History Main / HoldingTheFloor

** In ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll Justice For All]], the second half of ''Farewell,_My_Turnabout'' breaks down to this, since, just before the trial, [[spoiler:Detective Gumshoe and Franziska von Karma start tracking down Maya's kidnapper]], and Phoenix has to stall for time and try to make the trial last as long as possible in the hopes that they find her in time, because while he knows for a fact that his client is [[spoiler: guilty, and would love to throw him under the bus and get him convicted for his crime, the kidnapper will only let Maya live if Phoenix gets his client off the hook.]]

* In 'VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', should Hawke agree to help Anders in his final companion quest they will need to hold the floor with Grand-cleric Elthina whilst Anders sneaks into the back and [[spoiler: plants a bomb that destroys the chantry and kills the only mediator in the mage-Templar conflict.]]

* On the ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'', one of Technoblade's go-to responses during high-risk, life-threatening scenarios is rambling to buy time, either for himself so he can come up with a way out or for others so they can intervene.

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'': In the climax, when Indy is [[spoiler: shot and on a plane bound for a time portal]], Indy points out to [[VisionaryVillain Voller]] that [[spoiler:he can't be sure where the portal leads because he's relying on coordinates calculated by Archimedes, who lived in a time before humans understood complicating variables like continental drift]]. The last-second comment [[VillainousBSOD shakes Voller enough that he considers aborting his plan]]. They soon discover [[spoiler: [[MacGuffin the Antikythera Mechanism]] [[MortonsFork always]] navigates users to the Roman Siege of Syracuse in 212 [=BC=]]].

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'': In the climax, when Indy is [[spoiler: shot and on a plane bound for a time portal]], Indy points out to [[VisionaryVillain Voller]] that [[spoiler:he can't be sure where the portal leads because he's relying on coordinates calculated by Archimedes, who lived in a time before humans understood complicating variables like continental drift]]. The last-second comment [[VillainousBSOD shakes Voller enough that he considers aborting his plan]]. It's proven moot once they discover [[spoiler: [[MacGuffin the Antikythera Mechanism]] [[MortonsFork always]] navigates to the Roman Siege of Syracuse in 212 [=BC=]]].

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'': In the climax, when Indy is [[spoiler: shot and on a plane bound for a time portal]], Indy points out to [[VisionaryVillain Voller]] that [[spoiler:he's relying on coordinates calculated by Archimedes, who lived in a time before humans understood complicating variables like continental drift]]. The last-second comment [[VillainousBSOD shakes Voller enough that he considers aborting his plan]]. It's proven moot once they discover [[spoiler: [[MacGuffin the Antikythera Mechanism]] navigates users ''specifically'' to the Roman Siege of Syracuse in 212 [=BC=]]].

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'': In the climax, when Indy is [[spoiler: shot and on a plane bound for a time portal]], Indy points out to [[VisionaryVillain Voller]] that [[spoiler:he's relying on coordinates calculated by Archimedes, who lived in a time before humans understood complicating variables like continental drift]]. The last-second comment [[VillainousBSOD shakes Voller enough that he considers aborting his plan]]. It's proven moot once they discover [[spoiler: [[MacGuffin the Antikythera Mechanism]] is only programmed to navigate users to the Roman Siege of Syracuse in 212 [=BC=]]].

* In the Marvel Universe, MJ in the ''[[ComicBook/SpiderMan Sensational Spider-Man Annual]]''. During ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' she's caught by a SHIELD agent, she starts talking about her and Peter's relationship, about how they got together. At one point the agent calls her on it, telling her she's in trouble, that this isn't a time to reminisce. When he pulls her up he sees a spider tracer lying on the bench she was sitting on. And Spider-Man's about to come through the window. Turns out MJ was just stalling for time for Peter to be able to get there to save her.

* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'': The "Blather" {{skill|ScoresAndPerks}} allows characters to spout nonsense to distract onlookers, who are unable to act while they "wonder if you are drunk, crazy, or both".

* In ''Series/{{iCarly}}'', Carly and Spencer take turns giving speeches at a man's funeral (with hilarious results) so Sam and Freddie can search his computer for his legendary pie recipe.

* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasLittleSpaceWar'' has Doraemon and friends (sans Shizuka and Suneo who were elsewhere) and their allies, Papi and Rokoroko, being captured by the PCIA military and sentenced to be ShotAtDawn. Being offered a chance for their LastWords, the most talkative of the lot, Rokoroko, then goes on a long, meandering, and utterly pointless speech where he'd like to thank his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and then goes on about his theories and opinions on the value of life, his gratitude to Papi as a friend instead of a dog, how people had reprimanded him for being too talkative, blah blah blah and blah... until the villain, General Dracorl and Lord Gilmore, decide to tie up Rokoroko's mouth. This ends up working in the ''heroes'' favour when the ShrinkRay's effects on Nobita, Doraemon, and the earthlings wear off...

* On the ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "One For the Angels", to keep Death from claiming the soul of a child, a man has to give a Sales-pitch to distract him long enough so that he won't be able to claim the girl's soul within the time limit.

* In the season 7 premiere of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', Tony is captured by terrorists, goes through a rough interrogation under the effects of a truth serum, swearing his captor will die. Despite being [[CannotTellALie forced to tell the terrorists everything]], he stalls by telling them about the NCIS team one by one until [[spoiler:Gibbs turns up to rescue him.]]

* In ''Series/ThirtyRock'', when Jack's girlfriend [[spoiler: tries to leave him during a wedding]], Liz does this in her speech in order to keep her seated, and [[spoiler: give Jack time to commit to her.]] Considering it's Liz's ex-boyfriend's wedding, things get awkward.

* In the Australian comedy ''Series/{{Bligh}}'' (set in [=18th=] century New South Wales, but [[AnachronismStew parodying current events]]), Governor Bligh and wealthy landowner John Macarthur sue each other after an exchange of petty insults. Macarthur's expensive barrister thrashes Bligh's inept and underfunded public defender until Bligh realises that he only has to draw out the case until Macarthur's legal bills bankrupt him. Cue Bligh demonstrating that "You couldn't command a bathtub" is false by taking a bath in court, and demonstrating that Macarthur "couldn't tell if his ass was on fire" with a lighted candle and...

* On ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', William Bell does this to temporarily stop the Fringe division [[spoiler: of the alternate universe]] while [[spoiler: Olivia and Walter]] run away from the hospital.

* The ''{{Series/Leverage}}'' episode "The Boiler Room Job" has a long and elaborate example; [[spoiler: the entire con turns out to be an elaborate distraction to keep the mark's attention away from Hardison pilfering his accounts.]]

-->'''Tony:''' [[spoiler: You have 30 seconds to live Salim.]]
-->'''Terrorist:''' [[spoiler: You are still bound! You are lying!]]
-->'''Tony:''' [[spoiler: I can't lie, remember? And I never said I would be the one to kill you. You know how I told you my boss was a sniper?]]
-->[[spoiler: '''*{{BOOM HEADSHOT}}* ''', [[ArrowCam *camera zooms to Gibbs on a cliff outside the terrorist camp* ]]]]

--->'''Paul''': My god, she's filibustering her own meeting!

--->'''Leslie''': Joey is mad at Chandler because Chandler made out with his girlfriend. So Joey says, "Get in the box." I forgot to tell you. There's a box. Oh, and it's Thanksgiving Day.

** The second half of case 2-4 breaks down to this, since, just before the trial, [[spoiler:Detective Gumshoe and Franziska von Karma start tracking down Maya's kidnapper]], and Phoenix has to stall for time and try to make the trial last as long as possible in the hopes that they find her in time, because while he knows for a fact that his client is [[spoiler: guilty, and would love to throw him under the bus and get him convicted for his crime, the kidnapper will only let Maya live if Phoenix gets his client off the hook.]]
** Case I2-5 has both the defense ''and'' (substitute) prosecution trying to do this because the real prosecutor is missing (along with crucial evidence), and meanwhile Edgeworth has to find him.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', should Hawke agree to help Anders in his final companion quest they will need to hold the floor with Grand-cleric Elthina whilst Anders sneaks into the back and [[spoiler: plants a bomb that destroys the chantry and kills the only mediator in the mage-Templar conflict.]]

* The live-action take on ''Film/TheJungleBook(2016)'' has Baloo distract the Bandar-Log this way. He walks in in the middle of King Louie's conversation with Mowgli, plops himself down on his butt where the monkeys can't move him at all, and proceeds to talk up a storm while Bagheera tries to discreetly get Mowgli away from Louie.