History Main / DirtyMindReading

** In ''VideoGame/StarCraft'', we're never told in-game exactly what Raynor was thinking when he met Kerrigan, but Kerrigan's response implies that this trope was involved. According to tie-in book ''Liberty's Crusade'', it's along the lines of "she's got legs".
** 6 years later in ''VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm'' you can get an EasterEgg where Kerrigan once again reads Jim's mind. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Uu5i9qA0s Yes, he hasn't changed a bit.]]

** In another strip, when the cast is informed that the company has been sold to telepathic reptilian aliens, Wally says he's not worried since reading his mind will cause the aliens to go blind.

* ComicBook/{{Gambit}} deliberately invokes this trope to [[PsychicStatic keep telepaths out of his mind]]. These aren't just ''any'' dirty thoughts, though, no... they involve [[spoiler:[[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead the]] [[FanDisservice Blob]]]].
* ComicBook/RachelSummers reacts to this in an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'', during the ''Cross-Time Caper'' story (where Excalibur were bounced around the multiverse), from a version of Nigel Frobisher - a creep in the 616 'verse who's obsessed with Rachel, and apparently a creep throughout the multiverse. This results in her very suddenly tarring & feathering him. We never find out what the exact thoughts were, but when Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) rebukes Rachel for her behaviour - they are, after all, guests - she shows them to him by way of explanation. Cue an expression of shock from Brian. Cut to the next panel where ''[[BigBrotherInstinct his]]'' [[HotBlooded temper slips as well]] and it takes his entire team to prevent him turning alt!Frobisher into a greasy smear.
* An issue of ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'' plays with this. As Spidey is meeting the X-Men for the first time, ComicBook/JeanGrey compliments him for being the first guy who didn't immediately imagine her naked, which he hadn't... [[SchmuckBait until she put the idea of doing so into his head]]. The next page and a half is her getting more and more annoyed as Spidey desperately tries to ''[[ThoughtAversionFailure stop]]'' imagining her naked.
* In ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'' the same Jean Grey, immediately after meeting Kitty Pride and telling her she's a telepath, says not to worry about the dirty thoughts that come straight to the top of her mind as Kitty instinctively thinks about what to try to hide. Apparently everyone else does the same thing.
* Poor Jean has this happen ''yet again'' in one issue of the main-continuity ''ComicBook/XMen''... as she narrates about [[BlessedWithSuck the woes of telepathy]], she mostly picks up on [[HumansAreBastards people's petty greed, anger, and resentment]], but one sales clerk is thinking, "Please walk up and down my chest in six-inch stilletto heels...."

* A more innocent version happens to Jean in the comic tie-in for ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution''. As she's being recruited into the school, she's reading the thoughts of those around her. The only thought going through Scott's head as he gazes at her for several panels is; "[[LoveAtFirstSight Wow]]".
* Prodigy absorbed the knowledge of the other X-Men; in ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' he remarks on all the... overly personal knowledge that includes. "I know how Emma Frost and Scott Summers like to kiss each other. [[TooMuchInformation I know how all the major X-Men]] [[BrainBleach like to wipe themselves.]]"

[[folder:Fanfic]]
* The ''Series/TinMan'' fanfic, ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4044972/1/Brother_Raw_Explains_It_All_For_You Brother Raw Explains It All For You]]'', uses a version of it. [[TheEmpath Raw]] isn't sure quite what to make of the truly strange emotions coming from two of his human friends, as Viewers handle the whole mating thing much differently. Unfortunately for him, he finds out.
--> ''Raw didn't get any sleep after all that night. He ended up pacing his room. This was worse than when the females went into season.''

** There's also an amusing, ShipTease heavy example in chapter 1 of the sequel, ''Ghosts of the Past'', which homages another example on this page, ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS2E4TheGirlInTheFireplace The Girl In The Fireplace]],'' between Harry and Carol when he's trying to help her with nightmares and what with the two being teens with {{UST}} in nightwear, HilarityEnsues.
** Later, also between Harry and Carol, the two have another, similar, SleepCute scene, where the snuggling is only semi-platonic (i.e. it would be romantic, but they both have too much baggage to take into a relationship). This is followed by Carol waking up the next morning, not quite remembering the details of last night, then hearing Harry using the shower in her bathroom... and immediately jumps to some hilarious and very wrong conclusions about what they did, with the attendant mental imagery. Since they have a psychic link and Harry's not far away, these thoughts are beamed straight into his head. While he's in the shower. Cue a startled slip and a lot of swearing.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Buffy gets mind-reading powers in "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E18Earshot}} Earshot]]" and quickly discovers just how often men think about sex.

--->'''Xander:''' (''in his thoughts'') What am I gonna do? I think about sex all the time! Sex! Help! Four times five is 30. Five times six is 32. Naked girls. Naked women! Heh, naked Buffy! Oh, stop me!\\

'''Xander:''' Actually... bye. (''bolts from the library'')

** Subverted in the case of [[CloudCuckooLander Oz]], who becomes philosophical about the whole matter and begins pondering things like "If my thoughts exist in Buffy's mind, does that mean ''I'' exist in Buffy's mind, and that Buffy is me?"

** [[Series/{{Angel}} Illyria]] is only [[TheEmpath an empath]], but as soon as Connor enters the room, she reports, "This one is lusting after me." Perhaps not a surprise, given [[BreastPlate what she wears]].
* A fairly {{squick}}y ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' example: shortly after Phoebe becomes [[TheEmpath an empath]], she's trying to talk to her sister Piper when a man begins to check Piper out. Phoebe feels his attraction for her sister--apparently as if it belonged to her--becomes flustered, and has to shoo him out.
** This becomes a plot point in a later season 6 episode where Phoebe wonders if all her boyfriend Jason wants from her is sex due to the intense lust she feels from him whenever she walks into the room.
** Before that, in season 3 Prue temporarily becomes an empath as well. Already stressed from the experience, she feels Piper and Leo starting to make out in the other room, and shouts out "Not now, I have a headache" loud enough for them to hear and stop in confusion.
** In that same episode, Prue enters the manor at the same time Cole is leaving, and is nearly knocked off of her feet when she feels the mutual love connection between Cole and Phoebe.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E4TheGirlInTheFireplace "The Girl in the Fireplace"]]: The Doctor does his [[MindMeld fingers-on-temples mind-reading]] [[BuffySpeak thing]] with courtesan Madame de Pompadour, telling her that if there's anything she doesn't want him to see, she should imagine a door and close it. He then points out a few open doors. Madame de Pompadour just smiles.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E1DeepBreath "Deep Breath"]]: Strax scans Clara's subconscious and sees what he generously interprets as "[[GuyOnGuyIsHot men playing sport]]".

* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', River suffers a brush with this in the episode "Objects In Space", where she comes across Zoe and Wash making out on the bridge. Her... ''reaction''... to it says everything; she starts swaying, mouth opening and closing, and her hands start rubbing her arms, and she's forced to retreat very quickly.

* Her daughter ComicBook/RachelSummers, reacts to this in an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'', during the ''Cross-Time Caper'' story (where Excalibur were bounced around the multiverse), from a version of Nigel Frobisher - a creep in the 616 'verse who's obsessed with Rachel, and apparently a creep throughout the multiverse. This results in her very suddenly tarring & feathering him. We never find out what the exact thoughts were, but when Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) rebukes Rachel for her behaviour - they are, after all, guests - she shows them to him by way of explanation. Cue an expression of shock from Brian. Cut to the next panel where ''[[BigBrotherInstinct his]]'' [[HotBlooded temper slips as well]] and it takes his entire team to prevent him turning alt!Frobisher into a greasy smear.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': The SwordAndSorcerer Warder bond creates a PsychicLink, so when Rand and Elayne consummate their relationship, they inadvertently broadcast the whole experience to the three other people with whom they're bonded, who promptly get roaring drunk together in an attempt to drown it out.

* In the ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts", Toshiko wears a mind-reading pendant to work and learns far more than she cares to about Gwen and Owen's illicit affair. Fortunately for her, [[AnythingThatMoves Captain Jack]] is immune to the pendant's effects.

* One event in ''VisualNovel/MonsterProm'' featuring the interdimensional Prince involves the player gaining telepathy as a gift. In the middle of the cafeteria. They are promptly assaulted by the gross problems and sexual desires that the average high schooler thinks about on mass and ask the prince to change it to "telepathy when drunk".

** Glenn has had sex dreams of everyone. This ends up disgusted everyone else.

* In ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'', Issei's Bilingual[[note]]a power that allows Issei to [[spoiler: communicate with the female breasts, which apparently cannot lie and will truthfully reveal what their owner is thinking.]][[/note]] fails on [[spoiler: Sairaorg's Bishop because she's ''willing'' to strip in front of Issei. Yes, ''her breasts'' tell which clothing she's going to strip next.]]

* ''Film/AScannerDarkly'': Although it's only part of his own drug-induced hallucinations, Freck is able to see Barris's thoughts as he fantasizes about a pretty waitress undressing herself.

* When Edward of ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' reveals his telepathy to Bella, he mentions that most of the people around them are thinking of either sex or money. Except one, who was thinking about their cat. It's also made pretty clear that this is one of the least pleasant parts of the high school experience. He can hear everybody's pointless horny thoughts... as well as much later hear the thoughts of a gang of thugs who were going to rape the girl he loves. [[StalkingIsLove Fortunately, he was nearby to rescue her.]]

* Joshua from ''Literature/DoraWilkSeries'' is an empath, like [[OurAngelsAreDifferent all angels]], and the ability increases after he forms mind bond with two of his friends. Unluckily for him, Dora and Miron have a ''lot'' of {{UST}} between them and he ends up feeling every part of it. It culminates when Dora and Miron finally [[TheyDo have sex]]. He's asleep at the time in the next room and ends up dreaming the entire thing from Dora's perspective. Ultimately played for laughs, though, when Miron suggests that the next time Joshua (who CantHaveSexEver) can watch... only maybe from Miron's perspective.

* Her daughter ComicBook/RachelSummers, reacts to this in an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'', during the ''Cross-Time Caper'' story (where Excalibur were bounced around the multiverse), from a version of Nigel Frobisher - a creep in the 616 'verse who's obsessed with Rachel, and apparently a creep throughout the multiverse. This results in her very suddenly tarring & feathering him. We never find out what the exact thoughts were, but when Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) rebukes Rachel for her behaviour - they are, after all, guests - she shows them to him by way of explanation. Cue an expression of shock from Brian, before ''[[BigBrotherInstinct his]]'' [[HotBlooded temper slips as well.]] [[SuperStrength Thankfully]] for alt!Frobisher, through the efforts of the rest of Excalibur, he's prevented from actually throwing a punch.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Molly tries to examine a dead woman's last memories to help solve her murder. [[spoiler: [[DeathBySex The woman was killed by a White Court Vampire]].]] She got this trope. [[spoiler: ''Yeah she did.'']] It lead to this memorable exchange:

** ''End of Evangelion'' also ([[EpilepticTrees maybe]]) has Asuka finding out from Shinji's memories what [[ADateWithRosiePalms he did over]] [[DudeShesLikeInAComa her comatose body.]][[note]]"I know ALL about your little jerkoff fantasies about me. Go ahead, I'll even stand here and watch...!"[[/note]] She wasn't pleased, though she was also astonishingly civil about it, given her {{tsundere}} nature.

* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/82162 Stars From Home]]'': Charles is hesitant to read Scott's mind after accidentally reading his thoughts when he [[ADateWithRosiePalms "did what all teenage boys do".]]