Difference between revisions of "Lampshade hanging"

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On ''[[Futurama]]'', writers almost take pride in using this technique.
On ''[[Futurama]]'', writers almost take pride in using this technique.


* In "[[Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?]]", [[Amy]] tells [[Bender]] that his beer belly is so big his door won't close, to which she adds "and that doesn't even make sense".
* [[Amy]] tells [[Bender]] that his beer belly is so big his door won't close, to which she adds "and that doesn't even make sense" {{et|2ACV05}}.
* In "[[The Deep South]]", after [[Zoidberg]]'s underwater house burns down, he asks how it could have possibly happened, to which [[Hermes]] responds with "That's a very good question", and moments later when [[Bender]] picks up his cigar from the remains of Zoidberg's house and continues smoking it, Hermes says "That just raises further questions!"
* After [[Zoidberg]]'s underwater house burns down {{et|2ACV12}}, he asks how it could have possibly happened, to which [[Hermes]] responds with "That's a very good question", and, moments later, when [[Bender]] picks up his cigar from the remains of Zoidberg's house and continues smoking it, Hermes says "That just raises further questions!"
* In "[[Godfellas]]", after [[Bender]] has been thrown back to [[Earth]] and lands before [[Fry]] and [[Leela]], in what would be a completely improbable event, Leela describes the situation as "by a wide margin the least likely thing that has ever happened".
* After [[Bender]] has been thrown back to [[Earth]] and lands before [[Fry]] and [[Leela]] {{et|3ACV20}}, in what would be a completely improbable event, Leela describes the situation as "by a wide margin the least likely thing that has ever happened".
* In "[[A Clockwork Origin]], the [[Planet Express Crew]] are being attacked by robo-dinosaurs. Before anything can happen to them, a freak {{w|EMP}} short-circuits the robotic dinosaurs. Leela describes the occurrence as "convenient."
* The [[Planet Express Crew]] are being attacked by [[Robo-Dinosaurs]] {{et|6ACV09}}. Before anything can happen to them, a freak {{w|EMP}} short-circuits the animals. Leela describes the occurrence as "convenient."


== External links ==
== External links ==


*"{{w|Lampshade hanging}}" on Wikipedia.
*{{w|Lampshade hanging}} on Wikipedia.
*[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LampshadeHanging "Lampshade Hanging" on TVTropes].
*[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LampshadeHanging Lampshade hanging] on TVTropes.


[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Writing techniques]]
[[Category:Writing techniques]]

Revision as of 21:13, 6 March 2011

Lampshade hanging is a writing technique or trope used in fiction to get out of an unusual event or simply bad writing.

After something exceedingly unlikely or unusual occurs, which would otherwise put the viewer in a disbelief position, having one of the characters in the scene announce its unusualness makes it seem obvious to both viewers and characters that what has just happened is very unusual and thus it can be accepted as part of the plot.

Examples

On Futurama, writers almost take pride in using this technique.

  • Amy tells Bender that his beer belly is so big his door won't close, to which she adds "and that doesn't even make sense" (2ACV05).
  • After Zoidberg's underwater house burns down (2ACV12), he asks how it could have possibly happened, to which Hermes responds with "That's a very good question", and, moments later, when Bender picks up his cigar from the remains of Zoidberg's house and continues smoking it, Hermes says "That just raises further questions!"
  • After Bender has been thrown back to Earth and lands before Fry and Leela (3ACV20), in what would be a completely improbable event, Leela describes the situation as "by a wide margin the least likely thing that has ever happened".
  • The Planet Express Crew are being attacked by Robo-Dinosaurs (6ACV09). Before anything can happen to them, a freak EMP short-circuits the animals. Leela describes the occurrence as "convenient."

External links