I'll Never Tell You What I'm Telling You: Difference between revisions

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This is when someone -- usually a villain -- grabs hold of the [[Idiot Ball]], and denies information in such a fashion that ''states exactly what is allegedly being denied''. For example, Alice has defeated Bob, [[The Dragon]], whose boss has kidnapped Carol. Alice demands to know where Carol is, but Bob just smirks at her and says, "Ha! I'll never tell you that she's in the warehouse in Somewhere City!"
This is when someone -- usually a villain -- grabs hold of the [[Idiot Ball]], and denies information in such a fashion that ''states exactly what is allegedly being denied''. For example, Alice has defeated Bob, [[The Dragon]], whose boss has kidnapped Carol. Alice demands to know where Carol is, but Bob just smirks at her and says, "Ha! I'll never tell you that she's in the warehouse in Somewhere City!"


A sort of [[Accidental Public Confession]], with a little [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]] thrown in for good measure. If the person is doing this ''deliberately'', it's [[Could Say It But]]. Or it could be that the villain has a gun in his face and he's a coward. If the person saying this is not a ''complete'' moron, he may follow it with "[[Did I Just Say That Out Loud]]" Also related to [[You Just Told Me]]. [[Truth Serums]] in fiction have been known to cause this. Compare [[Cannot Keep a Secret]] and [[Loose Lips]]. sub trope of [[Saying Too Much]]
A sort of [[Accidental Public Confession]], with a little [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]] thrown in for good measure. If the person is doing this ''deliberately'', it's [[Could Say It, But...]]. Or it could be that the villain has a gun in his face and he's a coward. If the person saying this is not a ''complete'' moron, he may follow it with "[[Did I Just Say That Out Loud?]]" Also related to [[You Just Told Me]]. [[Truth Serums]] in fiction have been known to cause this. Compare [[Cannot Keep a Secret]] and [[Loose Lips]]. sub trope of [[Saying Too Much]]
{{examples|Examples}}
{{examples}}


== Anime & Manga ==
== Anime & Manga ==
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{{quote| '''Lusene:''' Zat would be ze greatest crime in histoire, non? But... Ah 'ave no idea what ze Black Knight plans to do... tomorrow morning at 10AM! Here! Pass zese out!<br />
{{quote| '''Lusene:''' Zat would be ze greatest crime in histoire, non? But... Ah 'ave no idea what ze Black Knight plans to do... tomorrow morning at 10AM! Here! Pass zese out!<br />
''(passes a written program of the caper's details)'' }}
''(passes a written program of the caper's details)'' }}
* Thompson and Thomson from the ''[[Tintin]]'' series do this a lot. An example from ''[[Tintin (Comic Book)/Recap/The Castafiore Emerald|The Castafiore Emerald]]'':
* Thompson and Thomson from the ''[[Tintin (Comic Book)]]'' series do this a lot. An example from ''[[Tintin (Comic Book)/Recap/The Castafiore Emerald|The Castafiore Emerald]]'':
{{quote| '''Thomson''' or '''Thompson:''' No, our lips are sealed. We can't tell you whom we suspect, but it isn't anyone in the house. Mum's the word, you know.<br />
{{quote| '''Thomson''' or '''Thompson:''' No, our lips are sealed. We can't tell you whom we suspect, but it isn't anyone in the house. Mum's the word, you know.<br />
'''Thompson''' or '''Thomson:''' Yes, dumb's the word, that's our motto. So we're not allowed to tell you about the gypsies, though we suspected them from the start... }}
'''Thompson''' or '''Thomson:''' Yes, dumb's the word, that's our motto. So we're not allowed to tell you about the gypsies, though we suspected them from the start... }}
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'''Brittany:''' Miss Sylvester says I'm not at liberty to say. }}
'''Brittany:''' Miss Sylvester says I'm not at liberty to say. }}
* The 1950s show ''House Party'' (redone by [[Bill Cosby]] as ''Kids Say the Darndest Things'') was hosted by Art Linkletter, who'd interview children in hopes they'd say something amusing; one of his favorite tricks was to ask "What did your mother tell you not to say today?"
* The 1950s show ''House Party'' (redone by [[Bill Cosby]] as ''Kids Say the Darndest Things'') was hosted by Art Linkletter, who'd interview children in hopes they'd say something amusing; one of his favorite tricks was to ask "What did your mother tell you not to say today?"
* ''[[The Fast Show]]'' featured the character of Janine, a [[Dumb Blonde]] teenage single mother, who refuses to disclose the identity of her baby's father because "it's not fair to [[Teacher Student Romance|grass on your headmaster]]."
* ''[[The Fast Show]]'' featured the character of Janine, a [[Dumb Blonde]] teenage single mother, who refuses to disclose the identity of her baby's father because "it's not fair to [[Teacher-Student Romance|grass on your headmaster]]."




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== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[Street Fighter]] Alpha 3'', this is how Birdie reveals Shadoloo's headquarters to Chun Li.
* In ''[[Street Fighter]] Alpha 3'', this is how Birdie reveals Shadoloo's headquarters to Chun Li.
* Invoked in ''[[Batman Arkham Asylum (Video Game)|Batman Arkham Asylum]]'', when Harley Quinn says, regarding the Joker's location: "You'll never find him! He's in a {{spoiler|secret lab in the gardens}} and... aw, ''[[Did I Just Say That Out Loud|crap]]''!" Of course, [[Crazy Prepared|Bats already knew]], so this just served as another item on the [[Humiliation Conga]] she was currently going through.
* Invoked in ''[[Batman: Arkham Asylum (Video Game)|Batman Arkham Asylum]]'', when Harley Quinn says, regarding the Joker's location: "You'll never find him! He's in a {{spoiler|secret lab in the gardens}} and... aw, ''[[Did I Just Say That Out Loud?|crap]]''!" Of course, [[Crazy Prepared|Bats already knew]], so this just served as another item on the [[Humiliation Conga]] she was currently going through.
** In a [[Call Back]], Harley does this once again in the second game by not telling Batman about the Freeze Tech in the boiler room, and ''[[Running Gag|again]]'' in the "Harley Quinn's Revenge" DLC by {{spoiler|not telling Robin about the secret room she and many of her mooks are hiding in.}}
** In a [[Call Back]], Harley does this once again in the second game by not telling Batman about the Freeze Tech in the boiler room, and ''[[Running Gag|again]]'' in the "Harley Quinn's Revenge" DLC by {{spoiler|not telling Robin about the secret room she and many of her mooks are hiding in.}}
* ''[[Final Fantasy VII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VII]]'' plays with this trope a bit, if this is the right trope; Elena doesn't exactly tell you what she's denying, but she does continue to tell you the enemy's plans verbatim after being told explicitly that she talks too much...for telling you the enemy's plans verbatim.
* ''[[Final Fantasy VII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VII]]'' plays with this trope a bit, if this is the right trope; Elena doesn't exactly tell you what she's denying, but she does continue to tell you the enemy's plans verbatim after being told explicitly that she talks too much...for telling you the enemy's plans verbatim.
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** And in ''[[The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass (Video Game)|The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass]]'', a Goron tells you that, since you're an outsider, he shouldn't tell you that the Elder's home is right over there, in this spot on your map! (Of course, the home is a big and obvious cave anyway.)
** And in ''[[The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass (Video Game)|The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass]]'', a Goron tells you that, since you're an outsider, he shouldn't tell you that the Elder's home is right over there, in this spot on your map! (Of course, the home is a big and obvious cave anyway.)
* ''[[Shadow Hearts|Shadow Hearts: Covenant]]''
* ''[[Shadow Hearts|Shadow Hearts: Covenant]]''
** When Yuri and company reach Roger Bacon's house, Lenny appears to tell taunt them by saying Roger's been kidnapped. Yuri tricks Lenny into blabbing by claiming Lenny doesn't know where he's been taken, annoying him to the point where he vehemently tells them Roger's in Florence, Italy just to prove he does know. [[Did I Just Say That Out Loud|He then slumps to the ground, mouth agape, and sobs at what an idiot he's been.]]
** When Yuri and company reach Roger Bacon's house, Lenny appears to tell taunt them by saying Roger's been kidnapped. Yuri tricks Lenny into blabbing by claiming Lenny doesn't know where he's been taken, annoying him to the point where he vehemently tells them Roger's in Florence, Italy just to prove he does know. [[Did I Just Say That Out Loud?|He then slumps to the ground, mouth agape, and sobs at what an idiot he's been.]]
** Yuri tries the exact same trick on Veronica later on when trying to figure out where their leader, Nicolai, went. She pretends to fall for it before responding with "That's right. I don't know. What kind of idiot would fall for that stupid trick?!", making Lenny feel like a complete jackass in the process.
** Yuri tries the exact same trick on Veronica later on when trying to figure out where their leader, Nicolai, went. She pretends to fall for it before responding with "That's right. I don't know. What kind of idiot would fall for that stupid trick?!", making Lenny feel like a complete jackass in the process.
* Commonly done by the villains in the ''[[Pokémon]]'' games.
* Commonly done by the villains in the ''[[Pokémon]]'' games.
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* [[Darths and Droids]]: Jim (as Captain Antilles) does this while talking to Darth Vader.
* [[Darths and Droids]]: Jim (as Captain Antilles) does this while talking to Darth Vader.
{{quote| '''Jim:''' I'll never tell you how we stole the the plans! Or if we did steal them. Which I'm not saying.}}
{{quote| '''Jim:''' I'll never tell you how we stole the the plans! Or if we did steal them. Which I'm not saying.}}
* [[Ill Never Tell You What I'm Telling You]]: Umesh.
* [[I'll Never Tell You What I'm Telling You]]: Umesh.
{{quote| '''Desmond:''' How come you and Fang aren't fighting anymore?<br />
{{quote| '''Desmond:''' How come you and Fang aren't fighting anymore?<br />
'''Umesh:''' What? No! [[Slap Slap Kiss|I've never even ''had'' sex]]! ''How dare you sir!'' }}
'''Umesh:''' What? No! [[Slap Slap Kiss|I've never even ''had'' sex]]! ''How dare you sir!'' }}
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