So Was X

A Stock Phrase that uses an analogy to make a point. Someone has tried to make a point about something; in response, someone points out something obvious that contradicts it in this fashion:

"Nothing can possibly go wrong. We're in love!"
"So were Romeo and Juliet."

Often makes correct use of something commonly used in an Analogy Backfire and/or Lampshades Tempting Fate. Thus, it is usually the territory of the Genre Savvy and Deadpan Snarkers.

Super-Trope to Hitler Ate Sugar. Hitler Ate Sugar is supposed to argue that doing something is evil because someone else who was evil did it, too. So Was X is supposed to argue that someone or something could be incorrect or just as dangerous as something else (the X).

See also Appeal to Obscurity.

Examples of So Was X include:

Comic Books

• In Watchmen, an astonished Nite Owl doesn't understand how Ozymandias could be involved with the nefarious plot against costumed superheroes, when he's such an incredibly good person as well as a vegetarian. Rorschach points out that Hitler was a vegetarian, too.
• In the Judge Dredd Spin-Off The Simping Detective, Jack Point lights up a cigar in Sector Chief Daveez's office and makes it clear that he knows Daveez played a significant role in a criminal case he was investigating and covered it up. Daveez responds by grabbing Point by his jacket lapels and threatening him to drop the case, the exchange ends,

Daveez: ...And smoking's still illegal, creep.
Jack: (points to the martini glass on his desk) Yeah. Heh, so's alcohol.

Film

• In Johnny Mnemonic, Johnny insists that trying to make a deal with the evil corporation is a good idea, explaining that they'd be willing to make a deal because they're corporate.

Jane: So is the Yakuza.

• In Matilda, Miss Honey tries to show Miss Trunchbull how smart Matilda is:

Miss Honey: She can multiply large numbers instantly in her head.
Miss Trunchbull: So can a calculator.

• In Stripes, when thinking of how to rescue their platoon from Czech soldiers:

Russell Ziskey: Do the words "Act of war" mean anything to you?
John Winger: I have a plan.
Russell: Great. Custer had a plan, too.

• Dogma:

The Metatron: I am to charge you with a holy crusade.
Bethany Sloan: For the record, I work in an abortion clinic.
The Metatron: Noah was a drunk, and look what he accomplished--and no one's asking you to build an ark!

Literature

• From P. G. Wodehouse's "Honeysuckle Cottage":

"Don't do it." said Mr McKinnon, a stout bachelor. "You're too young to marry."
"So was Methuselah," said James, a stouter.

Live Action TV

• From an episode of the last season of Monk, where the prosecutor is worried the Suspect of the Week will walk:

Stottlemeyer: Relax, the guy is clearly guilty.
Prosecutor: So was OJ.

• From Lost:

Hurley: Do not open that! There's dynamite and it's mega-unstable.
Richard: I know that.
Hurley: Well, so did Dr. Arzt. And I was wiping him out of my shirt two days later.

Web Original

• From the Marvel/DC Harry Potter Parody:

Professor X: You're The Chosen One.
Spiderman: Yeah, so was Anakin Skywalker! And look how well that turned out!

Western Animation

• In South Park in the episode "Weight Gain 4000" Cartman had won an essay contest and was going to appear on television and receive a reward. Wendy, thinking she would win, was not pleased.

Cartman: You guys, guess what? After I'm on television, I'm gonna be totally famous!
Wendy: (walks by) Hitler was famous, too.

Real Life

• Seen on various message boards:

Hemlock is both natural and organic.

• • From comedian Matt Kershen:

Heroin is natural. Nicotine is natural. A pack of wild wolves is natural! Natural doesn't mean safe!