But This Is Ridiculous
A character witnesses a highly unusual phenomenon and compares it to a mundane phenomenon with the phrase "I've heard of [mundane phenomenon], but this is ridiculous!" The first half of the sentence may be varied as necessary, but the second half is consistent, hence the name of the trope.
See also You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!, which is used in similar contexts.
Anime and Manga
- Dragonball Z Episode 192, "Goku's Decision" has King Kai invoke this when Goku, with no other food around, starts eating the clouds.
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King Kai: You know, I've heard of light-tasting food, but this is ridiculous! |
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- Episode 15 of Sonic X, when one of Eggman's main serving robots comments on Sonic's widespread destruction of the attackers:
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Decoe: I have heard of a sonic boom, but this is ridiculous! |
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Comic Books
- On the cover of a Superman comic, Superman is flying at a bunch of people, engulfed in flames. Perry White exclaims, "Yikes! My cigar needed a light... but this is ridiculous!"
- This is one of Judge Anderson's stock phrases in Judge Dredd.
- In a Felix the Cat comic, Felix gets away from The Professor and Rock Bottom by hiding in a mailbox. When Rock Bottom reaches in, Felix bites him.
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Rock Bottom: YEOW! I knew postal increases hurt, but this is ridiculous!! |
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Film
- Noises Off...
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Frederick: [with glue on his pants] I've heard of people getting *stuck* with the problem, but this is ridiculous! |
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- Role Models
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Martin Gary: [sees Wheeler and Danny having popcorn thrown at them] I've heard of popcorn in the face, but this is ridiculous! |
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Female couch potato: I've heard of audience participation shows, but this is ridiculous. |
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Dakin: "You can suck me off next week"? I've heard of a crowded schedule, but this is ridiculous. |
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- The Thief Lord
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Victor: I've heard of growth spurts, but this is ridiculous. I mean, what are you? Your own older brother? |
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- The A Team
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Captain H.M. Murdock: Close that door! I know you're Airborne Rangers, but that was ridiculous! |
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Live Action TV
- The Doctor Who serial The Wheel in Space.
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[a food dispenser has just produced a number of food cubes] |
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- Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Lost Continent"
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Joel: "Lost Continent"? Well, I lost my keys before, but this is ridiculous. |
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- The Avengers episode "Small Game for Big Hunters"
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John Steed: [someone falls victim to sleeping sickness] Well, I've heard of 40 winks, but this is ridiculous. |
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- The Bionic Woman episode "The Return of Bigfoot"
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Jamie Sommers: [sees Bigfoot] Oh, boy. Steve said you were big, but this is ridiculous. |
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- There's a scene in a Thunderbirds episode where a drunken guy is standing on the deck of a yacht when Lady Penelope, in fancy dress, drives by in the amphibious FAB1.
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Drunken guy: (slurred) I've heard of Pink Elephants, but a pink Rolls-Royce at sea driven by Marie Antoinette is ridiculous. |
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- Also, from the episode "Vault of Death".
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Accountant guy: "I knew you [International Rescue] were highly efficient, but this is ridiculous!" (they appeared practically out of nowhere just as he was nearly dying of suffocation) |
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- From a Donny & Marie sketch in which Patty Maloney wanted real estate agent Paul Lynde to sell her very small house:
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Paul: I've heard of low overhead, but this is ridiculous! |
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- From a James Bond sketch on Australian comedy show Fast Forward, James Bond has just shot Oddjob with a trick cigarette that's actually a gun, hitting Oddjob in the heart.
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Oddjob: I've heard that passive smoking is dangerous, but this is ridiculous! |
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Real Life
- In 1964, Julie Andrews won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in Mary Poppins. Her first reaction:
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"I know you Americans are famous for your hospitality, but this is ridiculous..." |
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- It was rumored that when the Titanic struck the iceberg in 1912 that passenger John Jacob Astor snarked, "I asked for ice, but this is ridiculous."
Video Games
- Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
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Gabriel Knight: [after finding a pistol in a briefcase] I knew she was packing, but this is ridiculous. |
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- A variation occurs in a level of Shadow the Hedgehog, by Sonic (who else?):
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Sonic: Dropping bombs and running away? I've heard of road rage, but gimme a break! |
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- Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
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You've heard of four-poster beds, but this is ridiculous. |
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Western Animation
- Lampshaded in one of the Simpsons Halloween specials, which features a wall of lamenting souls. The soul of Krusty the Clown is among them, and says, "I've heard of a wailing wall... but this is ridiculous!" The other souls momentarily stop lamenting to point out how corny the joke is.
- Danger Mouse episode "Ee! Tea!"
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Danger Mouse: [sees a flying teapot] Good grief! I've heard of flying saucers, but this is ridiculous! |
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- Danny Phantom episode "Doctor's Disorders"
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Sam: [sees Paulina glowing] Uh, I know she's supposed to have flawless skin, but this is ridiculous. |
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Rubber Chicken: [sees a guy in a cell phone costume running around] I've heard of mobile phones, but this is ridiculous. |
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- From a "Wing Dings" skit on Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines, after Klunk showed Zilly a new way to dry laundry:
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Dick Dastardly: I've heard of being caught in a plane's prop wash, but this is ridiculous! |
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- From the Magnificent Muttley short "Start Your Engines", during Muttley's Imagine Spot:
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Dastardly: I've heard of drag racing, but this is ridiculous! |
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- On Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, Velma gives one of these when at a dance, Shaggy leaves her to dance with Scooby (it could serve as potential foreshadowing of what was to come years later).
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Velma: I've been a wallflower before, but this is ridiculous! |
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