Brotherhood of Funny Hats: Difference between revisions

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== [[Film]] ==
== [[Film]] ==
* [[Laurel and Hardy]] were members of the titular order in their movie ''Sons of the Desert''. It was such a success that their <s> fan club</s> Appreciation Society took the same name.
* [[Laurel and Hardy]] were members of the titular order in their movie ''Sons of the Desert''. It was such a success that their <s> fan club</s> Appreciation Society took the same name.
** In a short with a similar theme, they belonged to a lodge who wore British style "Hunting Pink" and sang ''A Hunting We Will Go'' at the start of each meeting.
** In a short with a similar theme, they belonged to a lodge who wore British style "Hunting Pink" and sang ''A Hunting We Will Go'' at the start of each meeting.
** Interesting to note that Oliver Hardy was a Freemason in Real Life.
** Interesting to note that Oliver Hardy was a Freemason in Real Life.
* The fraternal order to which Peggy Sue's grandfather belongs in ''Peggy Sue Got Married.'' "Girl's gone -- let's play cards!"
* The fraternal order to which Peggy Sue's grandfather belongs in ''Peggy Sue Got Married.'' "Girl's gone -- let's play cards!"
* In ''[[Bye Bye Birdie]]'', Rose bursts in on a meeting of Shriners after dumping Albert ''F.'' Peterson, and teases them mercilessly—until they get sufficiently excited that she has to fend ''them'' off instead.
* In ''[[Bye Bye Birdie]]'', Rose bursts in on a meeting of Shriners after dumping Albert ''F.'' Peterson, and teases them mercilessly—until they get sufficiently excited that she has to fend ''them'' off instead.


== [[Literature]] ==
== [[Literature]] ==
* Terry Pratchett's ''[[Discworld/Going Postal|Going Postal]]'' features a sequence where the protagonist is initiated into the postmen's secret society, which involves an ominous-sounding and rather painful hazing ritual known as "The Postman's Walk". It's mentioned he's previously joined several Brotherhoods of Funny Hats with names like The Men of the Furrow, as a prelude to defrauding the other members.
* Terry Pratchett's ''[[Discworld/Going Postal|Going Postal]]'' features a sequence where the protagonist is initiated into the postmen's secret society, which involves an ominous-sounding and rather painful hazing ritual known as "The Postman's Walk". It's mentioned he's previously joined several Brotherhoods of Funny Hats with names like The Men of the Furrow, as a prelude to defrauding the other members.
** As mentioned in ''[[Discworld/Lords and Ladies|Lords and Ladies]]'', Lancre, centre of all rural folklore, has a Brotherhood of Funny Hats so ancient and secret it doesn't even have a name. According to ''[[Universe Compendium|The Discworld Companion]]'' their regular meetings at an earthworks called The Long Man may be an ancient rite, or simply represent man's ancient desire to get out of the house and have a couple of pints.
** As mentioned in ''[[Discworld/Lords and Ladies|Lords and Ladies]]'', Lancre, centre of all rural folklore, has a Brotherhood of Funny Hats so ancient and secret it doesn't even have a name. According to ''[[Universe Compendium|The Discworld Companion]]'' their regular meetings at an earthworks called The Long Man may be an ancient rite, or simply represent man's ancient desire to get out of the house and have a couple of pints.
** And Ankh-Morpork, as shown in ''[[Discworld/Guards Guards|Guards! Guards!]]'', has many secret societies, most of whose members would ''like'' to be part of an [[Ancient Conspiracy]], but are really just in it for the mysterious robes. And in one case, in the society that ''is'' important to the plot {{spoiler|and winds up being incinerated by the dragon it summoned}}, to chant [[Malaproper|"mystic prunes"]].
** And Ankh-Morpork, as shown in ''[[Discworld/Guards! Guards!|Guards! Guards!]]'', has many secret societies, most of whose members would ''like'' to be part of an [[Ancient Conspiracy]], but are really just in it for the mysterious robes. And in one case, in the society that ''is'' important to the plot {{spoiler|and winds up being incinerated by the dragon it summoned}}, to chant [[Malaproper|"mystic prunes"]].
** And this pretty much describes how the Unseen Univserity was run before Archchancellor Ridicully came into the picture, a bunch of wizard who were only concerned with eating, sleeping, wearing the clothes that pointed out that they were wizards... Oh, and moving higher in the University by making an opening with the "removal" of senior wizards.
** And this pretty much describes how the Unseen Univserity was run before Archchancellor Ridicully came into the picture, a bunch of wizard who were only concerned with eating, sleeping, wearing the clothes that pointed out that they were wizards... Oh, and moving higher in the University by making an opening with the "removal" of senior wizards.
* Pierre Bezukhov joins the Freemasons in ''[[War and Peace]]'' at the insistence of one of his [[The Obi-Wan|Obi Wans]], to find some guys are [[Contemplate Our Navels|actually into it]] and other guys...not so much. He gets in a huff later when Boris joins the Freemasons purely to advance his social standing.
* Pierre Bezukhov joins the Freemasons in ''[[War and Peace]]'' at the insistence of one of his [[The Obi-Wan|Obi Wans]], to find some guys are [[Contemplate Our Navels|actually into it]] and other guys...not so much. He gets in a huff later when Boris joins the Freemasons purely to advance his social standing.
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* ''[[The Honeymooners]]'' featured a fraternal order known as The Raccoon Lodge.
* ''[[The Honeymooners]]'' featured a fraternal order known as The Raccoon Lodge.
* Each episode of ''[[The Red Green Show]]'' ends with a meeting of the Possum Lodge, whose motto is "Quando omni flunkus, moritati" ([[Canis Latinicus|pseudo-Latin]] for "When all else fails, play dead").
* Each episode of ''[[The Red Green Show]]'' ends with a meeting of the Possum Lodge, whose motto is "Quando omni flunkus, moritati" ([[Canis Latinicus|pseudo-Latin]] for "When all else fails, play dead").
* One episode of ''[[Mama's Family|Mamas Family]]'' featured Thelma infiltrating a snake-themed Brotherhood her son had joined, called "The Order of the Cobra".
* One episode of ''[[Mama's Family|Mamas Family]]'' featured Thelma infiltrating a snake-themed Brotherhood her son had joined, called "The Order of the Cobra".
* Also, a [[You Go, Girl!]] episode of ''[[Punky Brewster]]'' started with Henry coming back from his meeting of the Brotherhood of Funny Hats, complete with ridiculous bison-headdress.
* Also, a [[You Go, Girl!]] episode of ''[[Punky Brewster]]'' started with Henry coming back from his meeting of the Brotherhood of Funny Hats, complete with ridiculous bison-headdress.
* ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'' had an episode where Howard Sprague joins an order of which Andy and Goober are members. They only seem to wear the silly robes when they're deciding whether to accept a new member.
* ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'' had an episode where Howard Sprague joins an order of which Andy and Goober are members. They only seem to wear the silly robes when they're deciding whether to accept a new member.
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'''All:''' ''[Offended]'' Silly?!
'''All:''' ''[Offended]'' Silly?!
'''Graham Chapman:''' I suppose it is a bit. What have we been doing wasting our lives with all this nonsense? Right; OK, meeting adjourned forever! }}
'''Graham Chapman:''' I suppose it is a bit. What have we been doing wasting our lives with all this nonsense? Right; OK, meeting adjourned forever! }}
** The Masons also appear in the ''Architect's Sketch'', including weird handshakes.. and de-programming masons (animated).
** The Masons also appear in the ''Architect's Sketch'', including weird handshakes.. and de-programming masons (animated).
* Hayden's boss in ''Coach'' was a member of one of these. Hayden was invited to one meeting to make a speech in favor of his boss becoming the new head of the order, and ended up getting appointed leader for life because their goose mascot honked during his speech.
* Hayden's boss in ''Coach'' was a member of one of these. Hayden was invited to one meeting to make a speech in favor of his boss becoming the new head of the order, and ended up getting appointed leader for life because their goose mascot honked during his speech.
* The 'Keepers of the Kingdom' fill this particular role in ''[[Kingdom Hospital]]'': a secret order of people dedicated to keeping the hospital running well, at all costs. [[Jerkass|Stegman]] is eventually invited into the group; it [[Laser-Guided Karma|doesn't end well for him.]]
* The 'Keepers of the Kingdom' fill this particular role in ''[[Kingdom Hospital]]'': a secret order of people dedicated to keeping the hospital running well, at all costs. [[Jerkass|Stegman]] is eventually invited into the group; it [[Laser-Guided Karma|doesn't end well for him.]]
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* Of the several real-life fraternal organizations that fit this trope, the Shriners stand out as being exceptionally (and intentionally) silly, with the fezzes and little cars and all. (
* Of the several real-life fraternal organizations that fit this trope, the Shriners stand out as being exceptionally (and intentionally) silly, with the fezzes and little cars and all. (
** They also liked [[Ray Stevens]]' song "Shriner Convention" (which is basically about drunken more-or-less upstanding middle-aged hijinx) enough to book him to play it at actual conventions. He apparently was a Shriner before he even wrote the song...
** They also liked [[Ray Stevens]]' song "Shriner Convention" (which is basically about drunken more-or-less upstanding middle-aged hijinx) enough to book him to play it at actual conventions. He apparently was a Shriner before he even wrote the song...
*** Although the Shriners are much sillier, the original Freemasons do in fact have some semi-silly hats, inasmuch as the Worshipful Masters still wear top hats (which weren't silly at the time, but certainly are now).
*** Although the Shriners are much sillier, the original Freemasons do in fact have some semi-silly hats, inasmuch as the Worshipful Masters still wear top hats (which weren't silly at the time, but certainly are now).
** Adding to the silliness, ''all'' German Masons wear top hats as part of the uniform to this day.
** Adding to the silliness, ''all'' German Masons wear top hats as part of the uniform to this day.
* The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks doubled as a drinking club during the Prohibition era.
* The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks doubled as a drinking club during the Prohibition era.
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* One saying about real-life fraternal orders goes, "Lions enjoy the town. Kiwanis run the town. Rotary ''owns'' the town."
* One saying about real-life fraternal orders goes, "Lions enjoy the town. Kiwanis run the town. Rotary ''owns'' the town."
** The Freemasons may have some issue on that...
** The Freemasons may have some issue on that...
*** Surely the Freemasons own the ''nation,'' not mere towns.
*** Surely the Freemasons own the ''nation,'' not mere towns.
**** Damn right we do. Or at least the conspiracy theorists tell us so.
**** Damn right we do. Or at least the conspiracy theorists tell us so.
*** ...See also ''In the Interests of the Brethren'' by [[Rudyard Kipling]].
*** ...See also ''In the Interests of the Brethren'' by [[Rudyard Kipling]].
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Stock Characters]]
[[Category:Stock Characters]]
[[Category:Brotherhood of Funny Hats]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Brotherhood_of_Funny_Hats"