History Main / LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub

Ah, TheMafia. Known for their subtlety and planning, they can orchestrate murder, drug dealing, prostitution, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the sale of illicit tomato sauce]] without anyone finding out. But their fronts lack the same subtlety, as can clearly be seen on the massive sign above their hideout that says "'''[[PaperThinDisguise Legitimate Casino!]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial Not Mafia-owned!]]'''" Expect a great deal of Doublespeak.

Ah, TheMafia. Known for their subtlety and planning, they can orchestrate murder, drug dealing, prostitution, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the sale of illicit tomato sauce]] without anyone finding out. But their fronts lack the same subtlety, as can clearly be seen on the massive sign above their hideout that says "'''[[PaperThinDisguise Legitimate Casino!]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial Not Mafia-owned!]]'''"

[[quoteright:318:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LBSC_4913.png]]

-->"N-O M-A-F-I-A! Oh baby..."

-->--Sign in front of Team Rocket's base, '''''[[PokemonGoldAndSilver Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver]]'''''

* In ''PizzaTycoon'', you can order sabotage devices/weapons from stores which claim to sell "joke articles" and "ice cream", respectively. But if you try to buy weapons openly, they'll tell the police, and prison ensues.

->Just a Souvenir Shop. Nothing Suspicious About It. No Need to be Alarmed.
-->--Sign in front of Team Rocket's base, ''[[PokemonGoldAndSilver Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver]]''

->'''Donbot:''' You wanna join me, Clamps and Joey Mousepad at our, uh, "social club" tomorrow night?\\
'''Bender:''' Uh, I'd rather plan some felonies.\\
'''Donbot:''' Oh. Then we should meet at our Mafia crime headquarters.
-->--''{{Futurama}}''

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''{{Baccano}}!'''s Martillo Family run a speakeasy in Prohibition-era New York City, with a shop selling honey as a front.

[[AC:{{Fanfic}}]]
* Likely in homage to ''TheSimpsons'', the ImproFanfic ''DoGooders'' had the "Tokyo Legitimate Businessmen's Club". To their credit, neither the heroes nor the main villain realized their actual purpose until the shoot-out started. Then again, everyone else knows what they really do...

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

** And oddly enough, this is a subversion since (in the original novel at least) Vito made a sincere attempt to get rich in the olive oil business before deciding that bootlegging and illegal gambling was more lucrative.
* In ''MulhollandDrive,'' a couple of humorless men approach some movie producers and tell them who their next actress they're going to cast is going to be, point-blank, no finesse. The producers are terrified of the two guys and the directors is upset and flabbergasted until he gets the hint and realizes to his dismay that his movie is being commandeered by the mob.
* The climax of ''SomeLikeItHot'' involves the Friends of Italian Opera.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Lampshaded in Kim Newman's ''The Serial Murders'' in which psychic investigator Richard Jeperson is introduced to some very obvious Legitimate Businessmen by the villain, who is auctioning his supernatural powers to be used for assassination. Upon being introduced to them, Jeperson guesses that they're 'olive oil salesmen', in reference to ''TheGodfather'' example above. They appreciate the joke, but the villain -- who is both rather uncultured and a bit of an idiot -- is lost.

[[AC:{{Live-Action TV}}]]
* The protagonist of ''{{Intelligence}}'' has many front companies, including a shipyard and a lumber business, but his favorite is a strip club called the Chick-A-Dee.

[[AC:{{MMORPG}}s]]

** [[VillainDecay Recently]], they seem to actually be legitimate establishments. I guess when you can [[CutLexLuthorACheck liberate adventurers of their meat legitimately...]]
* In ''CityOfHeroes'', Mafia {{Expy}} "The Family" has a pizza chain. Billboards advertise "Made Fresh. By Made Men."
** Which is most likely a shout-out or homage to Neil Stephenson's 'Snowcrash' for his Cosa Nostra Pizza, Uncle Enzo and the world's most brutal 30-minutes or less delivery guarantee.

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]
* Subverted in the play ''The Hairy Ape''. Yank goes to a meeting of the Industrial Workers of the World, expecting it to be a front for an organization that achieves its goals by blowing things up. The people there assume that he is a government spy trying to entrap their genuinely legitimate organization when he approaches them, and kick him out.

[[AC:VideoGames]]

* As noted above, the Team Rocket Base in ''{{Pokemon}} [=HeartGold=]/[=SoulSilver=]'' has a sign to this accord. It also has a [[IncrediblyObviousBug discolored tree with highly visible antennae sticking out of the top.]]
** And the shopkeeper keeps telling you that the breeze coming from that mysterious gigantic box in the middle of the shop is just your imagination, and is not coming from any hidden hideout anywhere. It doesn't help that he says it ''every single time you try to buy stuff from him''.
*** Parodied when Team Rocket is driven away and the legitimate owner comes back...and the whistling noise doesn't stop, because she's old and her dentures don't fit right.
** Don't forget the first games "Don't look behind the poster! There's no hidden switch behind it!"
* In the game ''PizzaTycoon'', you can order sabotage devices/weapons from stores which claim to sell "joke articles" and "ice cream", respectively. But if you try to buy weapons openly, they'll tell the police, and prison ensues.

[[AC:WebComics]]
* Mobster Kingpin from the ''[[MSPaintAdventures MS Paint Adventures]]'' series ''{{Problem Sleuth}}'' has the LEGITIMATE ESTABLISHMENT, which is a front for his speakeasy.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''TheSimpsons'' is the TropeNamer, with Fat Tony's hideout. They have a softball team and "family" picnics.
** ''TheSimpsons'' also has the Ancient Society of No-Homers, which meets at an old Baskin-Robbins with a marquee reading "'''ABANDONED STORE'''".
* ''{{Futurama}}'''s Bender was very disappointed to learn that the League of Robots is very legitimate and hasn't killed a human in centuries. (And that was a pretty sick Girl Scout.)
** ''{{Futurama}}'' also has the Robot Mafia, which is based in a meat store called "Fronty's Meat Market: Not a front since 2437"
*** Not to mention "[[PunnyName Small Bill's Laundering]]"
* ''FamilyGuy'' has the Mafia do their dealings in the "Pet Store. That's it, pet store." All of the "pets" are cardboard cut outs, and people regularly order "bunnies" in both 12 gauge and semiautomatic (the cops have it bugged).
** "Whatever sort of 'bunny' you think would be best for shooting a guy in the head."

-->--Sign in front of Team Rocket's base, ''[=~Pokémon~=] [=HeartGold=]/[=SoulSilver=]''

[[AC:MMORPGs]]

** And oddly enough, this is a subversion since (in the original novel at least) Vito made a sincere attempt to get rich in the olive oil business before deciding that bootlegging and illegal gaming was a more lucrative business.

* ''TheSimpsons'' is the TropeNamer, with Fat Tony's hideout. They have a softball team and "family" picnics.
** ''TheSimpsons'' also has the Ancient Society of No-Homers, which meets at an old Baskin-Robbins with a marquee reading "'''ABANDONED STORE'''".
* ''SamAndMax'' has [[SuckECheeses Ted E. Bear's Mafia-free Playland And Casino.]] Complete with a [[EarWorm horribly]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLVclnItahk catchy theme song]].
-->"N-O M-A-F-I-A! Oh baby..."
* ''{{Futurama}}'''s Bender was very disappointed to learn that the League of Robots is very legitimate and hasn't killed a human in centuries. (And that was a pretty sick Girl Scout.)
** ''{{Futurama}}'' also has the Robot Mafia, which is based in a meat store called "Fronty's Meat Market: Not a front since 2437"
*** Not to mention "[[PunnyName Small Bill's Laundering]]"
* ''KingdomOfLoathing'' has a Penguin Mafia. They run The Raffle House and Uncle P's Antiques, both which are "legitimate establishments".
** [[VillainDecay Recently]], they seem to actually be legitimate establishments. I guess when you can [[CutLexLuthorACheck liberate adventurers of their meat legitimately...]]
* Mobster Kingpin from the ''[[MSPaintAdventures MS Paint Adventures]]'' series ''{{Problem Sleuth}}'' has the LEGITIMATE ESTABLISHMENT, which is a front for his speakeasy.
* The Outstanding Citizen Warehouse Corporation from ''TheSims 3'', which is your sims' workplace if you choose the criminal career.

* ''FamilyGuy'' has the Mafia do their dealings in the "Pet Store. That's it, pet store." All of the "pets" are cardboard cut outs, and people regularly order "bunnies" in both 12 gauge and semiautomatic (the cops have it bugged).
* Subverted in the play ''The Hairy Ape''. Yank goes to a meeting of the Industrial Workers of the World, expecting it to be a front for an organization that achieves its goals by blowing things up. The people there assume that he is a government spy trying to entrap their genuinely legitimate organization when he approaches them, and kick him out.
* In ''Game/TheGodfather: The Game'', one suspects that the various families would conceal their businesses better if they didn't post guards around it who smack their fists into the other open palm every time they see you come near. Or outright open fire indiscriminately if your Vendetta with that family is high enough.
* There was a small rumor about years ago that {{SNK}}'s first American offices were actually owned by the mafia as a means to launder their money and had minimal organized management, which is why their infamous localizations were the way they were.
* As noted above, the Team Rocket Base in ''{{Pokemon}} [=HeartGold=]/[=SoulSilver=]'' has a sign to this accord. It also has a [[IncrediblyObviousBug discolored tree with highly visible antennae sticking out of the top.]]
** And the shopkeeper keeps telling you that the breeze coming from that mysterious gigantic box in the middle of the shop is just your imagination, and is not coming from any hidden hideout anywhere. It doesn't help that he says it ''every single time you try to buy stuff from him''.
*** Parodied when Team Rocket is driven away and the legitimate owner comes back...and the whistling noise doesn't stop, because she's old and her dentures don't fit right.
** Don't forget the first games "Don't look behind the poster! There's no hidden switch behind it!"
* Likely in homage to ''TheSimpsons'', the ImproFanfic ''DoGooders'' had the "Tokyo Legitimate Businessmen's Club". To their credit, neither the heroes nor the main villain realized their actual purpose until the shoot-out started. Then again, everyone else knows what they really do...
* Lampshaded in Kim Newman's "The Serial Murders" in which psychic investigator Richard Jeperson is introduced to some very obvious Legitimate Businessmen by the villain, who is auctioning his supernatural powers to be used for assassination. Upon being introduced to them, Jeperson guesses that they're 'olive oil salesmen', in reference to ''TheGodfather'' example above. They appreciate the joke, but the villain -- who is both rather uncultured and a bit of an idiot -- is lost.
* In the game ''PizzaTycoon'', you can order sabotage devices/weapons from stores which claim to sell "joke articles" and "ice cream", respectively. But if you try to buy weapons openly, they'll tell the police, and prison ensues.
* In ''CityOfHeroes'', Mafia {{Expy}} "The Family" has a pizza chain. Billboards advertise "Made Fresh. By Made Men."
** Which is most likely a shout-out or homage to Neil Stephenson's 'Snowcrash' for his Cosa Nostra Pizza, Uncle Enzo and the world's most brutal 30-minutes or less delivery guarantee.

* The climax of ''Some Like It Hot'' involves the Friends of Italian Opera.
* ''{{Baccano}}!'''s Martillo Family run a speakeasy in Prohibition-era New York City, with a shop selling honey as a front.

----

In short, a FrontOrganisation that isn't very convincing.

* ''{{Baccano}}!''s Martillo Family run a speakeasy in Prohibition-era New York City, with a shop selling honey as a front.

* In ''TheGodfather'' game, one suspects that the various families would conceal their businesses better if they didn't post guards around it who smack their fists into the other open palm every time they see you come near. Or outright open fire indiscriminately if your Vendetta with that family is high enough.

* In the game ''PizzaTycoon'', you can order sabotage devices/weapons from stores which claim to sell "joke articles" and "ice cream", respectively.

* In ''MullhollandDrive,'' a couple of humorless men approach some movie producers and tell them who their next actress they're going to cast is going to be, point-blank, no finesse. The producers are terrified of the two guys and the directors is upset and flabbergasted until he gets the hint and realizes to his dismay that his movie is being commandeered by the mob.

* In the game ''PizzaTycoon'', you can order sabotage devices/weapons from stores which claim to sell "joke articles" and "ice cream", respectively.