# Tired Sight Gags (Possible Spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611 "2002-05-17T20:26:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/1 "2002-05-17T20:26:08Z")
Having just opened the dishwasher without shutting it off first, I was reminded of the sight gag where someone is sprayed with something and they don’t move. They just stand there and let it happen. (I moved. I moved really fast.) One such scene is from an otherwise great movie, _Meet the Parents_. Nobody moves when the truck wheel starts spinning and the shit literally flies. They stand still like statues while being sprayed from head to toe with sewage. Are there sight gags like this that just make you want to throw something at the screen? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/2 "2002-05-17T20:59:19Z")
If I never see the “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin (usually followed by an “ooooh!” face, slowly falling over, then lying quietly until asked if they’re ok, to which they reply something in a WACKY falsetto voice.)” again it’ll be too soon for me. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/3 "2002-05-17T21:11:33Z")
> [@](#): > > I never see the “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin (usually followed by an “ooooh!” face, slowly falling over, then lying quietly until asked if they’re ok, to which they reply something in a WACKY falsetto voice.)” again it’ll be too soon for me. But an “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin” is funny on so many levels! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/4 "2002-05-17T21:35:29Z")
Psst… hey Hollywood, nuns haven’t worn floor length gowns since I was in first grade. That was 35 years ago. So, next time you’re tempted to have a geeky guy get caught naked (or in the middle of some embarrassing sexual hijinks), please refrain from having him encounter a group of nuns in old-style habits. It was NEVER all that funny, and now it’s hopelessly outdated. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/5 "2002-05-17T22:39:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\*If I never see the “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin (usually followed by an “ooooh!” face, slowly falling over, then lying quietly until asked if they’re ok, to which they reply something in a WACKY falsetto voice.)” again it’ll be too soon for me. \*\* …or… “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin” had an accidental knee/ball/object to the groin… ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/6 "2002-05-17T22:55:43Z")
How about the old “car/truck/computer/spaceship doesn’t start, you pound/kick it, it starts right up” gag. Has this _ever_ worked in real life? ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/7 "2002-05-17T23:41:21Z")
Every time you see a big elaborate cake being carried by two men in chef’s whites you just **know** that it’s going to end up flying into the air and landing on the meanest bitch in the room. Has this _ever_ really happened? ---
**Author:** ![epraz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/82dd89/32.png) [@epraz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epraz)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/8 "2002-05-18T00:00:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\* > > …or… > > “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin” had an accidental knee/ball/object to the groin… \*\* Give that man the $10,000! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/9 "2002-05-18T00:07:54Z")
When the obvious sight gag _isn’t_ used, it’s often a lot funnier. Two _Simpsons_ bits that come to mind are: [ul][li]Krusty relaxing at home. Picks up old-style seltzer bottle. Shoots exactly the right amount into his drink and sits down.[/li][li]Civil War tour guide talks about ancient cannon to crowd. Explains how very delicate and sensitive old cannons are, and it would be a shame if it went off since it’s pointed directly at the main support beam of that sentry post over there. Schoolbus comes careening into fort, knocks cannon over. Tour guide: “Of course, we don’t keep the cannon loaded. It’s just common sense.”[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/10 "2002-05-18T00:50:26Z")
Two guys are carrying a big pane of glass across a street. Ooh, look out! That’s fragile! Hee hee hee. Hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/11 "2002-05-18T01:23:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CaptMurdock \* > \*\*How about the old “car/truck/computer/spaceship doesn’t start, you pound/kick it, it starts right up” gag. Has this _ever_ worked in real life? \*\* One of my friends once had an old car (an Opel, IIRC) and once when it wouldn’t start he was sufficiently annoyed to kick at the firewall before trying to start it one last time. It started right up. This happened several times after that; apparently there was an intermittant short in the wiring and kicking the firewall would fix the problem temporarily. He never had the money to spare to have the electrical system checked, and he referred to the “kick the firewall if it doesn’t start” maneuver as his Polish security system. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/12 "2002-05-18T05:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nineiron \* > \*\*Two guys are carrying a big pane of glass across a street. Ooh, look out! That’s fragile! Hee hee hee. Hilarious. \*\* Actually, I was going to post this! The one time I’ve ever seen it done well was in Wayne’s World 2, where these guys were loading up crated chickens, fruit stands, stacked boxes, and walking back and forth across the street with a huge pane of glass, for no apparent reason. Near the end, there’s a car chase which, predictably, does exactly what you’d expect it to do: crashes through the fruit, boxes, chickens, and glass. The workmen smile to each other and say, “out work here is done.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/13 "2002-05-18T05:27:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NDP \* > \*\*But an “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin” is funny on so many levels! \*\* 'Nuff said. (Hey, I just think I just won an argument with that statement.) –The new clown in town ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/14 "2002-05-18T05:36:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NDP \* > \*\*But an “accidental knee/ball/random object-to-the-groin” is funny on so many levels! \*\* 'Nuff said. (Hey, I just think I just won an argument with that statement.) –The new clown in town ---
**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:** [May 18, 2002, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/15 "2002-05-18T06:11:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nineiron \* > \*\*Two guys are carrying a big pane of glass across a street. Ooh, look out! That’s fragile! Hee hee hee. Hilarious. \*\* It actually worked fairly well in _What’s Up Doc_ pretty well, but it only worked because it was a send up of the usually gag. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/16 "2002-05-18T07:17:09Z")
Or the one in the simpsons where the guys manage to avoid both Bart and Marge and then proceed to dump the glass in the dumpster. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/17 "2002-05-18T08:06:47Z")
Spit-take. I’ve never seen anyone older than six months spew liquids like a fountain. It’s just messy. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/18 "2002-05-18T15:02:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by epraz \* > \*\*Give that man the $10,000! \*\* **epraz** , this is a film festival, not _America’s Funniest Home Videos_. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/19 "2002-05-18T15:49:37Z")
Any Three Stooges episode that takes place at a fancy home will always end up with a pie fight. ---
**Author:** ![arara123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@arara123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arara123)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611/20 "2002-05-18T16:47:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\* > It actually worked fairly well in _What’s Up Doc_ pretty well, but it only worked because it was a send up of the usually gag. \*\* It also worked well in _ **Run Lola Run** _. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tired-sight-gags-possible-spoilers/109611.md?page=2)