatory]] ComicBook/{{Buffy|the Vampire Slayer}} example: one of the comics has [[http://images.darkhorse.com/covers/300/14/14836b.jpg this.]]
* Creator/DCComics has a superhero named "Uncle Sam", the living spirit of America, who has the exact same appearance as the recruitment poster character. He sometimes engages in this, [[JustifiedTrope justifiably]]. For instance, in ComicBook/TheMultiversity:
--> ''We want YOU! To pay for your crimes!''
* A Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} limited series by Steve Darnall and Creator/AlexRoss portrays Sam as a [[CrazyHomelessPeople Crazy Homeless Person]] kicked out of his usual place by [[EvilMeScaresMe a corrupt shadow-self]], and dealing with the many wrongs the United States has done throughout its history.
* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'' Issue #1's [[http://thirdeyecomics.tumblr.com/post/32407168914/third-eye-sneak-peek-attn-bronies-this-ones-for Third Eye Comics variant cover]], featuring Spitfire and Soarin'.
* In the IDW ''Comicbook/{{Ghostbusters}}'' comic, there's a skeleton Uncle Sam that specifically says he wants Zeddemore... dead.
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'': In "Let Freedom Ring", General Mendenhall wants the Freedom Fighters to help him bring down the Justice League and the scene does look like the Uncle Sam poster.
* ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'': A Comic Book cover has Rocky and Bullwinkle in a poster saying "We Want You to Defend the Moon".
* ''ComicBook/TheBeano'': A common RunningGag in Bash Street Kids stories by Kev F. Sutherland was Teacher having similar posters spread around the school or even the town, except these ones had a picture of Teacher himself, and the message was “I hate you!”.
* The cover for the 80th issue of the ''ComicBook/{{Futurama}}'' comic book depicts Bender dressed as Uncle Sam and pointing at the reader, accompanied by a caption stating that Bender wants the reader to buy the comic.
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[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''VideoGame/SincereDeceit'': A poster in the Industry District has a poster of [[RebelLeader Vanni]] in this pose and text saying “I want YOU to join the Revolution”.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Film/AcrossTheUniverse2007'', when Max goes in for his Army medical exam, the Beatles song "I Want You" is used, and he hallucinates the poster coming to life, trying to grab him.
* From the ''Film/ReeferMadnessTheMusical'' song "Tell 'Em the Truth": "Let every sir and ma'am / Obey their Uncle Sam / That famous finger's set to point / I want you to drop that joint!"
* Right on the cover of ''Film/UncleSam'': "I want you... DEAD!"
* In ''Film/{{Rocky}}'', before the final fight, as part of his all-American act, Apollo Creed is dressed like this and points to the people in the ring and the audience shouting "I want you".
* During the USO montage in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', one of the posters encouraging Americans to buy war bonds features Cap replacing Uncle Sam on the iconic poster. The Uncle Sam poster itself appears during the [[CreativeClosingCredits end credits]].
* In ''Film/{{Daybreakers}}'', posters featuring an Uncle Sam with fangs implores citizens to "Capture Humans."
* [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/StripesMoviePoster_8363.jpg The poster]] for ''Film/{{Stripes}}'' was a parody of this, with Creator/BillMurray pointing and giving a come-hither, "hey baby" look.
* [[https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Oi7znUvCTT-_vYXTGmSCAPvxirg=/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6510345/PG3_UncleSam1Sht_0518_1SM.0.jpg This poster]] for ''Film/ThePurgeElectionYear'' has a gun-toting MalevolentMaskedMen in an Uncle Sam attire looking at the viewer.
* ''WesternAnimation/TadTheLostExplorer'': Parodied. During Tad's [[AMinorKidroduction minor kidroduction]], it's revealed that his bedroom has a poster with an archaeologist saying "I want you to join the archaeology club".
* ''Film/UltramanCosmosTheFirstContact'': The poster had Ultraman Cosmos pointing at the audience. A mild case of CoversAlwaysLie; while he ''did'' point his finger at the main human character Haruno Musashi in the film itself, but in the movie he's in Luna Mode (all blue) not Corona Mode (red and blue, as seen in the poster).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Naturally this is used for the cover of ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat Wants You'' (or at least the Sphere Science Fiction edition) in which our AntiHero is fighting an AlienInvasion.
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[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''FairlySecretArmy'': the main title shows the original Kitchener poster, which morphs into Truscott's face.
* On ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'' everyone (except Mr Carlin) shows up to Howard's Bicentennial Party as Uncle Sam. Including Carol.
* Referenced in ''Series/TheYoungOnes'' episode "Boring", where Kitchener from the poster comes to life, sorta, but sits like a waxwork.
* ''Series/{{Frasier}}''. Frasier is dressed as Uncle Sam in "[[Recap/FrasierS11E22CrockTales Crock Tales]]".
-->'''Frasier:''' Dad, I bought you these headphones, so that I wouldn't be subjected to your sports drivel. Please put them on.
-->'''Martin:''' All right, I will. But only if you say it.
-->''(Frasier sighs and points his finger at Martin.)''
-->'''Frasier: I WANT YOU'''... to wear those headphones!
* One cover of ''American Dream'' has titular character replacing Uncle Sam at the poster.
* An episode of ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' featured Annyong (Lucille's adopted Korean son) taking on this role for an aggressively patriotic school pageant.
--> ''Annyong:'' I do it. I play Uncle Sam. Better than the part I have now. Guy who order strike on Pearl Harbor.
* In one episode of ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', Cory and Shawn are riding the subway and they get freaked out when they notice that right behind them is a poster of their principal [[SternTeacher Mr. Feeny]] pointing at them with the text "I want you to STAY IN SCHOOL."
* The trope is also referenced in ''Series/GrowingPains'' when Ben Seaver, shortly after Mike Seaver's arrest for a protest to reinstate the coach of the school, tells the family that various relatives are calling him about the event, and believed they had a relative named "Uncle Sam" until his mom set him straight. It gets even more hilarious when one remembers that after his stint in the series, Mike's actor, Kirk Cameron, would later develop films and documentaries with a pro-American light to them.
* In ''Series/ILoveLucy'', Lucy dons a fake beard to convince Ricky to shave. One of the first things she does is point and shout "Uncle Sam wants you!"
* In ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'', Uncle Sam makes a quick visit to the Spellman house when The Other Realm has it's election time.
-->'''Uncle Sam:''' ''(to Sabrina)'' I want you to vote! ''(to Zelda)'' And I want you to stop calling me. ''(leaves)''
-->'''Sabrina:''' Was that Uncle Sam?
-->'''Zelda:''' Yes, but in The Other Realm he's called Uncle Roy. Not sure why.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Magazines]]
* The November 2012 issue of ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' had the cover model wearing an Uncle Sam themed SexyWhateverOutfit. (No, really, [[http://www.adweek.com/fishbowlny/cover-battle-businessweek-or-playboy/72121 it did]].)
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[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* A ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strip [[http://www.garfield.com/comics/vault.html?yr=1986&addr=860915 featured A sign with Binky saying "I want you. Join the circus"]] and making an UncleSam pose.
* Learning to draw him convincingly is a prerequisite for drawing political/editorial cartoons, hands down. He appears in them frequently, for obvious reasons.
* Appears now and then in ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'', including originally convincing Beetle that yes, the army does in fact want him, specifically. The strip was about college before it was {{retool}}ed to be about the ArmedFarces, and this incident was part of the transitional StoryArc. Decades later, the poster is the kind of thing Sarge will lovingly hang on his wall.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinball]]
* In ''Pinball/CactusCanyon,'' Mayor Cheetum points at the player while holding a "Cactus County Wants YOU" banner in one hand.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theme Parks]]
* On the side of the building in [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal Orlando's]] version of ''Ride/DespicableMeMinionMayhem'', there's a parody of the "I Want You" poster with a Minion on it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': At Ann's room, she has a poster of Ayane doing this posture.
* ''VideoGame/BackToTheFutureTheGame'': In Citizen Brown's city, he has poster all over his dystopia citing "YOU could be a Citizen Plus"!
* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'': Several prisoners in the Solomon Wayne Courthouse at the start of the game are seen carrying these signs done in the style of Two-Face.
* In ''VideoGame/DisneysHadesChallenge'' Zeus's Hero Application form has him pointing at the player a la Uncle Sam.
* ''VideoGame/FableIII'''s "Albion Needs YOU" posters.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' has aged posters showing a power-armored soldier helping Uncle Sam to his feet. The caption is something like "Help Out Uncle Sam".
* Frederick in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' decides to boost troop morale by hanging "Chrom Wants You" posters in all the tents. It's particularly embarrassing news for Chrom since he's ''naked'' in them.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'''s New Metro City stage has a poster of Captain America in this pose on one of the buildings.
* A ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' promotional poster for recruiting engineers to develop the next game in the franchise has Big Boss in the style of Uncle Sam. During the [[spoiler:Metal Gear EXCELSUS]] fight in the final level of ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', one of [[spoiler:Senator Armstrong]]'s taunts is "Uncle Sam wants you to die, Jack!"
* The famous poster is seen on many buildings in the D.C. level in ''VideoGame/{{Octogeddon}}'' with "We want YOU to fight Octogeddon'' as the slogan.
* Some sort of version of the iconic "I Want You" poster is seen in the first level of ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', with Coach Oleander dressed as Uncle Sam.
* There's a picture of [[ProfessionalWrestling The Great Khali]] in this pose in the ''Smackdown vs Raw 2008'' game.
* Towards the end of ''VideoGame/TimeSlip'', there's a shot of a single recruitment poster in the ruined, mostly-destroyed city declaring, "Your Planet Needs You", in the aftermath of the Tirmatian AlienInvasion. But then your mission is a success, and having eliminated the Tirmatians in the past, you [[RetGone ret-gonned]] the invasion, resulting in a WorldHealingWave that restores the city and turns the poster into a rock concert ad.
* One of ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'' various promotional posters [[http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=228271 featured Alicia, the female lead, in Uncle Sam's position.]]
* Promotional imagery for ''VideoGame/VenusBloodHollow'''s international, all-ages release [[https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/030/238/294/700476fad286430d0ba370351db836a6_original.png?ixlib=rb-4.0.2&w=680&fit=max&v=1597725386&gif-q=50&lossless=true&s=41f7c981ae29767ca9e3bc43300b908a features main protagonists Leon and Anora wanting YOU]] for their personal military unit, the "Black Arme Vapula".
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIIIReignOfChaos'' references the slogan through [[StopPokingMe poking]] the Footman.
-->"Uncle Lothar wants you!"[[note]]Anduin Lothar was the Human commander of the Alliance since the Second Great War. He was killed in an ambush at Blackrock Mountains during the last days of the War, where the Alliance defeated the Horde at that location.[[/note]]
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[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', one of the recurring characters is Uncle Sam, who occasionally gets put in this situation.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebAnimation/MadnessCombat'' has posters in some backgrounds:
-->The Sheriff wants you. Do not resist. [[spoiler:Pull his finger.]]
* The {{Animutation}} ''Gender Neutral'' features an Uncle Sam poster with the text altered to match a mondegreen: "I Want You to Be a Total Yutz".
* Referenced in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB_PVPyn6n8 the video]] for the Music/{{IOSYS}} song ''[[VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey FOE!]]''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/ElTigreTheAdventuresOfMannyRivera'', Manny takes his heroics a bit far when he takes over the school to prevent the students from committing any felony, having a enormous poster telling them "I want YOU to ''do'' good".
* In a ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' Pepe [=LePew=] cartoon, an "Uncle François Wants You" poster appears in a Foreign Legion fort.
* The opening sequence for ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' includes a parody of the poster with the eponymous character as Uncle Sam.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Neil handed Meg a note saying "I Want You". When she looked at him, he was dressed as Uncle Sam.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': When Springfield threatened to deport illegal immigrants, there was a poster with Uncle Sam saying "I want you... OUT".
* The DC Comics version of Uncle Sam shows up in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''. In the first episode he appears in, he makes the iconic pose when he tells Plastic man that he wants him to join his superhero team, the Freedom Fighters.
* During the sequence of "Adventure is a Wonderful Thing" in ''WesternAnimation/PoohsGrandAdventure'', Owl appears in a poster dressed as Uncle Sam that read "We want you."
* WesternAnimation/YogiBear's [[ChristmasSpecial All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper]] shows a mall Santa training center which includes a Santa Claus version of Uncle Sam's "I Want You" poster.
* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': The ''Justice Friends'' short "Say Uncle Sam" revealed patriotic superhero Major Glory has a literal Uncle Sam who looks just like the poster character. In a flashback, he tells the child Major Glory, "I want you, to be the greatest American hero who ever lived!" [[spoiler:When he shows up in the present, Major Glory is shocked to find Uncle Sam has become a hippie.]]
* The ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'' episode, "Braces" has a dentist office poster that has a tooth with a human body that reads "I want you to brush your teeth"; Panda thought it was kind of clever, but when he looks again the tooth in the picture is angry and it now reads, "Or Else...". Panda rubs his eyes and it turns back to normal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Other]]
* Uncle Sam is often parodied on the Internet. His lines are changed to insults like "I want you to find a girlfriend with a name that doesn't end with '.jpg'."
* Joe Pillsbury once drove it to the obvious conclusion -- the caricature depicting a poster of GrimReaper in this pose, with a scythe in the other hand. The text below was simple "[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Wants You ]]
".
* One ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' cover had a parody of the poster. Uncle Sam was given Alfred E. Neuman's face, and the caption read "Who Needs You?"
** And in another issue, [[DontExplainTheJoke in a statement about women's rights]], a back cover with a woman dressed as Uncle Sam pointing at herself, with the caption [[http://www.madcoversite.com/mad182.html "I want, too."]]
* An entry in a ''Franchise/TheMuppets'' FunTShirt contest had an image of Sam the American Eagle dressed as Uncle Sam with the classic quote from ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' "YOU are all weirdos!"
* One [[https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f3/89/17/f3891720bbc0a6f674a8a8541431280c--political-posters-political-art.jpg anti-Vietnam War poster]] played with the trope by showing a disheveled and bandaged Uncle Sam, reaching toward the viewer; the caption says "[[/folder]]

[[folder: I Want Out ]]
".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The British equivalent, [[OlderThanTheyThink predating the American version]] by at least three years, is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Kitchener_Wants_You Lord Kitchener Wants You]], with Kitchener sporting an iconic mustache.
** [[MemeticMutation Because,]] [[https://imagemacros.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/its-fucking-on-now/ it's fucking on now, chaps.]]
** Unlike the US Army's version, this image was ''not'' recycled for the ''Second'' World War, for [[HarsherInHindsight obvious reasons]][[note]]Kitchener was killed in 1916 when the ship he was travelling to Russia on was blown up by a German mine[[/note]]. In fact, anything that could even remotely be construed as a straight use of this image is discouraged rather strongly. For example, when the government floated the idea of putting the picture on the £2 coin to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, even ''[[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers The Daily Mail]]'' thought it was a terrible idea. It doesn't help that Lord Kitchener's ''other'' claim to fame is inventing the concentration camp and generally conducting the Boer War in a fashion that ThoseWackyNazis imitated with great enthusiasm a couple of decades later.
* A similar poster featured a full-length picture of Britain's very own AnthropomorphicPersonification, John Bull standing in front of soldiers, pointing at the viewer and demanding, "Who's missing? Is it YOU?"
* The Russian equivalents, meanwhile, are "Motherland Calls!" (WWII) and "Did YOU volunteer?" ([[UsefulNotes/RedOctober Russian Civil War]]) (the latter one is the most reminiscent of the Uncle Sam poster).
** There's also one Russian Civil War era poster of the White army, saying "Why are you not in the army?". It is also of this style.
* Smokey Bear copied the Uncle Sam one with, "Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires". This is occasionally parodied as "Only YOU can help me hide the body", because Smokey is holding a shovel in the poster.
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