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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|
'''Dilbert''' (thinking): Please don't be [[Trope Namer|sidetracked by the analogy]].
'''[[Pointy-Haired Boss]]:''' Since when do eagles use software? }}
To a character who is [[Literal
Suffice to say, this is [[Truth in Television]], to the point that one of the best identifying marks of a good leader is that he can keep a conversation focused on a single topic without having it go off into completely irrational directions.
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{{examples}}
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* A variation in ''[[Ef a Tale of Memories]]'' has Chihiro explaining a math problem she {{spoiler|supposedly}} read once in school, about how long it would take a sheep tethered x feet from a pole to eat all the grass in the surrounding circle. Chihiro thought of the implied end of the story, about how the sheep would eventually starve to death, rather than the math problem it was setting up.
* Similar to the above, an episode of ''[[
== Comic Books ==
* Jimmy from ''[[Empire State]]''. At one point, he manages to distract ''himself'' while writing a letter: he's confessing his romantic feelings for a close friend, and he catches himself going off on tangents like describing [[Real Dreams Are Weirder|the sort of things he normally dreams about]], or criticizing the movie ''[[Kate and Leopold]]'' for [[Time Paradox|not resolving the Grandfather Paradox]].
== Film ==
* In ''[[Life of Brian]]'', Brian's attempt at the Sermon on the Mound goes over like this.▼
{{quote|'''Audience:''' Consider the lilies?
▲* In [[Life of Brian]], Brian's attempt at the Sermon on the Mound goes over like this.
'''
'''
'''
'''Audience
▲'''Brian:''' Well, have they got jobs?<br />
'''
'''
'''Audience
'''Audience
'''
'''Audience 3:''' Well, good luck to 'em.
'''Audience
'''Brian:''' Okay, and you're much more important than they are, right? So, what are you worrying about? There you are. See?
▲'''Brian:''' Okay, and you're much more important than they are, right? So, what are you worrying about? There you are. See?<br />
'''Brian:''' I haven't got anything against the birds. Consider the lilies.
▲'''Audience 1:''' I'm worrying about what you have got against birds.<br />
'''
'''Audience 1:''' Oh, give the flowers a chance. }}
== Literature ==
* In [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy|Hitchhiker's Guide]]'' novel ''[[Life the Universe And Everything]]'', Ford Prefect refuses to help Slartibartfast in a mission, describing their chances as like 'A whelk's chance in a supernova'. Cue a page of dialogue as Arthur Dent wonders why, when nothing can survive in a supernova, Ford chose a whelk in particular.
* [[Discworld
** In ''[[
** By ''[[
** Ridcully's brother Hughnon is just as bad. Witness his conversation with Vetinari in ''[[The Truth]]''. (Here's a hint: Vetinari's not actually talking about sending prawns over the clacks.)
** Most Ankh-Morporkians have occasional flashes of this. Commander Vimes thinks it's something in the water.
** One former patrician actually passed a ''law'' requiring accuracy of statements and metaphors. If you say a woman had a face that launched a thousand ships, you damn well better have the manifests to prove it. He eventually met his end in a swordfight against a disgruntled poet armed with a very, very, very, sharp pen.
** Most dwarfs tend to be very literal-minded, which is the case with Carrot (who was raised by dwarfs) as well. For example, you shouldn't tell a dwarf [[
** When [[
* Sort of [[Inverted Trope]] in ''[[The Laundry Series|The Atrocity Archives]]'' by [[Charles Stross]]: Brains is devoting considerable time and energy to proving that it ''is'' possible to make an omelette without breaking eggs, but he instantly abandons this project to give moral support to Bob when their bosses drop him in it, pointing out that Bob's situation is what the phrase is actually ''about''.
* ''[[Welkin Weasels]]'': Spindrick Sylver's anarchist associate promises to set up a machine which will blow the city to Kingdom Come, and promptly ruins the drama by musing on whether there's a corresponding "Kingdom Go".
* In [[Star Trek: Ex Machina]], Commodore Fein turns a discussion about Captain Kirk's love for the ''Enterprise'' into a semi-Non-Sequitur about art, after Kirk mentions the Mona Lisa as something else people don't get tired of staring at.
{{quote|
Kirk opened his mouth, but couldn't find a response to that. }}
▲== Live Action TV ==
* On ''[[Victorious]]'': "Well, take this coconut, for example... brown, spherical, covered with short, fibrous hairs that... What were we talking about?"
* ''[[Scrubs]]'': J.D. wonders why Kelso cares so much about one particular person and asks if he donated a wing to the hospital. Kelso responds, "He donated a wing, a breast, and a thigh... yes, in this analogy, the hospital is a chicken." J.D. outwardly acts offended at the patronizing explanation, but then thinks to himself, "Why would the hospital be a chicken?"
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* Bernard Woolley, the Principal Private Secretary in ''[[Yes Minister]]'' was annoyingly pedantic about mixed metaphors. At least the other characters found it annoying, to the audience it's very amusing:
** For example:
{{quote|
'''Sir Humphrey:''' He's in the PM's pocket.
'''Bernard Woolley:''' "Then the PM must have a large ear." }}
** Or:
{{quote|
'''Bernard Woolley:''' "You can't stab anyone in the back, while you spit in their face." }}
** Pehaps the best example is in "Bed Of Nails", where Bernard gets all three wrapped up into a completely irrelevant discussion about gift horses, Trojan horses and Latin declension, totally ignoring the subject matter at hand
* ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' has [[The Spock|Spock]], who, being [[Literal
{{quote|
'''Spock:''' Why would I wish to aim at such a structure? }}
** This is made even funnier by the fact that, during the exchange, Kirk is supporting Spock on his recently flayed back. Spock is taking his sweet time doing whatever it is that requires Kirk to lift him so painfully, and Spock's confusion at the analogy only forces Kirk to endure the pain of his injuries even longer.
** Another good example is when Spock does this in "I, Mudd" to Harry Mudd, this time possibly out of genuine bafflement.
{{quote|
'''Spock''': I fail to see why I should induce my mother to purchase falsified patents.
'''Mudd''': ...Nevermind. }}
** It's [[Justified Trope|justified]] in ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'', as Spock is [[Back
{{quote|
'''Spock''': How will playing cards help? }}
** Early in [[Star Trek V: The Final Frontier]], Kirk, McCoy and Spock sing "Row Row Row Your Boat" as a round. Cut to Spock, still awake, presumably some hours later:
{{quote|
** And naturally in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', Data fulfills this role, for example, pointing out that to "burn the midnight oil" would trigger the fire suppression systems.
** This sort of thing happens in the novels, too. In one scene in the final book of the [[Star Trek: A Time to...]] series, two alien characters are discussing politics and one becomes sidetracked by the other's use of a human metaphor. When confronted with the phrase "a lame duck", Ra'ch B'ullhy (a Damiani) has to ask how a lame waterfowl fits the situation. Worf points out "it ''is'' a human metaphor; they are often abtruse".
* [[Stargate SG-1|Teal'c]] does this a lot. One of the best (and best remembered) instances occurs early on when SG-1 was cut off from the Stargate by a Goa'uld attack:
{{quote|
'''Teal'c''': Things will not calm down, Daniel Jackson. They will, in fact, calm ''up''. }}
** Lampshaded in another instance, where the SGC is offering heavy water to a civilization to help their war effort in exchange for technology, Jackson objects:
{{quote|
'''Teal'c''': We are in fact offering water.
'''O'Neill''': ''[to Teal'c]'' Thank you!
'''Jackson''': I was speaking metaphorically.
'''O'Neill''': Well, stop it! It's not fair to Teal'c. }}
** Don't forget this classic:
{{quote|
'''Bra'tac''': No, the bridge is too well guarded. }}
*** Hilariously, this is later appropriated by Bra'tac and used for ''every situation'':
{{quote|
'''O'Neill''': You know, that doesn't work...for every... }}
** Notably, in later seasons Teal'c evolves beyond this, and starts making jokes at his own expense:
{{quote|
* Panel quiz show ''[[QI]]'' does this sort of as part of its
{{quote|
'''Stephen Fry''': Ebony and ivory are together on my piano keyboard, why can't they be?
'''Alan Davies''', after a second's pause: What, you mean a kind of squirrel-fur keyboard?
'''Rob Brydon''': That's barbaric. Are you saying you want pianos clad in the pelt of a squirrel? Because if that's what you are saying, Fry, then you should be stopped. }}
* Temperance "[[Bones]]" Brennan fails to understand metaphors pretty regularly, although she's gotten better at it in recent seasons.
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== Machinima ==
* From ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'':
{{quote|
'''Tucker:''' Church, it kinda looks more like a triangle from down here.
'''Church:''' What?
'''Tucker:''' I'm just saying it doesn't really look like a circle, it looks more like we're forming a triangle. Just a side note.
'''Church:''' Okay, fine, triangle of confusion, rhombus of terror, parabola of mystery, who cares!? Get the goddamn show on the road! }}
▲== Mythology & Religion ==
* [[Older Than Feudalism]]: We find this in the Gospels of the ''[[The Bible|New Testament]]'' frequently: when [[Main Character|Jesus]] delivers a parable, people will sometimes demonstrate this trope.
{{quote|
''Disciples:'' "[[Comically Missing the Point|He's upset that we didn't bring any bread!]]" }}
== Newspaper Comics ==
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** This shows up quite frequently in ''[[Dilbert]]'' - Scott Adams has admitted bad analogies are a pet peeve of his.
* Also from Matt Groening, in one ''[[Life in Hell]]'' strip, Binky is reading the news and how depressing it is and comments, "We're like the frog in a pan who is slowly being boiled to death and doesn't realize it!" and his son Bongo sobs, "That poor little frog!"
== Radio ==
* In an episode of ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]'', this is done with a ''sound effect.''
{{quote|
''(sound of doorbell ringing, followed by mooing)''
'''Humph:''' That's right, [[A Worldwide Punomenon|when the cows come home.]] So now...
'''Graeme:''' Had the cows forgotten their keys?
'''Humph:''' ...What?
'''Graeme:''' Well, why did they use the doorbell?
'''Barry:''' [[Incredibly Lame Pun|Their horns weren't working.]]
''([[Collective Groan]] from audience)''
'''Graeme:''' That's right, milk it. }}
== Video Games ==
* Innocent little Colette from ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' is very prone to this, often dragging off conversations in very strange directions once a metaphor or figure of speech is thrown into a conversation. On occasion, it overlaps with [[Metaphorgotten]].
{{quote|
==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120115183501/http://www.pvponline.com/2010/11/18/hatters-gotta-hat/ This] strip of ''[[PvP]]'', where the characters get sidetracked by the fact that Cole says, "I'm here to apologize, hat in hand," yet doesn't actually have a hat.
* [http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=369 This] [[Questionable Content]] strip.
* [http://www.nedroid.com/2011/08/economoline This] [[Nedroid]] strip.
* [http://www.goblinscomic.com/comic/06232006/ This] ''[[Goblins]]'' strip begins:
{{quote|
'''Complains-of-Names''': Wouldn't paint dry really fast in hell? }}
== Web Original ==
* From ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series]]'', on why Tristan threw Bakura's ring away:
{{quote|
'''Joey:''' Freddie would never marry Jason. Besides, Freddie's ''already'' married--''[[Serious Business|to his job]].'' }}
* From ''[[Dragon Ball Abridged]]'', where Goku and Vegeta are getting ready for their battle:
{{quote|
'''Vegeta:''' It means I'm of the upper class. A finer breed, the highest grade of warrior!
'''Goku:''' ...
'''Vegeta:''' ''[groans]'' Okay, consider yourself beef jerky while I'm filet mignon.
'''Goku:''' Ooh, I like both those things!
'''Vegeta:''' ...I'm going to start beating you now. I don't know when I'll stop. }}
* In ''[[The Guild]]'', [[Cloudcuckoolander|Clara]] is confronted by her husband about her inability to give up gaming for her family.
{{quote|
'''Clara''': Oh, I love chocolate bunnies!
'''George''': What...did that have to do with anything?
'''Clara''': They're hollow and you eat them, ''duh''. }}
== Western Animation ==
* One episode of ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' has Marge trying to get the town to move against a burlesque house. Her use of "the house" as figurative language for the burlesque shows causes the townspeople to initially rise up against her as being unfair to the house itself, as in the physical building, which hadn't done anything.
* This trope is a chief source of humor on the cartoon series ''[[Bobby's World]]'', as the very young Bobby Generic literally interprets things, for instance, thinking a traffic jam as an actual jam people put on sandwich bread.
* In ''[[Shrek]]'', after getting a bit of [[Analogy Backfire]] with "ogres are like onions," Donkey spends some time trying to find a more palatable food for the analogy.
** Though oddly enough, his first two attempts at understanding it (They stink? They make you cry?) are actually pretty much spot on. Don't know about the "You leave them out in the sun, they get all brown and start sprouting little white hairs?", though.
* From the ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode "Griffon the Brush-Off":
{{quote|
'''Pinkie Pie''': Why? Can't you watch me like a griffon? }}
** And from the second half of the series premiere:
{{quote|
'''Applejack:''' No can do, sugarcube! We sure ain't letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple!
'''Pinkie Pie:''' Especially if there's candy apples in there! }}
** In "Boast Busters", Spike trying to explain to Snips and Snails why he doubts [[Insufferable Genius|Insufferable Magic Unicorn]] Trixie is as great as she claims leads to this exchange:
{{quote|
'''[[The Ditz|Snails]]:''' I like pudding... }}
* From the ''[[Dan Vs.]]'' episode "The Wolf-Man":
{{quote|
'''Chris''': What kind of sandwich? }}
* In the ''[[Rugrats]]'' episode "The Gold Rush" everyone searches for nickels in the sandbox. Tommy and Chuckie pair up and Phil and Lil do the same. Angelica tries to divide everyone and tries to tell Phil and Lil that people get bigger portions with less people.
{{quote|
'''Phil''': What flavor?
'''Angelica''': What difference does it make?
'''Lil''': What do you mean there's no difference? There's a big difference between a chocolate pie and an apple pie.
'''Angelica''': Okay it's an apple pie.
'''Phil''': Ew, I hate apple pies.
'''Angelica''': Fine, it's a chocolate pie.
'''Lil''': Yuck!
'''Angelica''': Will you two put a lid in it! }}
* ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', "We Call It Maze": When Phineas compares the maze he and his brother build to the sort which lab rats run through in order to find cheese, this intrigues Buford, even when Phineas explains he was using a metaphor:
{{quote|
** After escaping the maze at the end of the episode, Buford even complains about not getting any "metaphor cheese".
== Real Life ==
* An example of an actual person doing this to himself can be seen when [[Eiichiro Oda]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20200122224637/http://www.mangatoshokan.com/read/One-Piece/Null/256/2 tries to compare manga writing to a game].
* Schrödinger's Cat. Dear God - Schrödinger uses a jocular analogy to point out the flaws in the Copenhagen Interpretation, and it becomes the first thing the average person thinks of regarding Quantum Physics, and the ''only'' thing non-specialists know about one of the most important theorists in the field.
** [[It Got Worse|Made worse]] in that it's now "common knowledge" that Schrödinger was ''explaining'' quantum physics, not attempting to point out what he saw as a fatal flaw in the interpretation.
* The Turing Machine. An ad-hoc description of precise algorithms to [https://web.archive.org/web/20110222111427/http://www.thocp.net/biographies/papers/turing_oncomputablenumbers_1936.pdf illustrate a point that had already been rigorously made when Alan Turing got around to publishing it] turned out to be useful in a few other situations.
* There is a popular bit of Spanish slang about wanting one's partner to be "like a train". Big, heavy, made of metal? Hint: It has nothing do with steam, either.
* [[Bill Gaede]] will interpret ''any'' analogy from theoretical physics literally, with unintentionally hilarious results.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Stupidity Tropes]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
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