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Anime and Manga
Soujirou: Oh, back then, Bisonnote was dressed up as Mike Tyson. Pretty cool.
Konata: Who's Mike Tyson?
(later that day)
Soujirou: Today, I felt the generation gap in a deep and very personal way.
Konata: Who's Mike Tyson?
(later that day)
Soujirou: Today, I felt the generation gap in a deep and very personal way.
— Lucky Star Manga vol. 6
Fan Works
Super Kami Guru: So, Dende. Sucks about your family.
Dende: We've gone over this...
Super Kami Guru: But do you know who also lost his family? Batman.
Dende: I don't know who that is.
Super Kami Guru: See? This is why we need TV!
Dende: We've gone over this...
Super Kami Guru: But do you know who also lost his family? Batman.
Dende: I don't know who that is.
Super Kami Guru: See? This is why we need TV!
Harry Potter: Actually... now I said Dark Lord, and now I know he somehow didn't actually die, it reminds me a bit of Sauron. He could survive being killed – um, hold on, that doesn't sound like it makes sense. He could still be around after exploding because he has a ring he made, which he used to make him more powerful, but it meant that they had to destroy the ring to kill him.
Ron Weasley: You've lost me, mate. Who's Sauron?
(Harry contemplated throwing one of his copies of The Lord of the Rings at Ron.)
Ron Weasley: You've lost me, mate. Who's Sauron?
(Harry contemplated throwing one of his copies of The Lord of the Rings at Ron.)
Akihiko Kayaba: How many of you have seen TRON? Eh? Eh?
Crowd: (blank stares)
Kayaba: W-what, seriously? None of you have seen TRON? Sh(bleep), I was really banking on that. Okay, okay, no prob, I can wing this. (ahem) Much like the World of Warcraft, none of you are here by choice anymore. Unlike WoW, however, you are being held here by me, not by your need to escape your empty f(bleep)ing lives. There is no longer any way to log out of Sword Art Online. If someone on the other side attempts to log you out by disconnecting your NerveGear, well... has anyone seen Scanners?
Crowd: (silence)
Kayaba: Uh, Scanners. It's, it's a movie that - seriously?! Okay, give me a sec, I'll just... (opens a screen) Alright, here we, here we go. Watch this.
(cue the Your Head A-Splode clip)
Kayaba: Okay. That was from Scanners. Basically, that.
Crowd: (gasps)
Kayaba: Okay, finally! Seeing some gears turning. We're making progress.
Crowd: (blank stares)
Kayaba: W-what, seriously? None of you have seen TRON? Sh(bleep), I was really banking on that. Okay, okay, no prob, I can wing this. (ahem) Much like the World of Warcraft, none of you are here by choice anymore. Unlike WoW, however, you are being held here by me, not by your need to escape your empty f(bleep)ing lives. There is no longer any way to log out of Sword Art Online. If someone on the other side attempts to log you out by disconnecting your NerveGear, well... has anyone seen Scanners?
Crowd: (silence)
Kayaba: Uh, Scanners. It's, it's a movie that - seriously?! Okay, give me a sec, I'll just... (opens a screen) Alright, here we, here we go. Watch this.
(cue the Your Head A-Splode clip)
Kayaba: Okay. That was from Scanners. Basically, that.
Crowd: (gasps)
Kayaba: Okay, finally! Seeing some gears turning. We're making progress.
Kirito: (to Captain Fluffles) You know, I still have that dagger you put in me. I've been meaning to give it back.
Commander Heathcliff: Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room! (laughs) ...Really?! No one?! I'm the only one?
Commander Heathcliff: Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room! (laughs) ...Really?! No one?! I'm the only one?
Film — Animated
Chef: Haven't you heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?
General: I don't listen to hip-hop.
General: I don't listen to hip-hop.
Film — Live-Action
Badger: You couldn't drive Miss Daisy!
Skinny Pete: Whatever that means...
Skinny Pete: Whatever that means...
— El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Hans Gruber: Still the cowboy, Mr. McClane. Americans, all alike. Well, this time, John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly.
John McClane: That was Gary Cooper, asshole.
John McClane: That was Gary Cooper, asshole.
— Die Hard
"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." Stark said you wouldn't get that one, 'cause it's not from Star Wars.
— Nick Fury to Peter Parker, Spider-Man: Far From Home
Little Rock: Who's Bill Murray?
Tallahassee: I've never hit a kid before. I mean, that's like asking who Gandhi is.
Little Rock: Who's Gandhi?
Tallahassee: I've never hit a kid before. I mean, that's like asking who Gandhi is.
Little Rock: Who's Gandhi?
Art Ridzik: Captain Danko, congratulations. You are now the proud owner of the most powerful handgun in the world.
Ivan Danko: Soviet Podbyrin 9.2 mm is world's most powerful handgun.
Art Ridzik: Oh, come on, everybody knows the .44 Magnum is the big boy on the block. Why do you think Dirty Harry uses it?
Ivan Danko: Who is Dirty Harry?
Ivan Danko: Soviet Podbyrin 9.2 mm is world's most powerful handgun.
Art Ridzik: Oh, come on, everybody knows the .44 Magnum is the big boy on the block. Why do you think Dirty Harry uses it?
Ivan Danko: Who is Dirty Harry?
Live-Action TV
Oliver: There's a very strong chance the killer is musical superstar Sting.
Mabel: The guy from U2?
Charles: (anguished groan)
Mabel: The guy from U2?
Charles: (anguished groan)
Kimmy: We were basically the Roz and Frasier of the class, but not sexy like that, just, you know, cool.
Clerk: I get it. I kind of have a Kyle and Maxine thing with my boss.
Kimmy: (stands befuddled)
Clerk: Oh, you don't know Living Single, but I'm supposed to know everything about Frasier?
Clerk: I get it. I kind of have a Kyle and Maxine thing with my boss.
Kimmy: (stands befuddled)
Clerk: Oh, you don't know Living Single, but I'm supposed to know everything about Frasier?
— Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, "Kimmy Gives Up!"
President Bartlet: You know what you are? You're the Charlie Brown of missile defence. The Pentagon is Lucy.
Leo McGarry: I'm not familiar with the reference, sir.
Bartlet: Peanuts, Charlie Brown.
Leo: I've heard of them, I'm just not conversant in them.
Bartlet: Why not?
Leo: I've never read the comics.
Bartlet: ... Leo, were you born at the age of fifty-five?
Leo: I know that there's a dog!
[Later, after the missile test Leo was enthusiastic about has failed disastrously]
Bartlet: By the way, Leo, the words you're looking for are "Oh, good grief!"
Leo McGarry: I'm not familiar with the reference, sir.
Bartlet: Peanuts, Charlie Brown.
Leo: I've heard of them, I'm just not conversant in them.
Bartlet: Why not?
Leo: I've never read the comics.
Bartlet: ... Leo, were you born at the age of fifty-five?
Leo: I know that there's a dog!
[Later, after the missile test Leo was enthusiastic about has failed disastrously]
Bartlet: By the way, Leo, the words you're looking for are "Oh, good grief!"
—The West Wing, "The Drop-In"
Malcolm: What's that film that you love?
Ollie: What film?
Malcolm: The one about the hairdresser. The space hairdresser and the cowboy... the guy, he's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal-bin... his father's a robot and he's fucking fucked his sister. [Beat] Lego! They're all made of fucking Lego.
Ollie: ...Star Wars?
Malcolm: That's the one.
Ollie: What film?
Malcolm: The one about the hairdresser. The space hairdresser and the cowboy... the guy, he's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal-bin... his father's a robot and he's fucking fucked his sister. [Beat] Lego! They're all made of fucking Lego.
Ollie: ...Star Wars?
Malcolm: That's the one.
Jake Peralta: Hello Santiago. Emphasis on "Iago", backstabber!
Amy Santiago: I'm surprised you've read Othello.
Jake Peralta: What's Othello? I was calling you the parrot from Aladdin.
Amy Santiago: I'm surprised you've read Othello.
Jake Peralta: What's Othello? I was calling you the parrot from Aladdin.
Pudding: Ah, the days of wine and roses. They are not long.
Samantha: Who said that?
Pudding: I did?
— It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling..., "A New Lease"
Literature
Jane: Are you assembling a task force (to figure out and dispel my Identity Amnesia), (August) Landry?
August: Not a task force. Just a ... ragtag band of misfits.
Jane: Love it.
Myla: Very Goonies.
Jane: What're goonies?
Myla: Only one of the greatest adventure movies of 1985. Wait, oh man, you missed Spielberg completely, didn't you?
August: Not a task force. Just a ... ragtag band of misfits.
Jane: Love it.
Myla: Very Goonies.
Jane: What're goonies?
Myla: Only one of the greatest adventure movies of 1985. Wait, oh man, you missed Spielberg completely, didn't you?
Video Games
[Nick and Ashley - two Pittsburgh natives - arrives on the Smurglien Planet]
Ashley: I don't think we're on Kansas anymore.
Nick: You mean Pittsburgh?
Ashley: Yeah, thanks Dorothy.
Ashley: I don't think we're on Kansas anymore.
Nick: You mean Pittsburgh?
Ashley: Yeah, thanks Dorothy.
The Joker: One of the musical mop-tops from Liverpool!
Blue Beetle: Might as well be speaking Greek, brah.
The Joker: Ugh, never trust anyone under 30.
Blue Beetle: Might as well be speaking Greek, brah.
The Joker: Ugh, never trust anyone under 30.
Zinyak: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
The Boss (Female Voice 2): Sorry, I don't follow American hip-hop.
Zinyak: ...It's a quote from Macbeth.
The Boss (Female Voice 2): Sorry, I don't follow Scottish hip-hop.
The Boss (Female Voice 2): Sorry, I don't follow American hip-hop.
Zinyak: ...It's a quote from Macbeth.
The Boss (Female Voice 2): Sorry, I don't follow Scottish hip-hop.
Spider-Man: Yo, Adrian! It's me, Spider-Man
Vulture: What are you babbling about?!
Spider-Man: Nobody ever gets my jokes.
Vulture: What are you babbling about?!
Spider-Man: Nobody ever gets my jokes.
Marie: I'm Marie. I know you're probably a bit starstruck, but I need you to get over it. Yes, I'm THAT Marie. You know... from the Squid Sisters.
(Agent 4 has no reaction)
Marie: You've never heard of me? For eel? Well, you obviously aren't very cultured, but you'll have to do.
(Agent 4 has no reaction)
Marie: You've never heard of me? For eel? Well, you obviously aren't very cultured, but you'll have to do.
Web Animation
Ceres Fauna: Usually I get compared to Fluttershy.
Hakos Baelz: Who's Fluttershy?
Fauna: ...Oh. (cracking up) I can't be the one to tell you who Fluttershy is!
Bae: What is Fluttershy, who's Fluttershy?
Fauna: Oh. Oh... Fluttershy is from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
Bae: Ohhhhh! Okay, I've never watched My Little Pony.
Fauna: Yeah, you're saved, then.
Bae: [...] Was My Little Pony that bad?
Fauna: No! It just - okay. Chat is going to have opinions on it. The fandom is quite cursed.
Bae: The fandom is quite cursed, interesting.
Fauna: The fandom is quite cursed, but the show itself is a very cute and well-done children's show.
Bae: I see, I see, I see.
Fauna: Yeah.
Bae: Now, why is the fandom cursed?
Fauna: Wha, do you- (laughs) Do you know what a "brony" is?
Bae: No?
Fauna: (laughing) Oh no! I can't be the one to explain this to you! I can't, I can't ruin your innocence like this!
Bae: The only time I've heard "brony" was like in Kronii's stream.
Fauna: (laughing) In Kronii's stream, like a Krony?
Bae: Yeah, like a Brony! ...No, that's wrong?
Fauna: A brony is an adult man who is a fan specifically of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series.
Bae: Okay, so there's something about this series that makes it so likeable, or meme-able?
Fauna: I don't know, actually. I mean it's, it's good. I think that they enjoy the... the ponies.
(beat)
Bae: OHHHHHH!! Wait, like that?!
Fauna: I hope not! Not all of them, I'm sure not all of them. I'm sure some of them are innocent and just think they're cute, not-
Bae: Omigod, that just shocked me, at a very deep level, oh my goodness.
Hakos Baelz: Who's Fluttershy?
Fauna: ...Oh. (cracking up) I can't be the one to tell you who Fluttershy is!
Bae: What is Fluttershy, who's Fluttershy?
Fauna: Oh. Oh... Fluttershy is from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
Bae: Ohhhhh! Okay, I've never watched My Little Pony.
Fauna: Yeah, you're saved, then.
Bae: [...] Was My Little Pony that bad?
Fauna: No! It just - okay. Chat is going to have opinions on it. The fandom is quite cursed.
Bae: The fandom is quite cursed, interesting.
Fauna: The fandom is quite cursed, but the show itself is a very cute and well-done children's show.
Bae: I see, I see, I see.
Fauna: Yeah.
Bae: Now, why is the fandom cursed?
Fauna: Wha, do you- (laughs) Do you know what a "brony" is?
Bae: No?
Fauna: (laughing) Oh no! I can't be the one to explain this to you! I can't, I can't ruin your innocence like this!
Bae: The only time I've heard "brony" was like in Kronii's stream.
Fauna: (laughing) In Kronii's stream, like a Krony?
Bae: Yeah, like a Brony! ...No, that's wrong?
Fauna: A brony is an adult man who is a fan specifically of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series.
Bae: Okay, so there's something about this series that makes it so likeable, or meme-able?
Fauna: I don't know, actually. I mean it's, it's good. I think that they enjoy the... the ponies.
(beat)
Bae: OHHHHHH!! Wait, like that?!
Fauna: I hope not! Not all of them, I'm sure not all of them. I'm sure some of them are innocent and just think they're cute, not-
Bae: Omigod, that just shocked me, at a very deep level, oh my goodness.
Web Original
Zammo – a pop culture reference gag that works in the writers’ room but plays to painful silence in front of a youthful audience. This comes from Charlie Brooker. On 10 O'Clock Live, a joke was written which mentioned ‘Zammo’ at the laugh point. It went down well with the team, but Charlie delivered it to utter silence on live TV. Nobody knew who the fuck Zammo was. For those reading this who weren’t born in the early 70s, Zammo Maguire was a popular character in the children’s school-based drama Grange Hill in the mid-80s, who was given a heroin addiction storyline.
Webcomics
Galatea: Now that I think on it, I don't see how we can even have a rational discussion about this. My intellect is so far beyond yours.
Bob: Oh really?
Galatea: Well of course! Come now! Test me. Ask me anything you want to know!
Bob: Okay, um... What ever happened to Ace of Base?
Galatea: I... don't know what that means.
Bob: Well then!
Bob: Oh really?
Galatea: Well of course! Come now! Test me. Ask me anything you want to know!
Bob: Okay, um... What ever happened to Ace of Base?
Galatea: I... don't know what that means.
Bob: Well then!
Alex: What made you think of [summoning an illusionary] dragon anyway?
Josie: Uh... We're at a place called the Lonely Mountain...
Alex: So?
Josie: I'm going to slap your girlfriend now.
Eva: Go right ahead.
Josie: Uh... We're at a place called the Lonely Mountain...
Alex: So?
Josie: I'm going to slap your girlfriend now.
Eva: Go right ahead.
Jamie: The English language is just a tad imprecise, here. What is love?
Ellen: Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more.
Jamie: I... I'm trying not to, Ellen, I swear.
Ellen: Oh my God, Jamie, listen to a popular song just once in your life, I am begging you.
Ellen: Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more.
Jamie: I... I'm trying not to, Ellen, I swear.
Ellen: Oh my God, Jamie, listen to a popular song just once in your life, I am begging you.
Dora: So how's work going?
Hannelore: Tedious. I used to enjoy all the counting and sorting stuff, but ever since I took up the drums, work feels like... well, WORK.
Faye: You don't wanna work, you just wanna bang on your drum all day, huh?
[Beat Panel]
Faye: Ugh. My witty musical references are lost on you people.
Hannelore: Tedious. I used to enjoy all the counting and sorting stuff, but ever since I took up the drums, work feels like... well, WORK.
Faye: You don't wanna work, you just wanna bang on your drum all day, huh?
[Beat Panel]
Faye: Ugh. My witty musical references are lost on you people.
Western Animation
Anne: Nice work, Hop Pop. Or maybe I should call you "Hip Pop?"
Hop Pop: That reference means nothing to me.
Hop Pop: That reference means nothing to me.
Grime: Very impressive, Sasha. Always playing Flipwart when everyone else is playing Bog Jump.
Anne: Huh?
Sasha: Wha...
Grime: Well, see, Flipwart and Bog Jump are games, but Flipwart, of course, is far more complicated and... I'm trying to say you're smart!
Sasha: Oh. [laughs] Thanks, Grime-sy.
Anne: Huh?
Sasha: Wha...
Grime: Well, see, Flipwart and Bog Jump are games, but Flipwart, of course, is far more complicated and... I'm trying to say you're smart!
Sasha: Oh. [laughs] Thanks, Grime-sy.
Terry: So what do you want me to do? Wait 'til she fences the ruby?
Bruce: I have a feeling she'll be holding onto it; there was another robbery a week ago.
Terry: More rubies?
Bruce: Exactly.
Terry: What's she going to do with them all?
Bruce: Don't know, but I have a feeling she's not making slippers out of them.
Terry: Slippers? From rubies?
Bruce: Mmm... before your time.
Bruce: I have a feeling she'll be holding onto it; there was another robbery a week ago.
Terry: More rubies?
Bruce: Exactly.
Terry: What's she going to do with them all?
Bruce: Don't know, but I have a feeling she's not making slippers out of them.
Terry: Slippers? From rubies?
Bruce: Mmm... before your time.
—Batman Beyond, "The Eggbaby"
Narrator: You have to be phat.
Goofy: Fat!? It's these pants right?
Narrator: You've got to be fly!
Goofy: It's open!?
Narrator: Get down with it, homie.
Goofy: Who's homely!?
Goofy: Fat!? It's these pants right?
Narrator: You've got to be fly!
Goofy: It's open!?
Narrator: Get down with it, homie.
Goofy: Who's homely!?
— House of Mouse, "How to Be Groovy, Cool and Fly"
Daffy: (amazed after listening to Bugs' Superman story) You're from the Planet Krypton?!
Bugs: (angrily) No, you maroon! That's the story of Superman!
Daffy: (confused) Who's Superman?
Bugs: (angrily) No, you maroon! That's the story of Superman!
Daffy: (confused) Who's Superman?
Rick: You haven't seen Die Hard?
Summer: I'm 17! No, I haven't seen fucking Die Hard!
Summer: I'm 17! No, I haven't seen fucking Die Hard!
