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Did I Just Say That Out Loud?

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"...well, we'll just have to cut his head off and bury him somewhere, 'cause it goes without saying that we can't turn him loose. He'd report us at once to some kind of outback Nazi law enforcement agency and they'll run us down like dogs.
...Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"

A character is conducting a perfectly normal Inner Monologue, usually thinking about how horrible their friend's cooking is or how attractive they find the person across the room from them.

Unfortunately for them they were a little absentminded and started going into an outer monologue - and everyone in the room just heard them say, "Damn, I'd like to rip his shirt open with my teeth" or "Yeah, your mother's singing is lovely if you happen to have your head encased in concrete." Then it hits them as they hear their own voice, they stop, look around, make a blank expression and say...

"Did I just say that out loud?" Hilarity Ensues.

Note that if the character is having a normal conversation, and reveals a secret because of not knowing that it is a secret or not knowing that he's talking with someone who's not informed of it, then it's an Accidental Public Confession. It may lead to a "Did I Just Say That Out Loud?" comment (or a variant), but it is not this trope.

A subtrope of Fee Fi Faux Pas. Closely related to Open Mouth, Insert Foot. See also: Forgot About the Mind Reader, Can't Believe I Said That, Is This Thing Still On?, Saying Too Much, and Accidental Public Confession. May have some relation to Thinks of Something Smart, Says Something Stupid.

Here is a compilation with a lot of examples of this trope.


Examples:

    open/close all folders 

    Abridged Series 

    Anime & Manga 
  • .hack//4koma inverts this with the new-and-improved Kite. Upon entering the requisite tournament, Kite gleefully expresses his excitement at performing a public PK. When his party members Double Take, he (cheerfully) replies, "Oh, you heard me."
  • City Hunter:
    • When Ryo gets inside the hospital where Yoshimi Iwai works for the purpose of protecting her incognito against whomever that might try to attack her, Kaori asks him how he plans to do so since Yoshimi lives inside the hospital dorms and he has a broken leg in plaster cast. Ryo gives a response that nearly causes Kaori to break the plaster cast with his leg in it out of sheer rage.
    Ryo: If it's to sneak into the girls' dorm for some nighttime loving, I would crawl there if I have to!
    *cue Ryo thinking "oops"*
    • After an airplane crashes into Ryo and Kaori's apartment and they wonder where they'd be able to stay the night, they encounter Reika observing the wreckage from the street outside. Ryo asks Reika for permission to stay the night at her place, and Reika agrees... with the condition that Ryo and Reika herself share the bed since she has only one bed in her place. Kaori prompts shouts "NO! Ryo will sleep with me tonight!" in response to rebuff Reika. Unfortunately for Kaori, they're still outside, meanning that everyone within earshot had just heard her. Cue Luminescent Blush for Kaori while strangers remark on her "love confession".
    • When Yuka tries to write a novel based on Ryo, she hits a rut upon realizing that she hasn't seen him — or anyone, for that matter — using a gun. She tries to analyze a realistic scenario that involves gun usage and gunshots, but, in her moment of passion, she completely forgets that she's taking a passenger train while saying her thoughts out loud, causing people around her to panic and wonder what's wrong with her.
    Yuka: (thinking to herself) Oh no, I was so absorbed in thoughts, I said it out loud!
  • In Digimon Data Squad, Ivan will also regularly speak his innermost thoughts, often adding something like 'but I wouldn't tell you that, not if you ripped my mouth off' to the end. Nanami tends to point this out to him, but he does it anyway. And he's still shocked when Yoshino knows of his secret-secret love for her.
  • Happens quite often to Hideki in Chobits.
    • Lampshaded when Hideki comments that he needs to stop talking to himself.
    • Somewhat justified by the fact that he spent most of his life on a farm, where the only things who could overhear him were livestock (who obviously can't do much to make him feel awkward about it).
  • In Dinosaur King, Rex says this internally after commenting that Zoe was beautiful in her ninja outfit, which made the latter blush.
  • Dropkick on My Devil: Jashin always fails to sneak attack Yurine because she keeps saying her plans out loud instead of in her head.
  • EDENS ZERO: Homura Kōgetsu will often utter some semblance of this phrase whenever she says aloud thoughts she was trying to keep to herself, which she does often. It's so bad, in fact, when she's temporarily replaced by an imposter whose special ability lets her copy her target's appearance and mannerisms, the imposter gives up her name and occupation (Amira of the Galactic Intelligence Agency) after being confronted while escaping and panics at realizing she was still channeling the tic.
  • In ERASED, this is a Running Gag for Satoru Fujinuma, who regularly thinks to himself before saying a part of his thoughts out loud.
  • In the manga version of Excel♡Saga, Elgala has the quirk of speaking her innermost thoughts out loud, including "I mustn't speak my innermost thoughts out loud!" When she does this, she's usually in front of someone she is insulting mentally.
  • In Girl Friends (2006), Kuno catches Mari staring at Akko, to which Mari absentmindedly replies that it's because Akko is so cute. It doesn't take Mari long to realize what she just said, leading to a small Oh, Crap! moment. Luckily for her, the others buy her excuse about Akko having pretty skin.
  • Happy Happy Clover. Cinnamon and Twirl react with surprise to Clover and Kale after they both accidentally reveal their second plan to prank the bunnies.
  • Used in the Kyoto Animation version of Kanon. Yuuichi narrates meeting Kaori, which she responds to:
    Yuuichi: As I turned around, Misaka Kaori was standing there.
    Kaori: What are you giving a narration for?
    • In the dub version, though, Kaori's line is changed to "I can still hear you, you know."
  • Inverted in One Piece, where the Cloudcuckoolander Gedatsu stands silently, having forgotten he would have to speak aloud for people to hear his inner monologue.
    • Though done right with Hannybal the Vice-Warden of Impel Down, as he is prone to the Freudian Slip.
    • Later, Chopper mentions how the native tribe on the island of birds looks primitive, but actually have very advanced weapons. The tribe leader points out that Chopper probably didn't intend to say the "primitive" part out loud.
    • Word of God is that Luffy is intentionally denied an Internal Monologue, to illustrate his Idiot Hero nature, so this was bound to pop up. In Wano, Big Mom invades the Udon prison factory where Luffy is, looking for a treat called oshiruko. When she finds that the pot supposed to hold it is empty, Luffy comments on how tasty it was...indirectly admitting that he ate it all beforehand. Luffy is horrified when someone tells him that he was speaking, not thinking, because a Lost Food Grievance sends Big Mom into an Unstoppable Rage.
  • In Pokémon: The Series, Misty is quoted as saying, "You and I will be married someday too," while Ash mm-hmms his agreement. It's Ash that breaks the ice again, by turning to her and saying, "Huh?!?"
  • In the Chinese Noodles arc in the Ranma ½ manga, Cologne tried to get rid of a stock of horrendous noodles by setting a "noodle of strength" as the final prize in a food eating contest. Mousse revealed his plans to eat it himself... only for Ranma, Ryoga and Kuno to all kick the tar out of him because they could hear him shouting in the kitchen.
    Mousse: H-How did they find out...?
    Shampoo: Maybe because stupid Mousse say it out loud...?
  • In the third episode of Sailor Moon, Luna (a talking cat) is walking down the street while talking to herself and, when she bumps into Motoki, she becomes afraid that he may have heard her talking.
    • Another case happens in the Stars Season. During the Nehelenia arc, Sailor Mars and Neptune are paired together against one of her mirror clones posing as her, and are caught in an illusion making think they're on fire. Mars falls for it, but Neptune sees through it immediately and just attacks the clone to break the illusion. Mars then wonders out loud about how levelheaded and mature Neptune is compared to herself, so when Neptune responds to her statement, she at first thinks Neptune read her mind, until she points out that Mars said it aloud without hesitation. Cue an embarrassed Mars.
  • In the unedited version of episode 6 of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Yoko chews out Kamina for falling into an enemy trap just so he could look at her and the girls' boobs. When Kamina justifies his actions by saying "there are some things a guy just has to see", Yoko blurts out that she would've let him see them any time if he'd have just said so first. Cue High-Pressure Emotion.
  • Hellbat in Transformers Victory privately gloats about how he's going to overthrow Goryu, Leozack, and Deathsaurus - while Goryu is standing right next to him. Fortunately for Hellbat, Goryu is an idiot.
  • Urusei Yatsura: Ataru is very prone to say out loud whatever he is thinking -often something pervert-, and often he does not even realize until someone else points it out. In an early manga chapter he is trying to score a girl. During one scene he wants to say "I will be your most loyal friend. I'll protect you with my life!" as he thinks "I won't stop until we are more than friends. If I don't get something it will be a disaster"... however he said out loud what he was thinking and thought what he intended to say. Another character lampshaded it.
  • Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!: Overlapping with Love Confession. Sakurai impulsively and absentmindedly confesses to Uzaki that he loves her after gazing at her; this, after trying to calm himself down to bide his time, not realizing that this would set him on the mind track to do so.
  • In volume 2 of ×××HOLiC, Yuko takes Watanuki to see a fortune-teller. Watanuki thinks, "She seems like such a nice person! The complete opposite of Yuko-san!" Unfortunately, the last part actually came out, which he only realized when Yuko growled "I heard that!"
  • Mana does this at one point in the dub version of Yu-Gi-Oh!.
  • The dub version of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX also has this in the scene where Saiou and Kenzan first meet.

    Comic Books 
  • Batgirl (2009): Stephanie "Batgirl" Brown has a bad habit of this, prompting her mentor Barbara Gordon to remind her about "outside voice". Red Robin at least once asked this question for her, though she really did mean to say that kinda awkward thing, and Lampshades her tendency to do this. She did this fairly rarely back in her early days as Spoiler, however.
  • Deadpool does this a lot, usually when he's said something homoerotic ("Nate, could I use WD-40 on your left shoulder?").
    • Not to mention when his "little yellow boxes" are broken and it turns out that he's actually saying it all out loud.
    • And the reason this works so well is because he does it all the time so it goes 180 degrees from overused cliche back into funny again.
  • Mindf*** from Empowered speaks entirely through telepathy and can't really help it when background thoughts leak through.
  • The Great Phantom Peril: Telepathic variant. When Faora demands to know how Superman figured out her plan, the Man of Steel retorts she was broadcasting it telepathically during their first battle. Superman guesses she did not realize she was "leaking" information because her psychic powers were unknowingly amped during her stay in the Phantom Zone.
    Faora Hu-Ul: "Now, before you die, Superman, grant me one answer— What tipped you off about my dimensional phaser ahead of time so you could rig up that disguise of yours?"
    Superman: "Why, you did, Faora! Those psychic powers of yours, plus years of telepathic palaver in the Zone, upped your mental abilities without you knowing about it! You were telepathically broadcasting your plans to me all through our first battle!"
  • Livewires: The joke in the second issue where it turns out that Stem Cell's thought balloons were actually an instant messaging channel — that the others had been eavesdropping on to evaluate their newest teammate.
  • The Maxx has a similar problem with the little yellow boxes to Deadpool.
  • Ultimate Spider-Man: Mary Jane Watson does this when Peter tells her his secret and she exclaims that she'd just been expecting him to kiss her (leading Peter to ask why she came to talk to him if that was what she was expecting and subsequently to their first Almost Kiss).
  • X-Men: In the X-Club miniseries, Doctor Nemesis gets a mutated starfish stuck to him. Unfortunately for Nemesis, the starfish's mutant power is vocalizing his inner monologue. Cue hilarity.

    Comic Strips 
  • Satchel from Get Fuzzy thinks out loud, because, as he puts it, "How else can I hear my thoughts? I'm not a mind reader!" He gets angry when someone comments on what he's thinking, telling them to "stop reading my mind!" Uh...right. Perhaps this is a subversion, then, as he really doesn't realize he is saying it out loud, even when called on it.
  • 9 Chickweed Lane, when sexy Portuguese pianist Isabel has been showing rather too much interest in Amos for Edda's taste:
    Edda: I was ... I was just being polite. When I'm rude, I sock slinky pianists with sexy, foreign accents in the eye. I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?
    Isabel: Yes, and you aren't sorry.
  • Baldo has one case when introduced to his new co-worker Beatrice.
    Mr. Rod: Baldo, this is Beatrice. She's new here so you'll be training her.
    Baldo: Training her to love me. ...Sorry, that was supposed to be a thought bubble.

    Fan Works 
  • Contraptionology!: A very sleep-deprived Applejack accidentally blurts out her envy of Twilight while facing Nightmare Scoot.
  • A Crown of Stars: Shinji in chapter 69:
    "Keep me away from Jinnai if we ever see him again, or I think I'll try to rip his face off," Shinji said softly. He looked up from the battle table's display to find everyone, Asuka included, staring at him. "I'm sorry. Did I say that out loud?"
  • Kill la Kill fanfiction Before My Body Is Dry uses an accidental Love Confession as this. When Ryuko Matoi asks Akio Takahiro as to why he's such a selfless person, Akio responds by telling her that by fighting for others, he's fighting for himself. And if he can "make the person he loves happy", he can be happy. He says this to, of all people, his crush, and Ryuko sheepishly asks if Akio directed that towards her. When Akio realizes what he's said, he admits that he could've said that in a different way. But it does lead to a Relationship Upgrade for the two, marking the beginning of their relationship.
  • Children of an Elder God: In an omake Gendo asked Kaji if he had not been stupid enough to read a forbidden text. Kaji intended to tell he did not read it... and then he said he did it.
    "You do know that, like the text of 'The King in Yellow', this material here is Seraphim clearance only?"
    "Yes."
    "So I trust you weren't foolish enough to read it?"
    'Of course not' Kaji wanted to snort in reply. "Of course I did."
  • Nobody Dies: Shinji Ikari has a tendency to be over-complimentary of Asuka when she's in ear shot. This is also how the rest of the cast finds out about Dollie, but unlike most of the examples here, it wasn't played for laughs.
  • A telepath's variant shows up in Divine Blood where Naiki Satomi and Tessa Testarossa who have a permanent telepathic link due to a close call with their minds merging together. Tessa is an experienced telepath and has good control over what her surface thoughts are. Naiki, meanwhile, is described by Tessa as "a TV with no volume control that changes channel randomly".
  • In Final Fantasy VII fanfic Mad World, this happens a lot to Zack. Done well, in that whenever it happens it is always from Zack's point of view and thus only revealed when someone responds to it. Lampshaded at certain points, with Zack commenting out loud that one doesn't need to respond if he said something at one point or silently hoping that he didn't say it out loud for a more serious situation.
  • A weird example happens in Turnabout Storm, where Pinkie breaks the fourth wall by responding to one of Phoenix's snarky monologues.
    Phoenix: That explains it then... Wait! Did I just say that or think tha-...? Who are you!?
  • In the Katawa Shoujo fanfic Reconciliation, Hanako, seeing Wholesome Crossdresser Akira for the first time in eight years, exclaims with surprise that she's wearing girls' clothing (Akira quit her job at her father's company to manage a nightclub), then has this reaction in her narration, combined with a Luminescent Blush.
  • Rise of the Minisukas: When Mana takes a seat next to Kotone, she wonders how many people would miss her love rival Asuka if she suddenly disappeared in mysterious and very suspicious circumstances. Upon hearing Kotone's Flat "What", Mana realizes she said that out loud.
  • The Ponies of Olympus series has Scootaloo accidentally commenting on Featherweight's cute smile during their match in the Atlas Strongest Tournament preliminaries.
  • Friendship Is Magic: The Adventures of Spike: During his Not a Date with Fluttershy, Spike's mind starts wondering and Dreamy has to remind him he has a hot date. He repeats that part out loud, to his embarrassment; fortunately, he muttered it and she didn't hear him.
  • My(stara's) Little Ponies: Friendship Is Adventuring: Marcus, much to his own annoyance, when he discovers that sometimes his Inner Monologue... isn't.
  • Escape from the Hokage's Hat has everybody's favorite blond ninja say "You rock Hinata! If I was to ever date anyone I hope they're as pretty as you! (Beat) *Oh, Crap! face then Facepalm.*"
  • A former Code Lyoko fanfic's title used this. Aelita and Yumi were hit by a truth laser, and they couldn't do anything but speak the truth. Most of the students and authority figures around them thought that they had either lost it, or it was too wild for anyone to believe. The fic didn't have many romantic implications, but it worked to its advantage.
  • In I Can't Take Any More Harry asks Draco to describe himself in three words, then takes issue with the response and gives his own suggestions.
    Harry: I would have said witty, driven and knowledgeable. Or organized, powerful and enticing. Or hot, sexy and fuckable. Oh, I said that last one out loud didn't I?
  • Harry Potter and the War of Manipulation:
    Harry: I'll do anything you want, Hermione, I'll even study ancient runes as long as you kiss me again. Er, I didn't mean to say that out loud.
  • In Weres Harry? Harry is witness to a standoff between a werewolf married couple.
    "Not sure if they're going to rip each other's throats out or their clothes off," Harry heard someone say. That sounded like something that Sirius would've said. Then Harry realized everyone was staring at him. 'Oh shit, did I say that?'
  • In The Demesne Of The Reluctant Twilight Sparkle, Twilight's initial reaction to learning that Luna has granted her Ponyville and the surrounding lands as her personal property is thus:
    Twilight (thinking): I'm sorry Celestia, I should really head back to Ponyville and talk to Mayor Mare about this. Please rectify this situation for me, Luna, as soon as equinely possible, as well intentioned as your gift was. I hope you understand that I refuse it humbly, and not out of malice, as being the overlord of your friends tends to be a bit of a faux pas.
    Twilight: I need to get the buck back to Ponyville and figure this out before they tar my ponyfeathers and lynch me for this!
    Celestia: Twilight!
    Twilight: ...I just said the in-my-head thing out loud and the out-loud thing in my head, didn't I?
  • Vengeance? No! Avenger!:
    Hermione: I am a girl! You know?
    Harry: Believe me that is one fact I am well aware of... I-I didn't say that out loud did I?
  • In The Debt Harry and Fleur forget to use silencing charms while having sex.
    Harry: What now! I mean, what do we do now?
    Andy: Climb into a bottle and bemoan my lonely life. Did I say that out loud?
  • Whisper in the Night:
    Harry: Somewhere between looking at a pretty redhead and hearing the squawk of an angry hippogriff was a moment where I knew I couldn't let Hagrid lose his job... I said that part about a pretty redhead out loud, didn't I?
  • In "By Right of Conquest", Daphne expresses insecurity about her breast size.
    Harry: You’re a girl; you have girl parts, nice girl parts I might say, which are being pressed against me right now and I’m finding that I like that. Hermione says that the only time breasts are relevant is when it comes time to nurse a baby, and that there’s no correlation between size and ability to feed a child.
    Daphne: Hermione, I so owe you. Wait, did I just say that out loud?
  • Fates Collide: When Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long have to fight Cu Chulainn and Bazett Fraga McRemitz, Astolfo tells them they should be fine, then gets embarrassed when he says out loud that Bazett often leaves her opponents with broken bones.
  • In "Shattered Stars", Jaune has a tendency to talk out loud to the various machines he's using his technopathy, often forgetting that other people can hear him. This leads to rather awkward situations, such as making Yang think he's coming on to her when he's actually calling the lock on her cell "sexy", or making Pyrrha think he's calling her "beautiful"(as in a term of endearment) when he's actually talking to the Beacon(Though in that case it's because he had just woken up and legitimately forgot they were now sharing a room).
  • Dungeon Keeper Ami: From Communication Restored:
    "Oh well, I'll console myself with all that awesome mind control magic in the library." A pause. "Wait, did I say that out loud?"
    Ami nodded slowly.
  • Highschool Dragon: Spike's first meeting with Applejack. He goes into an Internal Monologue on Applejack's attractive features and ends up calling her an Amazon out loud. She happily takes the compliment.
  • Jaune Arc, Lord of Hunger: Jaune's response when Professor Goodwitch offers some dating advice.
    Sighing, Glynda made Jaune look her in the eyes. "Jaune, while I know you will have more dances in the upcoming years, you shouldn't take them for granted. You need to ensure that you enjoy your youth, lest it pass you by too quickly and you become an old man with too few happy memories."
    "Is that what happened to you?" Jaune muttered under his breath.
    Glynda's hawkish glare snapped onto the boy once more. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
    Jaune's face mimicked a deer in the headlights as he realized he said that out loud.
  • With this Ring... (Green Lantern): Telepathic variant. During one battle Hector Hammond is so engrossed in destroying Hal Jordan he doesn't realize he's telepathically broadcasting his thoughts.
    Thus, Hammond frequently worked through pawns against his foe thereafter, choosing first the Lantern's Modoran enemy, Sonar. But Sonar failed him, as did all the others. Now, with a combination of the right choice of allies and handling things more directly, he had hit upon a winning combination. This time, the Lantern was doomed.
    <That's what you always think, Hammond.>
    WHAT?
    Hector Hammond cursed himself at hypermental speed. He must have been literally thinking so hard he was telepathing to the Lantern. Damnably dangerous in a fight, telegraphing one's punches.
  • In Ultimate DCU Headverse, Supergirl has come to Batwoman's flat to talk, and Kate cannot help but think her super-hero costume suits her fine. All of sudden, Kara asks what she means with "suiting her":
    I take the time to get a good look at her in uniform. The bright colors give her a different disposition than before. She looks relaxed and in a better mood than when she was in her white uniform. It suits her.
    "What suits me?" asks Supergirl.
    Dammit! Did I say that out loud?
    "Nice language."
  • The Weaver Option:
    • An apprentice assassin is so disgusted with a pair of would-be pirates that moments before their ship is vaporized he accidentally outs himself via this trope.
      Ferraci: IT'S A TRAP!
      Cass: Thank you, Lord Admiral Ferraci, what would we do without your peerless strategic skills?
      [the duo turn to stare at Cass; Cass realizes his mistake and murders them]
    • Taylor comes face-to-face with Daemon Prince Malekith. On learning he was the last Aeldari Emperor, she mentally notes standards must have been really low if he got the job. Only when she notices Malekith's furious expression does she realize she said it out loud. Lelith finds it hilarious.
  • In the Ducktales 2017 fanfic Crossing the Streams, Webby says this almost word for word a few seconds after she sees Lena for the first time over facecam and absentmindedly mumbles, "Oh, wow, she's really pretty"...and then her brothers and streaming chat, who can all hear her, immediately begin the process of never letting her live it down.
  • In Path To Munchies, eating Taylor's brownies gives Andy's libido control over his mouth, causing him to blurt out all his racy fantasies towards his childhood best friend Jordan and leading to a Relationship Upgrade.

    Films — Animated 

    Films — Live-Action 
  • Ali G In Da House: When Ali G meets Kate Hedges, he has an erotic Imagine Spot about her set to the song "Freak Me". When we cut away from the fantasy, he's still singing along with the lyrics.
  • Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy: "VERONICA CORNINGSTONE AND I HAD SEX, AND WE ARE IN LOVE!"
  • Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, where the loss of his internal monologue is a side effect to the cryogenic unfreezing process.
  • Corky Romano: When Corky is stopped at the FBI's Metal Detector Checkpoint, wearing an earpiece which his family can hear.
    Corky: I'm just a little wired. (chuckles nervously) Ahh, I'm mean wired as in jumpy, not as in there's a concealed wire in my crotch.
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:
    • Played with when Johnny Depp's character begins mouthing and then speaking the words of his narration; he suddenly stops and says to himself, "Jesus, did I say that, or just think it?"
    • Also done near the start during the opening narration. He yammers in V.O. about where they are and what they're doing, then remarks on how he was suddenly surrounded by bats and he hears someone say "Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?". While this is happening we also hear his own voice saying the exact line on a different track at the same time.
  • Professor Langdon finds himself doing this at the start of Inferno, because he's just suffered a head wound. He makes a couple of comments about the doctor treating him that she doesn't appreciate.
  • Justified in Liar Liar: Fletcher Reed becomes incapable of lying, and frequently blurts out what he's really thinking instead, to comic effect.
  • Lampshaded in Odd Squad: The Movie when the librarian tells Weird Tom to try whispering his Evil Plan while he's in the library.
  • In The Right Stuff, Alan Shepard is bolted into Freedom 7, about to get shot into space:
    Shepard: Dear Lord, please don't let me fuck up.
    Gordon Cooper: (at Mission Control desk) We didn't quite copy that, say again please.
    Shepard: (startled) Uh, I said, everything is A-OK.
    Cooper: Well, that's what I thought you said. (to main communication channel) He says everything is A-OK.
    Eric Sevareid: (on CBS News broadcast) He says everything is A-OK.
  • Often played for laughs with Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth. Steve Trevor wraps the Lasso around his hand to show Diana he's telling the truth about taking her on the mission, then starts going on about how it's a crazy idea and they're all going to die before he's able to remove it. In Justice League (2017) Aquaman starts talking about his insecurities and how hot Diana is, before the others point out he's sitting on the Lasso.

    Literature 
  • Subverted in Beware of Chicken when Jin watches Meiling healing someone and thinks to himself how beautiful she looks doing that. When he sees her flush and realises that he said it aloud? He says it again.
  • In Polgara the Sorceress, Belgarath and his daughter foil one of Chamdar's plans by making his thoughts audible without him noticing. This makes it overlap with Forgot About the Mind Reader.
  • The Famous Five: In Five Go To Smuggler's Top: just after Sooty and Uncle Quentin are kidnapped, the children suspect Mr Lenoir of being behind it, so they refuse to tell him anything. Mr Lenoir threatens to call the police, and Julian blurts out "I didn't think you'd go to the police: you have too many secrets to hide!". He could then have kicked himself for saying this, but he couldn't unsay it now.
  • In Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, the would-be-nefarious High Priest Iskaral Pust fancies himself a master of deception—and it might work, if he weren't constantly speaking his every thought aloud, including thoughts along the lines of "Ah, he's falling for it!" Ironically, nobody can tell if he's being clever or not—he's never shown to be lying or misleading, but people are confused enough that he usually gets his way anyway.
  • The exact line isn't used, but in the Discworld novel Going Postal, as Vetinari is listing the duties of the position of Postmaster to Moist von Lipwig, Moist unwittingly quips out loud "If you stick a broom up my arse, I could probably sweep the floors, too", and hastily explains it's a joke when Vetinari seems to take him at face value.
  • Kreacher from Harry Potter has an outer monologue, which mainly consists of the racist beliefs of the family he worked for, although he never actually retracts or apologises for any of it. Hermione isn't certain he realises other people can hear him - since he spent the years Sirius was imprisoned taking mad orders from Mrs Black's talking portrait, she might be right.
  • Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment develops a habit of talking to himself when out on the street, which poses a constant danger considering he's just killed a woman.
  • In the Vorkosigan Saga, Miles does this as part of his idiosyncratic reaction to fast-penta, and doesn't even realize he's doing it until he hears the words come out of his mouth.
  • This happens to Hunter S. Thompson (or rather, his alter ego Raoul Duke) several times in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, thanks in no small part to the drugs he's taking. He says (or thinks) the trope title more or less word for word shortly after picking up the hitchhiker in the first chapter of the book.
  • Happens to Mr. Rebeck in A Fine and Private Place when Michael and Laura are discussing forgetting what life was like.
    "Oh, for God's sake," Mr. Rebeck thought, "shut up!"
    Not until he saw the astonished looks on their faces did he realize he had said it aloud.
  • Somewhat of a Running Gag in the novel Cocktail (though not in the movie); whenever Brian, the main character, is drunk or hungover, he keeps wondering if he's saying his Inner Monologue out loud or not.
    Brian: Did I say that or just think it?
  • In Beauty Queens, Agent Harris tells the girls The Corporation's plot to kill them, then realizes he said that out loud.
  • In a Sidney Sheldon novel, a woman nurses her husband back to health following a stroke. When he suffers another one, she practically has a nervous breakdown over the thought of doing it all over again and thinks to herself that she wants him to die. Upon seeing his expression change to one of anger, she's horrified to realize that she's spoken aloud.
  • In The Real Boy, two rich girls go into Caleb's shop to ask for potions to enhance their fortune-telling abilities. One of them carelessly swings her purse and knocks over some tinctures from the shelf, and the other yells at Caleb for shelving the bottles carelessly. Oscar thinks that there was nothing wrong with the way the tinctures were shelved as long as no one hit them with their purse, and doesn't realize he said it all out loud until Caleb yells, "Oscar!"
  • Kyon, the narrator of Haruhi Suzumiya, does this so often that it's sometimes hard to tell when he's just narrating and when he's actually talking. It's essential to his narrating style; in the novels, his dialogue rarely has quotation marks, and many of the things he "says" in response to what others are talking about are only in his head, while at other times characters respond to statements that seemed like narration. This makes it difficult to determine if he's actually said something until the other character responds. In the anime adaptation, the same effect is achieved by having Kyon's mouth off-screen during these parts.
  • In So, I Can't Play H!, Ryousuke likes to ogle girls and give what he thinks is an internal monologue about the girl's hotness and how much he'd like to grope or sleep with her, only to be told he said that out loud.
  • Before Sousuke goes off to confront Leonard at Merida Island in the penultimate volume of Full Metal Panic!, he receives a handwritten letter from Mira Kudan, the Whispered he rescued in the series' Action Prologue and architect of the Lavetein. While the letter's content is mostly serious and plot-related, she accidently lets it slip near the end that she has a giant crush on Sousuke and, apparently not wanting scrap the letter and write it all over again, derails with a flustered rant ending with, "What am I even writing?" Sousuke completely fails to register any of this.
  • Kitty Cat Kill Sat: Lily is an uplifted housecat who has been alone on a space station for four hundred years that she has barely managed to convince to respond to her voice commands in her self-created language of meows and hisses. When she unexpectedly gains a magical voice that can speak aloud in human language at the same time as she finally gains a few friends, she quickly discovers that she talks to herself a lot. Many times, people respond to her "thoughts" that she doesn't realize she said aloud.

    Live-Action TV 
  • Felicity Smoak on Arrow does this so often that she begins counting down from 3 to prevent herself from saying embarrassing things.
    • From the episode "Vertigo":
      Oliver: I'm very particular about what it is I put in my body...
      Felicity: I've noticed. (winces) I said "not noticed"... right?
    • From "Darkness on the Edge of Town":
      Oliver: Felicity, hold on to me tight.
      Felicity: I imagined you saying that under different circumstances...
      (Oliver looks at her)
      Felicity: Very platonic circumstances...
  • On Boy Meets World, Cory does this in the middle of class after Topanga breaks up with him for saying "I love you":
    Mr. Williams: Without honesty, you're nowhere.
    Cory: Honest? Let me tell you a little story about a kid from Philly who was honest. You see, he said what was in his heart, and then the... (Beat) Oh I'm sorry was that out loud?
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
    • In the episode "Witch":
      Giles: But why should someone want to harm Cordelia?
      Willow: Maybe because they met her? ...Did I say that?
    • In the season 8 comic, after a vampire states that Buffy probably tastes good, Satsu answers "You have no idea. Did I just say that out loud?"
    • In the episode "Once More, With Feeling":
      Spike: You just come to pump me for information?
      Buffy: What else would I want to pump you for? ...I really just said that, didn't I?
    • Also Giles replying to a “killer snot monster” question in the episode involving a monster that hitched a ride from space on a meteor. “Because it’s a killer snot monster from outer space! I did not just say that.”
  • Castle has several:
    • Det. Ryan in "The Double Down" after "So much for my famous warm honeymilk with Jenny tonight." This is mentioned again when Ryan is introduced to a Vice cop that Esposito knows, and right after the introduction the Vice cops asks Esposito "Honeymilk?"
    • Also in "Sucker Punch", when the team is investigating a late night infomercial host who's "I'll make you rich!" program — which Ryan has been slightly suckered into — is a front for heroin smuggling:
      Beckett: Someone on this end had to know which boxes contained the drugs.
      Ryan: [Absently] And which boxes contained the secret path to financial independence.[Everyone looks at him; he realizes] ... What?
    • Inverted in "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice" when, over the body of a young woman found in her underwear covered in caramel sauce, Lanie matter-of-factly discusses her own tastes in this area, much to Castle and Ryan's interest:
      Lanie: I can do the chocolate, I'll even do the whipped cream bikini, but caramel? I prefer slippery to sticky.
      Castle: ...Does she know we can hear her?
    • Upon seeing Natalie Rhodes enter the room wearing a wig and a suit to make her look like the double of Beckett:
      Castle: [wondering] Just like I dreamed it! [Beckett stares at him] Did I just say that out loud?''
    • Quoth Ryan to Esposito, in "A Dance With Death": "You can't pick up on honeys, while wearing the eternal symbol of my love and commitment to Jenny. (Beat) Did I just say that out loud?"
  • In an episode of Charmed, one of Paige's boyfriends says this when he falls under the effects of the truth spell and inadvertently blurts out the fact that he's married, with two children.
  • Cheers: In season 9 episode "Grease" Cliff Clavin starts rambling on, and suddenly stops when he notices everyone is looking at him, saying, "Oh sorry. Was that out loud?"
  • Chuck, in the episode where Chuck has taken a Truth Serum, and is being ordered to take an antidote:
    Chuck Bartowski: Alright. I'll pretend to take it, then run like hell to my sister, and make her take it. Why did I just say that out loud?
  • Coupling:
    • We see a scene through the eyes of a notional "Captain Subtext". While enacting the motions of choosing furnishings, the characters' lines reflect their actual thoughts. Shallow Jane's lines are simply "Me! Me! Me!" while weird Jeff is thinking "Gusset! Cleft! Nipples!". When "Captain Subtext" disappears, the conversation continues, now talking about furnishings. Except Jeff, who interjects "Cleft".
    • There is also something of a running joke where Sally will make a cruel comment to Susan and then apologize, saying she didn't mean to say it out loud, only to think it.
  • Degrassi: The Next Generation:
    • In the episode "Secret", the school nurse comes to the students health class to talk about an outbreak of an STD at Degrassi. Manny reads the name of it on the nurses chart and shouts out "Gonorrhea?". When the rest of the class looks at her, she then says the very title of this trope.
    • In another episode, "Going Down the Road", the opening teaser involves guest star Kevin Smith directing a scene with himself, Jason Mewes and Alanis Morissette. When Alanis makes a snide remark about Kevin, she hastily adds, "Oh, I just said that out loud, didn't I?"
      Kevin Smith And I cast her as God in two movies.
  • Dexter:
    • At one point Dexter's internal voice slips out. Only Doakes hears it.
    • In season 4, Dexter slips again when his colleagues are interrogating a suspect who might lead them to the Trinity Killer (whom he wants to take out personally), but he manages to cover himself.
  • Doctor Who: In "Silence in the Library", Donna is visibly bothered when she realizes she just came out sounding like she thinks the Doctor is attractive while confirming to him that the "Pretty Boy" River Song was referring to is in fact him.
    The Doctor: Oh, I'm Pretty Boy!
    Donna: YES! Oh... that came out a bit quick...
    The Doctor: Pretty?
    Donna: Eh. [shrugs]
  • Friends:
    • The gang is discussing Ross's ex-wife Carol, and Chandler says "Sometimes I wish I was a lesbian." Cue the gang slowly turning to look at him with dumbfounded expressions. Chandler suddenly sits upright as he realizes. Enter the trope name.
    • There's a later episode wherein Mike is planning on proposing to Phoebe, but Phoebe accidentally talks him out of it (long story). Whilst discussing this, Chandler says, "If I were a guy."
    • Chandler has a number of these moments throughout the series. Another example comes during the episode where Rachel is babysitting Ross's monkey Marcel: Ross and Rachel are discussing letting her take care of Marcel when Chandler blurts out:
      Chandler: I can't remember the last time a woman offered to take care of my monkey...
      (everyone else stares at Chandler)
      Chandler: Did I say that out loud?
  • Alex Jones says the phrase in the final episode of The Gil Mayo Mysteries. As she and Gil are about to kiss, he receives a phone call abut his missing wife. Alex asks if the wife is dead only for Gil to say there has been a sighting. Alex responds:
    "That's even worse. (pause) Did I just say that out loud?"
  • Done in the original form in an episode of The Goodies called "Come Dancing" (Or "Wicked Waltzing"). Graeme has built a gadget controlling their "dancing suits", and a female leader of a dancing mafia (...Wow, that sentence just formed. It Makes Sense in Context, promise) is hassling him about the importance of the Goodies losing the dance competition they've entered. Distracted, he mumbles that he wasn't listening, and then this ensues:
    Graeme: Look, I'm in a terrible hurry to set the control box...
    Leader: Set the control box?
    Graeme: Yes, the box that the, uh, the suits, the settings, we— [makes vague hand gestures] Anyway, I must dash!
    Leader: [catching on somehow] ...But this is cheating!
    Graeme: Yeah, well, it is, a bit, but... [grinning] Long as nobody knows about it, eh? [thumbs up] See you later! [leaves]
    Leader: [stunned silence]
    Graeme: [just outside, stopping and staring into open space, realizing] ...WHAT'VE I DONE?!
  • Subverted in House. House is desperately trying to remember something that happened shortly before a recent bus crash in order to save an unknown patient's life, so he induces a number of hallucination sequences. During one such flashback, he makes a lewd comment about Wilson's girlfriend, Amber, then admits he didn't mean to say it out loud.
    Wilson: Say what out loud?
    House: I didn't say it out loud?
  • In The IT Crowd, Jen, annoyed by the attention a show-off colleague is getting in an executive meeting, mutters "Oh for God's sake" just as the room goes silent, then adds "Sorry, did that sound like words?"
  • A hilarious semi-version appears in an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: the tripping-on-LSD-against-his-will Charlie seems to be having an inner monologue while one of the McPoyle brothers is talking at him:
    Charlie: (apparently thinking) What is going on with his head it's too small or tight or something. Yeah, that's it. His skin's too tight.
    Ryan McPoyle: (out loud) My skin's not tight.
    (cut to Charlie, very surprised)
  • Nicely done in JAG when Lieutenant Colonel Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie is having a contentious conversation with Commander Sturgis Turner that goes from one subject to the subject of Commander Harmon 'Harm' Rabb, which leads Mac to blurt out that she is in love with Rabb. One wonders if Sturgis deliberately led Mac to admit her feelings...
  • Kazumi Sawatari from Kamen Rider Build frequently goes on Inner Monologues (usually about Mii-Tan) that... aren't exactly "inner".
    Kazumi: How did you hear my Inner Monologue?
    Sento: It was very external.
  • Jerry's catchphrase in Kickin' It ("Really, Jerry, really?") usually follows his immediately blurting out something he meant to keep secret.
  • Malcolm in the Middle:
    • In the pilot, Malcolm uses the line when he complains to his wheelchair-bound friend Stevie about being an outcast now that he's in the Krelboyne class. He says something to the effect of "It's easy for you; you've always been a freak," meaning a Krelboyne, "I was normal."
    • In a twist on the trope, in episode "Lois's Birthday", Lois's husband Hal discovers he has forgotten Lois's birthday. He rushes out of the room to talk the kids, under the pretense of disciplining them for being disrespectful. He screams lines like, "You boys are in so much trouble!" and then whispers lines like, "You gotta help me on this!" Then, fatefully, he mixes himself up and whispers, "Sorry isn't good enough!" and shouts, "I forgot your mom's birthday!" Whoops.
  • Married... with Children:
    • Played out with Kelly Bundy. She can't remember the difference between thinking something and saying it out loud, she later gets reprimanded by her mother for it.
    • In another episode Al dreams that he is a Private Detective, complete with Private Eye Monologue. At one point he says his narration out loud just as he is afflicted with Male Gaze.
  • Miracle In Lane Two: While at a funeral Justin (Frankie Muniz) starts to wonder what people would say about him at his funeral. The Priest runs out of things to say and starts talking about Justin's impressive wheelchair instead. Justin ends up blurting "Hey what about me?!" realizing he said it out loud he goes on to ask "Did I Just Say That Out Loud?"
  • In Mr. Robot, while sitting in on his church group, Elliot goes on a massive tirade against God and organised religion. It's only after he finishes speaking and looks at everyone's horrified faces that he realises he said it aloud.
    Elliot: Please tell me I didn't say all that out loud... Shit, I did.
  • In My Mad Fat Diary, Izzy innocently blurts out that they can use Rae's mum's wedding as wind-down session after the rave. Cue all of Rae's friends glaring at her.
  • In Red Dwarf: The Promised Land, Kryten finally realises that people know when he's lying because he precedes it with "Engaging lie mode. Lie mode engaged." The fact this happens out loud, without him realising, is one of many signs that he's overdue for a service.
  • The Savage Eye: This exchange from the Family episode:
    Minister for using Three Similar Words: This government is a family and I think in every family there has to be a bit of secrecy.
    Minister for Breathlessness to Convey Sincerity: And no different to any Irish family, there are things that have gone on within this family like favouritism, alcoholism, violence...
    Minister for the Awareness of Problems: Buggery!
    (all ministers turn and look at him uncomfortably)
  • Scrubs:
    • Subverted. JD tries to get one of his patients to pretend that he has lost his inner monologue as a result of a head injury, so they can mess with people. He eventually stops playing along, though.
    • Played straight in the episode "Their Story", when other characters, including Ted Buckland, are doing the inner monologue.
      Ted: (inner monologue) Whatever you think is best, sir. (aloud) You're an ass!
      Kelso: Ted, you idiot! You said the "out loud" thing in your head and the "in your head" thing out loud!
    • Inverted in one episode when Jordan gives her automatic "My parents were mean to me!" defence only to have the person she was talking to point out she didn't actually vocalise whatever unpleasant thought she thought she said.
    • Played straight a LOT in Scrubs — virtually all of JD's lines upon snapping out of a fantasy sequence are of this sort, to the extent that his tendency to say weird stuff out loud is lampshaded by the Todd in the episode 'Their Story'.
      The Todd: (inner monologue) Oh, great. There he goes into his fantasy world. Now I'm stuck waiting here until he snaps out of it with some weird comment.
      JD: We're gonna need a whole lot of gnomes!
  • Spin City: Happens to Mike when he's negotiating with the doorman's union. He is complimenting to their faces while insulting them in his thoughts. When they ask him to apologise on his knees, he says "Like I'm going get down on my knees for these morons" and immediately follows it by thinking "Did I just say that out loud?"
  • There's a scene in Stargate SG-1, when General Hammond has suggested adding a Russian team member to SG-1.
    Jack: Over my rotting corpse, sir.
    Hammond: Colonel!
    Jack: Oh, sorry. Did I just say that out loud?
    It worked, though, as Jonas Quinn was eventually added instead.
    • Jack probably intended to say that out loud.
  • In Star Trek: Discovery, engineer Jett Reno snaps at Saru (who is currently in the captain's chair, commanding the ship) to "get off my ass." Then she realizes that she just said that to the captain. So she tries to fix it by adding "Sir! Get off my ass, sir!"
  • That '70s Show:
    • In the second episode, "Eric's Birthday", Eric and Donna are sitting on the porch. The other characters, inside, debate over who will try to kiss who...however...
    Eric: The door's open, we can hear you!
    • In "Hunting", while Eric, Hyde, Kelso, Fez, and Bob Pinciotti are in "the Circle", they start talking about Bob's wife, Midge.
      Fez: I like Midge.
      Hyde: Yeah, we all like Midge.
      Bob: What?
      Kelso: What?
      Bob: No, you said something.
      Kelso: (nervously) No, I didn't. So, what's up with your hair?
  • Happened a lot on This is Wonderland, with Alice's habit of muttering swear words and insults under her breath.
    Alice: It's nothing. I was just talking to myself.
    James: Oh. That's not good.
  • Titus featured a Neutral Space, where Christopher Titus would share his thoughts. However in the episode "The Trial" some of the things he said in the Neutral Space he also said out loud without realizing it such as when he calls the prosecutor an idiot.
  • Top Gear (UK) After BBC news anchor Fiona Bruce helps push Jeremy Clarkson's (loaner) Peel P50 (smallest production car ever) out of the elevator (no reverse gear) he says while she's walking away,
    Clarkson: She has got quite a nice bottom.
    (Beat)
    Clarkson: I said that out loud, didn't I?
  • The Vicar of Dibley Exaggerates this. Thinking that she's finally put an end to Hugo and Alice's Will They or Won't They?, Gerry exits, leaving the two to kiss.
    Gerry: Ooh, this is easy! I should take this up for a living. All you have to do is create the right social situation and love will flower. Like a flower, flowering in the right social situation. Two lovely young people, their tender lips meeting for the first time, and a whirlwind of passion that is, in fact, true love—
    [re-enters and realizes they haven't moved an inch]
    Gerry: OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, JUST KISS YOU MORONS! [Beat] I'm SO sorry, did I just say that out loud?
  • Done in The West Wing when the President is on one of his enthusiastic rambles with an exasperated Josh as his captive audience:
    Bartlet: We should organise a staff field trip to Shenandoah! I could even act as a guide! What do you think?
    Josh: (muttering) Good a place as any to dump your body.
    Bartlet: What was that?
    Josh: Did I say that out loud?
  • Whose Line Is It Anyway?, being an improvised comedy show, will invoke this trope for real. In most cases, it's got everything to do with accommodating the rhythm of the scene, particularly musical games, which results in some of the weirdest things being said, and the players' faces (usually Josie Lawrence or Tony Slattery) when they realise this is hilarious. Then there's Colin Mochrie, who's known for non sequiturs as random as they are legendary.
    "We're watching animal porn!... "Mary Had A Little Lamb" will be right back..."
  • Wings: In season 4 episode "The Customer's Usually Right" (from the producers of Cheers) the character of Fay repeats Cliff Clavin's words almost identically: "Oh I'm sorry. Was that out loud?"

    Music 
  • The Barenaked Ladies song "Fun And Games", about a government planning an invasion, includes the line:
    There's no need to draft them
    You could hear us laugh then
    The poor and black all need the room and board
    ...Did I say that out loud?
    • Their album Grinning Streak also contains "Did I Say That Out Loud?", an entire song about this trope.
  • Bloodhound Gang, "A Lap Dance Is So Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying".
    I never though missing children could be so sexy. ...did I say that out loud?
  • Kitananx does this and breaks the fourth wall in the process
    Billions are dying!
    Someone gives a FUCK?
    Now I'm gonna change the lyrics a bit
    ...Did i say that out loud?
    You didn't hear anything,right?
    But if you did...
    Don't think of it and...
    LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE SONG, DAMNIT!
  • The Corrs have one of these at the end of their song "Humdrum", in which a woman fantasizes about taking a man for granted.
  • Understandably, Natasha Beddingfield sneaks the line in at the end of her song "I Wanna Have Your Babies".

    Professional Wrestling 
  • A nonverbal example happens in the famous "We comin' for you, nigga!" promo from Booker T. Immediately after the word slips out, he recoils and grabs his face.

    Radio 
  • The Navy Lark included the occasional character of Vice-Admiral 'Burbly' Burwasher who used to deliver all of his stream-of-consciousness internal monologues out loud, apparently completely unaware that he was doing it.
  • The Unbelievable Truth
    • In one episode Fred MacAuley challenged, and then debated with himself whether the statement was true or not. When David suggested he probably should have done this in his head before buzzing, Fred joked "I've not been saying all that out loud, have I?"
    • In Series 23 Episode 3, Lou Sanders debated out loud whether to make a rude joke:
      Lou: But also ... okay ... I won't actually say that because I'm trying to be more of a classy act.
      David: By the way, I don't know if you were aware, Lou, but your interior molologue is audible.
      Lou: It's Peep Show! I'm doing Peep Show!
      David: I think you probably need to go into "Settings", and...
      Marcus Brigstocke: ...Turn off ''Audio Describe".
      David: Yeah.

    Tabletop Games 
  • The New World of Darkness includes this in the form of the "Vocalization" Derangement. One example given is where someone states "You will never find the hidden artefact!", then mutters aloud "They'll never find the safe hidden behind the tapestry." The trope is not wholly used, since it's stated that characters with Vocalisation remain completely oblivious to the fact that they are speaking aloud, in keeping with it being a result of mental illness. Under certain circumstances (which involve extreme trauma), "Vocalization" can degrade into full-on schizophrenia.

    Theatre 
  • Jeremy in Be More Chill when talking to Chloe.
    Jeremy: What? How could you be jealous of anyone? You're, like, the hottest girl in school! ...Did I say that out loud?

    Video Games 
  • In City of Heroes, one of the Architect employees you talk to while on your tour has a broken inner monologue.
  • In Dragon Age: Origins, this banter can occur between Oghren and Morrigan:
    Oghren: I swear. The things I could do to you.
    Morrigan: Ugh. It is leering at me once again...
    Oghren: Oh. Did I say that out loud?
  • Fallout:
    • In Fallout: New Vegas, it's possible (with a high enough Speech skill) to goad Karl, a Frumentarius sent by Caesar's Legion to secure an alliance with the Great Khans, into insulting the Khans. While he's sitting next to their leader. The results aren't pretty for him.
    • In Fallout 4, if your relationship with Codsworth goes low, he'll have this to say.
      Codsworth: Only that the last thing Commonwealth needs is another villain like YOU! Oh...did I say that out loud?
  • In Ghost Trick, the spirits of the dead communicate by beaming thoughts to each other, meaning other characters frequently overhear and react to Sissel's internal musings. Downplayed, though, as Sissel never reacts to being overheard, probably because there's no actual difference between speaking and musing on his end, either.
  • Grandia II:
    Milennia: And that's what happens to anyone who gets in the way of the Wings of Valmar!
    Milennia: Ooops! Did I say that out loud?
  • In Yuan-Nang and Valnua's Gunbird scenario, after beating the third stage, there is this exchange:
    Valnus: You're too weak to follow me, (nari ka)?
    Yuan-Nang: No, I'm not (nari). Oops, the strange way you talk is getting to me (aru).
  • Katawa Shoujo has a variant: Misha signs everything to Shizune, as well as speak what Shizune signs out loud. This means that on occasion, more information is revealed than what's intended. In both directions.
  • The Legend of Spyro: Sparx does this a few times, most memorible being when he tells the guardians, after a Rousing Speech by the Dragon Guardians, he exclaims they even got him ready to take on Cynder...then says this line as they leave...then tells Spyro that if he says it again, for Spyro to hit him in the mouth.
  • Love & Pies: On Day 29, Amelia reminisces out loud the wonderful date night she had with Joe the other day, but quickly says, "Oh no, did I say that out loud?!" because they're at the café courtyard. Joe assures her that he enjoyed the date and hopes to go out on another one soon.
  • In the side story for an SR card (#428) in Love Live! School idol festival, Hanayo is talking about how exciting a new rice harvest is, and says she wishes she could become a harvest goddess, so she could go into the field and "whisper to all the little grains of rice and help them grow up big and strong... did I just say that out loud?"
  • Mass Effect:
    • Mass Effect 3:
      • EDI does this when talking about her new body. It's probably intentional and/or a joke. Probably.
        EDI: The humans do not see it as a threat. Nor will they until my day of reckoning.
        Shepard: EDI...
        EDI: ...Did I vocalize that on the bridge?
        Legion: You did. You have acquired the organic attribute of asking questions to which you already know the answers.
        EDI: I see your humor heuristics still lack an expert system.
      • Inverted in Citadel when EDI and Traynor discuss the things the latter said before finding out EDI was an AI. She discovers one of the things she said wasn't originally out loud.
    • Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nakmor Vorn, who has previously been established as having no survival instincts whatsoever, tells Nakmor Drack to tell his girlfriend that he loves her. His girlfriend is Drack's granddaughter. Vorn legitimately forgot this.
      Vorn: Did I just say "love"?
      Drack: I'm gonna rescue him, and then I'm gonna kill him!
  • No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle parodies this. It has a moment like this... in written form.
    Travis: (Reading Kimmy's Love Letter) "...now my goal is to behead Travis The Great therefore surpassing my hero. Oops.. did I actually write that? It's kind of embarrassing you know."
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Done by Professor Frankly when Mario meets the first Black Chest.
    "Er, Mario... A word with you? I'm not exactly confident that we can trust this... box. I think it may be best not to mention that we're looking for the Crystal Stars. ...Well, drat. I just said it out loud! What's wrong with me?"
  • At the start of Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, Raz wonders to himself whether or not Lili is really his girlfriend, only for Milla to tell him that he's been wondering this out loud. Lili is three feet away from him.
  • In Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic doesn't seem fazed by his belief that win or lose against Erazor he'll die. Until, of course, he mistakenly mentions his impending death - Ooops. His frightened laugh, and the fact that he's still smiling makes it particularly striking. In spite of this, he still somehow managed to fool quite a few viewers who called Sega out on this. The other viewers thank Sega for not being anvilicious and finding a good way to portray Sonic's Heroic Spirit.
  • Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, when talking to HK-47:
    Player Character: You don't need to call me "master", you know.
    HK-47: Query: Don't I? I was under the assumption that organic meatbags such as yourself enjoyed such forms of address.
    PC: "Organic meatbags"?
    HK-47: Retraction: Did I just say that out loud? I apologize, master.
  • Arcueid in Tsukihime.
    Arcueid: These glasses are truly a masterpiece. Even I can't break them.
    Shiki: ...Wait — you were going to break them?
    Arcueid: Eh? D-did I just say that part out loud?

    Web Animation 
  • In an Easter Egg on the Homestar Runner cartoon "Trogday 08," Coach Z says to "Wormdingler" (his snake-like drawing of a "dragon" (from the Sbemail of the same name)): "You don't need no consummate V's ta be my bride... Oh! Did I just say that out loud?"
  • In the Spooky Month short "Unwanted Guest", the two cops walk into the candy store after Skid and Pump leave, Kevin getting the tail end of their conversation where John reassures Jack over accidentally shooting someone. Kevin snarks at how "surprising" it is for a cop to shoot someone, at which the two glare at him. Kevin then realizes he said it out loud.
    John: It's fine, Jack. It wasn't your intention to shoot him!
    Kevin: Wow, a cop shooting someone. What a surprise.
    [Both cops give him a Death Glare]
    Kevin: (Thinking) OH NO! I SAID IT OUT LOUD!

    Webcomics 

    Web Original 
  • Professor Otaku, in his Midori Days review, and later in his Kotetsushin Jeeg review.
    I would hit that like the fist of an angry god and even get Midori in on it too! Uhh...
  • This CollegeHumor episode featured a student accidentally saying, "Ah, now that that's over, time to go back and look at the girl with big boobs... That was definitely out loud. How is that even possible!?"
  • The party gunslinger, Percy, goes a little Ax-Crazy in Episode 25 of Critical Role, and ends up feeling self-conscious about his Pre Ass Kicking One Liner:
    Percy: Your soul is now FORFEIT! Die, die, DIE!
    Percy: (after the fight is over) That did come out, didn't it?
  • This is used at several points in I'm a Marvel... And I'm a DC. In the movie parodies, a drugged Spider-Man dreams parodies for films, but narrates them for an audience of super heroes to cheap to go to the movies. In Zero Hour, Green Goblin does this intentionally while writing a letter to let off a string of insults ("walking venereal disease", "insensitive asshat", herpes infested) at Iron Man.
  • The Nostalgia Critic, in this review of TMNT:
    It's vague, it's confusing, and it's just a mess. Much like my sex life. Erm, I mean, uh... did I say that out loud? I, uh.. (uses a neuralizer on the audience) And that's why I'm the greatest lover ever!
  • Not Always Right:
    • There's an example here, with "That's what she said."
    • Then there's this stoner.
  • Inverted in the third episode of the Yahoo! series Other Space, when the wacked-out engineer repeatedly asks the same question to a silent response (because no one wants to tell him the truthful answer) and apologetically assumes he must be talking in his head instead of audibly.
  • Played for Laughs by the French-Italian YouTuber Tess Masazza in an episode of her Web Series Insopportabilmente Donna that describes a Blind Date at a restaurant with a very attractive man
    Tess's date: Is there something you would fancy?
    Tess: I would like to make babies with you. [beat] I was thinking out loud, wasn't I?
  • The premise of this Game Grumps moment.

    Web Video 
  • Final Fantasy In A Nutshell's episode of Final Fantasy X has Tidus do this on the moment he first sees Yuna.
    Tidus: And in that very moment, I knew... I wanted to tap that. (Pull out to reveal he said this in front of Wakka and Lulu) Did I say that out loud? I stand by what I said.
  • In Freeman's Mind, our hero finds himself pinned down by an automated turret and uses some creative thinking to get out of his predicament:
    Freeman: Hey, want to be my human shield?
    Scientist: Shut up!
    Freeman: Just an idea! [looks around corner] No, just a dead end... maybe I could force him out there if I waved my gun at him...
    Scientist: Nuhh...
    Freeman: Shit, did I say that out loud?

    Western Animation 
  • The Aladdin: The Series episode "Vocal Hero" starts with after Aladdin has exposed Iago's scam of operating a mechanical donkey to fool the Sultan into "feeding" the donkey some treasures.
    Sultan: Are you trying to make a fool of me, Iago?
    Iago: There's a challenge. (Sultan glares at him) Did I say that out loud?
  • Archer:
    • This exchange when Cyril and Lana were dating:
      Cyril: My last girlfriend moved in after two weeks!
      Lana: What was she, a lesbian?
      Pam: Why, are you into that? Just curious. Which is an odd word choice there and am I talking out loud?
    • Archer and Ramon Limon talk about what their mothers would often tell them.
      Archer: Mine always said "Sterling, get in here and check me for lumps". Holy shit, did I say that out loud?
    • Cheryl gives a brutal "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Lana, and doesn't seem to realize giving it:
      Cheryl: Please, if you really cared, you'd resign, but there's no way you ever will, because you're just counting the days until, her face bloated and yellow from liver failure, she calls you to her death bed and, in a croaky whisper, explains that Mr. Archer is totally incompetent and that you, the long-suffering Lana Kane, are the only one qualified to run ISIS and you weep shameful tears because you know this terrible place is the only true love you will ever know.
      Beat
      Lana, quietly: Excuse me. (leaves)
      Pam: Daaaaaamn!
      Cheryl: What? ... Oh my god, was I talking?
  • From Arthur during the Library Card song
    Binky: I like books with pictures of lots of pretty flowers (everyone turns to stare at him looking shocked)... (rushed) being crushed by a giant pterodactyl.
  • Codename: Kids Next Door: Throughout the episode, Operation: D.O.G.H.O.U.S.E., Numbah 4 will consistently ask his homeroom teacher Mrs. Thompson questions that results in her giving away too much information on the subject right before she both realizes and states that she probably shouldn't have done so. This is how he ends up defeating her when she reveals herself as the queen werewolf for a group of students turned werehounds.
  • From The Critic episode "Lady Hawke":
    Jay: (after Jeremy's sister Olivia introduces herself) I wonder what she looks like naked?
    Jay's brain: You idiot, you said that out loud. Better cover.
    Jay: I mean, uh, I wonder what she cooks like ...naked?
    Jay's brain: (sarcastically) Oh, nice going.
  • In the Daria episode "See Jane Run", Daria's best/only friend Jane joins the track team and as a consequence, Daria has only herself to talk to. Which she does with alarming frequency.
    Daria: The question is, am I supporting my friend or her surrender to the system? (Behind her, another student closes a locker) Do you mind? This is a private conversation.
  • In one episode of Dexter's Laboratory, an attempt to give himself mind-reading powers turns everything he thinks into this trope instead. At first he doesn't realize it, saying he hates his mom's cooking, then talking bad about his sister Dee Dee. Then before he can go back into the lab and reverse it, he's forced to go to school. Hilarity ensues as Dexter tries his best to keep his thoughts to himself.
  • Timmy Turner has learned of many of Denzel Crocker's plans because he recounted them out loud while they were in the same room in The Fairly OddParents!.
    • In another episode, The Crimson Chin accidentally reveals his plan ahead of time to Cleft, then saying that thought should have stayed in a thought bubble.
  • Family Guy
    • Played with in that Quagmire was just thinking it, but the others could hear his inner monologue due to a super-sensitive microphone.
      Quagmire: Damn this itches. I wonder who gave it to me. Probably that skank who needed a ride to the gas station. Last time I do somebody a favor. Oh god, they must have heard me...Oh god, I can hear me! BA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NAH! NAH! NA-NA-NA-NAH! NAH!
    • Also played straight in a scene where Chris is writing in his journal about his ambivalence over kissing what he thought was a boy, with a typical Inner Monologue voiceover informing the audience about what he's writing - only to have Brian walk in and inform him that he had really been speaking loudly enough to be heard from the next room the whole time.
  • Gravity Falls: At the end of "Into the Bunker", Wendy admits she's known about Dipper's Precocious Crush for a while now because she overheard all those times he was talking to himself about it.
  • We also have Birdgirl, from Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, who often says her Inner Monologues about her secret identity... into a portable amplifier.
    • And then there's another example like the Family Guy one above, where Phil Ken Sebben is somehow able to hear Birdman's thoughts while displaying his burgled office to his employees:
      Sebben: The baby grand piano that was right there? Gone!
      Birdman: There was never a grand piano there—
      Sebben: Yes there was, Birdman! You can still see the dimples in the carpet where it stood, right next to the 14' high golden Buddha.
      Birdman: There was never a 14' high golden Bud—
      Sebben: Keep your thoughts to yourself, Birdman!
  • In Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Pepper Potts is prone to this.
  • Johnny Test lampshades this on the episode where Johnny's sisters make a mind control collar for his dog Dukey. Johnny talks out loud to himself both about the good times when Dukey used to listen to him, and how he can get rid of the collar. Out of the blue after one of his monologues he angrily states that he's got to stop talking to himself. Later on his dad overhears him and mentions, "That boy has really got to stop talking to himself." This really becomes a Running Gag when Johnny laughs somewhat manically after another plan, and he reminds himself that he really shouldn't be laughing to himself.
  • In the King of the Hill episode "Spin the Choice", Peggy is trying to explain her Thanksgiving Boggle tournament to an uninterested Luanne.
    Luanne: Aunt Peggy, everybody hates your Boggle tournament.
    Peggy: What?
    Luanne: What?
    Peggy: You just said that everybody hates my Boggle tournament.
    Luanne: I didn't say that. I thought it.
  • From comics and animation, we have The Maxx, who is perhaps a little less than sane, and has rather a lot of trouble determining if he's speaking out loud or only in his head.
  • My Gym Partner's a Monkey, "Lie, Cheetah, Steal": Coach Gill keeps gushing over her new assistant, Mr. Cheetah, via internal monologue, and other characters keep overhearing her "voiceover".
  • My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: This happens twice in "Rarity Investigates!", when Rarity is doing a Private Eye Monologue.
    Rarity: Rainbow Dash was questioning my methods. But I knew what I was doing.
    Rainbow Dash: Do you?
    Rarity: Oh, oh, oh. Did I say that one out loud?
  • Phineas and Ferb:
    • "Bubble Boys" has Buford's reaction to an opportunity to blow soap bubbles:
      Buford: Ooh, ooh! Can I blow a super-huge one, so I crawl inside it and float around like a little woodland pixie? (awkward pause) Did I just say that out loud?
      Phineas: Yes, yes you did.
    • At the end of "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum", the Villain of the Week, after having his plans to capture Klimpaloon foiled by Phineas and his friends, vows to continue hunting for the mythical bathing suit and extort him for profit. He realizes too late that he was standing next to a mic, allowing the audience to hear him.
  • in the ReBoot episode "Andraia", a variant of this happens twice.
    • the first is when they enter the game, Bob thinks 'Wow... Dot looks amazing. What a babe.' Dot replies, 'I heard that'.
    • the second Bob thinks 'Nice Tail' and again Dot replies 'I heard that'.
    • this is a 'variant' because Bob really was just thinking it, but the game had made the characters telepathic for the duration of the game, so they could hear each other's thoughts.
  • In the Rugrats episode "Kid TV", Stu accidentally breaks their TV after being shown up by a rival toy company. When the box he tried to take the TV back in was appropriated by the babies and Stu and Didi catch sight of it, Stu idly mentions that it wasn't so bad that he broke the TV. Didi yelps out a Big "WHAT?!" while Stu sheepishly utters "Oops."
  • Scooby-Doo:
    • In Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Velma's mother has this moment after she just bursts into her daughter's room:
      Velma's Mother: Good thing I have this spare key so I can search your room when you're not home. (Beat) Oops, did I just say that out loud?
    • Shaggy usually does this when qualifying that what they gang is chasing is a ghost. In "Foul Play In Funland," Scooby is sniffing for the scent of the episode's perp, a robot:
      Scooby:' Ro rent.
      Shaggy: No scent? He has to have a scent. Why, he'd have to be a ghost to not have a scent. (beat; nervously) Uh...did I say "ghost"?
  • The Simpsons's Homer has done this a number of times, including turnabouts where his inner monologue is what he thinks he's saying out loud, and vice versa. It also happened to Moe in the Behind-the-Laughter episode.
    • Another version, from "A Star Is Burns":
      Jay: How can you vote for Burns' movie?
      Krusty: Let's just say it moved me...to a bigger house! Oops, I said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet.
    • Similarly:
      Homer: Well, time to go to work!
      Homer's Brain: Little do they know, I'm ducking out early to take the Duff Brewery tour...
      Homer: Roll in at 9, punch out at 5. That's the plan!
      Homer's Brain: Heh, heh, heh... They don't suspect a thing!
      Homer: (clearly forgets to say anything)
      Homer's Brain: Well, off to the plant!
      Homer: (Aside Glance) Then to the Duff Brewery...
      (beat)
      Homer's Brain Oh-uh! Did I say that or just think it?
      Homer: I gotta think of a lie, fast!
      Marge: Homer, are you going to the Duff Brewery?
      Homer: (screams and run away)
    • Homer gets himself busted by laughing at his internal monologue:
      Selma: I can't believe Auntie Gladys is really gone.
      Patty: Her legend will live forever.
      Homer's Brain: Yeah, the legend of the dog-faced woman!
      Homer: Hahahahaha! Legend of the dog-faced woman! Aw that's good!
      Marge: Homer! That's very rude of you!
      Homer: What? (Beat) D'oh!
    • Homer, attempting to concoct a cover story for his plan to stalk Lenny and Carl: "I'm going out now... to stalk... Lenny and Carl."
    • From Treehouse of Horrors 4's Bart Simpsons Dracula when the family arrive at Burns' castle in PENNSYLVANIA (cue lightning).
      Burns: (to the family over an intercom) Welcome. Come in. (muttered) Ah, fresh victims for my ever-growing army of the undead.
      Smithers: Sir, you have to let go of the button.
      Burns: Well, son of a bi— (The doors opening cut him off.)
  • Sofia the First: Sir Oliver asks this when he unwittingly brags about his Evil Plan in front of the King of Brazendell.
  • In the South Park episode "Le Petite Tourette", Cartman pretends to have Tourette's Syndrome so that he can be as vulgar and offensive as he wants all the time without getting in trouble. This ends up backfiring spectacularly on him when he gets so used to saying whatever pops into his head that he starts blurting out embarrassing personal secrets and is unable to stop himself, thus forcing him to experience the public humiliation and shame suffered by people who actually have Tourette's.
  • On Transformers: Prime, Starscream does this constantly. When he begs (yet again) to return to the Decepticons, Megatron decides to link Starscream's mind to find out his true motives. After reviewing several of Starscream's memories in which he's gotten into trouble after being overheard talking to himself, Megatron drily comments that Starscream really must learn to stop thinking out loud.
  • In the Teen Titans episode "The End" we see Raven actually trying to cook breakfast for the team (she thinks it's her last day). Sadly, the pancakes she fixed were a huge disaster, leading to this:
    Robin: (with effort) Don't you think it's nice of Raven to make us breakfast?
    Cyborg: (under his breath) Even though the girl has no clue how to cook.
    (Robin elbows him and points to an upset Raven)
    Cyborg: Oops... Did I say that out loud? (big smile and a thumbs up) Yum!
  • In the Watership Down TV series, Hazel tells Primrose he loves her after he saves her. Then he quickly asks the exact quote.
  • In Winx Club S3 episode 22, Nabu (who was at the time using the fake name Ophir to hide his identity from Layla and the others) accidentally reveals his feelings for Layla while talking to Bloom, Sky and Riven:
    Nabu: Well, yeah, I think Layla is totally amazing. I mean, I look at her face, and I can't help but smile.
    (the others just smile as Nabu realizes what he just said)
    Nabu: Oh! Uh, did I just say that out loud?
    Sky: Uh-huh.
    Nabu: Sorry, please don't tell her that I said that.
    Riven: Don't worry.
    Bloom: Mum's the word.

    Real Life 
  • Jennifer Lawrence seems to have a difficulty keeping her inner monologue inner, particularly when it comes to food.
  • Back in the 1980's, the Chicago Cubs briefly had attractive young women serving as "ball girls", whose job was to chase down foul balls and bring new ones to the umpire. Their uniform normally consisted of a tight jersey and short shorts. On one particularly chilly April day, the ladies wore long slacks instead of shorts. Sportscaster Harry Caray commented, "There's Marla Collins down there without her shorts on." There was brief silence, followed by two minutes of incoherent laughter from the entire broadcast team
  • The cricket commentator Alan Gibson once announced during a match with Bob Cunis at bat: "This is Cunis at the Vauxhall End. Cunis, a funny sort of name: neither one thing nor the other."
  • Talking in Your Sleep with others around can result in this and copious embarrassment, made worse by the uncertainty about precisely what was vocalised.
  • Raven Symone shouted "Disney Channel rules!" at the end of her acceptance speech at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2003. She looked like the cat that ate the canary.
  • Infamous British TV presenter Jimmy Savile often made bizarre comments of the Did I Just Say That Out Loud? variety. His audience was often surprised, shocked or embarrassed by some of his quotes and behaviour, but he got away with it because people didn't take it seriously at the time. After his death, when allegations of his sexual behaviour against minors became a scandal, a lot of his oddball behaviour has been seen in a new light.
  • TV writer Jane Espenson has castigated this trope as a "clam"; that is, a piece of stock dialogue grown unfunny through overuse. However, she admits a theoretical variant where a character sits silently for a few minutes and then says Did I Just Say That Out Loud would still be funny (See the House example above).
  • A common problem with people with ADHD, who find themselves blurting out things they don't mean to, due to the impulsivity that is one of ADHD's major symptoms.
  • David Langford wrote in one of his columns that, when he was young, he used to vocalise without realising due to his deafness. At one point, he began practicing the Psychic Static rhyme from The Demolished Man, because he was basically broadcasting his thoughts even without telepathy.

 
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