History Main / StereoFibbing

* In ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons,'' Wilbur is trying to hide the fact that he stole his dad's time machine and brought Lewis to the future from modern times. When his mom asks if Lewis is a friend from school, they say "Yes" and "No" at the same time, then follow up with "[[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Yes and no]]. He's a transfer student."

%%* ''Series/OurMissBrooks'':
%%** In the episode "The Wrong Mrs. Boynton", Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton fib in stereo to the Dean of State College.
%%** In "Trial By Jury", Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Walter Denton and Bones Snodgrass play possum with multiple fake illnesses.

* Invoked and then subverted in ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Catelyn Stark arranges a secret PrisonerExchange to send the captured MasterSwordsman Jaime Lannister back to his family in exchange for both of her daughters, guarded only by the swordswoman Brienne of Tarth. When Brienne runs across a few Stark soldiers who recognize Jaime and intend to recapture him, she tries to claim he's merely a thief that she's taking to the local authorities. The GenreSavvy leader of the soldiers replies with the following:

* In [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_(Book_of_Daniel) the Book of Daniel and Susannah]] from Literature/TheBible, Daniel sees through an attempt to frame Susannah by questioning the purported witnesses separately and catching them out when their stories don't match.

* In [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_(Book_of_Daniel) the Book of Daniel and Susannah]] from TheBible, Daniel sees through an attempt to frame Susannah by questioning the purported witnesses separately and catching them out when their stories don't match.

'''Clerk''': What color has it?\\

* This trope is central to the plot of the Book of Daniel and Susannah (biblical apocrypha), making it OlderThanFeudalism.

* In Lawrence Block's ''The Burglar on the Prowl'' Bernie claims he lied about last night's activities because he was seeing an unsuitable woman and didn't want Carolyn to know, prompting her to pretend to be indignant. Ray hands them each a piece of paper and asks them to write down the woman's name. Subverted when they both answer "Barbara" - which is the woman whose apartment Bernie burgled on the evening in question.

* ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'': In "The Fishy Doubloon Caper", Player calls in Ivy and Zack that Carmen needed them, unfortunately notifying her previous classmate, La Chevre. As he walks towards them with a giant fish hook asking if this Carmen was Carmen Sandiego, Ivy and Zack switch between saying San Francisco and San Jose.

* In ''Series/TheClass'', Yonk finds out that Nicole and Duncan dated in high school.

* Averted on ''Series/That70sShow'', when Eric and Hyde gave the same answer to Kelso's question in unison through luck, despite not having planned it.
** They almost blow it anyway by turning to each other with surprised delight when they realize what just happened.

-->'''Ratso:''' We know you got the statue. Where is it?\\

'''Finn:''' You need to get your story straight.

* in rapid succession*\\

* Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash do this in the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Party of One", while claiming to be house-sitting for a bear named Harry who's vacationing at the beach. Bonus points: the two make different foreleg gestures when they speak, swapping them when they swap lies. When they blend the two lies together, they both make one gesture with one foreleg and the other with the other foreleg. It also leads to a BrickJoke a season later when the ponies hide out in Harry's house to avoid Pinkie Pie's clones.

* In ''Disney/MeetTheRobinsons,'' Wilbur is trying to hide the fact that he stole his dad's time machine and brought Lewis to the future from modern times. When his mom asks if Lewis is a friend from school, they say "Yes" and "No" at the same time, then follow up with "[[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Yes and no]]. He's a transfer student."

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'', the titular coven of witches leaves a baby (who is secretly the heir to the throne of Lancre, smuggled out of the palace after the king is murdered by his cousin) in the care of a band of travelling actors. When asked the boy's name, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg provide separate answers, "Tom" and "John", but settle on "Tomjon".

'''John/Sara:''' My Girlfriend/My Boyfriend\\
'''John/Sara:''' Her Boyfriend/His Girlfriend\\

%%* ''Series/ILoveLucy''.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' episode "The Warrior Incarnate", the Dark Hand busts into Uncle's shop looking for a terra-cotta statue on loan there. However, the statue was previously broken and is now totally disappeared from the shop, as Jade hauled the pieces away without Jackie or Uncle's knowledge. In this case, both Jackie and Uncle are telling the truth yet don't know the full story, making their explanations sound inconsistent:

* ''Theatre/HelloDolly''':

** When Irene and Dolly are attempting to pursuade Vandergelder that Cornelius is secretly from a famous family:

** The context was that persons 2 and 3 were pretending to be dating in order to cover up whatever they were actually doing together... probably planning a surprise birthday party.

!!!'''In General:'''

!!!'''Series:'''

* On a kids' sitcom from the '90s that starred mostly black people and [[UnreliableNarrator may or may not have been]] ''Series/SisterSister'':
-->'''Person 1:''' Where did you go?\\
'''Persons 2 and 3:''' ''[in unison]'' To the movies/mall.\\
'''Person 3:''' To the movies AT the mall.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Series/OurMissBrooks'':
** In the episode "The Wrong Mrs. Boynton", Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton fib in stereo to the Dean of State College.
** In "Trial By Jury", Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Walter Denton and Bones Snodgrass play possum with multiple fake illnesses.
* In the ''Series/SmallWonder'' episode "Vicki's Adoption", Mrs. Fernwald asks Ted and Joan how Vicki's natural parents died. "A train crash!/A plane crash! A plane crashed on top of a train."
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
** In the episode "The One with the Rumor", Monica asks Phoebe and Chandler who won the football game neither one of them was really watching. At the same time, Phoebe says "Green Bay" while Chandler says "Detroit". Phoebe then explains that "Detroit technically won, but it was a moral victory for the Green Bay...Mermen."
** Subverted in another episode: Rachel and Phoebe conspire to leave Joey alone with a girl they want him to date. Joey sees through the ruse and tries to catch them in the lie by asking several follow-up questions. However, Rachel and Phoebe ''have'' worked out their story, and answer several successive questions in perfect unison. Of course, this doesn't make it any more convincing, because it looks like they've been rehearsing this.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': In one of the host segments for ''Film/TheGiantSpiderInvasion'' - which had an ''Film/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' plot throughout the segments, Pearl and Observer identify the pods as:
-->'''Pearl/Observer:''' Zucchini/Throw pillows.\\
'''Pearl/Observer:''' Throw pillows/Zucchini.\\
'''Pearl/Observer:''' Well, it's a kind of (Zucchini/throw pillow) that you can use as a (throw pillow/Zucchini).\\
'''Pearl:''' They're throw pillows -\\
'''Observer:''' Zucchi-\\
'''Pearl:''' (glares at Observer) They're '''''throw pillows'''''.
** In an SOL segment, Joel reads a letter from a young boy who says his use of the word "dickweed" (heard on the show) got him in trouble, and asks if it's a swear word. He and Servo quickly reply "Yes!No!/No!Yes!"
* In the final episode of ''Series/FawltyTowers'', Basil tries to justify to two customers why another customer had just been given veal when Basil has just said that the veal is off. He claims that the veal is "veal substitute".
-->'''Basil:''' We had it flown in from...\\
'''Polly:''' Japan.\\
'''Basil:''' Norway. It's a sort of Japo-Scandanavian imitation of the real substitute and I'm afraid that's the last slice anyway.

** In "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E22BecomingPart2}} Becoming, Part 2]]", Buffy and Spike head back to her house to talk, but are waylaid by Joyce pulling up in the driveway. Buffy gives Spike an expressive "don't say anything in front of my mother" eye roll. "What, your mom doesn't know?" Spike asides. Know ''what''?
-->'''Buffy:''' That I'm, uh... [stammering] in a band. A rock band. With Spike here.
-->'''Spike:''' Right. She plays the, the triangle--
-->'''Buffy:''' Drums.
-->'''Spike:''' --Drums, yeah, she's, [[CringeComedy uh, hell on the old skins, y'know]].
-->'''Joyce:''' [unconvinced] Hmm. And, uh, what do ''you'' do?
-->'''Spike:''' [beat] well, I sing.
** Played with in "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E18KilledByDeath}} Killed By Death]]". Xander, Willow, and Cordy take an unconscious Buffy into the Hospital Emergency room (oddly, none of these are lies, just not the whole story).
-->'''Intern''': What happened?
-->'''Willow''': The flu.
-->'''Xander''': She fell.
-->'''Cordy''': She fainted.
-->'''Xander''': The flu, fainted and fell. She's sick, make it better!
* Subverted in ''Series/{{Spaced}}'' where the two main characters, in order to rent a flat, pretend to be in a relationship. When first asked how long they've been together, they answer [[LudicrousPrecision to the day]], having memorised it beforehand. However, when asked again two days later, they give the exact same answer. Oops.
** Even more hilarious when they try to weasel out of the mistake by claiming that one of them goes by when they first had sex, and the other goes by when they first kissed, causing an [[SmartBall unusually sharp]] Brian to ask:
---> '''Brian''': You had sex before you kissed?
---> '''Tim:''' ''[{{beat}}]'' [[SureLetsGoWithThat ...Yep.]]
* An episode of ''Series/{{Porridge}}'', in which the cellmates have to explain a bottle of pills found in their cell.
-->'''Godber:''' They're Fletch's. They're for his...\\
'''Fletcher/Godber:''' ...nerves/...indigestion.\\
'''Fletcher/Godber''' ...indigestion/...nerves.\\
'''Fletcher:''' I get this nervous indigestion. And sometimes vice versa.
* The title character of ''Series/{{House}}'' discovers that the elderly couple he's been giving relationship advice are actually having an affair when he asks them how long they've been married and they give different answers--the lengths, one assumes, of their respective marriages.

* Averted on ''Series/That70sShow'', when Eric and Hyde gave the same answer to Kelso's question in unison through luck, despite not having planned it.
** They almost blow it anyway by turning to each other with surprised delight when they realize what just happened.
* A favorite with the kids of ''Series/TheBradyBunch''.
-->'''Greg''': I heard about this one newspaper that printed a million copies of page nine right on top of page eight and left page nine blank.
-->'''Marcia''': I heard about that too.
-->'''Mike''': Really? What paper was that?
-->'''Greg''': ''The Boston Times''
-->'''Marcia''': (''simultaneous'') ''The Chicago Post''.
-->(''They glance at each other'')
-->'''Greg''': I mean, ''The Chicago Post''.
-->'''Marcia''': (''simultaneous'') I mean, ''The Boston Times''.

-->'''Director Vance:''' Did you know Mike Franks was involved in this?
-->'''Tony / Ziva:''' No. / Yes.
-->'''Director Vance:''' Want to take a moment to get your stories straight?
-->'''Tony / Ziva:''' Yes. / No.

-->'''Data:''' I am perceiving an apparent change in the way that others act toward me. For example, people abruptly end their conversations when I appear... as you did when the turbolift doors opened. Is this an accurate observation?
-->'''Troi / Riker:''' Yes. / Not at all.
* Double Subverted on ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', during the "Seamless Collaborative Guy Lie" incident - watch [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ8zGDYtfr4 here.]]
* In ''{{Series/Eureka}}'', Carter and Allison do this when they enter a room right after having spent the night together.
-->'''Fargo''': Where have you two been?\\
'''Carter''' / '''Allison''': Sleeping. / Working.\\
'''Carter''': Uh... people... work better... when having slept.\\
'''Jo''': Okay...
* Distilled to its purest essence in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E10VincentAndTheDoctor Vincent and the Doctor]]":
-->'''Vincent van Gogh''' ''(To Amy)'': I take it from your accent that you're from Holland, like me?\\
'''The Doctor''' / '''Amy''': Yes. / No.\\
'''The Doctor''': She means yes.
** This is a nod at both Vincent and Amy being played by Scottish actors.
* Done in ''Series/LastOfTheSummerWine'':
--> '''Pearl:''' So what were you talking about?
--> '''Clegg:''' Philosophy / '''Howard:''' Football!
--> ''(beat)''
--> '''Howard:''' ...Football ''and'' philosophy.
* An episode of ''Series/SpinCity'' has Carter and Stuart trying to convince Paul the apartment for sale across the hall from them has already been taken so he won't buy it.
--> '''Paul:''' Who took it?
--> '''Carter:''' An old white man./ '''Stuart:''' A young black woman.
--> '''Carter:''' It was a... young old black white man woman.
** What? Not even a '[[MayDecemberRomance and they're very happy together]]'?
* In an episode of ''Series/{{Zoey 101}}'', Trisha is dating Chase against his will. To get out of it, he puts on an act for her that depicts Zoey as his girlfriend. When questioned about it, they usually agree on everything. Until...
--> '''Trisha:''' How long have you two been going out?
--> '''Chase/Zoey:''' A year./Six months.
--> '''Chase:''' A year and six months. Eighteen months, really.
* In ''Series/TheClass'', Yonk finds out that Nicole and Duncan dated in high school.
--> '''Yonk:''' So, how long did you guys go out?
--> '''Mrs. Carmello:''' Three years. / '''Nicole:''' Two weeks. / '''Duncan:''' Five months.
--> '''Yonk:''' How's that?
--> '''Nicole:''' Uh, three years, five months, and two weeks, thanks to everyone who contributed to that.
* Beautifully averted in ''Series/{{Frasier}}'''s fourth-season premiere. Everyone has been telling a bunch of outrageous lies to Daphne's ex-BF Clive (ItMakesSenseInContext. well, a little). When he asks the dog's name, everyone looks tensely at one another for a moment, and then in unison they say the dog's actual name, Eddie. Because for the first time that day, it's a fact they ''didn't'' have to lie about.
* A ''Series/{{MASH}}'' episode has Col. Potter pressing Hawkeye and BJ for details after his wife writes them (about a surprise mortgage-burning party she wants them to throw for him):
-->'''Potter:''' Answer me this: Does (the surprise) have anything to do with where I'm going to be living out my retirement years?\\
'''Hawkeye / BJ:''' No. / Yes.\\
'''Potter:''' You boys want to confer for a bit and work out one lie between you?\\
'''BJ''': No, actually, we can stand by either lie.
* Invoked and then subverted in ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Catelyn Stark arranges a secret PrisonerExchange to send the captured MasterSwordsman Jaime Lannister back to his family in exchange for both of her daughters, guarded only by the swordswoman Brienne of Tarth. When Brienne runs across a few Stark soldiers who recognize Jaime and intend to recapture him, she tries to claim he's merely a thief that she's taking to the local authorities. The GenreSavvy leader of the soldiers replies with the following:
-->'''Soldier:''' I've a question for you both, and I want you both to answer it at the same time. I count to three, you both answer. ''(Points to Jaime)'' What's his name? One... two... three... ''(Jaime and Brienne look at each other in dismay because they hadn't thought of an alias for Jaime... then Brienne kills all three soldiers)''
* UK soap opera ''Series/{{Brookside}}'' played this in an infamous storyline where abusive Trevor Jordache is murdered by his wife Mandy and daughter Beth, whom he had terrorised for years. When his younger daughter Rachel comes home unexpectedly and asks where he is, Mandy says "Asleep" and Beth says "Out" in unison. Beth quickly covers by pretending she said "out of it" and that he's sleeping off a drinking binge.
* In ''Series/OrphanBlack'', Vic shows up at Allison and Donnie's house while they're in the middle of burying [[spoiler:Dr. Leekie's corpse]] in their garage.
-->'''Vic''': What's up with your garage?\\
'''Donnie / Allison''': Oil change. / Renovating.
* The ''Series/MurderSheWrote'' episode "Mr Penroy's Vacation" has a dead body turning up in the flowerbed of two slightly dotty old ladies who are hilariously bad liars. This comes up a couple of times, for instance when Jessica mentions rumours he proposed to one of them, and one says how surprising it was while the other says they don't know what she's talking about.
* On ''Series/Supergirl2015'', Cat asks how Kara, Winn, and James know [[Series/TheFlash2014 Barry Allen]]. They all simultaneously say that he's their cousin. The end of the episode reveals that Cat figured out that Barry is the Flash pretty quickly. And yet she has trouble putting two and two together and figure out that Kara is Supergirl. [[spoiler:Subverted later, when it's revealed she knew]].
* On a kids' sitcom from the '90s that starred mostly black people and [[UnreliableNarrator may or may not have been]] ''Sister Sister'':
-->Person 1: "Where did you go?"
-->Persons 2 and 3 in unison: "To the movies/mall"
-->Person 3: "To the movies AT the mall"
** The context was that persons 2 and 3 were pretending to be dating in order to cover up whatever they were actually doing together... probably planning a surprise birthday party.

[[folder:Theater]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''WebComic/EightBitTheater'', Thief and Red Mage start out out of sync on this lie, but pull it together:

[[folder: Western Animation]]