# Best Fourth-Wall Breaking Moments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840 "2021-03-13T18:49:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/41 "2021-03-14T13:10:21Z")
This only cracks the 4th wall, but I like how on _Psych_ and \*Monk", whenever they would mention the number of cases solved, it would be equal to the number of cases in aired episodes. And on _Monk_ they would often mention about police budgets and maybe not rehiring Monk where they are talking about budgets for the show and possible cancellation. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/42 "2021-03-14T13:15:14Z")
Oh, and the crazy stalker Sarah Silverman episode of _Monk_ where she referrs to cases he has solved by the episode titles. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/43 "2021-03-14T13:58:38Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Sarah Silverman episode of _Monk_ And makes an obvious comment about the theme music of _Monk_ changing by complaining about the theme music of the in-universe cop show. ---
**Author:** ![bikergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@bikergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bikergeek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/44 "2021-03-14T14:15:27Z")
Not quite fiction, but there’s a great fourth-wall break in the mockumentary _24 Hour Party People_, the story of Factory Records out of Manchester England and associated bands Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, _et. al._ Anyway, there’s a scene that takes place after a Buzzcocks show where BBC presenter Tony Wilson is enjoying a shag in the back of a van with a groupie, and is discovered _in flagrante_ by his wife. Angry, she storms off and has a quickie of her own with Buzzcocks lead singer Howard DeVoto in the clubs’ toilets. (DeVoto was initially the lead singer; Pete Shelley took over frontman duties in 1977.) A janitor in the background in the toilet turns to the camera and says: “I’m the real Howard DeVoto. That never happened.” Oh and I can’t believe no one’s mentioned the post-credits “stinger” to _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_ yet: “What are you still doing here? The movie’s over! Go!” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/45 "2021-03-14T14:57:01Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > A good one is Eddie Murphy’s glance at the camera in _Trading Places_ when one of the Duke brothers mentions bacon, the “kind you might have on a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.” This is a great one because of how it signals to us that Eddie’s character knows that we know he is intelligent and that these guys are incredibly condescending. That one glance at us signals, “Can you believe how little they think of me as a black guy from the streets?” and I love it. > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > - but I gather the US version did something similar. Kevin Spacey has a great episode where he does not speak to the camera the entire episode and he does horrible things. At the end, he finally looks sideways to the camera and say, “Oh, hey, I bet you thought I forgot about you…” It’s pretty well done and kind of scary. It’s the best moment in the US version. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/46 "2021-03-14T15:06:31Z")
**[A Futile and Stupid Gesture](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5566790/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_8)**: Martin Mull breaks the 4th wall all the way through the movie. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/47 "2021-03-14T15:32:00Z")
Going back, _Nanook of the North_ has a moment when Nanook looks at the camera and smiles, ackowleging there’s a camera crew in his home. It was a documentary, but it was the start of a trope that often appears in mocumentary shows. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/48 "2021-03-14T15:56:46Z")
Gentlemen Jack. Many great scenes with Suranne Jones speaking or looking at the audience. The Director Sally Wainwright explains why it was important. [https://www.hbo.com/gentleman-jack/sally-wainwright-suranne-jones-q-and-a](https://www.hbo.com/gentleman-jack/sally-wainwright-suranne-jones-q-and-a) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/49 "2021-03-14T15:59:17Z")
_Fleabag_ does this to great effect, finally culminating in the big surprise in season 2. Hot Priest noticing her interacting with audience ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/50 "2021-03-14T18:23:58Z")
The violently mediocre sitcom **Yes, Dear** did a great episode that included a subplot involving getting a new couch and rearranging the living room. As a result, the couch faces away from the audience and the dialog discusses how it should be better like that, but something is just wrong. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OqBk7Ud_Ls&t=877) This was the bit of breaking the 4th wall that made me start a similar thread 18 years ago. Lots of great new 4th wall breaks since then. At least your spelling was better than mine. > [@Breaking the Forth Wall](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-the-forth-wall/182384): > > There’s something about actors addressing the audience, either in or out of character, that gets me. Sure, it’s often used as a cheap gag, but sometimes it just clicks perfectly. From the Marx Brothers to Bugs Bunny to On the Road movies, it’s been used by the best and worst. It’s been used in movies, TV, radio, books, comics, you name it. Some that stick in my mind are the many great uses in the On The Road series mainly by Bob Hope, David Attison on Moonlighting had some really great bits … ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/51 "2021-03-15T02:08:17Z")
> [@bikergeek](#): > > Angry, she storms off and has a quickie of her own with Buzzcocks lead singer Howard DeVoto in the clubs’ toilets. (DeVoto was initially the lead singer; Pete Shelley took over frontman duties in 1977.) > > A janitor in the background in the toilet turns to the camera and says: “I’m the real Howard DeVoto. That never happened.” Tiny bit different. (DeVoto doesn’t identify himself, so his character’s confusion remains an inside joke if you don’t recognize him or have an insufferable Factory Records fan sitting next to you elbowing you all the time.) Here’s TvTropes’ description, which is how I remember it: > In another scene, Tony’s wife Lindsay has sex with Magazine singer Howard Devoto (after catching Tony cheating on her); the film Tony (and in the DVD commentary, the _real_ Tony) states that the story never happened, and the real Howard Devoto makes a cameo in the scene as a janitor, only to break the fourth wall and tell the audience “I _definitely_ don’t remember this happening.” ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/52 "2021-03-15T03:38:50Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8dSyaTbmvT4/hqdefault.jpg "Porky swears") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dSyaTbmvT4) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/53 "2021-03-15T04:03:45Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > > Speaking of which: straightforward comedies that break the fourth wall, yeah, granted, that can be good stuff, I like it just fine. But when the new James Bond noted that this never happened to the other fella? > > That was in _Return of the Man from UNCLE_ , where George Lazemby played “J.B.” Lazenby said “This never happened to the other fella” in the opening scene of _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_, right after saving Diana Rigg from drowning and then fighting off two goons, only to have Rigg drive away. Can’t really blame him for poking fun at the Bond Franchise in UNCLE after they threw all that money at Connery to come back for the lamentable _Diamonds Are Forever_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/54 "2021-03-15T06:51:10Z")
In _Never Give a Sucker an Even Break_, W. C. Fields goes into an ice cream shop and orders an ice cream soda. He then turns to the camera and says “This scene’s supposed to be in a saloon but the censor cut it out. It’ll play just as well this way.” Then he blows the head off the soda. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/55 "2021-03-15T07:14:09Z")
_Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back_ features a few. One if when Mark Hamill (as supervillain Cock-knocker) gets his hand cut off, and says in an aside, “not again.” One when Ben Affleck (as Holden McNeil), Jay and Bob are talking about why anyone would pay money to see a couple of one-dimensional characters in a starring role, they all turn and look at the camera. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/56 "2021-03-15T15:11:45Z")
Here is an emphatically non-comedic example: _The Mission_ (Robert deNiro, Jeremy Irons) has a frame story, in which a cardinal is writing a letter to the Pope, telling of all the doom and destruction in the movie. After the closing credits roll, we return the the cardinal at his desk. He finishes the letter and looks at the camera, with a look of remorse in his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/57 "2021-03-15T16:23:47Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The audience silhouettes in Looney Tunes always confused me as a kid watching them on a TV set. My favorite as a kid was in Magical Maestro when a hair shows up onscreen and the character plucks it and tosses it away. You can see it here around 3:50. [![](https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/1032389381-48bd52b502a193b8a899af11a9ce120621f0fab77a49ba8303da4d7574346006-d?f=webp "Magical maestro") ](https://vimeo.com/498867246) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/58 "2021-03-15T18:12:13Z")
My favorite isn’t a line, just a look. It’s in **The Naked Gun**. Leslie Nielsen, as Detective Inspector Drebbin, is in a restaurant. Asked if he wants a drink, he says “What’s the strongest thing you have?” Out comes a bodybuilder and flexes. Drebbin says “Just give me a Black Russian.” The waiter just looks up to the camera and shakes his head, ever so slightly. It’s so much better than if they actually acted it out. That look says “We can bring out a black guy dressed up in Russian clothes and doing that squat-dancing, but you can fill in the gag on your own. we ain’t gonna do it.” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/59 "2021-03-15T18:30:49Z")
That’s actually from the second film: _Naked Gun 2 1/2 - the Smell of Fear_ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840/60 "2021-03-15T18:31:52Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > My favorite as a kid was in Magical Maestro when a hair shows up onscreen and the character plucks it and tosses it away. That’s a great bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fourth-wall-breaking-moments/937840.md?page=4)