History Main / ParodiesForDummies

* ''Dr. Ludwig and the Devil'' mentions that one of the books written by Theophilus the Wise is ''Exorcisms for Dummyes''.

* ''Webcomic/{{Roommates}}''' in-world books series is ''[[TheWikiRule Wiki]]'s _____ for Beginners'', for example ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-309-Astronomy-362859230 Wiki's Astronomy for Beginners.]]'

[[caption-width-right:319:[[http://www.signgenerator.org/books/dummies/ They really do have a book for everything, don't they?]] ]]

** In ''Recap/StartOfDarkness'', Xykon points out that [[UnequalRites as a sorcerer rather than a wizard]], "This magic is in my bones, not cribbed off of ''Magic for Dummies''."

* In ''The Trouble with Timelines'' LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya goes searching for a missing [[MacGuffin jigsaw puzzle]] using techniques taken from ''Dowsing for Dummies''.

* An UrExample could be the 1968 British comedy film ''The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom''. The main character's lover -- who lives secretly in her attic -- uses a series of dubious Do-It-Yourself manuals to build all sorts of items there, including a room-size mainframe computer.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Early in the comic, John consults ''[[https://www.homestuck.com/story/116 Data Structures for Assholes]]'' when he needs help with his InventoryManagementPuzzle. The [[https://www.homestuck.com/story/391 page he turns to]] is a spot-on parody of the style, format and clip-art used in such guides. However, instead of providing advice useful to a novice, the book addresses its reader in the tone of an obnoxious abusive jerk. When Rose receives knitting needles and yarn as a gift, she mentions getting a copy of ''Knitting for Assholes''. Apparently the series covers many topics.

* ''Film/InspectorGadget 2'' had ''Quantum Physics for Dimwits''.

* ''WesternAnimation/PrincessNatasha'': In "Zoravian Lightning - Part 2", Greg reads a book titled "Moron's Guide to Driving" to study for a driving test.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12559896/28/To-live-a-life To live a life]]'' Harry uses ''Dog Training for Dummies'' to help him with his new puppy.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13698514/21/The-Darkening-Of-Your-Soul The Darkening of Your Soul]]'' Barty Crouch gives Tom a copy of ''Anger Management for Dummies''.

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': When Valerie takes interest in hunting ghosts, she checks out a library book titled ''Ghost Killing for Dimwits''.

** In ''WesternAnimation/RealityTrip'', there's a book titled ''Ghost Envy for Dimwits''.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', John consults ''[[https://www.homestuck.com/story/116 Data Structures for Assholes]]'' when he needs help with his InventoryManagementPuzzle. The [[https://www.homestuck.com/story/391 page he turns to]] is a spot-on parody of the style, format and clip-art used in such guides. However, instead of providing advice useful to a novice, the book addresses its reader in the tone of an obnoxious abusive jerk.
** When Rose receives knitting needles and yarn as a gift, she mentions getting a copy of ''Knitting for Assholes''. Apparently the series covers many topics.

* One of the things that [[spoiler:[[WalkingSpoiler Remus]]]] does while ignoring Logan during ''Working Through Intrusive Thoughts'' is a book called ''Ignoring Dummies for Dummies'', which, to further illustrate the point, has an image of Logan on the front cover.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In "Shelf Life", Timmy and his fairies try to stop [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer Tom Sawyer]] from magically altering various books, especially because one of them, ''Astrophysics for Morons'', is a nonfiction book and can allow him to [[RewritingReality alter reality]].

* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': "Berry Scary" has a whole bookstore shelf full of "...for Blockheads" books, including the one Bloo and Mac are looking for, "World Records for Blockheads".

* ''WesternAnimation/BunsenIsABeast'': Mikey and Bunsen consult a book titled ''Minks for Morons'' in the episode "Braces for Disaster".

* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'' with ''The Complete Moron's Guide to Picking Up Space Chicks''.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Look Before You Sleep", Twilight Sparkle hosts a slumber party, but has no idea how, so she relies on a book titled ''Slumber 101: [[Creator/WoodyAllen All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask]])''.
* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': When Valerie takes interest in hunting ghosts, she checks out a library book titled ''Ghost Killing for Dimwits''.
** In ''WesternAnimation/RealityTrip'', there's a book titled ''Ghost Envy for Dimwits''.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'': One episode had a scene where kids are checking out books from a bookmobile, a dopey looking boy with a hillbilly accent asks the librarian for ''The Dunderheads Guide to Idiocy''.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In "Shelf Life", Timmy and his fairies try to stop [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer Tom Sawyer]] from magically altering various books, especially because one of them, ''Astrophysics for Morons'', is a nonfiction book and can allow him to [[RewritingReality alter reality]].

* ''WesternAnimation/PrincessNatasha'': In "Zoravian Lightning - Part 2", Greg reads a book titled "Moron's Guide to Driving" to study for a driving test.

* In ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' season 6 episode "The Courtship of Wyatt's Father". Elder Gideon presents a page in a book titled ''Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Portals But Were Afraid to Ask''.

* ''{{Series/Bones}}'': One episode had ''Forensics for Knuckleheads'' on Aubrey’s desk. This is a bit odd since Booth used ''Plumbing for Dummies'' in an earlier episode. ''Forensics for Dummies'' is a real book so why they didn’t use it is unknown.

[[quoteright:319:[[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dummies_8292.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:319:[[http://www.signgenerator.org/books/dummies/ They really do have a book for everything, don't they?]] [[note]][[ComicallyMissingThePoint That book's a decade out of date.]][[/note]]]]