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* Played straight in LaBamba. Donna enters the room after the news of Ritchie's death has been announced. She missed it but wants to know why everyone is so upset. Her sobbing friend warns her, "You'd better sit down, Donna."
to:
* Played straight in LaBamba.[[TheFilmOfTheSong La Bamba]]. Donna enters the room after the news of Ritchie's death has been announced. She missed it but wants to know why everyone is so upset. Her sobbing friend warns her, "You'd better sit down, Donna."
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* Played straight in LaBamba. Donna enters the room after the news of Ritchie's death has been announced. She missed it but wants to know why everyone is so upset. Her sobbing friend warns her, "You'd better sit down, Donna."
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* ''[[http://www.rrrrthats5rs.com/games/dont-make-mommy-cry/ Don't Make Mommy Cry]]'' is a flash quiz game, where the player picks the most gentle option of something shocking. Usually deflecting blame onto something else.
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* In ''Series/HorribleHistories'', none of the courtiers, for [[TheCaligula obvious reasons]], want to tell Henry VIII his wife is unfaithful, so they call on the court jester to deliver the news. The jester manages to do so in a way that keeps Henry from reacting until the jester's out of the room. "Hmm, do you think he was trying to tell me something?"
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Fixing typos.
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* ''RedVsBlue:'' Grif couldn't sit down because both of his kneecaps where shattered, so Sarge ordered Simmons to prepare catching him when they had to explain (again) that his Sister had died.
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* ''RedVsBlue:'' Grif couldn't sit down because both of his kneecaps where were shattered, so Sarge ordered Simmons to prepare catching him when they had to explain (again) that his Sister had died.
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A DramaticSitDown is statistically likely.
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A DramaticSitDown is statistically likely.
likely at some point.
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A DramaticSitDown is statistically likely.
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* The police officers of ''LawAndOrder'' frequently asked relatives of victims to sit down.
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* The police officers of ''LawAndOrder'' ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' frequently asked relatives of victims to sit down.
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-->'''Henry Blake''': No sir!
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-->'''Henry Blake''': ''(stands up)'' No sir!
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* On {{ER}} whenever a doctor has to break the news of a patients death. Results vary.
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* Used in ''FacingTheGiants'', when Coach Grant Taylor gets a call informing him that [[spoiler:his team will be allowed into the playoffs after all because the team they lost to in the last game cheated.]] You only hear Grant's end of the conversation, but he repeats the callers question of "Am I sitting down?" with obvious confusion.
to:
* Used in ''FacingTheGiants'', ''Film/FacingTheGiants'', when Coach Grant Taylor gets a call informing him that [[spoiler:his team will be allowed into the playoffs after all because the team they lost to in the last game cheated.]] You only hear Grant's end of the conversation, but he repeats the callers question of "Am I sitting down?" with obvious confusion.
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* ''{{Dexter}}'' did this in the 2010 season opener when [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler presenting news of]] [[spoiler:his wife's death]].
to:
* ''{{Dexter}}'' ''Series/{{Dexter}}'' did this in the 2010 season opener when [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler presenting news of]] [[spoiler:his wife's death]].
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* In the WorldWarII MiniSeries ''Series/TheSinkingOfTheLaconia'', Captain Sharp says tells Junior Officer Thomas Mortimer "You better sit down", before presenting him with a telegram. Mortimer doesn't sit down; he merely asks, "[[TearJerker All of them, sir?]]". [[spoiler: As one can probably guess, his wife and children have all been killed in an air raid.]]
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* In the WorldWarII MiniSeries ''Series/TheSinkingOfTheLaconia'', Captain Sharp says this to Junior Officer Thomas Mortimer before presenting him with a telegram. Mortimer doesn't sit down; he merely asks, "[[TearJerker All of them, sir?]]". [[spoiler: As one can probably guess, his wife and children have all been killed in an air raid.]]
to:
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* In the WorldWarII MiniSeries ''Series/TheSinkingOfTheLaconia'', Captain Sharp says this to Junior Officer Thomas Mortimer before presenting him with a telegram. Mortimer doesn't sit down; he merely asks, "[[TearJerker All of them, sir?]]". [[spoiler: His wife and children were all killed in an air raid.]]
to:
* In the WorldWarII MiniSeries ''Series/TheSinkingOfTheLaconia'', Captain Sharp says this to Junior Officer Thomas Mortimer before presenting him with a telegram. Mortimer doesn't sit down; he merely asks, "[[TearJerker All of them, sir?]]". [[spoiler: His As one can probably guess, his wife and children were have all been killed in an air raid.]]
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to:
* In the WorldWarII MiniSeries ''Series/TheSinkingOfTheLaconia'', Captain Sharp says this to Junior Officer Thomas Mortimer before presenting him with a telegram. Mortimer doesn't sit down; he merely asks, "[[TearJerker All of them, sir?]]". [[spoiler: His wife and children were all killed in an air raid.]]
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* Barbara Gordon does this in ''TheNewBatmanAdventures'' episode where she fear-toxin hallucinated that Gordon had turned against Batman and gotten both of them killed after she died in the tights. She intends to tell him the truth, and has him sit down before she starts. He cuts her off to maintain deniability, though, cuz he already knew.
to:
* Barbara Gordon does this in ''TheNewBatmanAdventures'' ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries The New Batman Adventures]]'' episode where she fear-toxin hallucinated that Gordon had turned against Batman and gotten both of them killed after she died in the tights. She intends to tell him the truth, and has him sit down before she starts. He cuts her off to maintain deniability, though, cuz as it's implied he already knew.
knew.
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* ''{{MASH}}'' has this exchange over the phone:
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* ''{{MASH}}'' ''Series/{{Mash}}'' has this exchange over the phone:
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* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdLUV0hhYZY Tout Va Très Bien Madame La Marquise]]: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous va très bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
to:
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdLUV0hhYZY Tout Va Très Bien Madame La Marquise]]: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous (tout va très bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
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* Tout Va Tres Bien Madame La Marquise: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous va tres bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
to:
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdLUV0hhYZY Tout Va Tres Très Bien Madame La Marquise: Marquise]]: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous va tres très bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
** The horse died [[spoiler:in the stable fire, the stable caught fire because the castle was on fire, the castle was on fire because the marquis knocked over a candle, he knocked over a candle because he'd shot himself, he'd shot himself because he learned he was bankrupt.]] But other than that, everything's going fine.
** The horse died [[spoiler:in the stable fire, the stable caught fire because the castle was on fire, the castle was on fire because the marquis knocked over a candle, he knocked over a candle because he'd shot himself, he'd shot himself because he learned he was bankrupt.]] But other than that, everything's going fine.
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* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick,'' Haley had some difficulty trying to figure out how to tell Celia that [[spoiler: her boyfriend was dead (Albeit [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist only temporarily]].)]] Sick of wasting time, [[ComedicSociopathy Belkar]] decided it was best to just shout it in the bluntest manner possible.
to:
* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick,'' Haley had some difficulty trying to figure out how to tell Celia that [[spoiler: her boyfriend was dead (Albeit [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist only temporarily]].)]] Sick of wasting time, [[ComedicSociopathy [[HeroicComedicSociopath Belkar]] decided it was best to just shout it in the bluntest manner possible.
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[[AC:{{Jokes}}]]
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[[AC:Music]]
* Tout Va Tres Bien Madame La Marquise: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous va tres bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
* Tout Va Tres Bien Madame La Marquise: A marquise calls her servants to ask how things are going. They tell her that all is well (tous va tres bien), except her horse died. Then they describe the series of events that led to this calamity, with each link in the chain more horrible than the one before it.
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Adding a page image
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[[quoteright:323:[[Webcomic/BadMachinery http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bad_news_9231.png]]]]
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the namespace Changing, yeah! - also, sorted a bit
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* In ''OrderOfTheStick,'' Haley had some difficulty trying to figure out how to tell Celia that [[spoiler: her boyfriend was dead (Albeit [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist only temporarily]].)]] Sick of wasting time, [[ComedicSociopathy Belkar]] decided it was best to just shout it in the bluntest manner possible.
to:
* In ''OrderOfTheStick,'' ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick,'' Haley had some difficulty trying to figure out how to tell Celia that [[spoiler: her boyfriend was dead (Albeit [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist only temporarily]].)]] Sick of wasting time, [[ComedicSociopathy Belkar]] decided it was best to just shout it in the bluntest manner possible.
Deleted line(s) 57,58 (click to see context) :
* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "Bearly Alive", when Rebbecca got a call about a broken plane part. The guy on the other line said she should sit down, but she already was. The guy told her to stand up, and then sit down.
* Played with in ''TheProudFamily'', where the dad says they shouldn't bother sitting down 'cause they're just gonna stand up again before revealing something exciting.
* Played with in ''TheProudFamily'', where the dad says they shouldn't bother sitting down 'cause they're just gonna stand up again before revealing something exciting.
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* Played with in ''TheProudFamily'', where the dad says they shouldn't bother sitting down 'cause they're just gonna stand up again before revealing something exciting.
* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "Bearly Alive", when Rebbecca got a call about a broken plane part. The guy on the other line said she should sit down, but she already was. The guy told her to stand up, and then sit down.
* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "Bearly Alive", when Rebbecca got a call about a broken plane part. The guy on the other line said she should sit down, but she already was. The guy told her to stand up, and then sit down.
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* In ''OrderOfTheStick,'' Haley had some difficulty trying to figure out how to tell Celia that [[spoiler: her boyfriend was dead (Albeit [[DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist only temporarily]].)]] Sick of wasting time, [[ComedicSociopathy Belkar]] decided it was best to just shout it in the bluntest manner possible.
--> '''Belkar: ''' OK, that's IT! I can't take the euphemisms any more! [[spoiler: Roy is dead!]]
--> '''Belkar: ''' OK, that's IT! I can't take the euphemisms any more! [[spoiler: Roy is dead!]]
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[[AC:{{Jokes}}]]
* A man goes on vacation and his friend is watching his cat. A few days in the man calls to check up, and the friend says "your cat fell off the roof and died." The man says, "Ouch! Couldn't you have said it more gently, like 'Your cat climbed up on the roof, there was a loose tile, she fell, I rushed her to the vet, but there was nothing they could do?' " The friend apologizes and a few months go by. The man goes away again, and calls to check in. His friend says "Your mother climbed up on the roof..."
* A man goes on vacation and his friend is watching his cat. A few days in the man calls to check up, and the friend says "your cat fell off the roof and died." The man says, "Ouch! Couldn't you have said it more gently, like 'Your cat climbed up on the roof, there was a loose tile, she fell, I rushed her to the vet, but there was nothing they could do?' " The friend apologizes and a few months go by. The man goes away again, and calls to check in. His friend says "Your mother climbed up on the roof..."
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* In ''Series/OffCentre'',
to:
* In ''Series/OffCentre'',
''Series/OffCentre'', Chau says that bad news can be softened by ending it with making your voice high and making it seem like a question. Later, Mike's girlfriend breaks up with him trying the same thing.
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A SuperTrope to BadNewsInAGoodWay.
to:
A SuperTrope to BadNewsInAGoodWay.BadNewsInAGoodWay, GoodNewsBadNews.
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* In ''Series/OffCentre'',
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->"Do sit down, Sergeant. Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent."
-->--'''Lord Summerisle''' ''TheWickerMan''
Bad news is of course hard to tell to other people (unless someone is feeling malicious), which means it's preferable in those circumstances to try to break the news as gently as possible.
There are several methods. One of the most common in fiction is to tell the recipient to sit down before hearing the news, often in case the news is upsetting enough to cause {{Fainting}}. Often, to show how tough or BadAss they are, the listener usually says, through clenched jaws, "I think I'll stand" or "I prefer to stand" or some variation thereof.
Regardless of the delivery, how the recipient reacts can vary, before and after hearing the news. Before, some might be so anxious, they can shout [[CanNotSpitItOut "Just Tell Me!"]], while others might ask for a minute to prep themselves. After, some can be happy (if the news was actually in their favor without the bearer knowing it), and some can react even worse than the bearer feared.
And it should be noted that methods have been around long enough for many to be discredited. Expect many instances of this trope to be PlayedForLaughs.
A SubTrope of BearerOfBadNews.
A SuperTrope to BadNewsInAGoodWay.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Used in ''FacingTheGiants'', when Coach Grant Taylor gets a call informing him that [[spoiler:his team will be allowed into the playoffs after all because the team they lost to in the last game cheated.]] You only hear Grant's end of the conversation, but he repeats the callers question of "Am I sitting down?" with obvious confusion.
[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* In ''TheBigBangTheory'' episode "The Spaghetti Catalyst", Sheldon tells Leonard to sit down. Leonard informs Sheldon that he's already lying in bed, which should be good enough.
* Played with in the ''QuantumLeap'' episode "Miss Deep South," in which Sam has leapt into a beauty pageant contestant. Al comes bearing bad news, and insists that Sam sit down before he hears it. Sam sits down and his skirt's crinoline cage hits him in the face. Al relents, "I think you better stand up, Sam."
* ''{{Dexter}}'' did this in the 2010 season opener when [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler presenting news of]] [[spoiler:his wife's death]].
* ''DatelineNBC:''
--> '''Chris Hansen:''' Why don't you take a seat over there?
* ''{{MASH}}'' has this exchange over the phone:
-->'''General-of-the-week''': Are you sitting down, Henry?
-->'''Henry Blake''': No sir!
-->'''GOTW''': Maybe you should, I have some exciting news.
-->'''Henry''': ''(sits down)'' Yes sir!
-->'''Hawkeye''': They're giving you calisthenics over the phone?
* The police officers of ''LawAndOrder'' frequently asked relatives of victims to sit down.
[[AC:NewMedia]]
* The title of [[http://greenleegazette.blogspot.com/2010/03/youd-better-sit-down-for-this-ricky.html this]] article includes this trope in its name.
[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
* A ''PearlsBeforeSwine'' strip has Pig call Goat to ask if he's sitting down. Goat freaks out and asks what's happened, and Pig replies: "Oh, it's just comfy."
[[AC:{{Radio}}]]
* Done in ''TheNavyLark'' between [[CloudCuckooLander Mister Phillips]] and the ship's Chaplain in a very confused conversation about a pregnant racehorse (which the Chaplain thinks it is a girl Phillips has got knocked up due to how Phillips broached the subject), with the Chaplain being so shocked that after having had to sit down he declares "I think I better stand up again".
[[AC:WebAnimation]]
* ''RedVsBlue:'' Grif couldn't sit down because both of his kneecaps where shattered, so Sarge ordered Simmons to prepare catching him when they had to explain (again) that his Sister had died.
[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* During one page of ''FriendlyHostility'', Fox and Colin are given some heavy news. Fox says he needs to sit down, to which Colin replies 'You already are'.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "Bearly Alive", when Rebbecca got a call about a broken plane part. The guy on the other line said she should sit down, but she already was. The guy told her to stand up, and then sit down.
* Played with in ''TheProudFamily'', where the dad says they shouldn't bother sitting down 'cause they're just gonna stand up again before revealing something exciting.
* Barbara Gordon does this in ''TheNewBatmanAdventures'' episode where she fear-toxin hallucinated that Gordon had turned against Batman and gotten both of them killed after she died in the tights. She intends to tell him the truth, and has him sit down before she starts. He cuts her off to maintain deniability, though, cuz he already knew.
[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* In the ''LoadingReadyRun'' sketch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9M3RRfdRg "All the Little People".]]
-->'''Graham:''' I ... think I'd rather stand. Near the door.
----
-->--'''Lord Summerisle''' ''TheWickerMan''
Bad news is of course hard to tell to other people (unless someone is feeling malicious), which means it's preferable in those circumstances to try to break the news as gently as possible.
There are several methods. One of the most common in fiction is to tell the recipient to sit down before hearing the news, often in case the news is upsetting enough to cause {{Fainting}}. Often, to show how tough or BadAss they are, the listener usually says, through clenched jaws, "I think I'll stand" or "I prefer to stand" or some variation thereof.
Regardless of the delivery, how the recipient reacts can vary, before and after hearing the news. Before, some might be so anxious, they can shout [[CanNotSpitItOut "Just Tell Me!"]], while others might ask for a minute to prep themselves. After, some can be happy (if the news was actually in their favor without the bearer knowing it), and some can react even worse than the bearer feared.
And it should be noted that methods have been around long enough for many to be discredited. Expect many instances of this trope to be PlayedForLaughs.
A SubTrope of BearerOfBadNews.
A SuperTrope to BadNewsInAGoodWay.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Used in ''FacingTheGiants'', when Coach Grant Taylor gets a call informing him that [[spoiler:his team will be allowed into the playoffs after all because the team they lost to in the last game cheated.]] You only hear Grant's end of the conversation, but he repeats the callers question of "Am I sitting down?" with obvious confusion.
[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* In ''TheBigBangTheory'' episode "The Spaghetti Catalyst", Sheldon tells Leonard to sit down. Leonard informs Sheldon that he's already lying in bed, which should be good enough.
* Played with in the ''QuantumLeap'' episode "Miss Deep South," in which Sam has leapt into a beauty pageant contestant. Al comes bearing bad news, and insists that Sam sit down before he hears it. Sam sits down and his skirt's crinoline cage hits him in the face. Al relents, "I think you better stand up, Sam."
* ''{{Dexter}}'' did this in the 2010 season opener when [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler presenting news of]] [[spoiler:his wife's death]].
* ''DatelineNBC:''
--> '''Chris Hansen:''' Why don't you take a seat over there?
* ''{{MASH}}'' has this exchange over the phone:
-->'''General-of-the-week''': Are you sitting down, Henry?
-->'''Henry Blake''': No sir!
-->'''GOTW''': Maybe you should, I have some exciting news.
-->'''Henry''': ''(sits down)'' Yes sir!
-->'''Hawkeye''': They're giving you calisthenics over the phone?
* The police officers of ''LawAndOrder'' frequently asked relatives of victims to sit down.
[[AC:NewMedia]]
* The title of [[http://greenleegazette.blogspot.com/2010/03/youd-better-sit-down-for-this-ricky.html this]] article includes this trope in its name.
[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
* A ''PearlsBeforeSwine'' strip has Pig call Goat to ask if he's sitting down. Goat freaks out and asks what's happened, and Pig replies: "Oh, it's just comfy."
[[AC:{{Radio}}]]
* Done in ''TheNavyLark'' between [[CloudCuckooLander Mister Phillips]] and the ship's Chaplain in a very confused conversation about a pregnant racehorse (which the Chaplain thinks it is a girl Phillips has got knocked up due to how Phillips broached the subject), with the Chaplain being so shocked that after having had to sit down he declares "I think I better stand up again".
[[AC:WebAnimation]]
* ''RedVsBlue:'' Grif couldn't sit down because both of his kneecaps where shattered, so Sarge ordered Simmons to prepare catching him when they had to explain (again) that his Sister had died.
[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* During one page of ''FriendlyHostility'', Fox and Colin are given some heavy news. Fox says he needs to sit down, to which Colin replies 'You already are'.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "Bearly Alive", when Rebbecca got a call about a broken plane part. The guy on the other line said she should sit down, but she already was. The guy told her to stand up, and then sit down.
* Played with in ''TheProudFamily'', where the dad says they shouldn't bother sitting down 'cause they're just gonna stand up again before revealing something exciting.
* Barbara Gordon does this in ''TheNewBatmanAdventures'' episode where she fear-toxin hallucinated that Gordon had turned against Batman and gotten both of them killed after she died in the tights. She intends to tell him the truth, and has him sit down before she starts. He cuts her off to maintain deniability, though, cuz he already knew.
[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* In the ''LoadingReadyRun'' sketch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9M3RRfdRg "All the Little People".]]
-->'''Graham:''' I ... think I'd rather stand. Near the door.
----
