Sir Toby Belch: Isn't possible?
Lampshade Hanging is the writers' trick of dealing with any element of the story that threatens the audience's
Willing Suspension of Disbelief, whether a very implausible plot development, or a particularly blatant use of a
trope, by calling attention to it and simply moving on.
The reason for this counter-intuitive strategy is two-fold. First, it assures the audience that the author is aware of the implausible plot development that just happened, and that they aren't trying to slip something past the audience. Second, it assures the audience that the world of the story is
like Real Life: what's implausible for you or me is just as implausible for these characters, and just as likely to provoke an incredulous response.
The creators are using the tactic of
self-deprecatingly pointing out their own flaws themselves, thus depriving critics and opponents of their ammunition. The
Turkey City Lexicon refers to this flavor of Lampshade Hanging as a "Signal from Fred", and reminds the author that if your characters are complaining about how stupid the latest plot development is, maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something.
On the other hand, Lampshade Hanging done well can make for an entertaining piece of
Medium Awareness or momentary lack of
Genre Blindness. It can also be used to take care of
Fridge Logic, without having to actually do anything.
This practice is also known as "hanging a clock on it", "hanging a lantern on it", or "spotlighting it". In the film industry it's sometimes called "hanging a red flag" on something, after the screenwriting adage, "To hang a red flag on something takes the curse off of it," meaning that to lampshade something decreases the negative effects it might otherwise have. We went with our title because it's the one used in the
Mutant Enemy bullpen.
Can also be combined with a
Hand Wave, sometimes invoking an
unreveal, to
make explaining a plot inconsistency unnecessary. When
breaking internal consistency is deliberate this trope can be used to show that, yes, it is deliberate instead of a plot hole. Can also be combined with an active attempt to avoid the
trope, in which case the Lampshade Hanging turns into a
Defied Trope.
Commonly seen in the self-aware shows that make up the
Deconstructor Fleet; rarely used in the presence of a
Drop-In Character. If large numbers of lampshades are hung, then the writers believe lampshades are
Better than a Bare Bulb, this
trope's
Logical Extreme.
Hypocrisy Nod and
Inspiration Nod are specific types of this.
Meta Guy is the fellow who does this all the time. Sometimes takes the form of
This Is the Part Where.... Compare
Discussed Trope,
Post Modernism and
Playing with a Trope.
No Fourth Wall happens when characters not only discuss
tropes, but the writers as well.
Not to be confused with
Lampshade Wearing.
Examples
Discussion