Uncomfortable Elevator Moment: Difference between revisions

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== Comic Books ==
== Comic Books ==
* There was one of these in a ''[[Superman]]'' comic: a small, nebbishy kind of fellow gets onto the elevator complaining audibly about his lot in life. Darkseid is impassively standing inside. The civilian rambles on for a few more seconds until he realises who he's actually in the lift with, at which point an Uncomfortable Elevator Moment comes about.
* There was one of these in a ''[[Superman]]'' comic: a small, nebbishy kind of fellow gets onto the elevator complaining audibly about his lot in life. Darkseid is impassively standing inside. The civilian rambles on for a few more seconds until he realises who he's actually in the lift with, at which point an Uncomfortable Elevator Moment comes about.
* Never get on an elevator with ''[[The Tick]]''. For one, he takes half the elevator due to sheer size. He also hums along with the elevator music.
* Never get on an elevator with ''[[The Tick (animation)]]''. For one, he takes half the elevator due to sheer size. He also hums along with the elevator music.




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* In the book version of ''[[American Psycho]]'', [[Complete Monster|Patrick Bateman]] makes small talk with [[Tom Cruise]] in an elevator. It even ''reads'' awkwardly in the novel.
* In the book version of ''[[American Psycho]]'', [[Complete Monster|Patrick Bateman]] makes small talk with [[Tom Cruise]] in an elevator. It even ''reads'' awkwardly in the novel.
* There's a whole chapter in [[The Pale King]] devoted to three IRS employees that are stuck in an elevator. Their resulting debates include the future of American society, presidential politics, democracy, tax law, psychology, film, and existential dread.
* There's a whole chapter in [[The Pale King]] devoted to three IRS employees that are stuck in an elevator. Their resulting debates include the future of American society, presidential politics, democracy, tax law, psychology, film, and existential dread.
* In ''[[The Hunger Games (novel)|Catching Fire]]'', the uninhibited Johanna Mason complains of the heat, strips naked, and gets on an elevator with Peeta and Katniss. It turns out later that she was deliberately [[Invoked Trope|invoking]] this trope to make Katniss uncomfortable.
* In ''[[The Hunger Games (novel)|Catching Fire]]'', the uninhibited Johanna Mason complains of the heat, strips naked, and gets on an elevator with Peeta and Katniss. It turns out later that she was deliberately [[Invoked Trope|invoking]] this trope to make Katniss uncomfortable.




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{{quote|'''Londo:''' I hate my life.
{{quote|'''Londo:''' I hate my life.
'''G'Kar:''' As do I. }}
'''G'Kar:''' As do I. }}
** ''Babylon 5'' loves this trope. Throughout the first season there were several between Talia and Garibaldi, and later one where Sheridan gets on the lift with Lennier after the latter had observed the pleasure ritual between the Captain and Delenn, in a purely religious capacity, of course.
** ''Babylon 5'' loves this trope. Throughout the first season there were several between Talia and Garibaldi, and later one where Sheridan gets on the lift with Lennier after the latter had observed the pleasure ritual between the Captain and Delenn, in a purely religious capacity, of course.
{{quote|'''Lennier:'''Woo hoo?}}
{{quote|'''Lennier:'''Woo hoo?}}
*** The moments with Talia and Garibaldi get more ridiculous when halfway through the season Talia realizes that ''every single time'' she takes the elevator, Garibaldi is already in it. Sinclair thinks that this is just coincidence, until the elevator arrives and Garibaldi is inside. Talia takes the stairs.
*** The moments with Talia and Garibaldi get more ridiculous when halfway through the season Talia realizes that ''every single time'' she takes the elevator, Garibaldi is already in it. Sinclair thinks that this is just coincidence, until the elevator arrives and Garibaldi is inside. Talia takes the stairs.
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* ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' has several elevator scenes, but the one that deserves mention is when Addison, Mer and Derek are riding the elevator together and you could cut the sexual tension with a fucking ''knife''. It's so obvious that Addison later asks Meredith if she's still sleeping with Derek.
* ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' has several elevator scenes, but the one that deserves mention is when Addison, Mer and Derek are riding the elevator together and you could cut the sexual tension with a fucking ''knife''. It's so obvious that Addison later asks Meredith if she's still sleeping with Derek.
* In the pilot of ''[[The Mentalist]]'', Patrick Jane takes the liberty of creating one between Van Pelt and Rigsby by mercilessly lampshading their [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]] beforehand.
* In the pilot of ''[[The Mentalist]]'', Patrick Jane takes the liberty of creating one between Van Pelt and Rigsby by mercilessly lampshading their [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]] beforehand.
* ''[[Leverage]]'' manages to combine several elevator tropes into one incident, in which Nate, Nate's ex-wife Maggie, and her boyfriend are handcuffed to one wall of an elevator going down while a ticking bomb is just beyond their reach. While Maggie's boyfriend breaks down crying, Maggie and Nate have a [[Now or Never Kiss]] as he watches. Then, out of nowhere, Parker drops down from the ceiling, says hi, grabs the bomb, and climbs back up out of the elevator. Cue an Incredibly [[Uncomfortable Elevator Moment]].
* ''[[Leverage]]'' manages to combine several elevator tropes into one incident, in which Nate, Nate's ex-wife Maggie, and her boyfriend are handcuffed to one wall of an elevator going down while a ticking bomb is just beyond their reach. While Maggie's boyfriend breaks down crying, Maggie and Nate have a [[Now or Never Kiss]] as he watches. Then, out of nowhere, Parker drops down from the ceiling, says hi, grabs the bomb, and climbs back up out of the elevator. Cue an Incredibly [[Uncomfortable Elevator Moment]].
* ''[[Veronica Mars]]'': In season two, in the episode best known for its ''Epic Love'' moment, Veronica, Mac, Vincent, Corny, Dick, Madison, Jackie, Wallace and others take a long uncomfortable ride up to the Alterna Prom thrown by Logan.
* ''[[Veronica Mars]]'': In season two, in the episode best known for its ''Epic Love'' moment, Veronica, Mac, Vincent, Corny, Dick, Madison, Jackie, Wallace and others take a long uncomfortable ride up to the Alterna Prom thrown by Logan.
{{quote|'''Madison:''' God, longest elevator ride ever.
{{quote|'''Madison:''' God, longest elevator ride ever.
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* A truly uncomfortable elevator scene took place in a later episode of ''[[Moonlighting]]''. Maddie had just suffered a miscarriage and chose to bury her emotions and get back to work, until she and Dave end up stuck in an elevator together. After several minutes of elevator music, Dave rips out the elevator's speaker while Maddie finally breaks down crying. Dave ends up comforting Maddie and by the time the elevator door opens again, they exit singing, "Oh What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
* A truly uncomfortable elevator scene took place in a later episode of ''[[Moonlighting]]''. Maddie had just suffered a miscarriage and chose to bury her emotions and get back to work, until she and Dave end up stuck in an elevator together. After several minutes of elevator music, Dave rips out the elevator's speaker while Maddie finally breaks down crying. Dave ends up comforting Maddie and by the time the elevator door opens again, they exit singing, "Oh What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
* ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'': The elevator's been broken for the entire series. This causes an uncomfortably long silence between Penny (who previously dated Leonard, and still lives across the hall from him) and Raj's sister Priya (who is currently dating Leonard, and on her way to see him) once in Season 4.
* ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'': The elevator's been broken for the entire series. This causes an uncomfortably long silence between Penny (who previously dated Leonard, and still lives across the hall from him) and Raj's sister Priya (who is currently dating Leonard, and on her way to see him) once in Season 4.
* In one episode of ''[[Boy Meets World]]'', [[Adult Child]] Eric makes his former mentor Mr. Feeny his [[Imaginary Friend]] to help him with his college work. At one point in the episode he gets in an elevator with a stranger and starts talking to the imaginary Feeny. The other guy is, understandibly, very creeped out.
* In one episode of ''[[Boy Meets World]]'', [[Adult Child]] Eric makes his former mentor Mr. Feeny his [[Imaginary Friend]] to help him with his college work. At one point in the episode he gets in an elevator with a stranger and starts talking to the imaginary Feeny. The other guy is, understandibly, very creeped out.
* In an episode of ''[[Mad About You]]'', as Paul goes to visit Jamie at her office, they end up on the elevator with her handsome co-worker Doug. . .who Jamie just confessed to kissing the night before. During the ride, Paul lampshades his this trope by explicitly stating, "Could anything be more awkward?". The tension genuinely ratchets up when Paul asks Jamie to leave him and Doug alone, then proceeds to tell him off, finishing by asking him, "Did you think I was going to hit you?" When Doug confirms that this was indeed his fear, Paul snaps, "Good."
* In an episode of ''[[Mad About You]]'', as Paul goes to visit Jamie at her office, they end up on the elevator with her handsome co-worker Doug. . .who Jamie just confessed to kissing the night before. During the ride, Paul lampshades his this trope by explicitly stating, "Could anything be more awkward?". The tension genuinely ratchets up when Paul asks Jamie to leave him and Doug alone, then proceeds to tell him off, finishing by asking him, "Did you think I was going to hit you?" When Doug confirms that this was indeed his fear, Paul snaps, "Good."
* On ''[[ER]]'', Doug chases after Carol to apologize for showing up drunk at her apartment the previous night, uninvited and unannounced and disrupting her evening with her boyfriend. Carol slyly manipulates things so that he ends up on the elevator with her boyfriend. . .who proceeds to ''pleasantly'' tell him that he understands that he isn't over Carol. Doug, who was clearly expecting to be verbally, if not physically eviscerated, is left looking completely gobsmacked by this turn of events.
* On ''[[ER]]'', Doug chases after Carol to apologize for showing up drunk at her apartment the previous night, uninvited and unannounced and disrupting her evening with her boyfriend. Carol slyly manipulates things so that he ends up on the elevator with her boyfriend. . .who proceeds to ''pleasantly'' tell him that he understands that he isn't over Carol. Doug, who was clearly expecting to be verbally, if not physically eviscerated, is left looking completely gobsmacked by this turn of events.
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== Web Comics ==
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]'' subverts and [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] its usual practice of having large plot-altering events every hundredth strip by throwing in one of these for [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html #600].
* ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]'' subverts and [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] its usual practice of having large plot-altering events every hundredth strip by throwing in one of these for [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html #600].
* ''[[Boy Meets Boy]]'' features a moment where Harley and Mik are about to get intimate, only for the frame to pan out, revealing they're in the middle of an elevator with a group of uncomfortable passengers.
* ''[[Boy Meets Boy]]'' features a moment where Harley and Mik are about to get intimate, only for the frame to pan out, revealing they're in the middle of an elevator with a group of uncomfortable passengers.
* ''[[Everyday Heroes]]'' has a couple of superheroes [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=80198 riding the elevator] up to the office, while the Muzak is playing {{spoiler|"Did I ever tell you you're my hero?" from the song "Wind Beneath My Wings".}}
* ''[[Everyday Heroes]]'' has a couple of superheroes [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=80198 riding the elevator] up to the office, while the Muzak is playing {{spoiler|"Did I ever tell you you're my hero?" from the song "Wind Beneath My Wings".}}
* ''[[Subnormality]]'' illustrates the effect [http://www.viruscomix.com/page538.html here].
* ''[[Subnormality]]'' illustrates the effect [http://www.viruscomix.com/page538.html here].
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* There's a story about how when Paul Wolfowitz was president of the World Bank, he found himself in an elevator with a woman wearing a blue ribbon and asked her what it meant. She told him it was being worn by World Bank employees petitioning for his resignation.
* There's a story about how when Paul Wolfowitz was president of the World Bank, he found himself in an elevator with a woman wearing a blue ribbon and asked her what it meant. She told him it was being worn by World Bank employees petitioning for his resignation.
* Jonah Hill tells a story on the Jimmy Kimmel show of partying with P Diddy in Vegas and being in a crowded elevator with his entourage and Jermaine Dupree. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtw9JjZK7Tc Jonah while drunk decided to make a joke.]
* Jonah Hill tells a story on the Jimmy Kimmel show of partying with P Diddy in Vegas and being in a crowded elevator with his entourage and Jermaine Dupree. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtw9JjZK7Tc Jonah while drunk decided to make a joke.]
* In mid 2011 Rebecca Watson, known for writing on the popular science blog Skepchick, had one at an atheist conference in Dublin. A man asked her if she'd like to have coffee with her... in his bedroom. It was four in the morning and they'd never met before.
* In mid 2011 Rebecca Watson, known for writing on the popular science blog Skepchick, had one at an atheist conference in Dublin. A man asked her if she'd like to have coffee with her... in his bedroom. It was four in the morning and they'd never met before.
** She made [http://skepchick.org/2011/06/about-mythbusters-robot-eyes-feminism-and-jokes/ a video] about it, and how uncomfortable she felt. Various people suggested that she was overreacting, and she responded to one of these responders (arguably putting her on the spot). When the outcry about ''that'' got [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/always_name_names.php attention from] the very widely read blog Pharyngula, the whole thing grew into a fracas dubbed "[[Scandalgate|elevatorgate]]" and "Rebeccapocalypse". Arguments were had over whether or not the moment in question was completely acceptable (given modern norms of flirting), or awkward, or creepy, or outright threatening (given that an elevator is a place lacking opportunity for immediate escape). Things got aggravated when famous atheist [[Richard Dawkins]], in deep [[Sarcasm Mode]], [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/always_name_names.php#comment-4295492 said] -- oppressed muslim women shouldn't complain, western women are asked out in elevators! The shitstorm lasted several months, and raised questions over whether the "new atheist" community would experience a schism (which might be perceived as ironic in the same spirit as the [[Rebellious Rebel]]).
** She made [http://skepchick.org/2011/06/about-mythbusters-robot-eyes-feminism-and-jokes/ a video] about it, and how uncomfortable she felt. Various people suggested that she was overreacting, and she responded to one of these responders (arguably putting her on the spot). When the outcry about ''that'' got [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/always_name_names.php attention from] the very widely read blog Pharyngula, the whole thing grew into a fracas dubbed "[[Scandalgate|elevatorgate]]" and "Rebeccapocalypse". Arguments were had over whether or not the moment in question was completely acceptable (given modern norms of flirting), or awkward, or creepy, or outright threatening (given that an elevator is a place lacking opportunity for immediate escape). Things got aggravated when famous atheist [[Richard Dawkins]], in deep [[Sarcasm Mode]], [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/always_name_names.php#comment-4295492 said] -- oppressed muslim women shouldn't complain, western women are asked out in elevators! The shitstorm lasted several months, and raised questions over whether the "new atheist" community would experience a schism (which might be perceived as ironic in the same spirit as the [[Rebellious Rebel]]).


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