Line #60 Main/MicDrop


1	[[quoteright:325:[[Series/ParksAndRecreation https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mic_drop_2750.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:325:[[Wrestling/CMPunk PIPE BOMB!]]]]
3
4	->''"All she needs is a mic drop. I swear, that's the only thing missing. She fucking owns everything that ever existed. She just needs a mic drop."''
5	-->-- '''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic''', on the ''T. rex'' from ''Film/JurassicPark''
6
7	A character having just delivered an awesome speech or performance will emphasize just how awesome (and explosive) it was by purposefully toppling a microphone stand or dropping the microphone from shoulder-level height just before leaving the stage.
8
9	Since this is a showy, arrogant gesture, comedy is frequently wrought by having self-effacing or rule-conscious characters do it. Expect a wide range of audience reaction, from [[ShowStopper rapturous applause]] to [[ChirpingCrickets silence]]. This action is often, but not always, accompanied by the stock phrase "<Name> out" or "Peace out".
10
11	Can also be parodied by NOT cutting out the sound while doing this, creating horrible-sounding noise. This is also why people hold the mic up high before dropping it - it's a cue for the sound tech to cut power to it.
12
13	The term "mic drop" has also been adopted to refer to a definitive statement for which there is no valid comeback or debate ("He delivered the mic drop on the argument").
14
15	The mic drop also has connotations of an unspoken challenge, [[ThrowingDownTheGauntlet daring anyone who thinks they can do better to pick up the mic]]. If someone ''does'' rise to the challenge and picks up the mic, the mic dropper can be seen as [[UnsportsmanlikeGloating a showboater who didn't quit gracefully while he was ahead]], especially if the challenger subsequently [[InsultBackfire outclasses him]]. On the other hand, if the challenger ''fails'' to meet the challenge, he'll probably be seen as a fool who can't recognize he's in way over his head.
16
17	Related to less-boastful use of this in stand-up comedy, the term is also used as SelfDeprecation [[LamePunReaction akin to the]] {{Rimshot}} (this is usually accompanied by “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be here all week”).
18
19	----
20	!!Examples:
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Advertising]]
25	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqn9UeBsqsQ This]] Jack in the Box commercial. Jack comes back to retrieve the mic so nobody trips.
26	* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3zptG2nVmM this]] Verizon commercial, Thomas Middleditch announces the new plan, delivers a mic drop, then has to pull another microphone out of his jacket because he forgot to give a full description. The commercial ends with three microphones on the carpet and Thomas saying he's out of mics.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
30	* ''Anime/FateStayNightHeavensFeel'': After their "[[CurbStompBattle battle]]" (read: a brutal OneHitKO) in the first film, Saber casually drops Rider's [[ChainPain chain]] in a distinct echo of this trope, then follows it up with a tilt of the head [[FacialDialogue as if to say]] "Was that all?"
31	* ''Anime/ZombielandSaga'': At the end of Sakura's [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Reason You Suck]] [[BattleRapping RAP]] in episode 2, she ''throws'' the mike onto the stage.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comic Books]]
35	* One alternate cover for ''[[ComicBook/UltimateMarvel Ultimate End]]'', part of the 2015 [[ComicBook/SecretWars2015 Secret Wars]] event and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the final end of Marvel's Ultimate line]] features a picture of Creator/BrianMichaelBendis, one of the main writers for the Ultimate line, [[http://buybigbang.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/UltimateEndBendisSkottieVariant.jpg dropping the mic.]]
36	* Alluded to in the title of the final collected volume of the Gillen/[=McKelvie=] ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'', ''Mic-Drop at the Edge of Time and Space''.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
40	* In the first teaser for ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOBatmanMovie'', Batman drops the microphone he's been beat-boxing on after announcing his movie.
41	-->'''Batman:''' Batman out... Wait, wait, Batman back in! Forgot to drop the mic. ''[drops mic]''
42	* One of the trailers for ''WesternAnimation/{{Minions}}'' has Bob (the youngest of the three) do it after delivering a speech to the crowd.
43	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'': Luigi attempts to do it with his cellphone after dramatically boasting to Spike about the call they received from their mother congratulating them for their commercial. It only results in his phone's screen getting cracked.
44	* ''Film/TomAndJerry2021'': After Tom successfully ships Jerry out of the hotel, he boards up Jerry's mouse hole and, in a moment of triumph, mic-drops the hammer.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
48	* Creator/TomHardy as Bane does this in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' after giving his big speech to Gotham at the football stadium, tossing the microphone on the dead body of Dr. Pavel, whom he's just murdered.
49	* ''Film/{{Drumline}}''. In the climactic battle of the drumlines, the A & T players finish by all dropping their drumsticks.
50	* In ''Film/HappyDeathDay2U'', after Tree writes a complicated boardful of equations (which she had to forcefully memorize [[GroundhogDayLoop while living the same day over and over]]), she does this with the marker, with an added utterance of "Boom!".
51	* Faith does this after finishing a song in ''Film/StrangeDays''.
52	* In ''Film/TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny'' JB knocks the mic stand over after the D's first "concert" (a one-song amatuer/open mic night). The audience is not impressed.
53	* Hardy does it again in ''Film/VenomLetThereBeCarnage'', this time as the titular symbiote attends a rave to make a speech about acceptance and aliens.
54	* Max Renn does this in ''Film/{{Videodrome}}'' after [[spoiler:shooting down Barry Convex]] and subsequently screaming "[[ArcWords DEATH TO VIDEODROME! LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH!]]"
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
58	* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Liz Lemon at the end of her high school reunion.
59	-->'''Liz:''' Lemon out!
60	* Maeby in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' s4e12, giving her presentation on Fakeblock to a room of investors.
61	* In the pilot of ''Series/Batwoman2019'', Alice standing [[DoNotAdjustYourSet in front of the camera]] that was to record the turning off of the Bat-Signal to inform the rich people of Gotham that Crow Security cannot protect them. She then topples the camera on its side, and it lands with the lens pointing at the Crow security officer she's just murdered.
62	* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' Leonard pulls a fake one of these, leading Sheldon to ask Penny "Who is this Mike Dropp?"
63	* ''Series/{{Community}}'':
64	** Annie Edison finishing her eulogy for Star-Burns.
65	--->'''Annie:''' Edison out!
66	--->'''Dean Pelton:''' Wow. Let's maybe not drop the ''fifty-dollar'' mics. Okay?
67	** Chang when admonishing Jeff for "taking advantage of the emotionally vulnerable".
68	* ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'': Jessica Williams ended an epic rant about racism with a mic drop ... which she first had to pull out from behind her desk because she wasn't using it during said rant.
69	* ''UsefulNotes/ComicRelief''. Creator/PeterDinklage does this at the end of his Red Nose Day song "I'm Still Going Strong" (about how his character on ''Series/GameOfThrones'' hasn't [[AnyoneCanDie been killed off yet]]).
70	* In-universe example in ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Season 3, Episode 4, "And Now His Watch Has Ended". After trading her largest dragon Drogon for the Unsullied army, Daenerys receives a ceremonial whip, a symbol of her ownership of the Unsullied. She then [[UnspokenPlanGuarantee orders Drogon to incinerate slave master Kraznys and the Unsullied to sack the city of Astapor.]] She then declares the Unsullied to be free men instead of slaves, and they willingly choose to follow her. As Daenerys and her army leave Astapor, she drops the ceremonial whip behind her without so much as a backwards glance. Technically not a microphone, but the gesture and the sentiment are the same.
71	* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'':
72	** Ted claims to become "weirdly good" at beatboxing when drinking bourbon. Cut to him giving a performance at [=MacLaren's,=] complete with a mic drop and wild applause. Immediately afterwards, Lily points out that the bourbon [[UnreliableNarrator only makes it sound good to Ted]]. Cut to the same scene, except Ted's performance is awful, and the mic drop ends in [[ChirpingCrickets uncomfortable bar patrons]] and some nasty feedback.
73	** Barney envisions pulling one at the hypothetical wedding between Ted and a girl Barney had called "dibs" on earlier:
74	--->'''Barney:''' Ladies and gentlemen. I... had ''dibs!'' ''[audience gasps, Lily faints]''
75	* In the 2018 live Creator/{{NBC}} performance of ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'', Music/AliceCooper sings "King Herod's Song" and drops the mic into the hands of a kneeling chorus girl (probably at the insistence of the sound technician). Notable in that ''Superstar'' and Cooper were both around long before the mic-dropping thing.
76	* Done by Peele (as Obama) on ''Series/KeyAndPeele''. A rapper in the street says "I'm the boss and the king!" Obama pulls up in his limo, takes the mic and says "I'm the leader of the Free World" and drops the mic.
77	* The actual UsefulNotes/BarackObama did this on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' at the end of a "Slow Jam the News" segment. Well, he didn't so much ''drop'' the mic as awkwardly set it down.
78	** He did it again with a PDA in a "Mean Tweets" segment on ''Series/JimmyKimmelLive'' after responding to Donald Trumps tweet that he was the worst president ever: "Well, @realDonaldTrump, at least ''I'' will go down ''as a'' president!" Either [[HarsherInHindsight harsher]] or [[HilariousInHindsight hilarious]] in hindsight after the 2016 election, depending on how one sees it.
79	* In Series/TheNeighborhood, Gemma did a completely gratuitous one with her phone after making her point to Calvin (the phone wasn't involved in the conversation, they were talking face to face) and ended up cracking her screen.
80	* ''Series/TheNightlyShow'': UsefulNotes/NeilDeGrasseTyson savagely dissed rapper B.o.B. (and anti-intellectualism in general) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHBZkek8OSU when the rapper insisted that the Earth was flat.]]
81	-->'''Neil [=deGrasse=] Tyson''': And by the way, ''this'' is called gravity! ''[drops the mic]''
82	* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'': Ben Wyatt (pictured) after condemning Denmark in the Roleplay/ModelUnitedNations.
83	* Bobby Moynihan from ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' seems to love this trope. In a recurring sketch where a number of eccentric characters come up to speak during a wedding/funeral/etc., he's played a character who exists for no other reason than to manically scream "WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" and drop the mic. More recently, his character Riblet, who appears on Weekend Update to antagonize Michael Che by trying to one-up him as a news anchor, will typically finish his appearance with one of these.
84	* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2019'': In the episode "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone2019S1E1TheComedian The Comedian]]", Samir does this during his final stand-up routine [[spoiler: [[RetGone because he erased himself from existence.]]]]
85	* Kimmy from ''Series/UnbreakableKimmySchmidt'' does a mic drop during a presentation. It makes an ugly and loud feedback sound and everyone winces.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Podcasts]]
89	* [[spoiler: Lup]] from ''Podcast/TheAdventureZoneBalance'' does this during [[spoiler: the IPRE press conference.]]
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
93	* Wrestling/AJLee after delivering a ReasonYouSuckSpeech to the entire Diva's Devision.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Theatre]]
97	* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' has Thomas Jefferson do one of these at the end of his solo during the first Cabinet Battle. James Madison catches it for him.
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Video Games]]
101	* The "I'll Just Leave This Here" taunt of Rath from ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'' has him drop one of his swords like a mic.
102	* In ''VideoGame/{{Divekick}}'', Kick's win pose has him pull a mic from his pocket and drop it on the ground.
103	* At the end of the final DLC ''Trespasser'' for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', a variant occurs with the Writ that authorized the Inquisition. [[PlayerCharacter The Inquisitor]] can, after being wrung out by UngratefulBastard kingdoms two years after saving them from [[BigBad Corypheus]], give them an epic TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, tell them the Inquisition is disbanded, and then drop the writ (which is a hefty tome).
104	* {{Inverted}} and {{Played For Drama}} in ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', where The Boyfriend drops the mic in presumed shock when [[GameOver he fails a song]], complete with a ''thud'' and feedback from the mic as it hits the floor.
105	%%* Riven does this with a length of chain in the Awaken cinematic for ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'', immediately after killing a gladiator with it. It's a BadassBoast to the effect that taking away her [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]] and chaining her unarmed in a gladiator ring is not going to make her less deadly.
106	* In ''VideoGame/RivalsOfAether'', dropping a microphone is Pomme's default taunt.
107	* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'': Beowulf's 5MP[[note]]standing medium punch[[/note]] has him deliver a straight punch with a microphone in his hand. Holding MP causes him to drop the mic for a second overhead hit, giving him some [[PopularityPower crowd hype]] to work with in the process..
108	* ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesShreddersRevenge'': April O'Neil's victory animation has her drop her reporter's microphone to taunt the boss she just beat.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Web Comics]]
112	* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'': [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3404#comic this comic]] in the [[AltText votey]].
113	* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2015-06-19 Monique does a mic drop at the end of one song.]] Problem is, a recently awakened devil microphone is passing by, earning its enmity.
114	* Webcomic/{{Subnormality}} has a mic dropping off the stand and then off the stage to punctuate the speakers' points in [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page591.html an appropriate manner]].
115	* In ''Webcomic/{{Whomp}}'', M Dude instructs Ronnie to drop the Mic and ends up accidentally throwing it in the crowd and [[http://www.whompcomic.com/2012/09/17/throw-it-like-its-hot/ directly into the face of an audience member.]] [[{{Jerkass}} M Dude applauds.]]
116	[[/folder]]
117
118	[[folder:Web Original]]
119	* ''WebVideo/BennettTheSage'': Forms a gag in ''Anime Abandon'' during the ''[[VideoGame/FatalFury Fatal Fury: Double Impact]]'' review: Bennett says that [[BigBad Krauser]], after unleashing an epic NoHoldsBarredBeatdown[=/=]BreakTheBadass moment on [[TheHero Terry Bogard]], has essentially just done the equivalent of the following:
120	--> Drops a mic.\
121	Holds out his other hand, holding two mics.\
122	Drops them.\
123	Pulls out a sack, filled with mics, and starts spilling them out onto the ground.
124	* ''WebAnimation/{{The Champions\|2018}}'': When the members of the "Expensive AF" group square off with the Dortmund players at the arcade, Alphonso Davies mic-drops the [[WhackAMonster Whack-A-Ref]] hammer after trouncing Giovanni Reyna at the game and getting a perfect score in the process.
125	* In ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'':
126	** Music/{{Elvis Presley}} does this in "Michael Jackson vs Elvis Presley".
127	--->'''Elvis:''' Later weirdo, Elvis is leaving the building!
128	** In "Tony Hawk vs. Wayne Gretzky", Gretzky substitutes his hockey stick for the mic as he concludes his lines.
129	* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'':
130	** In his review of ''Film/JurassicPark'', the Critic, while gushing over the ''T. rex''[='s=] awesomeness, says it should have done a mic drop at the end. He does one at the end of the review for the hell of it.
131	** In the review for ''Film/RogueOne'', in the re-creation of the fight between Darth Vader and the Rebels, after slaughtering all the {{Red Shirt}}s Vader drops his lightsaber like a mic. "Dark Side, motherfuckers!"
132	* In ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' Yui gives a [[DeadpanSnarker scathingly sarcastic retort to Yulier]] in Episode 10. Kirito responds with parental glee.
133	-->'''Kirito''': Holy cow, Yui! That was amazing! I wish I had like a tiny mic for you to drop!\
134	'''Asuna''': ''[[{{Squee}} Oh my god, that would be adorable!]]''
135	[[/folder]]
136
137	[[folder:Western Animation]]
138	* Done twice in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'' in the episode "The Wind Cries Mary":
139	** Archer is boasting about Lucas Troy and drops the control room mic.
140	** Pam when she finds out no one (except Cyril) has filled out the Peer Review forms, despite the low employee numbers (even though there were 50 agents and a full office plus a receptionist in the pilot).
141	* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndHarleyQuinn'', Harley does a mic drop after singing a ''very'' sexually suggestive song in a BadGuyBar. ItMakesSenseInContext.
142	* ''WesternAnimation/FetchWithRuffRuffman''': In the Humble Media Genius video "Getting the Most out of the internet", Ruff does this during his song.
143	* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'': In the episode "Manger Baby Einstein" Luann grabs the microphone at the local kid's pizza joint and scolds her former puppet show fans. She ends her rant by dropping the mic.
144	* ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'': In "You Are Rad", Rad dramatically drops the mic after his turn in a rap battle... and Enid scolds him for being careless with her equipment.
145	* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' features a musical award ceremony, one of the nominees being the song [[CaptainObvious "Trees are Made of Wood"]]. The entire song consists of the title line followed by a mic drop.
146	* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': [[spoiler:Blim Blam]], the {{Starfish Alien\|s}} Rick had chained to the wall, does this with a UniversalTranslator of Rick's after unleashing an enormous TheReasonYouSuckSpeech on Beth and Jerry. Then, he realizes having one of those is actually pretty useful in general and comes back for it.
147	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "The Old Man and The C Student", Springfield is awarded the Olympic Games, but when the Olympic Committee arrives to make it official, Principal Skinner makes the mistake of allowing Bart to perform a comedy routine. Said "routine" consists of Bart insulting every single member of the Committee before performing a mic drop. The Committee are [[DudeNotFunny not amused]] and immediately yank the Games away from Springfield.
148	* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "We Need to Talk", during Greg's jam session with the Gems, Pearl showboats through a FusionDance with Rose Quartz, then finishes Greg's song with a mic drop. Afterwards, she tells him that his relationship with Rose won't last, since he's [[MayflyDecemberRomance only human]]. Greg takes it as a challenge, and pulls a mic drop of his own in response... then immediately picks it back up.
149	-->'''Greg:''' Ah, jeez, what am I doing? These things are ''expensive''.
150	[[/folder]]
151
152	[[folder:Real Life]]
153	* As microphones are sensitive equipment that can be easily damaged by such a shock the sound tech will hate you if you do this. It's also a good way to never be welcome at an open mic again as the hosts don't appreciate you abusing the equipment that they are providing for your use.
154	* During an open-source science conference, this guy catches a couple of startup entrepreneurs presenting his technology as if it was theirs. He climbs on stage, slams the microphone on the ledger, pushes them aside, and finishes the presentation himself by shouting at the audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMKDTTZgu1M
155	* President UsefulNotes/BarackObama himself did this as he finished his speech at the 2016 White House Correspondents Dinner, his last as President of the United States.[[note]]Possibly in homage to the ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' sketch, or, perhaps, to Kobe Bryant's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOHQWCqNV9E farewell address]] a few days earlier, though Kobe doesn't drop the mic.[[/note]]
156	-->'''President Obama''': It's been an honour and a privilege to work side by side with you to strengthen our democracy, and with that, I have just two more words to say... Obama out.
157	* For AprilFoolsDay 2016, Website/{{Google}} added a feature to Gmail which allowed you to do a Mic Drop on a conversation, courtesy of the WesternAnimation/{{Minions}}. Since the button that does this was in the same place as the "Send and Archive" button, [[FiringDay it ended badly]] for the unlucky few office workers who accidentally sent it to their boss who instead saw their message as being (unintentionally) insincere and insensitive.
158	* BTS made a song called "Mic Drop". It was inspired by Obama's speech at the White House Correspondents dinner.
159	* Audra [=MacDonald=] did a mic drop at the end of the 2013 Tony Awards ceremony, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6o-EpKSXPM singing]] a song with Creator/NeilPatrickHarris summarizing the ceremony (written and accompanied by Creator/LinManuelMiranda).
160	* At the end of the last concert that the original line-up Music/SexPistols played, after covering Music/TheStooges "No Fun", Music/JohnLydon snarled "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" at the audience, added a disdainful-sounding "Good night," then dropped the mic and left the stage... and the band.
161	* Alex Turner, frontman of Music/ArcticMonkeys, did this at the end of his speech at the 2014 Brit Awards for Album of the Year. Turner lampshaded it beforehand by saying "Invoice me for the microphone if you need to".
162	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MicDrop