Line #165 Main/ObligatoryJoke


1	->''[Gorilla Grodd unleashes an energy wave which turns humans into gorillas]''\
2	'''Superman:''' Is everything okay?\
3	'''Wonder Woman:''' Well, I'm sort of missing Flash's obligatory joke about Grodd having made a monkey out of us.\
4	'''Superman:''' Just couldn't let it go unsaid.\
5	'''Wonder Woman:''' Obligatory!
6	-->-- ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'', "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS3E6DeadReckoning Dead Reckoning]]"
7
8	''[[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere Yes, we have to start Describing Obligatory Joke Here with a Describe Topic Here joke. It's a site tradition.]]''
9
10	In certain situations, characters ([[AuthorCatchphrase and writers]], it seems) just ''have'' to make certain puns or references. And they're usually the same ones. But Administrivia/TropesAreTools, as in many cases the audience may feel disappointed or even slightly confused if the obligatory joke fails to come up.
11
12	Often relies on IfItWasFunnyTheFirstTime.
13
14	Nonetheless, many writers try to inject some freshness into the obligatory, by lampshading or overt and deliberate subversion.
15
16	* Anything involving a primate is going to involve lines like "monkeying around", "making a monkey('s uncle) out of someone", "going ape", "going bananas", and "monkey business".
17	* Anything involving honey, molasses, maple syrup, etc. will be described as a "sticky situation".
18	* A person BoundAndGagged, or even just bound, will be described as "a little tied up right now".
19	** A victim of UnwillingSuspension may also be described as "(just) hanging around".
20	* If an animal of some kind is biting someone, an onlooker will be prompted to ask, "What's eating you?"
21	* Any hand-related pun when dealing with hand monsters or [[LiteralMinded armless]] people. "Need a hand?" is especially popular.
22	* Cat-related jokes are sometimes ''cat''astrophic or ''cat''holic. They may leave you ''cat''atonic. Especially when they're done ''purr''fectly. Changing "now" to "meow" is another common one, and so are plays on the word "pussy" (if censors can get away with it).
23	* Any time a cow shows up, expect puns involving "moo" or "udder" or "cow", as well as the expressions "Holy cow!" and "Don't have a cow!", and references to milk and/or milking.
24	* Stuff that Dracula says about you, the photo of your wife, or his own habits when you are first visiting his castle.
25	* Puns are elemental to all three of FireIceLightning:
26	** Any time electricity is involved, you know someone will quip about a "shocking" situation.
27	** Expect AnIcePerson to be surrounded by an abundance of "Ice to meet you", "Take a chill pill", "Let's break the ice", IceQueen, etc. jokes.
28	** Expect anyone with fire-based powers to say "things are heating up", "now we're cooking", "they're hot", etc.
29	* Anything involving a living creature being inflated (usually due to CartoonPhysics) will result in someone saying he's "all full of hot air".
30	* Someone who's just seen a ghost will immediately be told YouLookLikeYouveSeenAGhost.
31	* Whenever a {{mummy}} (as in a preserved corpse, like from AncientEgypt) appears, someone's gotta make a joke about the alternate use of "mummy" to mean "mother". ("I want my mummy!") Around the conclusion of the scene/story, you can be sure somebody is going to say something about "wrapping up".
32	* Anything involving Pyramids, or simply Egypt, will be dubbed a "pyramid scheme" at some point.
33	* Clones will prompt jokes about being beside oneself, MesACrowd, using "I" instead of "he" or "she" when talking about one of their clones, and possibly jokes revolving around ScrewYourself (either overtly or subtly).
34	* Murder in a mansion? Get ready for [[TheButlerDidIt butler]] and [[TabletopGame/{{Clue}} Clue/Cluedo]] jokes.
35	* Involving [[ShoutOut references]]:
36	** A lot of situations will nearly guarantee a ''Creator/MontyPython'' reference. The most common one may be "[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail only a flesh wound]]" after someone [[AnArmAndALeg loses a limb]], or any mention of swallows and/or coconuts. Or shrubberies. A rabbit can easily be compared to the KillerRabbit of Caerbannog. ("That's no ordinary rabbit!")
37	** Doctors must be greeted with [[WesternAnimation/BugsBunny "What's up, doc?"]], especially if the speaker is a villain.
38	** If you have a SpecialGuest you had better make a remark on what they are most famous for. What's the point of having Creator/MarkHamill show up if there isn't going to be a ''Franchise/StarWars'' reference?
39	** If the plot involves a certain European nation between Sweden and Germany, somebody will note that [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} "something is rotten in the state of Denmark"]].
40	** The use of a certain tool meant for hitting things will have a character declare that [[Music/MCHammer "it's hammer time!"]]
41	** Anything involving other dimensions or an unsettling limbo will lead to references to ''Series/TheTwilightZone''.
42	** Computer simulations disguised as real life will lead to jokes about ''Film/TheMatrix''.
43	** A DreamWithinADream will lead to ''Film/{{Inception}}'' jokes.
44	** Jokes about ''Series/DoctorWho'' in a situation involving time-travel.
45	** References to ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' (often the question "Who you gonna call?") in a situation involving ghosts.
46	** ''Series/TheXFiles'' will often be referenced whenever aliens, conspiracy theories, paranormal activity, or debate over whether something is paranormal or not crops up.
47	** References to "[[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} Double, double, toil and trouble]]" if witches show up.
48	** Wolves may attract jokes about TheBigBadWolf.
49	** A ''Franchise/StarWars'' or ''Franchise/StarTrek'' reference in a situation involving outer space.
50	** If someone happens to meets {{Satan}} (or some other devil) in the flesh, chances are that his greeting is going to be some variation upon "[[WaxingLyrical Pleased to meet you.]] [[Music/TheRollingStonesBand Hope you guess my name.]]"
51	* Any object that's "to die for" will involve someone who already did die for it or actual mortal peril for anyone who seeks it.
52	** Similarly, the lines "Over my dead body", "It smells like something died in here", etc may be followed by the reveal of an actual death.
53	* A villain intent on [[FedToTheBeast feeding]] [[SharkPool the hero]] to carnivorous critters may make a quip about "staying for lunch/dinner/breakfast".
54	* After someone falls into a TrapDoor, his captor may remark on how he just "dropped in".
55	** Similarly, "Nice of you to drop by" after someone falls from the sky.
56	* Anytime there's a long trip with somebody who is young, dumb, and/or snarky there will be some variation of the AreWeThereYet joke.
57	* If someone says "You'll pay for this" or something to that extent, expect the DeadpanSnarker to reply with "Send me the bill" or "Sorry, I left my wallet at home".
58	* A pun on the word "crap" or "shit" in a situation regarding poop or toilets.
59	* A [[PunWithPi joke about pie]] whenever pi the number comes up.
60	* A situation involving a whale will often lead to jokes about having "A whale of a time".
61	* TimeTravel will often lead to jokes about how they know ''[[TimeAndRelativeDimensionsInSpace where]]'' they are, but not ''when''.
62	* Water will often lead to {{Expospeak Gag}}s about "dihydrogen monoxide" or puns on the words "water", "wet", or "dampen".
63	* Saying to a doctor, "Dr. ____, I presume?".
64
65	These days, Obligatory Jokes tend to be subverted in the vein of AntiHumor or SoUnfunnyItsFunny. One character could say "Aren't you going to say <X>?" and get a confused look or a deadpan "No.". Critics and reviewers tend to use them fairly regularly, LampshadeHanging optional.
66
67	See also {{Pun}}, BondOneLiner, QuipToBlack, and others, which have considerable overlap. YouLookLikeYouveSeenAGhost is one subtrope. A PunnyName or UnfortunateName resulting in this may make someone a PhraseCatcher. Contrast SubvertedPunchline.
68
69	Common responses include LamePunReaction, CollectiveGroan, "YouJustHadToSayIt", "NeverHeardThatOneBefore", or if you're really lucky "That's... ActuallyPrettyFunny." Might be justified with "IAlwaysWantedToSayThat", or "''Someone'' had to say it!", lampshading the obligation.
70
71	----
72	!!Examples:
73	[[foldercontrol]]
74
75	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
76	* ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' is not about the Microsoft Excel software, but it does feature it in episode 5.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Comic Books]]
80	* In ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}: The Jungle Adventure'' a one-shot comic by Walt Simonson and Mike Mignola, at one point Wolverine falls through a trapdoor and is held prisoner by Apocalypse.
81	--> '''Apocalypse:''' Greetings, Wolverine! I hope you don't mind, I'm required by law to say this, but how nice of you to drop in so unexpectedly!
82	* ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse: At the end of "[[Creator/DonRosa Return to Plain Awful]]", as the gang is leaving the square-shape-obsessed land:
83	-->'''Donald:''' They made their billions by being tougher than the toughies and smarter than the smarties. And you know what else...\
84	'''Scrooge:''' ''[cringing]'' Oh, no, nephew, don't say it! Please!\
85	'''Donald:''' They made it ''SQUARE!''
86	* At the end of ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'' #27, as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are stuck in the vines coming from the Everfree, which have covered up the entire palace:
87	-->'''Luna:''' Hey, Celestia...\
88	'''Celestia:''' Don't say it.\
89	'''Luna:''' Hey, Celestiaaaaa....\
90	'''Celestia:''' ''Don't say it.''\
91	'''Luna:''' You can reply back that we'd love to help, but we're too busy hanging around! Ha!\
92	'''Celestia:''' '''''You said it.'''''
93	* When Sally gets caught by a tree in the "What's the Point?" segment of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' #9, Sonic actually ''[[BreakingTheFourthWall halts the narrative's progression]]'' [[http://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/042/206/87d.jpg just so he can get through as many inevitable tree puns as possible in one panel.]][[note]]Yes, that is where the image from the "Alone On A Friday Night?" meme comes from.[[/note]]
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
97	* Michael Caesar of ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'' often makes obligatory bad jokes about current events or whatever the topic of the day is about. His best friend Huey's response is usually to [[BeatPanel stop and glare at him]], [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere and then walk offscreen without saying a word]]. Caesar usually quips that [[ToughRoom he needs a better audience]].
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Fan Works]]
101	* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': In "The Kippies," Bolt asks the obviously upset Mittens, "What's eating you, anyway?" She initially responds by saying, "I'm at the top of the food chain, Wags. Nothin's eating me, as far as I know. Well, maybe fleas -- but Penny's mom's got a dip for that."
102	* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rce6HTFBaFg this]] fake trailer for "WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus: TheMovie", the last scene involves the students ending up in Hell. After one of them says they need to hurry and find Miss Frizzle, Carlos quips "Or there's going to be hell to pay.", prompting a LamePunReaction groan of his [[FirstNameUltimatum name]].
103	* ''Fanfic/UnbreakableRedSilkenThread'': Cody drives a [=DeLorean=], so ''of course'' there's an obligatory ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' reference thrown in.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Films — Animated]]
107	* This was the reason Ralph Fiennes didn't reprise his role as Voldemort in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoBatmanMovie''. Since he was already voicing Alfred, the writers knew they would have to have a "you sound familiar" joke. They couldn't figure out a good way to work it in, so they cast an ''entirely different actor'' to avoid the problem.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
111	* ''Film/AustinPowers'', not surprising given what it's parodying:
112	** ''Film/AustinPowersInternationalManOfMystery'' has Austin and Vanessa escape Dr. Evil's death trap, leaving the guard get his head bitten off by [[ItMakesSenseInContext the ill-tempered sea bass]]. Austin then launches into a HurricaneOfPuns about losing one's head, while Vanessa waits patiently for him to finish, both seemingly well aware of this trope.
113	** Happens again in the [[Film/AustinPowersTheSpyWhoShaggedMe second film]] when a guard falls into a lava pit.
114	* Dracula, either in 1931 or in general, makes all sorts of double entendres that the audience will get, even if his visitors don't.
115	* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': When [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Dr. Stanton]] and Mark Russell spy [[spoiler:a NotQuiteDead]] Godzilla (who by the way is actively opposing an [[Characters/MonsterVerseKingGhidorah omnicidal Satanic Archetype who wants to destroy the world]] in this film) within the HollowEarth:
116	-->'''Mark Russell:''' Oh, my God.\
117	'''Rick:''' --''zilla''!
118	* [[ConversationalTroping Discussed]] in ''Film/HotFuzz''.
119	-->'''Nicholas:''' I left him in the deep freezer.\
120	'''Danny:''' Did you say "Cool off"?\
121	'''Nicholas:''' No.\
122	'''Danny:''' Shame.
123	* Film/JamesBond in general is very fond of bad puns (especially [[BondOneLiner after killing enemies]]), so pretty much always goes with the obligatory joke. Particularly Creator/PierceBrosnan's Bond. It got to the point where audiences were shocked when he ''didn't'' make one.
124	** In ''Film/{{Casino Royale\|1967}}'', Q is outfitting his character with spy gadgets, including a fountain pen that shoots a stream of poison.
125	--->'''Tremble: '''It must be very useful when writing --\
126	'''Q:''' -- a poison-pen letter, yes. All our new agents say that.
127	** ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'':
128	*** At first, subverted:
129	---->'''Christmas Jones:''' ''[[TheyCallMeMISTERTibbs Doctor]]'' Jones, Christmas Jones. And don't make any jokes, [[NeverHeardThatOneBefore I've heard them all]].\
130	'''Bond:''' I don't know any doctor jokes.
131	*** Then ultimately played straight at the end of the movie.
132	---->'''Bond:''' ''[in bed with Jones]'' I was wrong about you.\
133	'''Christmas Jones:''' Yeah? How so?\
134	'''Bond:''' I thought Christmas only comes once a year.
135	** Subverted in ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. When asked what took him so long after in a spy car vs spy car fight, Bond avoided the obvious joke "car troubles".
136	** ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'':
137	--->'''Bond:''' [[BondOneLiner Tell her Slate was a dead end.]]\
138	'''M:''' Dammit, he killed him!
139	** ''Film/NoTimeToDie'': After blowing up the {{electronic eye\|s}} of Primo/Cyclops (inside the man's head) with his {{EMP}} [[ShoePhone watch]]:
140	--->'''Bond:''' ''[answering to Q]'' I just showed someone your watch. Really blew their mind.
141	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
142	** Comes up, naturally, in ''Film/IronMan3'' when Tony's fighting the Extremis-enhanced Ellen Brandt and her [[MyBloodRunsHot heat powers]].
143	--->'''Tony:''' You walked right into this one -- I've dated hotter chicks than you!
144	** Averted in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''. Despite both [[Film/SherlockHolmes Robert Downey Jr.]] and [[Series/{{Sherlock}} Benedict Cumberbatch]] having a significant amount of screentime together, the writers deliberately avoided the obvious "No shit, Sherlock!" joke.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Literature]]
148	* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': "Let's do this!" is Rachel's catchphrase, said whenever about to go on a dangerous and possibly lethal mission. Marco, being the comedian of the group, does what he can to prevent the gag from going stale:
149	** In one case, he says "Let's do this!" before Rachel can because he AlwaysWantedToSayThat.
150	** In another, he quickly interjects "Bet you she says 'Let's do this!' ", leaving Rachel to say "Let's... go for it!", leading to Marco complaining of cheating.
151	** In yet another, there's an expectant pause:
152	--->'''Marco:''' Rachel! What's keeping you?\
153	'''Rachel:''' Sorry, I forgot. Let's do this!\
154	'''Marco:''' Thank you. No suicide mission is complete without the blessing of Series/XenaWarriorPrincess.
155	* ''Literature/BellesOnTheirToes'': During one chapter where the Gilbreth boys are shopping for clothes ''en masse'' and the salesman asks them what they "want in a shoe", one of the boys tells the others that they had better not say "a foot" to avoid bothering the salesman any more than they are.
156	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': To hear Harry Dresden tell it, he's the original this. He claims that he's now so well known that if he isn't flip and punny to every supernatural being of a distinctly higher weight class than him, they'll be insulted because they expect him to be. Note that this was a retrospective excuse to Sigrun for pissing off [[spoiler: ''Odin's'']] secretaries.
157	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
158	** Only a few people actually make jokes about Moist von Lipwig's name in ''Literature/GoingPostal'', but he seems to think people will, saying things like "I've heard all the jokes" and "Please don't laugh."
159	** Likewise with Adora Belle Dearheart. "As you can imagine, I have no sense of humor whatsoever."
160	** Quoth is a talking raven, saddled with [[Literature/TheRaven an obvious joke name]] (the wizard who named him is one of those people proud of a sense of humour he doesn't actually have), who "doesn't do the N-word".
161	* The raven in ''Literature/AmericanGods'' doesn't do it either, and is blunter than Quoth on the subject.
162	-->"Say 'Nevermore' ", said Shadow.\
163	"Fuck you", said the Raven.
164	* ''Literature/Magic20'' subverts it hard enough that the first rule of wizards is "don't make the obvious joke". Apprentices are taught this when they first get their staff or wand, and are reminded of it every time they get instructions in spellcraft until they're able to recite it without prompting.
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
168	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Life Serial" Buffy goes out for a night of drinking with vampire Spike, who invites himself to a demon poker game, only he hasn't got any cash.
169	-->'''Spike:''' Come on, someone's gotta stake me.\
170	'''Buffy:''' (''grinning'') I'll do it! (''off Spike's look'') What, you thought I was just gonna let that lie there?
171	* ''Series/{{Castle\|2009}}'':
172	** Rick Castle is fond of these. In Castle's first Nikki Heat novel, [[WriteWhoYouKnow his]] AuthorAvatar is introduced by saying "It's raining men! Hallelujah!" when a crime scene contained an outdoor table umbrella with a victim's blood and guts on it.
173	** The "tied up right now" variant comes up when the eponymous character had bound himself to a chair [[ItMakesSenseInContext to see whether he could free himself]].
174	** [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in another episode: [[TheCoroner Lanie]] finds out that the recent victim, who had been burnt in a pizza oven, has the last name "Burns". She tells Castle, who had started to look excited, to make the Obligatory Joke...but it turns out that Castle had actually recognized the name.
175	* Paige does this in ''Series/{{Charmed\|1998}}'' when talking to Cole:
176	-->'''Paige:''' You were a demon ''and'' a lawyer? [[EvilLawyerJoke Insert joke here]].
177	* Subverted by Jon Stewart when Tim Pawlenty was a guest on ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart''.
178	-->'''Jon:''' Tim Pawlenty is here, and I'm sure that we will have... a lot to talk about.
179	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
180	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E11TheGodComplex "The God Complex"]]:
181	--->'''Rita:''' [There's also] Joe, but he's tied up right now.\
182	'''The Doctor:''' Doing what?\
183	'''Rita:''' No, I mean he's ''tied up'' right now.
184	** [[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime "Twice Upon a Time"]] has the First and Twelfth Doctors meeting each other and having an adventure with a British Army captain from World War I. Upon their first meeting:
185	--->'''The Captain:''' So sorry. I don't suppose either of you is a doctor?\
186	''[One and Twelve give each other an AsideGlance]''\
187	'''Twelfth Doctor:''' You trying to be funny?
188	* ''Series/GetSmart''. Maxwell Smart is trying to break into a villain's hideout when a trapdoor drops him into a chair in front of the villain who starts to say, "Mr. Smart, how nice of you to..." with both Smart and the villain finishing in an ironic tone "...drop in, yes."
189	* Done in an episode of ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' that featured music students:
190	-->'''Wu:''' Guess they're going to have to face the music.\
191	'''Hank:''' [[LamePunReaction Really?]] You went there?\
192	'''Wu:''' Somebody had to.
193	* When physician/astronaut Story Musgrave guest starred on ''Series/HomeImprovement'':
194	-->: '''Tim''': What's the story, Story?
195	-->: '''Story''': Like I haven't heard that one before.
196	* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'': In the seventh season episode "A Case of Do or Die", a man is murdered at a repertory movie theater that was showing a double feature of ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' and ''Film/TheBigSleep''. When Detective Sheppard finds out the audience has left the theater, she says to her partner, Agent Mike Giardello they only have one thing to do, and they say, "[[SpeakInUnison Round up the usual suspects]]."
197	* ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'': When Merlin is asked by Arthur to tell a joke, he starts with the obligatory FunWithHomophones (for a French audience) "''Kaamelott, c'est de la camelote...''" ("Kaamelott is rubbish..."). Besides Merlin being unable to make any joke funny, Arthur's reaction is a clear NeverHeardThatOneBefore.
198	* Done very consciously in an episode of ''Series/LawAndOrder'' where a disturbed man is arrested for a mass shooting. He will only identify himself as "Creator/RegisPhilbin". Everyone expectantly looks to [[DeadpanSnarker Briscoe]], who rolls his eyes and sighs, "[[Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire Is that your final answer?]]"
199	* The "all tied up" joke is used ''very'' darkly on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' by a man taunting a woman about her daughter, whom he has just raped.
200	* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode ''Revenge of the Creature'', Professor Bobo informs Mike and the bots that it's the future, human civilization has fallen and apes now rule the world. [[Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes You know where this is going:]]
201	-->'''Mike:''' A planet where apes evolved from men?\
202	'''Professor Bobo:''' Well, it's maybe a little more complicated than that but, that is the rough outline, yes.\
203	'''Mike:''' "You did it! You finally did it!"\
204	'''Professor Bobo:''' ''[apathetic]'' "...Damn us all to Hell". Yes, yes.\
205	'''Mike:''' "It's a madhouse! A..."\
206	'''Professor Bobo:''' "...madhouse." ''I know!''
207	* On ''Series/{{QI}}'', giving the obvious-but-incorrect answer causes an alarm to ring and the panelist to forfeit points. Obvious riffs such as these sometimes trigger the klaxon as well.
208	** If a RunningGag becomes an OverusedRunningGag, the klaxon will go off. Alan Davies and "blue whale" got this a few times.
209	* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}:'' In "The Revenge", when George Costanza's female co-worker has to explain that she "got tied up" on Friday afternoon, Costanza's insufferably smug boss is compelled to agree that "I'll bet you did!"
210	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
211	** In "[[Recap/SupernaturalS05E04TheEnd The End]]", there's this exchange between Dean and his BadFuture self:
212	--->'''Future Dean:''' In fact, why don't you give me one good reason why I shouldn't gank you right here and now?\
213	'''Dean:''' Because... you'd only be hurting yourself?\
214	'''Future Dean:''' Very funny.
215	** In "[[Recap/SupernaturalS08E08HunteriHeroici Hunter Heroici]]" (the episode where cartoon physics are causing real people to die gruesomely), there's naturally:
216	--->"[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes That's all, folks]]."
217	* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Upon finding the body of a black guy with all the pigmentation sucked out of him, Mulder comments, "There's a Music/MichaelJackson joke in here somewhere, but I can't figure out where."
218	[[/folder]]
219
220	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
221	* ''Series/TheMuppetShow'':
222	** After the first act of the Jaye P. Morgan episode, where Morgan wears a ruffled bird outfit:
223	--->'''Statler:''' Ooh, Jaye P. Morgan is terrific!\
224	'''Waldorf:''' Yep, but that number was for the birds!\
225	'''Statler:''' You ''had'' to do that joke, huh?\
226	'''Waldorf:''' Well, one of us had to, and I lost the toss!
227	** In Helen Reddy's episode, she makes a crack on her name in the opening scene, hoping to beat the Muppets to the punch.
228	--->'''Scooter:''' You really think we'd stoop so low?\
229	'''Fozzie:''' Three to get ''Reddy!''\
230	'''Helen:''' ''Lower.''
231	* Averted in ''Series/SesameStreet'', when Kermit the Frog reported from the throne room of Old King Cole.
232	-->'''Kermit:''' In just a second he's going to call for his pipe, he's going to call for his bowl and he's going to call for his fiddlers three. Let's listen.\
233	'''Old King Cole:''' What ho! Bring me my royal pipe, and step on it!\
234	'''Kermit:''' At this point, you might think we'd go for the cheap joke, but we're not going to.
235	[[/folder]]
236
237	[[folder:Video Games]]
238	* A meta example, if there is an opportunity for a VideoGame/Persona5 fan to make a reference to [[AwesomeMusic/Persona5 Last Surprise]], (particularly ‘you’ll never see it coming!’), they WILL take it.
239	* It's lampshaded in ''VideoGame/StrongBadsCoolGameForAttractivePeople'' episode 5. Homestar is in a dungeon suspended by his "arms". Strong Bad asks him what's up:
240	-->'''Homestar:''' Oh, you know, not much...\
241	'''Strong Bad:''' (sighs) You can say it, Homestar...\
242	'''Homestar:''' Just hangin' around.
243	* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'', when the player talks to their creeping hand pet (an animated, severed hand), they would invariably make a hand-related pun.
244	* In ''VideoGame/LamplightCity'', Miles Fordham investigates a murder where the victim, a Desiree Lathan, was burned to death. One of the few pieces of her that was untouched by the fire happens to be her hand. His partner, Bill, immediately jumps on the opportunity:
245	-->'''Bill:''' I'm afraid Desiree won't be able to give us ''a hand'' in this investigation.\
246	'''Miles:''' ''(exasperated) Bill...''\
247	'''Bill:''' What?! I thought it was funny.
248	* Several reviews of the Nintendo DS version of ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', which in the UK represented its first official release since the game launched 24 years prior[[note]] the SNES version was never released in Europe[[/note]], ran with the strap line of "[[TimeTravel It's about time]]".
249	[[/folder]]
250
251	[[folder:Web Animation]]
252	* ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'':
253	** Yahtzee's review of ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' opened with the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg2np37JNEg "No More Heroes"]] by The Stranglers, which he cut short stating it was too obvious.
254	** Yahtzee's review of ''VideoGame/{{Maneater}}'' begins with him [[MotorMouth rapid-firing]] the chorus of Music/DarylHallAndJohnOates' song "Maneater" and saying "okay, now that that's out of the way, let's start this review".
255	** In his review of ''VideoGame/SoulHackers2'' he makes the obvious joke about the main character's name then {{Lampshade\|Hanging}}s it.
256	--->'''Yahtzee:''' Ringo takes the lead and almost immediately forms [[Music/TheBeatles a four man party with three humans named John, Paul and George]]... Has someone done that joke? ''Someone'' must have done that joke.
257	** In his retrospective of the Capcom 5 (being five games which Capcom of America had prematurely announced in 2002 as being Nintendo Gamecube exclusive titles, including ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''), he notes that the cancellation of ''Dead Phoenix'' naturally led to jokes about the game being dead.
258	--->'''Yahtzee:''' Dead Phoenix ''was supposed to be some'' VideoGame/PanzerDragoon ''affair, but was cancelled in August 2003, which must have been an easy time to be a video game website headline writer. "'''Dead Phoenix ''is Dead'. Bam! That deserves an early lunch!"''
259	* Completely averted in [[WebAnimation/MyLittlePonyMeets Elsa meets My Little Pony]]--the entire episode does not contain a single "[[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Let it Go]]" joke.
260	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' subverts and defies this in volume 3 episode 2, courtesy of that year's [[TournamentArc Vytal Festival]] announcers.[[labelnote:Details]]After the remaining three members of Team NDGO are thrown into the water, Neptune electrocutes all three of them at once with his weapon, winning the battle for Team SSSN.[[/labelnote]]
261	-->'''Port:''' You know what I call that victory?\
262	'''Oobleck:''' ''Shocking?''\
263	'''Port:''' No, ''well earned.'' What you said is stupid.
264	[[/folder]]
265
266	[[folder:Webcomics]]
267	* On [[http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1119 this page]] of ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics'', T-Rex complains about the overuse of the phrase "a whale of a good time" in conjunction with literal whales.
268	-->'''T-Rex:''' It should mean "a good time that is large or immense: METAPHORICALLY like a whale", but the metaphor's broken because it's always used on literal friggin' whales. "Dog-gone great" is getting there too.
269	* In ''Webcomic/CinemaSnobReviewsFrozen'' (a fan comic where ''WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob'' reviews ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''), Snob assumes the "weasel town" assumption is because Creator/JohnTravolta told them how to pronounce "weselton" (in a reference to the Adele Dezeem gaffe). Snob says that he was just getting that joke out of the way.
270	* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1595 after Elliot specifies]] that [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove his love for Tedd is platonic]] by comparing it to [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sam and Frodo]], Tedd decides to forgo the "obligatory gay hobbits joke" on the grounds that he really needs a hug.
271	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0136.html 136]] is simply an extended Creator/MontyPython [[ShoutOut reference]]. The strip title lampshades this: "It's Not a Gaming Session Until Someone Quotes Monty Python".
272	* One of the superheroes in ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'' is a Succubus; when explaining that not only is her race immune to most [=STDs=], but can actually cure a few, ''three separate people'' chime in simultaneously with "Like blue balls."
273	[[/folder]]
274
275	[[folder:Web Original]]
276	* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic:
277	** In his [[http://channelawesome.com/nostalgia-critic-the-care-bears-movie/ review]] of ''WesternAnimation/TheCareBearsMovie'', when the leader of the Care Bear Cousins said his name, Braveheart, Critic showed a clip from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'', asking how could he ''not'' do that joke.
278	** He opened a review of the film ''Film/{{Alaska}}'' with "UsefulNotes/SarahPalin is stupid. There, I got my Sarah Palin joke out of the way, let's talk about ''Alaska''."
279	** The Critic also gets pissed off at ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'''s use of the "corn dog" pun when Rover gets trapped in a pile of corn, especially because the whole movie is a [[HurricaneOfPuns Hurricane of Obvious Puns]] throughout. The Critic even has a mock game show where he has the "audience" submit guesses as to what pun Rover is about to use, only to show the pun immediately after the chime on the assumption that everyone has come up with the exact same answer.
280	** In his review of ''Anime/LittleNemoAdventuresInSlumberland'', he congratulates himself for going the entire episode without making the obligatory ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' joke, only to realize that technically the episode isn't over, and he just blew it.
281	** Lampshaded when reviewing ''Bangarang'', the short film Creator/DanteBasco created. Not only does Critic make the obligatory ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' and ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' jokes, but he also provides convenient time stamps on exactly how far into the video he waited, for the sake of any betting pools anyone had been running.
282	** In his ''Film/BladeII'' review, after he makes a joke about calling Blade the Tax Dodger in reference to Wesley Snipes' legal troubles for tax evasion, he crumples up a "Tax Joke" paper and throws it at the camera, getting the joke out of the way.
283	* When WebVideo/BennettTheSage [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/bt/the-sage/specials/35941-top-ten-worst-songs-by-otherwise-good-artists mentions that]] [[Music/BillyJoel "We Didn't Start the Fire"]] is a lazy song, it cuts to [[Music/BrunoMars "The Lazy Song"]], then to Bennett saying while writing on a paper "obligatory joke quota... done!".
284	* During ''WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob's'' review of ''Film/SleepawayCamp'', when one of the campers is killed by a beehive dropped in his bathroom stall, the Snob dubs in the infamous "NOT THE BEES!" bit from ''Film/TheWickerMan2006''.
285	-->'''Snob:''' Easiest fucking reference I ever made. I almost feel lazy for adding it.
286	* During [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara's]] review of Cosmic Slam, he mentions that it's about baseball players fighting an outer space menace and that the audience knows what he has to do with that before he cues up [[Film/SpaceJam The Quad City DJs]] and starts rubbing his head.
287	* On Slashdot, there have been a lot of repetitive memes which users will continue to post to any half-relevant story along with "ob" lampshading that it was obligatory. Two examples: "I, for one, welcome our new [what the article is about] overlords (ob)", and, responding to a reasoned, compassionate, and well-rounded argument with "you must be new here (ob)".
288	* ''WebVideo/TheMusicVideoShow'' did this in the beginning of the [[Main/MilestoneCelebration 100th episode]] by playing [[Music/WeirdAlYankovic Stuck In The Drive-Thru]] during [[Music/TrappedInTheCloset Trapped In The Closet]].
289	--> [[LampshadeHanging "Obligatory."]]
290	** Sometimes, she flat out averts it by saying, "Insert (Blank) Joke here."
291	* ''WebVideo/{{Unskippable}}'' deals with the intro to Bionic Commando. They go through every single arm/hand joke they can come up with. All the ones they can't fit in are shoehorned in on a text field at the end.
292	* In WebVideo/SalutLesGeeks, pretty much every time there is an AccidentalInnuendo, the Boss will make a DoubleEntendre joke.
293	* ''WebVideo/AnalystBroniesReact'': When Sci-Twi sings "What More Is Out There", most of the cast compared it to a Franchise/DisneyPrincess song (though Thespio drew the line at referencing ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'').
294	* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq14Rf6xdQE&t=4s one episode]] of her vlog "The Flog," Creator/FeliciaDay recommended a puzzle website called Jigidi. She finished the segment by saying "You can get jigidi with it at www.jigidi.com. I know I didn't want to say that, but I had to."
295	* [[https://grantland.com/the-triangle/larry-ellison-remaking-americas-cup/ This]] ''Grantland'' article apologizes for making a joke that organizing the America's Cup regatta in San Francisco was not "smooth sailing".
296	* In his ''Trainwreckords'' episode on ''Ringo the 4th'', WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows acknowledges that everybody who talks about Music/RingoStarr's post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] career is obligated to make at least one joke about how he [[WaxingLyrical "got by with a little help from his friends"]].
297	[[/folder]]
298
299	[[folder:Western Animation]]
300	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' has Green Goblin do the "tied up" joke, chuckling to himself that you gotta love the classics.
301	* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'':
302	** In "[[Recap/DannyPhantomS2E2DoctorsDisorders Doctor's Disorders]]", Penelope Spectra tries to get a sample of Danny's DNA to make a perfect body for herself. When she's not looking, Danny swaps it out with something from his dad's used handkerchief. The result is Spectra turning into a Jack Fenton-shaped snot monster. Danny comments, "There's a 'You blew it' pun here somewhere, but I'd rather not." When the fight begins, Spectra growls, "Let's boogie!" to which Danny replies, "That's ''exactly'' the kind of pun I was trying to avoid with the 'You blew it' comment!"
303	** In "[[Recap/DannyPhantomS3E4TorrentOfTerror Torrent of Terror]]", we have this scene between Vlad and Danny after Vlad loses control of Vortex.
304	--->'''Danny:''' [[SarcasmMode Lovely weather we're having.]]\
305	'''Vlad:''' Ah, yes, the obligatory weather pun.
306	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In the particularly silly episode "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE14Critters Critters]]", Robin and Batgirl are fighting genetically altered giant cows. Batgirl lampshades the fact that Robin couldn't resist yelling [[MythologyGag "Holy cow!"]].
307	* The page quote is used in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' after the heroes foil Gorilla Grodd's plot to turn all of humanity into gorillas.
308	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'':
309	** Lampshaded during Kim's first run-in with Dr. Drakken in "[[Recap/KimPossibleS1E4TickTickTick Tick-Tick-Tick]]":
310	--->'''Drakken:''' Enough chit-chat! [[SharkPool My pets are famished!]] Perhaps you two could stay--\
311	'''Kim:''' For lunch?\
312	'''Drakken:''' ''[defensively]'' I wasn't going to say that!\
313	'''Ron:''' Oh, dude, you were ''so'' -- "for lunch".\
314	'''Drakken:''' ''[exasperated]'' Aargh! Yes! Then -- stay for lunch! ''[dumps them into the trap]''
315	** In "[[Recap/KimPossibleS2E6RufusInShowAdventuresInRufusSitting Rufus in Show]]", Kim discovers that the villain keeps electric eels, to which she replies, "The puns just write themselves. Shocking, isn't it?" Of course, the villain says the very same line later when he reveals his electric eels.
316	* Subverting obligatory jokes makes up about 90% of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' -- it's actually kind of shocking when they do play them straight.
317	** In "A Fish Called Selma", there's "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off", as a StylisticSuck ShowWithinAShow is made of this trope, from the title (which is an obligatory joke if one is deeply immersed enough in theatrical naming conventions) to the [[EnforcedTrope enforced]] [[MandatoryTwistEnding ending]]. Specific jokes:
318	--->'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' What's wrong with me?\
319	'''Dr. Zaius:''' I think you're crazy!\
320	'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' Want a second opinion!\
321	'''Dr. Zaius:''' You're also lazy.\
322	'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' Can I play the piano anymore?\
323	'''Dr. Zaius:''' Of course you can!\
324	'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' Well I couldn't before.\
325	''[Troy [=McClure=] demonstrates his newfound proficiency]''\
326	'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' Oh my god! [[DullSurprise I was wrong]]; it was Earth, all along. You've finally made a monkey --\
327	'''Chorus:''' Yes, we've finally made a monkey --\
328	'''Troy [=McClure=]:''' Yes, you've finally made a monkey out of me!
329	** Spoofed in "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". Homer becomes a celebrity after bowling a perfect 300 game and is invited to the game show ''Springfield Squares'', a parody of ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares'', as their center square panelist:
330	--->'''Kent Brockman:''' According to Redbook Magazine, what is the speed of light?
331	--->'''Homer:''' Well, that is... Wait... (''holds up two sheets of paper'') Do I read from the sheet labeled "Jokes" or "Answers"?
332	--->'''Brockman:''' Oh, for the love of... Stop tape.
333	* [[CaptainCrash Launchpad]] gets 3 uses of "crash course" in ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales\|1987}}'' (including [[WesternAnimation/DuckTalesTheMovieTreasureOfTheLostLamp the movie]]).
334	* ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'':
335	** Subverted in a short where Garfield and Jon check into an inn, and the nutty old innkeeper tells them to "Walk this way!" while showing them their rooms, hunched over and walking with a gait. Garfield [[BreakingTheFourthWall turns to the viewers]] and says, "Don't worry, we aren't doing ''that'' old joke". (Probably a double subversion, actually, because simply saying ''that'' was a variant of the joke.)
336	** In one ''U.S. Acres'' segment where Orson describes cartoon humor, he states that anyone doing a chase scene in a cartoon is required by law to use the joke where the character paints a tunnel on a mountainside. (Exactly where this law is stated, he doesn't say.)
337	* One example of this joke was unique to ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981''. In "The Astrosmurf", on a long trip to a volcano, one of the smurfs asked, "Is it much father, Papa Smurf?" He replied, "Not far now." Another smurf repeated the question and he repeated the same answer again, through about three consecutive scenes; the joke ended with one of them asking it, and him replying angrily, "Yes it IS!" From that episode on, the joke was used every time they had to make a long trip; in fact, it was lampshaded in one late-season episode, where after one of them asked it a second time, Papa Smurf snapped, "Oh, don't start ''that'' again!"
338	* Both ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' and ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' have made this unavoidable joke:
339	-->'''Ghost:''' You'll never take me alive, coppers!\
340	'''Pursuer:''' You're a ghost.
341	* On ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'', Gruffi refuses to get in the flying machine they've found, but as it's taking off, a rope snags him around the ankle and drags him into the air after it. His response when Zummi pulls him aboard and asks him what happened? "I was roped into it."
342	* One rather unique example, yet somehow just as unavoidable as any other, happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarepantsMovie''. [=SpongeBob=] pulls up to a gas station in a hamburger-shaped CoolCar. One of the attendants immediately asks, "What'll it be, fellas, mustard or ketchup?"
343	** In [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants the series proper]]: the episode "Wet Painters" has Mr. Krabs happen upon [=SpongeBob=] [[ItMakesSenseInContext hanging from a wall like a picture frame for reasons irrelevant]], leading to this exchange:
344	-->'''Mr. Krabs:''' [=SpongeBob=], what are you doing?\
345	'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Oh, you know, just hanging around.\
346	'''Patrick:''' ''[[[LamePunReaction giving a thumbs-down]]]'' Boo!
347	* In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "The Road to Germany", Brian and Stewie use Stewie's time machine to travel back to 1939 Poland. Stewie asks if Brian knows where they are, and Brian asks if Stewie knows ''when'' they are. Stewie responds by telling Brian "that is such a douche time-traveler thing to say".
348	[[/folder]]
349
350	[[folder:Real Life]]
351	* When CNN was reporting on the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, one of the cycled headers printed at the bottom of the screen was "Pyramid Scheme". It's a stretch to call it a "scheme" and it's a stretch to say pyramids had much to do with it, but, hey, obligatory.
352	* With ''Star Wars: Film/TheForceAwakens''' record-breaking weekend, many headline writers used "The ''Fans'' Awaken".
353	* Local religion stories in UsefulNotes/ToledoOhio can never resist using "Holy Toledo".
354	* Due to the poor reception and [[BoxOfficeBomb box office performance]] of the Creator/KateBeckinsale horror movie ''Film/TheDisappointmentsRoom'', quite a few people (especially professional critics) have cracked jokes about its title [[ReviewIronicEcho as being indicative of its overall quality]].
355	* Call out for somebody named "Marco" and ''everybody'' will answer "Polo!"
356	* Talking about the seventh planet from the Sun? Expect a UranusIsShowing joke.
357	* In 2008, the city council of UsefulNotes/{{Florence}} formally revoked Creator/DanteAlighieri's 1302 sentence of exile. ''[[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported this with the headline "Dante's [[Literature/TheDivineComedy infernal]] crimes forgiven", because of course.
358	* Hey, have you heard of the UsefulNotes/{{trans\|gender}} man who finally finished his top surgery? He sure must've been glad to, wait for it... ''get it off his chest!''
359	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ObligatoryJoke