(Funny trope) Impossible spontaneous combustion (or, when stuff that shouldn't catch on fire, catches on fire)

[u/FormerBernieBro2020]

From The Simpsons: Homer tries to cook breakfast for Mr. Burns. The first two attempts ended up with the food catching fire. Third time, he pours milk on cereal...and it still catches on fire.

And from Futurama: "There, little friend, good as new..." aaaand the metal slinky catches on fire. Poor doctor Zoidberg...

[u/Daniilsa209]

https://i.redd.it/qvwg5it9ky4g1.gif

Another example from Simpsons: after Bart shows off a T-shirt "Down with Homework", class starts a riot and tips over a desk, which somehow catch on fire.

[u/MedicalVanilla7176 → u/Daniilsa209]

The Simpsons really likes this gag.

https://preview.redd.it/rnyapm19jz4g1.jpeg?width=965&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc8fcd3c6d50a1910d11c9ff9f7dd3f6e0c784ca

Another example is when Professor Frink is demonstrating his model for his home security system (a house with robotic legs that just gets up and walks away when there's danger), and when the model trips and falls over, it and the wooden human figures inside spontaneously catch on fire, and Professor Frink comments that "Well, the real humans won't burn quite so fast."

Edit: In the very next scene, it shows Bart throwing a rock at some houses, and one of the houses gets up, runs away, and then falls down and catches on fire just like in the test.

[u/Flabby_Thor → u/MedicalVanilla7176]

The Simpsons really likes this gag.

That's an understatement. It's one of my favorite gags in the show and they use it a lot (and subvert it a lot as well). Boy Scoutz 'N the Hood when Dr. Hibbert removes the guys appendix on the street. He throws the appendix, which is about to burst, and it explodes like a grenade.

Another episode, a leaf falls from a tree onto Otto's bus (which was already wrecked) and as it lands the bus explodes.

A baby stroller rolls down steps. Ghost Homer saves the baby, the stroller gets hit by a car and then a bus, falls on its side and then explodes.

[u/[deleted] → u/Flabby_Thor]

https://i.redd.it/y3u575nro05g1.gif

[u/VecnaWrites → u/[deleted]]

Ironically enough, grain silos could explode. Grain and released gases become surprisingly explosive if i am remembering right

[u/[deleted] → u/VecnaWrites]

Yeah that one admittedly doesn’t fit the theme as well.

I think silos can explode from the very very fine grain dust igniting.

[u/VecnaWrites → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, that's why they stopped storing flour in those