History Main / RandomSmokingScene

[[quoteright:326:[[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the-flintstones-cigarette_8373.jpg]]]]

** Subverted in chapter 14 of the manga. Gamakichi was comparing his relationship with Gamatatsu to Neji and Hinata's. After a brief montage, it showed Hinata dressed as their father, Gamabunta, complete with a pipe. However, smoke wasn't coming from the pipe.

** The comedic Naruto spin-off, ''[[Manga/RockLeesSpringTimeOfYouth Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals]]'', shows a scene of Orochimaru dressed as a woman in a bar smoking.

In other circumstances a smoking scene can be useful to the plot. A character is [[MustHaveNicotine nervous]], [[OfCourseISmoke wants to impress people]], [[SmokingHotSex just had sex]], is a well known smoker (UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill, UsefulNotes/FidelCastro, Creator/HumphreyBogart can not be portrayed as non-smokers), is a [[SmokyGentlemensClub rich business executive]], a [[DistinguishedGentlemansPipe classy, intellectual pipe smoker]], a [[PeacePipe Native American making peace with other tribes]] or an [[GoodSmokingEvilSmoking evil person]]. Or he's just a [[SmokingIsCool badass]]. Or the story is a PeriodPiece set in an era when EverybodySmokes. Or he needs access to fire and [[OneLastSmoke a cigarrete is the only option]]. However, the random smoking scene has no real purpose and could have easily been left out the story without affecting the plot. In a few instances it even becomes pointless {{padding}}. Sometimes it even makes no sense because the story takes place in a time period when tobacco hadn't yet been introduced, or the character smokes in an area where it is normally not allowed. In other circumstances it's even highly questionable because the story is actually aimed at or popular with children or teenagers. Let's face it: there's no real necessary reason to have little children smoke on screen. It's TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior that could easily be faked or avoided on screen, without hurting the story.

# U.S. cigarette companies can, as of April 1970, no longer advertise cigarettes or other tobacco products on television, so they pay production companies to let a show's characters light a cigarette in a film or TV series. ProductPlacement can be a potent way to inspire people to start smoking.[[note]]And even before 1970, this practice still sprang up a lot since naturally the tobacco concerns loved getting maximum, normalizing screen time wherever possible.[[/note]] In the [=21st=] century, this has gotten less common, as the MoralGuardians (as well as the general nonsmoking public) have gotten more wise to this kind of behavior and disapprove of it.

# Perhaps they want to be controversial, though this could backfire if such a smoking scene is in a work [[NoSmoking aimed at kids]]. See NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity. In the [=21st=] century, this is definitely the least common (since trying to be "edgy" in this way, especially with actual children's programming, can be a ''death sentence'' for crucial advertising dollars if one is on TV or ad-reliant media).

* ''Series/AdamTwelve'': An early episode saw Pete Malloy putting out a cigarette and is the only time he is implied to be a smoker. This is the only time any of the main characters smoked.

* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts: In the WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse cartoon "Disney/TheBraveLittleTailor", the story takes place in a fairy tale setting in the Middle Ages. Yet the giant decides at one point to roll himself an enormous improvised cigarette! Perhaps the historical setting started to annoy him?

** Also, although the work is set in modern times: Angel himself is from a time when [[EverybodySmokes everyone smoked all the time]]. He was turned in the mid-19th Century. So, randomly lighting up is perfectly legitimate. It's actually a surprise that he doesn't light up more (which is presumably partially because it's a kid's show). Later on, in both ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and in ''Series/Angel'', they consistently portrayed his DarkerAndEdgier Angelus personality smoking. This is somewhat consistent with Spike also being portrayed as a smoker and being more of an AntiHero.

* In the ''Manga/OnePiece'' movie, ''Strong World'', Brook is shown smoking something dressed as a hippy.

** Also, although the work is set in modern times: Angel himself is from a time when [[EverbodySmokes everyone smoked all the time]]. He was turned in the mid-19th Century. So, randomly lighting up is perfectly legitimate. It's actually a surprise that he doesn't light up more (which is presumably partially because it's a kid's show). Later on, in both ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and in ''Series/Angel'', they consistently portrayed his DarkerAndEdgier Angelus personality smoking. This is somewhat consistent with Spike also being portrayed as a smoker and being more of an AntiHero.

* ''Film/AHardDaysNight'': In a few scenes, most prominently towards the beginning on the train when George and Ringo discuss a woman who was flirting with Ringo earlier. Then again, Music/TheBeatles apparently smoked like crazy throughout the shoot, and director Richard Lester mentioned in at least one documentary someone would always be standing by just before each scene to take the cigarettes out of their hands, and then give them back after filming was finished.
* In ''Film/{{Husk}}'', Chris and Natalie share a cigarette when they are left alone at the wrecked van. Natalie is apparently a secret smoker and asks Chris not to tell her boyfriend Brian that she is a smoker. Neither lights up again over the course of the film, and Natalie hiding her smoking from Brian never becomes plot relevant. The main purpose of the scene is to [[ChekhovsGun establish that Chris carries a lighter]].

* In the ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' episode "A Scandal in Belgravia", Mycroft passes his brother a cigarette to smoke after the shock of a character's death. (Elsewhere, Sherlock is shown to be a quitting smoker who excessively uses nicotine patches to cope with stress.) According to WordOfGod, this is meant to reflect the literary original's cocaine use, which was similarly frowned upon in its day.