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{{trope}}
[[File:notaliens.gif|link=El Goonish Shive
{{quote|''"You know, you got all these people with beautiful, beautiful blonde hair and stuff. And then there's this sort of hunched over, greasy guy with black hair. It's like, "Would it be...him?"''
|'''Karl Urban''', actor of Eomer on Wormtongue}}
A character is put into a position (for [[The Mole|whatever]] [[In Another Man's Shoes|reason]]) where they must impersonate someone or pretend to be a member of a particular group. The character, instead of simply acting like an X, attempts to do this by constantly announcing they are an X, that they're doing things because that's what an X does, and [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|there is not the slightest chance that they could ever not be an X]]. Did they mention they're an X?
This sort of behavior almost always indicates that the [[Rule of Funny]] is in full effect, so its effectiveness as a disguise depends on whether it would be funnier for the impostor to get caught. If it's funnier for everyone around him [[Idiot Ball|to completely fail to see through the ruse]]
Compare [[Paper-Thin Disguise]], [[Master of Delusion]], [[Clark Kenting]], [[Blatant Lies]], [[Hugh Mann]], and [[Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?]] If a zombie were to say they aren't a zombie, well then it would [[Not a Zombie|not be a zombie]], now would it? Kind of a subtrope of [[Bad Bad Acting]], although it isn't deliberate. Tends to fuse with [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]]. Often happens during a case of [[
Named for a recurring line in the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The
If you're looking for a similarly named
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* In the ''[[Pokémon (
* Sousuke's attempts at passing himself off as a normal civilian in ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]'' occasionally segues into this, especially when one of his classmates ropes him into a [[Zany Scheme]] where he has to pretend being her boyfriend in front of her friends.▼
{{quote|
==
* A [https://web.archive.org/web/20150428205519/http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20090409 scene] in a ''[[Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire]]'' comic has Buck disguised as an alien Pog, sauntering down the street singing a song about how he's just a Pog, no, really. Mind you, in this instance [[Kansas City Shuffle|having the disguise fail is actually part of the plan]]. For context, Buck Godot is at least eight feet and probably a half ton of muscle, bio-engineered for life on heavy gravity planets. Your typical pog may, generously, top four feet.▼
▲* In the ''[[Pokémon (Anime)|Pokémon]]'' episode, "Pokemon Scent-Sation", Ash reluctantly has Team Rocket disguise him as a girl so that he could sneak into the Celadon gym. Ash breaks character a lot while he's in the disguise but always does his best to recover from it, until eventually, Pikachu revealed Ash's identity by electrocuting him.
* The [[Highly-Visible Ninja]] of ''[[The Tick (comic)|The Tick]]'' disguise themselves a hedge by declaring "We are a hedge. Please move along." While holding sticks. See the appropriate trope page for more (hilarious) details.▼
▲* Sousuke's attempts at passing himself off as a normal civilian in ''[[Full Metal Panic]]'' occasionally segues into this, especially when one of his classmates ropes him into a [[Zany Scheme]] where he has to pretend being her boyfriend in front of her friends.
* In ''[[
▲{{quote| '''Sousuke:''' I feel unimaginable happiness wasting time talking with women. I'm that type of human.}}
* In ''[[Preacher (Comic Book)|Preacher]]'' [[Corrupt Hick]] Odin Quincannon tries to use the Ku Klux Klan to kill the protagonist. In an attempt to ingratiate himself with them, he keeps enthusiastically stating how much he hates black people, all the time, and keeps adding it to practically everything he says. The other Klan members eventually start talking about how forced this makes him sound.▼
▲* A [http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20090409 scene] in a ''[[Buck Godot Zap Gun for Hire]]'' comic has Buck disguised as an alien Pog, sauntering down the street singing a song about how he's just a Pog, no, really. Mind you, in this instance [[Kansas City Shuffle|having the disguise fail is actually part of the plan]]. For context, Buck Godot is at least eight feet and probably a half ton of muscle, bio-engineered for life on heavy gravity planets. Your typical pog may, generously, top four feet.
▲* The [[Highly-Visible Ninja]] of ''[[The Tick]]'' disguise themselves a hedge by declaring "We are a hedge. Please move along." While holding sticks. See the appropriate trope page for more (hilarious) details.
▲* In ''[[PS 238]]'', some of the children mask their secret use of a launch pad into space by sending the launch pad operator a message that this launch is scheduled and completely normal; no need to panic. The operator dismisses this as the computer AI being needlessly polite.
▲* In ''[[Preacher (Comic Book)]]'' [[Corrupt Hick]] Odin Quincannon tries to use the Ku Klux Klan to kill the protagonist. In an attempt to ingratiate himself with them, he keeps enthusiastically stating how much he hates black people, all the time, and keeps adding it to practically everything he says. The other Klan members eventually start talking about how forced this makes him sound.
* In ''[[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]]'', Starfire and Raven, having temporarily lost their ability to fly, seek alternative transportation on a bus full of villains. They beat up two and take their clothing. Starfire then tries to fit in by acting like an over-the-top parody of a villain. Her overacting goes almost completely unnoticed by her audience; what gives her away is the use of an alien version of "God bless you."
* In one issue of ''[[Suicide Squad]]'', Captain Boomerang manages to do this while playing ''himself'' in an operation to lure in a local vigilante.
{{quote|
== Fan Works ==
* In ''[[
** The BT universe, by nature of being itself, is chock-full of pop cultural references. They've even run across [[Super Mario Bros.|Mario and Luigi, brother plumbers]] and a reporter named [[Superman|Lois Lane]]. None so far have exhibited anything special than just the odd coincidence in names, but there's just so many that GDI has decided to just ignore them all. It's just the universe screwing around with them again. This perhaps falls under the rationale ''it would be funny''. After receiving word about other operatives from Wolfnet, Remus Lupin (his name chosen beforehand as a random pseudonym and now having read ''Harry Potter'') mutters:
{{quote|
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!:
** Well, ''Yugi'' does. Though his reaction is less "he's definitely a villain!" and more "I'm tired of rescuing people. Let's just go home and forget this happened." Unluckily, Brisbane easily tricks Tristan and Tea to [[Schmuck Bait|"step on the map"]], dragging Yugi along for the ride.
** "HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME!"
Line 43 ⟶ 41:
*** Don't forget, he does those British things because he's British.
** And of course we have "Malik Blishtar" who is "definitely ''not'' Marik Ishtar".
{{quote|
*** "[[The Venture Brothers|IGNORE ME!]]"
** "Attention duelist! My hair is definitely not leading you into a trap!"
** Let's not forget Crump, who was possessing Tea
{{quote|
'''Yugi:''' I haven't noticed anything. You feeling okay Tea?
'''Crump!Tea:''' FRIENDSHIP!
'''Yugi:''' Yep, she's fine. }}
* An episode of ''[[
* ''[[A Hero (
* ''[http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Orkhammer Orkhammer]'' is built around the [[Running Gag]] of Orkz "infiltrating" the rest of ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' factions.
{{quote|'''"PDF Corporal"''': Me, boss? I’z definnily a humie, ain’t that right, boyz? }}
== Films -- Animation ==
* [[Mulan]]'s joining the Chinese army and posing as a man. And for that matter, Mushu posing as the Great Stone Dragon. "... Did I mention that I am the Great Stone Dragon?"
* The monsters in ''[[We Are the Strange]]'' are a rare creepy example of this trope. In the empty ice cream shoppe, there are rather odd-looking posters which try to pass both the shoppe and the townspeople off as normal.
== Films -- Live-Action ==
* In ''[[This Island Earth]]'', a dinner conversation with Exeter quickly makes it clear he's not from Earth, as if his gigantic forehead with a huge dent in the middle wasn't enough of a clue. When it was chosen to be the experiment for ''[[
* From ''[[The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra]]'':
{{quote|
* The otherwise forgettable ''[[Corky Romano]]'' gives us this wonderful gem from the title character attempting to infiltrate a gang of skinheads: "I was wondering if I could purchase some heroin and then we could go out and commit some hate crimes and stuff."
* ''[[
* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in ''[[Bedknobs and Broomsticks]]''.
{{quote|
'''British officer:''' I'm not a Nazi, I'm a British officer!
'''Villager:''' That's what you'd say if you ''was'' a Nazi, isn't it sir? }}
* ''[[
== Literature ==
* [[Winnie the Pooh]] pretends to be a little cloud when he tries to use a balloon to steal honey from a beehive. This includes having his friend Christopher Robin walking back and forth below him with an umbrella and loudly proclaim that it will be rain soon. While Pooh himself sings a little song about how he's just a raincloud:
{{quote|
''Floating in the Blue!
''Every little cloud
''Always sings aloud:
''"How sweet to be a Cloud
''Floating in the Blue!"
''It makes him very proud
''To be a little cloud.'' }}
** The Disney adaptation provides an even better example of the trope, as Pooh's song gets even more insistent that he's ''only'' a cloud and ''definitely'' not interested in honey:
{{quote|
''Hovering under the honey tree.
''I'm only a little black raincloud!
''Pay no attention to little me.
''Everyone knows that a raincloud
''Never eats honey, no not a nip!
''I'm just floating a-round,
''Over the ground,
''Wondering where I will drip!'' }}
** In the Russian adaptation, he first of all establishes to the bees that: "I'm a little rain cloud and definitely not a bear."
* In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[
** The Discworld book ''[[
** The Wintersmith never denied he was the Wintersmith, though; he just wanted to be human so Tiffany would love him.
* In ''[[
{{quote|
** He then proceeds to cause mayhem in the store by... [[Poke the Poodle|Rearranging store shelves.]]
* In ''The Birthday Ball'', Princess Patricia Priscilla, while in disguise as a commoner, repeatedly insists that she's just a humble peasant.
* In [[Brandon Sanderson]]'s unpublished novel ''Mythwalker'', the character Ix constantly reaffirms that he is in fact human, while all of the characters know he is a shadowling.
{{quote|
== Live-Action TV ==
* In ''Saul of the Molemen'', Saul skins a moleman and uses the skin as a disguise to infiltrate the moleman village. He spends the day shouting, "Grunt grunt! I'm a moleman, just like you!". No one catches on, but Saul gets beaten up anyway because the moleman whose skin he wore owed money to others.
* ''[[
** "Doppelgangland": Willow (well, Season 3 Willow, anyway) [[
** On the other hand, the Scoobies were completely oblivious to the true nature of the BuffyBot in her first appearance, despite stilted dialogue along the lines of "I wouldn't keep a secret from you, Willow. You're my best friend. You're recently gay." Buffy was understandably irritated.
** Yet another ''Buffy'' example: when {{spoiler|[[Evil Counterpart|Faith]]}} exchanges bodies with Buffy, she spends about three minutes practicing saying "Because it's ''wrong''!" very emphatically and with different inflections in front of a mirror. It's amusing. She [[Ironic Echo|later says this seriously]] in a case of [[Becoming the Mask]].
** Spike once attempts to disguise his vampness with a horrible American accent. Made even funnier when you realize it's American James Marsters pretending to be British pretending to be American ''badly''. And both the ''characters'' Giles and Spike have changed accents over their lives: Both Giles and Spike come from well-educated families, both adopted low-class accents in early adulthood (with Spike sticking with his, and Giles reverting to a posh accent when his rebellious phase ended). The ''actor'' who plays Giles actually has a lower-class accent, and the American Marsters used that accent as a model for Spike's.
* ''[[
** A certain amount of [[Fridge Logic]] applies to the beginning of the first season, where Doyle's Irish-ness is a major part of his character, and yet Angel steadfastly retains his assumed California accent, and never so much as acknowledges that he is, in fact, Irish as well. This may be a mercy, since the flashbacks to the life of 'Liam' prove that David Boreanaz cannot fake accents at ''all''.
* In the first episode of the new ''[[
** Subverted in a later episode when {{spoiler|Cassandra takes over Rose's body. Of course the Doctor knows something is wrong, but he jumps to the wrong conclusion.}}
** The teenage "son" from the Family of Blood spends two episodes walking around looking ''as suspicious as is (in)humanly possible.'' [[Refuge in Audacity|It only works because he pulls it off in such a magnificently creepy way.]]
* ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'': Simon acting as Mal's boss in "Jaynestown" is like this.
{{quote|
** It gets [[Lampshaded]] when Wash sarcastically asks when Simon became such a cunning master of disguise.
* In the ''[[Blackadder Goes Forth]]'' episode "Major Star", Kate pretends to be "Bob". She says, "Oh no, sir, I'm not a girl! I understand cricket! I fart in bed! Everything!" in a breathy, high voice. Blackadder is the only person not fooled by the ruse.
** Further subverted in the episode "General Hospital" where Blackadder is asked to root out a German spy in the hospital, in which there is a patient with an outrageous German accent who intently listens to conversations with a binoculars and a notepad... who turns out to be a British spy who picked up "a teensy veensy bit of an accent".
{{quote|
* ''Played straight'' in ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]''. During Simon's first appearance, he spends his entire first scene insisting to Starbuck that he's human, even using the trope name (with "Cylon" in place of "Villain", of course). Starbuck's too disoriented to notice, but the audience... isn't.
** [[Word of God]] tells that they figured the audience would pretty much guess that Simon was a Cylon. So instead of trying to hide him being a Cylon, they tried to build up the suspense by making it unclear what Simon really intended to do with Starbuck and what the "hospital" actually was.
* The ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' sketch where Hitler, Himmler and Von Ribbentrop survived [[WW 2]] and moved to Britain. They all speak in German accents and say things a Nazi would say, but repeatedly insist that they aren't Nazis. Luckily for them, the British people they meet aren't very bright. They seem to be making a parody of small ultra nationalistic parties that keep insisting that their ideology is not fascist, no sirree. See it [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlmGknvr_Pg here].
{{quote|
** Also from ''Monty Python'', in the Mr. Neutron Sketch: Captain Carpenter, from the top-secret agency FEEBLE must disguise himself to go on a mission to the Yukon. His disguise? A large sign which says "Nothing to do with FEEBLE".
** And from "The Cycling Tour":
{{quote|
'''1st Man in Black Suit with Sunglasses:''' Well, we're not secret police, anyway.
'''2d MiBSwSG:''' That's for sure!
'''3d MiBSwSG:''' If anything, we are but ordinary Soviet citizens with no especial interest in politics!
}}
* In several ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' sketches, Greg's co-host would like to make it very clear that Greg Is Not An Alien. Greg then proceeds to speak as if he's learned all his lines badly by rote, hiss and trill in obvious panic when splashed with water, and grow a frill around his neck, and is heavily implied to ''eat the guests'' on their sports talk show.
* Played with in one episode of ''[[That '70s Show]]'', when the guys try to smuggle Fez back across the Canadian border (because he misplaced his green card), Eric tells the others: "Remember, we've got nothing to hide", at which point two mounties come over and say "Well, around here, we don't say we've got nothing to hide, if we've actually got nothing to hide, [[Canada, Eh?|eh?]]"
* In the first episode of season 3 of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', O'Neill uses this to try and convince SG-1's captors that he was still implanted by Hathor's Goa'uld larva. Although in this case he knew it wouldn't work for very long, he just needed to buy time for [[The Cavalry]] to arrive.
{{quote|
'''Hathor's First Prime''': Tel'mak Goa'uld, cree tak?
'''O'Neill:''' You heard me! I said cree, dammit!
'''[[Genre Savvy|Daniel Jackson]]''': Jack? }}
* A rare non-comedic example in [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]], Garak, an ex-member of the secret police of a facist state (And in no way feels guilty about what he did) is [[Blatant Lies|nothing more than a simple tailor.]] Given his talents Garak could avert this trope and easily fool everyone around him about who he is, but he simply doesn't care to. He never comes right out and explains why he bothers with the facade, but the most likely explanation is so that he can maintain plausible deniability while keeping himself available should anyone wish to use his talents.
** Of course, he's also made it clear that [[For the Evulz|he just likes screwing with people basically for the fun of it.]]
* A clumsy case was Morgana from ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]''. When she returns to Camelot in series three, she spends most of her time smirking evilly to herself (in public) and interacting with her friends and family in a cloying, faux-sympathetic way (that was completely unlike the Morgana of the first two series). The audience isn't fooled for a second, but everyone else is completely taken in.
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[Star Control]] II'', one of the many [[Planet of Hats]] species in the game comes under the [[Brainwashed|mind control]] of a malevolent being, who stiltedly attempts to impersonate their particular Hat when encountered by the player. Naturally, the player is expected to not be stupid and investigate.
* This is the key mechanic for an entire ''level'' in ''[[
** The G-men tend to use the props in very interesting ways too. The gardeners do a sword-swallowing routine with their hedge clippers and the grieving widows play invisible golf with their flowers. Sample dialogue:
{{quote|
"I am a Telephone worker. I can listen to any conversation that I want to -- but I do not because of my sense of professionalism."
"I am a Housewife. In time my husband will desire me less sexually... but he will always enjoy my pies." }}
** There's also Crispin Whytehead, the inmate running the asylum, who explains that he is an orderly, [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|not an impostor.]]
* In ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]]: Trials and Tribulations,'' Furio Tigre's impersonation of Phoenix consists of having spiky hair and declaring himself to be Phoenix Wright. Despite his otherwise completely different appearance, his noticeable accent, and his wearing a fake attorney's badge made of ''cardboard'', he fools an entire courtroom, including a judge, prosecutor, detective, and defendant who are all familiar with Phoenix. Phoenix himself is, of course, not amused.
** Godot easily saw through him. He just felt like screwing with Phoenix.
** There's a possible [[Lampshade Hanging]] on this, after hearing the excuses Tigre gave to Maggey ("He said he took a trip to Hawaii"):
{{quote|
* The Cubi sisters in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass]]''. Constantly giggling and sabotaging your efforts to rescue 'them', but since it's a [[But Thou Must!]] situation you can't just leave the little brats to rot.
* At one point in ''[[Paper Mario:
** Somewhat justified in that {{spoiler|Doopliss did the Martian Manhunter trick mentioned above and changed places with Mario when they defeated him, leaving Mario unconscious and going back to town with the others. Being a doppleganger, he has a perfect disguise, at least until he opens his mouth.}}
*** {{spoiler|And Mario's appearance changes as well. He turns black and shadowy.}}
Line 163 ⟶ 161:
*** Keeping with the overall comedic dialogue, it is lampshaded multiple times, including Lord Crump himself to "[[Breaking the Fourth Wall|you kids in front of the screen.]]"
** There's also the parts of the final chapter in the third game where Merlon and Merlee both show up in Castle Bleck at different times, despite the fact that the last time you saw either of them, they were in a different dimension and had no apparent method or reason to go to where you found them. In this case, they were definitely not a shapeshifter.
* In ''[[Sam and Max Freelance Police]]: The Mole, the Mob, and the Meatball'', Ted E. Bear's [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|Mafia-Free]] Playland and Casino is a Mob-themed [[Suck E. Cheese's|Chuck E. Cheese's-esque arcade/restaurant]] that doesn't seem to try very hard to convince the outside world that it's [[Legitimate
** Then there's the ''theme song'', which is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLVclnItahk catchy as hell]:
{{quote|
Slots and sandwiches and poker and guns
And look, no mobsters, nary a one,
Just you and me and Ted E. Bear!
** Max's fake [[Final Speech]] from the same episode, which is so long, overblown and such a [[Cliché Storm]] that it's painful. He even 'dies' several times only to wake up again and add more to it, to the (unsuspecting) villain's annoyance.
** Also General Skun-ka'pe acts like this when you first meet him.
Line 175 ⟶ 173:
* ''[[Ratchet and Clank Up Your Arsenal]]'' had Ratchet going undercover with the Tyrrhaguise, and loudly proclaiming himself to be "certainly not a Lombax". {{spoiler|Yes, he's a Lombax.}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxn-kpHuB9g This guy is totally not a spy].
* A sign in Mahogany town in ''[[Pokémon Gold and Silver
** When you talk to the shopkeeper, he'll feel the need to make it clear that the breeze in the shop is just your imagination and is not coming from any kind of [[Elaborate Underground Base|hidden underground hideout]]. ''Then'' he offers you stuff to buy.
* In ''[[Thief]]: Deadly Shadows'', Garrett has the option on listening in on an illicit deal under negotiation. One of the parties is a thug pretending to be him, who fulfils this trope to the letter.
{{quote|
'''Garrett:''' [[Sarcasm Mode|So that's the famous Garrett.]] [[Deadpan Snarker|Guess he's not as good-looking as I'd heard.]]
}}
* Laverne disguising herself as a tentacle in ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]'' says things like "Hello! I'm a tentacle!" No one sees through the disguise, despite the obviously human head, arms and legs.
* In [[Magicka]] we have Vlad, who is most definitely not a Vampire.
* In ''[[Rift]]'', the inhabitants of Lakeshore in Freemarch are doing normal human things because they are normal humans (and most definitely not [[Fish People|Deep Ones]]).
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[The Order of the Stick
** Nale disguising himself as his twin brother Elan. Though his repeated statements of "I'm Elan" don't raise any eyebrows since that is deemed [[Cloudcuckoolander|in character]] for Elan. Nale's high bluff skill also helps. Example:
{{quote|
'''Nale-as-Elan:''' Right! Because I am Elan, and I am foolishly and inexplicably merciful to enemies who would gladly butcher me, against the better judgement of my allies.
'''Vaarsuvius:''' Hmmm. Well, that certainly is one of your more puzzling qualities. Very well.
}}
:::On the other hand, immediately after that exchange, Vaarsuvius reveals that he's noticed that the two had been making out (incidentally, Sabine's "police officer" form was male).[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0364.html Also...]
{{quote|
'''Vaarsuvius:''' Yes, so you have told me no less than seven times in the last hour.
}}
** Previously, Belkar the halfling got on stilts to disguise himself as a human.
{{quote|
'''Paladin:''' Just fine, thanks for asking!
}}
** Celia as [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0538.html Darkblood Gloomgloom] qualifies too.
{{quote|
** And just to add another one, [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0743.html Haley pretending to be a Thor worshiper].
** Elan's illusions have a bunch of these in [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0455.html this] strip.
{{quote|
* [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=060820 This] ''[[Bob and George]]'' comic.
* In ''[[
{{quote|
{{quote|
* [http://www.galactanet.com/comic/view.php?strip=646 Lord "Smith"] is Most Definitely Not [[Casey and Andy
* In ''[[Terror Island]]'', [http://www.terrorisland.net/strips/183.html Theorem 183], Demon-Jame tries to pass himself off as Jame.
{{quote|
* In [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2008/05/31/episode-999-like-a-hobby/ these] ''[[8-Bit Theater
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121231063726/http://amazoness.co.uk/10.htm This] ''[[Amazoness]]!'' strip. Ekphobippe is a master of disguise.
* In ''[[
** This is parodied in a fan-made comic centered around the fans who are represented as avatars with nametags over their heads. One strip involves two characters chasing after Dan. Note that Dan represents himself as an anthropomorphic squirrel. A guy who looks suspiciously like Dan in real life shows up holding a "NotDan" tag over his head and points them in the right direction. In an earlier strip, the comic's [[Card-Carrying Villain]] manages to deceive two detectives with a fake name tag.
*** Sorry Mister Smith. We thought you were a different person who uses the same avatar.
Line 220 ⟶ 225:
* In ''[[The Last Days of Foxhound]]'', Ocelot and Mantis try to pass off an unwilling Octopus as Liquid for a possession scheme by Liquid's ghost ([[It Makes Sense in Context]]) by ODing him on Liquid's blood and having Mantis brain-scramble him into thinking he's Liquid. Although the intention differs, the result fit the trope perfectly as Octopus starts rambling about how he beats up all the enemy people and hates dominant genes.
* [http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=183 This] ''[[VG Cats]]'' strip.
{{quote|
** And the general lack of suspicion when Johnny '''Evilguy''' pops up.
* [http://threepanelsoul.com/2007/10/20/on-subterfuge/ This] ''[[Three Panel Soul]]'' strip, which inspired the ''[[
* ''[[Homestuck]]'': When Equius tries to get Gamzee to indulge in the caste privileges the latter's [[Blue and Orange Morality|blood superiority]] affords him, it... [http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004121 doesn't really work.]
{{quote|
{{color|#000056| CT:
{{color|#000056| CT: DThis wretched misbehavior}}
{{color|indigo| TC:
{{color|indigo| TC: FuUuUuCk, Im LiKe AlL mOvInG mY mOuTh AnD tHe WiCkEd NoIsE iS cOmInG oUt In ThE fRoNtIeSt WaY pOsSiBlE.}}
{{color|indigo| TC: aNd It'S gOiNg At YoUr DiReCtIoN, cAuSe ThAt'S tHe DiReCtIoN tO fUcKiN bE aNgRy At!}} }}
* ''[[Voices]]'' has the advertisement for [[Mega Corp|Xern]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20110102121956/http://windowchronicles.com/voices/index.php?page=v01-085 this page.]
* [http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/09/10/falling-into-the-role/ This] ''[[
*
* ''[[Exterminatus Now]]'' in a strip appropriately named "subtlety" has most definitely ''not'' [http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2003-11-03/comic/meet-the-crew/subtlety/ a hive of vile heresy]. Of course, this goes [http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2007-05-25/comic/shades-of-black-and-white/i-spy/ both ways]:
{{quote|
* Lampshaded in ''[[The Adventures of Dr. McNinja (Webcomic)|The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]]'', with Victor the "plumber" in [http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/14p22 this comic].▼
'''Townsend''': ...I told them it should say "''Not'' Property of the Mobian Inquisition".
'''Morth''': Yes, because ''that'' would have fooled me ''completely''.}}
▲* Lampshaded in ''[[
* In ''[[Does Not Play Well With Others]]'', freshly immigrated [[The Greys|aliens]], undisguised and [http://www.doesnotplaywellwithothers.com/comics/pwc-0015 addressing the protagonists], at that:
{{quote|
'''Zakmar''': Welcome to our very typical hyu-man domicicle, my co-homo sapiens.
'''Marx''': Will you give it up, they're on to us already.}}
* ''[[Goblins]]'' bonus side story got a "[http://www.goblinscomic.com/tempts-fate-5/ Real pile of gold! Take what you want. This is not a trap. Checking for traps is just a waste of time.]"
{{quote|'''Tempts Fate''': Sigh. [[You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!|You gotta be kidding me.]]}}
* ''Nerd Rage'' presents: a shop with [http://www.nerdragecomic.com/index.php?date=2010-11-10 100% genuine Nerd Chicks].
* ''[[Servants of the Imperium]]'' has Krin [http://www.servantsoftheimperium.com/comic.php?comicid=55 accompanied] by a completely normal servo-skull that certainly isn't a piece of tech-heresy.
== Web Original ==
* ''[[
{{quote|
** Also, it doesn't actually fool Hammer, who just waits until Penny's out of earshot to make it clear [[I Know You Know I Know|he knows]].
* ''Metaleeto'' impersonating a criminal:
{{quote|
* In ''I Don't Need Your Civil War'', Hulkling infiltrates as a SHIELD agent a super-human prison to kidnap Hank Pym, and while there he salutes SHIELD commander Maria Hill with "Hello. Not a spy."
* ''[[MSF High Forum]]'': While Xadan doesn't quite fall under this trope, he uses pretty much the same use pretty thoroughly. He's [[Obviously Evil]], but trying to act as a mentor.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130830115314/http://evilatheistconspiracy.org/en/about.htm There is no Evil Atheist Conspiracy!]
* [http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/692321-bait-this-is-bait There's a reaction image] for this.
* Mocked [https://web.archive.org/web/20160827003242/http://themetapicture.com/how-i-feel-on-the-internet-nowadays/ here]. The problem with Internet today? Not the excess of clueless, cringeworthy shills at.
* in the Netflix original series ''[[The Dragon Prince]]'' Rayla, a Moonshadow Elf and Callum, a Human, have on separate occasions decided to disguise themselves as human and elf, respectively, to blend in with the local population. However, their attempts to pass themselves as human or elf turn out like this in practice.
== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Codename: Kids Next Door]]'' shows us just how stupid the world's worst villain, the Toilinator is, by having an [[Noodle Incident|off panel story]] about how he was fooled by Numbuh 1 whose disguise was just a t-shirt that said "I'm not Numbuh 1."
** When the KND operatives played a game of tag to decide who'd be their leader, (Numbuh 13 was the only one who wanted the mantle but the others wouldn't let him have it) Numbuh 4 hid himself in a box that had a written message stating he wasn't there.
* ''[[Justice League Unlimited]],''' The Flash [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyYOuuRmQp0 posing as Luthor], as mentioned above. Two people seemed to have caught on, but kept it to themselves for their own reasons (Gorilla Grodd, who wanted to see him squirm, and Tala, who liked "new" Lex better. Especially in bed...). The rest assumed that their leader had fried his brain trying to [[Mind Probe]] Grodd.
* ''[[
** The episode "Fear of a Bot Planet":
{{quote|
'''Leela:''' Robot... we be.
'''Fry:''' Uh, yup. Just two robots out robot-ing it up! }}
** Subverted in another episode which features Flexo, Bender's identical brother who only differs in having a goatee. Fry and Leela then find a Bender-like robot who constantly hides his chin behind a pullover or a map, so they assume it is Flexo.
{{quote|
'''Robot:''' Yes, it's me... ''Bender'' }}
::: The twist is that it really is Bender.
** Used in another episode featuring Flexo, in which Bender tries to impersonate him, going out of his way to "act" and "sound" like
*** No, the ''real'' joke is that he is trying to seduce his girlfriend as Flexo because he jealously suspects that she secretly loves Flexo (her ex), but only succeeds by acting ''nothing like Flexo at all'', doing all the things she loves to do (like dancing) even though she keeps pointing out that he -- "Flexo"
{{quote|
'''Angleene''': "Maybe I love you so much I love you no matter who you're pretending to be."
'''Bender''': "Oh, how I wish I could believe or understand that!" }}
** The Brain Slugs are one-eyed, fist-sized slugs, [[Puppeteer Parasite|who can take control of a person's body]], but only by externally attaching to the heads of their victims. As if this weren't obvious enough, they speak of their host in the third person constantly. No one is fooled by this (except Fry, initially), but everyone pretends to be, because it's easier to just humor the slugs.
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* ''[[Robot Chicken]]'': In an ''[[A-Team]]'' spoof, Face attempts to infiltrate the criminal underworld by announcing "Greetings. Is this where the thugs and/or criminals hang out? Because I too am a thug and/or criminal." He is recognized immediately.
* In an episode of ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'', Heffer tries to sneak into a nightclub for elk by putting on a pair of fake antlers and telling the bouncer "I am an elk. I have antlers." The bouncer quips "You want a prize?" before letting him in.
* ''[[Earthworm Jim (
* Subverted in an episode of ''[[Out of
* In one episode of ''[[
* ''[[Danny Phantom]]'': Danny does this when overshadowing his father in "Parental Bonding".
* ''[[The Simpsons (
** Bart barely convinces a group of children from Shelbyville that he is one of them. "No, not in my mouth! ...Uh, is what that kid would say." To be fair they don't have a clue who he is even after his reveal.
{{quote|
** In a [[Halloween Episode]], Homer suffered an accident and Moe took advantage to trick Marge into thinking Homer left her. To further convince her, Moe gave her a letter saying it was written by Homer using his(Moe's) caligraphy. The letter was a forged (and exaggerated) confession of homosexuality.
* ''[[Invader Zim]]'' invokes this trope by necessity in order to maintain his [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]. ("I'm human! Yep, human, human, human. Just look at my neck!") Only his nemesis Dib and Dib's sister Gaz ever notice. In the episode "Abducted" however, he encounters a pair of even ''stupider'' aliens who have even ''worse'' disguises and invoke the trope even ''harder'' - they abducted Zim ''because they actually thought he was a human!'' (And then abduct Dib because they think he's a weasel.)
{{quote|
* One episode of ''[[The Tick (animation)]]'' involves a shoddy green clone of Arthur who says nothing but "I Arthur". Naturally, the Tick can't tell them apart.
* An episode of ''[[Ben 10: Alien Force
* In ''[[Transformers Animated]]'', when Wasp disguises himself as Bumblebee (and makes Bumblebee look like Wasp), his disguise is compromised by his penchant for talking in the third person, and his habit of calling Bumblebee 'Bumblebot'. The same happens to Bumblebee, except because of his lack of third-person speaking. Naturally, no-one notices.
* ''[[
** "Hello hebrews and shebrews, what a glorious Jewish day..." Also followed immediately by: "They tried to rip me off, but I 'us'ed them down to half price" (Jewish man runs up and kicks Peter in the crotch.)
* In the ''[[Bump in
* In ''[[Timon and Pumbaa]]'', the two title characters have done a [[Totem Pole Trench]] a few times, but each time, Timon had a habit of stumbling over his words forgetting that they are supposed to be one person.
* Similar to the above example, on and episode of ''[[Ed Edd and Eddy]]'', when the Ed's tried to fool the Kanker Sisters, Eddy said "We're doing a survey," instead of "I'm doing a survey."
* In ''[[
{{quote|
* An episode of ''[[Two Stupid Dogs]]'' has Little Dog freaking out over a cat and trying (in vain) to wake up Big Dog so he could scare the cat off. As part of a plan to get rid of the cat by himself, Little Dog got himself a cat puppet:
{{quote|
* An episode of [[Taz
* In ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'' episode "Not Phineas & Ferb", Irwin tricked his brother Albert by having Baljeet and Buford dressed as Phineas and Ferb. Buford, who was dressed as Ferb, mentioned being a Britton that doesn't talk a lot.
* In ''[[The Fairly
* In the [[Captain Caveman]] and Son segment of ''[[The Flintstone Kids]]'', Captain Caveman "hides" his home's location by posting a sign stating "This is NOT Captain Caveman's Secret Hideout".
== Real Life ==
* [[Truth in Television|Tourists.]] Their "I ♥ NY" T-shirts give them away
** Especially in Tokyo.
** Lampshaded in ''[[CSI: NY]]''. When they find a victim wearing such a shirt, they immediately assume it's a tourist. They are right (although he was actually wearing it because he spilt coffee down his shirt and was there to {{spoiler|rescue his daughter from a brothel}} rather than sightseeing). In a subversion, Danny mentions he wanted one as a kid (when he got one, it got him beaten up at school).
** If they
*** And even if you don't hear them speak, you'll know them anyway, because they'll be the ones constantly staring up at the "really tall buildings". Most residents and even frequent visitors have long since ceased to be impressed.
** The New York Times Magazine once ran a list of tips for passing as a New Yorker. One of them advised, "Profess no knowledge of where the Statue of Liberty is."
** In San Francisco the tourists wear "San Francisco" sweatshirts not because they're trying to pass as locals but because they learned (typically at Fisherman's Wharf) that the wind off the ocean is no warm breeze, even in midsummer.
** The quickest way to tell who is a tourist in Seattle is to look for the people with umbrellas. Most rain in Seattle is so light and so constant that locals don't even bother, apart from a hood or hat.
*** Most of the rainy Pacific Northwest has this; the natives either have raincoats which they never take off, or no raincoat at all, depending on the day's weather.
*** Another way to tell if someone is a tourist in Seattle is to ask them if they've been to the Space Needle. Most of us haven't.
** The shirts that sport the motto "Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Montreal" are only seen in two places: worn by tourists visiting Montreal and in the front window of the stores who sell them to said tourists.
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* Everyone in Britain just assumes anyone who calls themselves a Canadian is an American who doesn't want to admit it.
** Until they say about, or out, or shout, or something. Then we've got them!
** Instead Canadians wear [[Yu-Gi-Oh!:
** The old joke (told even in Canada) goes like this:
{{quote|
* Lots of "Japanese" restaurants ''outside of Japan'' (well, at least in Europe) are teppan-yaki and involve ridiculous kimonos and food-dropping games with a chef playing with food while cooking it. The kind of restaurant you can't find anywhere in Japan.
** Teppan-yaki restaurants did originate in Japan. They're just [[Germans Love David Hasselhoff|far more popular in the west]] than they are in their home country.
** Many Japanese restaurants aren't even run by Japanese people, but by Korean or Chinese businessmen as a successful attempt to cash on the growing popularity of Japanese sushi, sashimi... etc.
* In an inversion a spy in England, when asked what his profession was by friends and neighbors would answer [[Sarcastic Confession|"I'm a spy."]] Because nobody believed him, the ruse worked.
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