History Main / TrickDialogue

* In ''Webcomic/{{Clarissa}}'' the titular protagonist starts out [[BreakingTheFourthWall addressing the audience]] on the subject of how kids like her can avoid being sexually abused by their parents, but then in the end we see [[MirrorMonologue she has been talking to herself in the mirror.]]
-> '''Clarissa, glaring at herself:''' [[ItsAllMyFault We all know whose fault this is ...]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': In "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E9ToDadAndBackSurvivoring Survivoring]]", Patrick, Cecil, and Squidina are on a [[CampingEpisode camping trip]]. Squidina runs off into the forest in frustration, and [[BigBrotherInstinct Patrick wants to go after her]], but Cecil stops him.
-->'''Cecil''': Oh, let it go, son. She'll be back. Remember: "There's no forest so dark it could stifle the light of a woman's soul."\\

* Wolf from ''Series/TheTenthKingdom'' appears to be confessing his love in a very heart-felt manner, unusual for him. We soon learn that he was reciting a speech from a book, trying to memorize it.

* ''[[Machinima/RedVsBlueTheRecollection Red vs. Blue: Recreation]]'' pulls this with Caboose and Donut. Donut stands behind Caboose while the latter seems to ask an A.I. unit if it "ever feels like you're being watched by someone." As the episode fades out, he adds "Donut, I'm asking you a question."

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Peter asks his boss to come to dinner at his house and he's clearly practicing in a mirror. TheReveal shows that he's practicing in a mirror in his boss's office. His boss accepts.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "Emotion Sickness", a montage of Ron expressing his thoughts and concerns about Kim's sudden ([[EmotionBomb Moodulator-induced]]) romantic interest in him ends in the reveal that he's talking to [[DrillSergeantNasty Mr. Barkin]], who demands to know, "Stoppable, how did you get in my house?"

* In ''WesternAnimation/BobTheBuilder and the Knights of Can-A-Lot'', Bob's dad has blithely assumed that he's in charge of the team fixing up a castle, and Bob is trying to find a tactful way of saying no, he isn't and things would run a lot smoother if he'd let Bob get on with things. The first time he brings it up, by the time he gets to the point, he turns around to see his dad's fallen asleep. A later scene opens with him just explaining things straight out, and then pulls back to reveal he's talking to a rabbit. He then asks if it's too mean, and the rabbit nods.

Visual media typically use a RevealShot, often a CloseupOnHead, to execute Trick Dialogue. Compare FourthWallPsych (where the character appears to be speaking to the audience but is actually talking to another person). See also NotSoDire.

* The ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' chapter where [[ShrinkingViolet Nodoka]] confesses her feeling to Negi began with this. Close-up of Negi seemingly asking what she wants. Close-up of Nodoka requesting him to spend the free activity day together with her. Wide-area shot showing Nodoka practicing in front of a Negi bobble-head in her room.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Used in ''WebComic/SabrinaOnline'' when Zig-Zag appears to be telling Sabrina how she really feels... only to finish with, "I also wonder how hard it would be to tell you this while you're awake."

* ''Franchise/{{Archie|Comics}}'': In this comic, it looks as if Archie is talking with Veronica's father, but as it turns out, he is actually rehearsing with a tape recorder -- [[http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/archie/s-1027674]]

** This happens to Giles:

** Done again a few seasons later when a certain character we know and kind of love practices confessing his love to Buffy by talking to a mannequin wearing one of her sweaters and a blonde wig. He makes it about four sentences into the imagined conversation before it degenerates into mutual (half-imagined) verbal abuse, and he winds up beating it over the head with a box of chocolates.
** Also done with Xander in the opening of the first season episode, "Prophecy Girl". Xander apparently asking Buffy out for a date is actually him talking to Willow, who is then revealed to be acting as a stand-in so Xander can rehearse his proposal to Buffy.
* An entire episode of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' has Lorne telling the story of the episode to a theatre -- that, at the end, is revealed to be empty.

* ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'' has a scene where Grand Duke practices breaking it to the short-tempered King that Cinderella has left the ball.

* ''Disney/OliverAndCompany'' features a scene in which Fagin is confidently describing his ransom plot... to Dodger. When he actually goes to Sykes's office, he barely manages to stammer it out.

** Double example on [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0402.html this trip]]: what appears to be Elan and Haley discussing their newfound love for one another is actually two unrelated monologues, Elan's towards his hand-puppet Banjo the clown (who he also worships as a god), and Haley's towards her sack of gold coins.