One character gets chased by another character as they start running around a pole, a pillar, or even a statue. The chase continues around maybe three or four times, until after the fourth time, the one getting chased is nowhere to be found as the chaser is still running around in circles. Sometimes, after a while, the chaser will then stop and become confused about where the person he was chasing went to, though it can be exaggerated if the chaser is so dumb that he will still continue the chase, not realizing the the person he was chasing is not there anymore.
You can expect to see this trope show up in Comedy or Western Animation.
Related to Behind a Stick. Compare Blind Alley.
Examples:
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Films — Animation
- Seen on Fantasia during the "Dance of the Hours" segment. Ben Ali Gator is chasing Hyacinth Hippo, who hides behind a column that is far too narrow for her to hide behind. Ben runs around the column a couple of times but can't seem to find her, until she comes from behind and tramples him.
Films — Live-Action
- Ernest P. Worrel tries to pull this in Ernest Scared Stupid, but it flops when takes a moment to chuckle at his cleverness.
Live-Action TV
- Hilariously, Jeremy Clarkson actually manages to accomplish this in Top Gear's "Tank vs. Range Rover" challenge. While attempting to escape from the tank, Jeremy drives around a small grove of trees. The tank gives chase, but cannot turn corners as fast as the Range Rover. After a lap or two, Jeremy manages to drive up behind the tank, allowing him to make a break for it while the unwitting tank crew is still going for another lap.
Jeremy: Now what are you going to do? 'Cause I can out-turn you, sunshine.
Crew Member: [upon realizing what's happening] He's going round in circles, the little [BLEEP]!
Western Animation
- Shows up countless times in nearly every incarnation of Scooby-Doo.
- The Gummi Bears episode, "A Gummi a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" has a scene where Gruffi and Tummi get chased by ogres while saving a kindly doctor from Duke Igthorn. The chase scene then leads to the two Gummis and the ogres running around the top part of the castle, until only the ogres are seen running around.
- Shows up in the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "A Bird in the Hoof". Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy are chasing Princess Celestia's pet bird Philomena around a tree, and then she jumps up into the tree leaving the two ponies chasing nothing for a few amusing seconds.
- The Disney cartoon "Alpine Climbers" has Donald Duck chasing a baby goat around a rock, only for the goat to step right out and watch Donald go in circles. After the cartoon goes to somewhere else, it cuts back to Donald still going in circles, only by then, he's created a circular trench around the rock.
- The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Never Koop a Koopa" ends with Bowser chasing Cheatsy around his throne for double crossing him. Just before The End screen comes down Cheatsy seems to vanish after running behind it.
- Woody Woodpecker: In one short, Buzz Buzzard wants to kill Woody to collect ten thousand dollars from Woody's life insurance. There's a moment where they run in circle and Woody steps out of the way. Once Buzz notices this, they resume the chase until Buzz steps out of the circle and catches Woody.
- At the end of the Spongebob Squarepants episode "Friend or Foe" just as Plankton and Mr. Krabs finish their backstory, begin to make up and apologize, until Plankton takes the formula from his pocket. Spongebob yells that it's a sabotage as he and Mr. Krabs begin chasing Karen and Plankton outside in circles.
