Don't Try This At Home: Difference between revisions

[[File:bb-stove_5016.jpg|link=Beavis and Butthead|right]]

 

 

Mandatory disclaimer heard at least once, and often more times, during any show which presents outrageous stunts or death-defying acts of derring-do. Mandatory because there are more than a few [[Viewers are Morons|morons out there with so little common sense]] that they will actually ''try'' these things without the proper training and then [[Frivolous Lawsuit|sue everybody in sight]] when they get hurt (or their family will do it for them when [[Darwin Awards|they]] [[Too Dumb to Live|get killed]] or forgot/don't know how to sue.) Sometimes played for laughs ''within'' a show, as a character [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|turns to the audience]] and says "Do ''not'' try this at home" before beginning the most comically dangerous part of the [[Zany Scheme]].

 

== Anime and Manga ==

** In the manga version, the chapter where Hayate defeats a robotic butler by {{spoiler|sticking silverware into its joints and shorting it out}} is actually titled something like "Good Little Kids Shouldn't Try This At Home! And Neither Should The Bad Ones!"

*** Good boys and girls should never {{spoiler|jump out of a moving train}}.

* In [[Waq Waq]], when Fran uses Ninjutsu: Flying Squirrel to float in the air by holding onto a sheet, the narrator states "Because situations like these will never arise in real life, please do not imitate, you might die."

* Parodied in ''[[Samurai Pizza Cats]]'': "Kids, don't try this at home. We're professional cartoon characters."

** In the dub of episode 77, when Mai executes a quick 180 turn in her car, she says "Do not try this at home!"

* The second episode of [[Panda Z]] features the eponymous character trying to eat a big plate of hot, steaming batteries. Every other scene had a text scroll across the bottom with phrases like "Batteries are not food", "Do not expose batteries to heat", or "Do not cut batteries".

* The [[Trigun]] anime gives us this comedic line: "The Deadly Dodgeball Face! A technique that involves holding the ball to your mouth with intense suction! [[Inverted Trope|TRY THIS AT HOME, KIDS!]]"

* In the [[Katekyo Hitman Reborn]] OVA, Reborn will appear with a sign saying: "Good kids don't do so." This is because the events in question are things like sleeping on a bus roof while it's driving, having water fights in Hot Springs, and peeing on ice sculptures.

** Fran literally [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|breaks the fourth wall]] by saying not to try anything that Bel does at home. Bel is not too pleased.

{{quote| '''Nanami:''' Kids, be good and don't imitate this please!}}

* When Walker uses an [[Aerosol Flamethrower]] in the sixth ''[[Durarara]]'' [[Light Novel]], the narration notes that this is, in fact, a ''terrible'' idea and more likely to set ''you'' on fire than your opponent. It then notes that Walker knows this and does it anyway, [[Cloudcuckoolander|because he's Walker.]]

 

 

* Spoofed in one ''Rubes'' strip that showed a man's gravestone with the epitaph "He tried it at home". The widow viewing the grave says "I told him not to".

* Cliff Steele of the [[Doom Patrol]], to goggle-eyed youths with skateboards following one incident: "And remember kids, don't walk through plate-glass windows!"

 

 

* ''[[Jimmy Neutron]]'', in the film, remarks to [[Robot Buddy|Goddard]], "Don't try that at home" after shooting a communications <s> toaster</s> satellite into orbit ''by hand''. The important question: why say this, when 99% of households do not contain the materials to produce an upper-atmosphere rocket large enough for two human children and a robot dog?

** The remaining 1% doesn't either, for the record...

** {{spoiler|Well, yeah; cloudbursting while ''not'' driving is just staring up at the sky. [[Elvis Presley|Elvis]] used to do it.}}

* At the beginning of ''[[Beerfest]]'', a movie that (unsurprisingly) involves inhuman amounts of beer ingestion, the viewer is warned that "if you attempt to drink this much...You will die."

 

== Literature ==

** This becomes [[Hilarious in Hindsight]] as of the Walden Media movie adaptation: one of the outtakes has Edmund climbing into the wardrobe and closing the door behind him... and getting locked in.

* ''[[A Series of Unfortunate Events]]'': the second book, ''The Reptile Room'', warns the reader to never, ever, ever, ever, ever (continued for slightly more than a page) ''ever'' stick things in an electric socket. ''Ever''.

* ''[[The Red Green Show|The Red Green Book]]'' describes a fictional "game" that essentially involves drinking oneself into low-level alcohol poisoning. Understandably, that section of the book contains an editor's note that says "Do ''not'', under ''any'' circumstances, ''ever'' play this game."

* ''[[Curious George]]'': "George is a monkey, and he does things we can't do."

{{quote| "* A message from the author. Not all cauldrons are metal. You can boil water in a leather cauldron, if you know what you are doing. You can even make tea in a paper bag if you are careful and know how to do it. But please don't, or if you do, [[Plausible Deniability|don't tell anyone I told you]]."}}

** [[Call Back|One of the Tiffany Aching books had a Feegle queen boiling water in a leather cauldron.]]

* [[Roald Dahl]]'s ''George's Marvellous Medicine'' begins with a warning to children not to follow the protagonist's lead and start mixing up things they find in their medicine cabinets at home and drinking them because it might make them sick.

** Or well and truly ''dead''.

* ''[[Dave Barry]]'s Guide to Guys'' parodies this in a [[Footnote Fever|footnote]] to a passage overendowed with metaphors: "I am a professional writer. Do not try these metaphors at home."

* The commentary to several of [[Mercedes Lackey]]'s ''[[Heralds of Valdemar]]'' books discusses the author's [[Shown Their Work|love of]] equestrianism and falconry, and in one notable case is careful to point out that the Tayledras bondbirds and Valdemaran Companions are ''not'' normal animals and people should not go into these pursuits expecting real animals to behave like that.

** It was also parodied in "You spoof Discovery" - "Remember kids, don't try this at home. Even though it's ''REALLY COOL'' and we're giving you step by step instructions on how to do it!"

* Another [[Experiment Show]], ''[[Time Warp]]'', also has disclaimers. On the episode where they brought in someone to blow giant bubbles to see what they were like on the high-speed, though, the hosts said "Do try this at home, it's fun."

** The show also told viewers not to submit videos of their own stunts, and that any tapes they received would be thrown away unwatched.

* ''[[Brainiac Science Abuse]]'' not only uses this a lot, but invariably reinforces it a few seconds later with "No, really -- Don't." Often associated with putting things in microwave ovens that cause them to explode.

* There was a "shockumentary" about sharks, where one man in a wet suit was in a boat dangerously close to sharks, and trying to reach his arm out to attach a tracker (or something). The narrator then said "Don't try this at home", in a completely non-mocking, serious way. One would wonder how you could get close to a shark within your ''own home''.

** What if you're [[Austin Powers|Dr. Evil]]?

** On the whole, however, this trope is actually avoided, as with careful following of the instructions and parental supervision, you could do most of the experiments shown at home. The "safe" stunts had their own warning: "Experiments should be performed only with adult supervision, and all appropriate safety precautions should be taken. All directions should be followed exactly, and no substitutions should be used."

* ''That's Incredible'' was famous in the early 1980s for the use of this phrase to disclaim its many stunts, which was understandable considering how many real stuntmen were injured appearing on the show. However, they lampshaded themselves in a story on how a young girl spent a $5 bill containing a birthday inscription from her grandfather, and then received the same bill many years later as change for a purchase. The odds they gave (completely ignoring any multiplicity effects) for receiving that exact bill were something like six quintillion to one. The number is so high to count that they exhorted viewers '''Don't Try This At Home'''.

** In bloody red letters to boot (no pun intended).

* There was a programme on ITV with the title ''Don't Try This At Home''. It featured numerous dangerous acts including climbing up very high cliffs in awful weather and doing the tightrope inside a building.

* At the end of every [[Gladiators]] episode.

* On an episode of ''[[QI]]'' it was revealed that custard is dense enough to walk on if you have, say, a kiddie pool full of it. The panel jumped at the opportunity to tell any kids watching that they definitely ''should'' try this at home.

** The footage shown of someone actually walking on custard was from an episode of [[Brainiac Science Abuse]], which is already mentioned above. In fact, the occurence might be considered a [[Shout-Out]] to the show.

* Aversion: Appears nowhere at all in ''[[Top Gear]]'', possibly because no one watching at home has the wherewithal to do most of their more outlandish stunts.

** Although Clarkson has been told he has to look disapproving whenever something illegal is mentioned. He remembers this occasionally.

*** And, of course, he's "[[Blatant Lies|driving at the speed limit]]" in all the road tests and races.

* "''[[Captain Scarlet]]'' is indestructible. You are not. Remember this, Do not try to impersonate him."

** Zig Zagged with "[http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=266264&title=surprise-trust-falls Surprise Trust Falls]". Subverted when Daniel follows his surprise trust falls by saying, "Feel free to send us your own surprise trust falls to our website, and be careful." Doubly subverted when Daniel is "forced" to ask people to stop doing them after people start sending in [http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=267720&title=viewer-surprise-trust-falls their own videos]. Triply subverted when, after showing the surprise trust falls already sent in, Daniel says, "Screw it, keep sending them in!"

* Web Soup has a segment called "Please, please, please, for the love of God, don't try this at home!"

* [[The Young Ones]] - "The BBC would like to warn small children that putting people in old refrigerators is a bloody stupid thing to do."

* Back in the 1960s [[Bob Monkhouse]]'s ''Mad Movies'' frequently had Monkhouse telling kids never to copy dangerous stunts from silent movies.

* [[Ed The Sock]] would point out it was only OK for him to smoke because he's a puppet.

** And in a later show, when he has dropped a washing machine on his own head: a klaxon goes off, "Don't try this at home!" is flashed up as a caption... and he says "You hadn't even thought about it till I just said that, had you?"

* ''[[Cake Boss]]'' has needed to invoke this on occasion. When they made a cake for Grucci Fireworks (which included live fireworks), the episode opened with a safety warning. And then Buddy blew up a test cake trying to see how this was going to work; maybe ''he'' should have watched the safety warning.

 

== Music ==

* When the Irish music group Darby O'Gill covered [[Tom Lehrer]]'s ''The Irish Ballad'', they added this disclaimer after detailing one of the female protagonist's [[Self-Made Orphan|murders]].

* [[Songs to Wear Pants To]]'s "[http://www.songstowearpantsto.com/songs/i-am-the-reason-why-girls-are-hot/ I am The Reason Why Girls Are Hot]" ends with "Yo I got a flamethrower and a microwave \ bring any girl to me and I'll make her real hot \ Don't try this at home, kids... bring her to ''my'' house".

 

== Radio ==

 

 

== Video Games ==

 

{{quote| '''Guybrush:''' It just occurred to me that mixing medicine and alcohol is a really stupid and possibly lethal thing to do. If I were a real person instead of a lovable, inept cartoon character with the potential for a few more sequels... I wouldn't even consider it. Skoal!}}

* In ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]'', Laverne revives a hamster from cryogenic suspension by putting it in a microwave. She then [[No Fourth Wall|turns to the camera and remarks]] that you should never do this unless you have access to a [[Fantastic Aesop|highly advanced future microwave]]. "Kids who put hamsters in microwaves back where I'm from get taken away from their parents and put up for adoption. So DON'T do it!"

* Lampshaded in ''Ratchet: Deadlocked,'' which had Dallas, the male announcer spouting out random comments while you fight, say "Remember, don't try any of this at home. Go to a friend's house!"

** [[Ratchet and Clank]]'s advertising campaign made much use of this trope by demonstrating [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7T41s_Kqmk just what happens] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-HSzQ-_ggA when you] ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxhUOU9zY2E do]'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8khYM3So1Y try it at home]

* Used in a more subtle way in ''[[Saints Row]]'', during a mission after trying to find out the recipe for Loa Dust, Tobia's wife tells about what is in the Loa Dust but does not explicitly tell what exactly it is made of to the player and gives it to Shaundi instead. Given the possible controversy of teaching gamers to produce real life chemical drugs. It was a good idea anyway.

* Some [[Eroge]] come packaged with a message like this. An example can be found [http://forums.novelnews.net/showpost.php?p=59880&postcount=1 here].

** "no actual or identifiable minor was used during the process of creating the artwork or characters portrayed in this game. " unidentifiable and and non actual minors on the other hand?

* If the player falls hard in ''[[Backyard Sports|Backyard Skateboarding]]'', Erik says "Don't try this at home, kids" after landing.

* In ''[[Brutal Legend]]'', Eddie Riggs can perform an attack with the roadie unit where he holds his guitar in front of the amplifiers the roadie is carrying, and play it, hurting enemies with feedback. While doing so, he'll remind the player that he is a professional and not to do this themselves.

** The manual is more serious, stating the game is for entertainment purposes and states not to try and use the moves at home.

{{quote| '''Strong Bad:''' Kids, this may look like fun, but Strong Bad is a stunt driver on a closed course with a team of licensed crustacean wranglers backing him up. So remember, NEVER put live buttered lobsters down your pants... Unless, you know, you got five bucks riding on it. Then knock yourself out.}}

* ''Hedgewars'' [http://www.hedgewars.org/node/1444 manual], disclaimer:

* Used seriously in [[Collar 6]], which has warnings that it's a fantasy world, NOT a guide to BDSM safety.

* ''[[Amazing Super Powers]]'' did it in [http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/2008/05/watercooler/ the strip about the watercooler] (see [[Alt Text]]).

 

 

{{quote| '''Bender:''' Try this, kids at home! ''(lights self on fire)''<br />

'''Disclaimer:''' Don't try this, kids at home. }}

{{quote| '''Bender:''' You're watching ''Futurama'', the show that does not condone the cool crime of robbery.}}

*** And ''yet again in the same episode'': Farnsworth, leading an anti-Bender mob, after failing to get the Execu-bots to listen to him, pulls out a gun [[Hypocritical Humor|because it's something Bender did on TV.]]

** Maybe in the original, but never in the American version. Considering our [[Media Watchdogs]], that's rather surprising.

* Supposedly part of an aborted [[Executive Meddling|plan]] to give [[American Dragon Jake Long|Jake Long's dragon form]] helmet was based on the prospect of children imitating it. Yeah, children turning into a dragon and flying without a helmet, makes perfect sense.

** Even Rocksteady said this deliberately to the audience after he and Bebop jumped off the back of the subway train.

* A ''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' episode entitled ''Lemon Aid'' had this. Long story short, Jon, Garfield and Odie were in Jon's car, chasing another out-of-control car down a pier. Garfield leans out the window holding a harness attached to a rope, as he is about to save the man in the other car, and says to the camera, "Kids, don't try this at home. We're professionals, and also [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|we're cartoon characters]]." It was a [[Talking Is a Free Action|really long pier]].

** In another episode, Garfield leads a pursuing dog into a box for sawing someone in half. Shortly after he starts sawing the box, he pauses to tell viewers, "Don't try this at home."

* Disney's newest animated show [[Kick Buttowski]] basically is a personification of the trope.

** And in another short, after in an attempt to show how useful a vice is for randomly crushing things, Max detonates a sea mine.

{{quote| '''On second thoughts, don't try this at home. Leave it to the professional boneheads.'''}}

*** In fact, he crushes a sea mine specifically labelled "Do not crush in Dad's vice".

* ''[[The Simpsons]]'' has Homer lecture Bart after taking him to see a UFC [[Expy]], telling him "Don't try this at home. Try it at school, somewhere where we can sue if you get hurt - and not ''just'' the school, but the county, the state, and that jackass Joe Biden!"

* In the [[Space Goofs]] [[Christmas Episode]], the aliens are trying to drive away Santa Claus by lighting explosives under the chimney:

{{quote| '''Etno''': "Remember folks, don't try this at home."<br />

{{quote| '''Dukey''': "Kids, don't try this at home."}}

* An episode of ''[[I Am Weasel]]'' featured the creation of onion rings by putting onion rings all over someone's face and then sticking said face in a vat of boiling oil. The creator acknowledges that the man about to undergo this is "a professional boiling-oil stuntman" and adds that you really, ''really'' don't want to try doing this at home.

* One TV ad for the DVD release of ''[[Ice Age]]'' shows clips from the movie with the announcer saying, "Don't try this at home... or this... [[Overly Long Gag|or this...]]" over and over again as the characters do dangerous things to "[[Public Domain Soundtrack|Orpheus in the Underworld]]".

* Spoken several times in [[Tom and Jerry Kids]], usually by a human character, just before Tom was about to do something dangerous. One of them involved him splitting in two, and going around a tree from both sides.

* Even the animated series ''[[Attack of the Killer Tomatoes]]'' would have the cast members [[Lampshade Hanging|saying this from time to time]].

** [[Ur Example|Igor Smith is seen hitchhiking in the episode]] ''[[The Phantom of the Opera|The Phantomato]] [[Affectionate Parody|of the Opera]]''. A 18-wheeler passes him by, kicking up a big cloud of dust and truck exhaust in its wake.

{{quote| '''Igor:''' Kids, do '''''NOT''''' try this at home!!!}}