I'm Standing Right Here: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Alice and Bob are having a private discussion about their friend Carol. Or, at least, it would be private if Carol weren't standing right there, in plain view, and making no attempt to hide her presence.

 

If Alice and Bob know that Carol is here but don't figure out she is concerned by their commentary, this is an [[Oblivious Mockery]].

{{examples}}

* ''[[Minami-ke]]'''s Touma gets this a lot from her older brothers. The three brothers will regularly hold family meetings between them regarding Touma's behavior, or what to do about a birthday gift or Christmas present, all while Touma is sitting not five feet away from them seemingly ignoring them.

* ''[[Death Note]]'':

* In ''[[Daily Lives of High School Boys]]'' there's a scene in which Mitsuo walks into a room in which his friends are telling embarrassing stories about him. They notice his arrival, pause for a second, and then continue laughing at him as if he isn't there.

 

* In ''Green Lantern #48'', Sinestro offers an allegiance to Atrocitus to destroy the Green Lanterns...while he and the leaders of all the other Corps are supposed to be [[Enemy Mine|banding together to fight the Black Lanterns]]...and Hal Jordan is within ear shot:

{{quote|'''Carol Ferris''': Um...Hal's right here.

'''Hal Jordan''': [[Magnificent Bastard|He knows that, Carol.]] }}

 

{{quote|'''Byakuya:''' *talking to Rukia* It is for the honor of the Kuchiki household, Rukia. Make sure the boy is aware of the large dowry that you have. Common people can be easily swayed by monetary gain.

'''Ichigo:''' I'm less then five feet away from you.

'''Byakuya:''' *turns to Ichigo with an indifferent look on his face* Very good. I see that you are able to judge distance. }}

{{quote|'''Light''' (to L): I think your successor thinks we have the combined I.Q. of Matsuda.

'''Matsuda:''' You guys know I'm right here. }}

 

== Film ==

* There's a scene in ''[[Star Wars]] [[The Phantom Menace|Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' where Obi-Wan is trying to dissuade Qui-Gon from training the young Anakin Skywalker, repeating the Jedi Council's premonition that "the boy is dangerous". It's a shame that they're walking ''right past Anakin'' as he's arguing this.

* In the film ''[[Catch-22]]'', the doctor has a habit of putting his name on a certain pilots flight roster but not actually going along, so he can continue to get flight pay without the danger. It backfires horribly when the plane crashes and it's immediately noticed the Doctor was a passenger, as per the flight roster. The Doctor, standing right there watching the plane crash, protests and points out he's standing right in front of them, but the other characters immediately begin ignoring him and lamenting his death.

* This happens in ''[[Collateral]]'' when Vincent, the hitman antagonist, forces the lead character Max to go visit his mother in the hospital like he does every night just to keep up appearances and not appear suspicious when he's being held hostage for the night.

{{quote|'''Max''': Don't talk to me like I'm not right here!

'''Max's mother''': Why yes, you are! }}

* In the short film ''[[Blinky]]'', the protagonist's mother threatens to {{spoiler|order the titular robot to cook and clean him if he makes another mess}}, while the robot is suffering from a [[Logic Bomb]]-generating [[Heroic BSOD]]. {{spoiler|It turns out that, despite his freakout, Blinky was still hearing things and thus receiving orders. So the next time the protagonist made a mess...}}, well, some interesting food was served.

 

== Literature ==

{{quote|'''Buffy:''' You think I don't watch your movies? You always come back.

''Dracula disintegrates. Mist swirls and coalesces.''

''Mist dissipates.'' }}

** [[Joss Whedon]] and his staff really like this, and play it both for comedy and drama.

'''Buffy:''' I don't want to.

'''Xander:''' Then don't! This isn't new ground for us. When our friends go all crazy and start killing people, we help them.

'''Xander:''' I'm sorry. But it's true. }}

** And over on ''[[Angel]]''

{{quote|'''Groo:''' You are truly a goddess.

'''Cordelia:''' Well, demonness, anyway. Sure beats horns and a tail.

* ''[[Gossip Girl]]'' has an episode where Blair equates Chuck sleeping with Vanessa (or, as Blair puts it, "the dregs of DUMBO") to she herself sleeping with Chuck's evil uncle. With Vanessa standing right next to them.

** Amusingly enough, Chuck never objects to Blair's point. [[Lampshade Hanging]] of the fact that the viewers [[The Scrappy|hate Vanessa]]?

* ''[[Firefly]]'' plays with this in the pilot.

{{quote|'''Jayne:''' Testing. Captain, can you hear me?

'''Jayne:''' [into radio] You're comin' through good and loud.

'''Jayne:''' Yeah, well, but... the transmitter's... }}

* This happens to Rose in the second episode of the relaunched ''[[Doctor Who]]''. When the Doctor tells Jabe that he and Rose aren't married, she makes some more guesses, ending in "prostitute?".

'''Rachel:''' Stop! Stop planning, and oh stop acting like I can't hear you! }}

* Aunt Agatha from [[Jeeves and Wooster]] has a habit of listing Bertie's faults to others while he's standing there. If he attempts to interject she normally silences him with an offhanded "Oh, be quiet, Bertie"

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

'''Alice:''' He only listens when he's talking.

''(the boss smiles peacefully)'' }}

 

 

== Truth In Television ==

* It's common for parents to talk to other people about their children as if they weren't in the room, even when they in close proximity.

* Disabled people get this a lot too, especially those with expressive language problems.

 

 

{{quote|'''Kenneth''': So, Gabby, what d'you think of our new quarian boss?

'''Gabby''': Hush! She's right over there!

'''Gabby''': Ha. }}

** Another one appears in the 3rd game if you brought Javik to Thessia.

* In the [[Neverwinter Nights 2]] module Dark Waters, a male PC who is pursuing a relationship with Heather can cause one of these that doubles as a [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]]. While trying to recover more of her implanted memories of being Kendra (who was in love with Conley (whose memories were implanted into the PC)), you come across a memory of Kendra cheating on Conley with Sheridan, whose memories were implanted into your other friend Daniel. The exchange immediately following it consists of the player reassuring Heather that he trusts she won't cheat on him, culminating in a discussion of all of Daniel's faults that would make him an unsuitable partner, while he is standing nearby. He complains about it.

* Fairly easy to imagine that this should happen in many games, when the only thing that averts the trope is the game's (or writer's) inability to account for who's around at a given time. For instance, in ''[[Baldur's Gate]] 2'', Phaere wants you (while your party is disguised as drow) to "make an example" of a gnomish patrol. If you have Aerie in your party, she will immediately protest that a murderous act like that is ''wrong''. Thank you, Aerie, [[Sarcasm Mode|I had no idea]]... and saying something like that in front of the daughter of a drow matriarch would be suicide if she actually paid attention.

* A variant about Volke shows up in ''[[Fire Emblem Tellius|Path of Radiance]]''

{{quote|'''Soren:''' I believe this will be a good opportunity. We will almost certainly have need of this man's talents. He is a dubious character at best, but at least we know his motives: everything begins and ends with gold. He'll be easy to control.

 

== Webcomics ==

* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' Sam [http://sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/19971103 gets this treatment] from Zoe [http://sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/19971105 twice].

** This is actually a running joke for Sam; even after he {{spoiler|becomes a vampire and spends an arc kicking ass and taking names,}} we get dialogue like the following:

'''Fred:''' "That thing" should not be discussed in the third person when it's present. }}

* In ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]'', during Schlocktoberfest 2005, [http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2005-10-24 Shodan comments] on the competence of the local constabulary.

* In ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'', [http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-12-20 a girl laments that Justin is gay] [[Not That There's Anything Wrong with That|because she can't ask him out]] despite having her boyfriend standing right next to her.

{{quote|'''First girl:''' Don't you already have a boyfriend?

{{quote|'''Dave''': Listen, me and the Help, we're pretty fucking tired to be honest.

'''Isabel''': I can hear you still. }}

 

 

'''Groundskeeper Willie''': ''(hurt)'' Ah, geez. I'm standing right here, sir.

'''Principal Skinner''': Ah, yes. Uh ... Take a good look at him, Nelson, 'cause that's where you're headed. }}

{{quote|'''Timmy (sitting two feet away):''' Hello, I'm right here! I can hear every word you're saying!

'''Crocker:''' Then I don't need to repeat myself! I'll be over at six. }}

'''Joe:''' Peter, you just whispered that to ''me''.

'''Peter:''' Wait, here he comes. }}

* On ''[[Archer]]'', Lana tells Mallory that Barry is a douchebag. Then Barry points out that he's sitting right next to her. He doesn't seem too bothered, though.

* ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', "I Was a Middle-Aged Robot": When Major Monogram tells Perry that there's a more important mission than thwarting Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Doofenshmirtz (who was in the middle of a rant when Monogram interrupted) is understandably affronted.

{{quote|'''Red Tornado:''' He does possess an adult body and the wisdom of Solomon.

'''Aquaman:''' Wisdom does not equal maturity.

[[Category:Alice and Bob]]

[[Category:Invisibility Index]]