Stereotype Reaction Gag: Difference between revisions

* Happens a lot between John McClane and his partner-of-circumstance Zeus in ''[[Die Hard With a Vengeance]]''. McClane asks, for instance, "can you pick this lock?" Zeus calls him a racist ("Oh, all black dudes know how to pick locks, right?"), then when McClane calls him out on it, says that, yes, yes he can.

** Earlier in the movie, when McClane asks if Zeus can hotwire a car, Zeus says:

** But as it turns out, Zeus ''doesn't'' know [[Not with the Safety On, You Won't|how to use a gun]].

* Inverted in the film ''[[Soul Man]]''; The main character is a white student posing as black to scam a scolarship, and during a basketball game the white captain of the team enthusiastically chooses him for the team, assuming he must have skills. The viewer is then treated to a montage of dropped balls, fumbles, missed shots, awkward throws, and easy steals.

** In an earlier episode, Turk is upset about a series of promotional posters with his picture on them. He talks about how he's seen as only representing his race, instead of for who he is, and how they automatically assume he's good at basketball and that he loves [[Sanford and Son]]. JD reminds him that he does, in fact, love that show, and [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|they both do an acapella rendition of the theme song]] before continuing their conversation.

* Also played with in ''[[My Name Is Earl]]'' while relating a particular list item. During the course of events, Earl and his father have to replace a dealer's duffel bag full of marijuana, so they seek out Crabman.

* Used twice in a row on ''[[Spin City]]'' because Carter is a [[Twofer Token Minority]]

'''Carter:''' No, it's cool, I want in. }}

* ''[[Angel]]'' sort of had one of these in season two, when Cordelia asked Gunn if he could hotwire Angel's car when she couldn't find the keys.

* In the ''[[Royal Pains]]'' episode "If I Were A Sick Man," Evan finds out that Divya is engaged to be married. When she doesn't act enthusiastic, he asks if it's an arranged marriage. She is outraged that he would assume something like that just because she's Indian... and, yes, it's a ''strategic'' marriage.

* In ''[[30 Rock]]'', Jack accompanies Tracy to a therapy session to discuss some issues with his family. The therapist asks Tracy to imagine his father in a chair, and tells him to tell him how he feels. Tracy says it's too weird, so Jack stands in as his father instead. When Jack starts to act as his father, he uses a Redd Foxx-like voice. The therapist begs Jack to stop, but he goes on using the voice, and later adds a similar female voice as Tracy's mother. While the therapist tries to stop him, Tracy recognizes the voices as the voices of his parents, and resolves his issue. He does get offended when Jack uses a nerdy voice as "the white guy who hooked up with [Tracy's] mom" after his dad left.

** In another ''[[30 Rock|Thirty Rock]]'' episode, Liz needs to track down a Christmas present she sent to a needy family and asks for Tracy's help in talking to the postal clerk. He's incensed that she seems to think all black people know each other, but interrupts himself mid-rant to greet the clerk like the old friend she obviously is.

* An episode of ''[[Happy Days]]'' has Richie meeting a black guy named Sticks and asking him to fill in with his band. Sticks gets upset that he assumed he could play the drums; Richie explains that it's because of his nickname. Sticks tells him he's called "Sticks" because he's skinny; but yes, he ''can'' play the drums and happily sits in with the band.

* In an episode of [[The Closer]], it's subverted when rough-around-the-edges Provenza tells [[Hollywood Nerd]] Tao to talk to a Chinese family that apparently does not speak English - Tao speaks to them in English, then dryly informs Provenza that he's a third generation American, and does not speak Chinese. (He does speak Japanese, but that's because his wife is Japanese.)

** Later played straight when he knows about ninjas . . . but only because he's a nerd, not because he's Asian-American.

* Slightly inverted in an episode of ''[[Zeke and Luther]]'', Zeke speaks to his Asian postman for help. The postman says that Zeke came to him, because Zeke assumes that "all Asian men are wise karate masters". The postman is not angry, and says that he actually is a wise karate master.

== Web Comics ==

* In [[El Goonish Shive]], Elliot is trying to convince his friends to attend a [[It Makes Sense in Context|gender-switching party]]. He promises Justin that "If you come, I'll get Tedd to design me a female form with really long hair, and I'll let you style it however you want."

'''Elliot:''' No, I'm ''assuming'' it would interest you because you've played with hair at ''every opportunity I've seen''. }}

 

** This is even funnier when one knows that Takei ''loves'' to talk about himself.

* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'', during a basketball game:

'''Carl:''' I am so sick of everyone assuming I'm good at basketball because I'm African-American. ''(leaps into the air and slam dunks)'' Go Carl! Go Carl! It's my birthday! It's my birthday! Three-P! You got maaail, baby! }}

* On ''[[American Dad]]'', Steve tells Toshi to bring a camera to further their latest scheme. Toshi is incensed at the idea that Steve assumes he has a camcorder just because he's Asian. But sure enough, later on, he has a camcorder.

* ''[[Family Guy]]'' absolutely loves this one. To give just one example, in the infamous [[Lost Episode]], Peter asks a Jewish man for financial advice. When the man asks how Peter knew he was a financial planner, Peter responds "Hel-LO? 'Weinstein'?"

* In the ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'' episode "A Leaf in the Wind" [[God in Human Form|Avatar]] Korra, sole possessor of multiple [[Elemental Powers]] and a native [[Elemental Nation|Water Tribemember]], [[Downplayed Trope|Downplays]] and [[Invoked Trope|Invokes]] this by way of [[Hint Dropping]] when she asks [[Fictional Sport|Pro-Bender]] Bolin to teach her some moves to improve her [[Supernatural Martial Arts|repertoire]]. He agrees, but isn't sure how his [[Dishing Out Dirt|earthbending]] will translate to her [[Making a Splash|waterbending]]. She responds that she can earthbend, and Bolin freezes up before [[Digging Himself Deeper]], stumbling through an apology about making assumptions based on her Water Tribe clothes. After letting him squirm a little, she allows that he was right, she ''is'' a waterbender, and a [[Playing with Fire|firebender]], too. Bolin's brother does the math:

 

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