Editing What are you supposed to be?

[[File:Coach Z as ???.png|thumb|"Can't you guys tell? I'm the rapping paper!"]]
During [[Halloween]], the [[Characters#Main characters|characters]] dress up in [[Halloween Costumes|costumes]], in which they often engage in Halloween-related activities. Many of these costumes are esoteric icons or celebrities, most of which were popular/created the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, leaving most of the other characters unable to identify '''who a particular character is supposed to be dressed as'''.

This is put quite frankly by [[The King of Town]] in [[Halloween Potion-ma-jig]], in which he says, "I wish you'd dress up as something I could recognize! Pop culture... mumble grumble!"

== Occurrences ==
===[[Sketchbook (museum)]]===
*The last [[:Image:Sketchbook Thirteen.PNG|image]] offered ten dollars to anyone who can identify all of the costumes. They have all since been identified.

===[[Homestarloween Party]]===
*[[Homestar Runner]] thought [[Strong Bad]] was the [[Wikipedia:Chiquita Brands International|Chiquita Banana]] Lady, when Strong Bad was really [[Wikipedia:Carmen Miranda|Carmen Miranda]] (although the Chiquita Banana Lady's appearance was intentionally based on Miranda's).

===[[The House That Gave Sucky Treats]]===  
*Homestar thought Strong Bad was the [[Wikipedia:The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|Spanish Inquisition]], and it is implied he thought Strong Bad was [[Wikipedia:Cab Calloway|Cab Calloway]] and Strong Bad Wearing a Yellow Turtleneck, when Strong Bad was really [[Wikipedia:Carmen Sandiego|Carmen Sandiego]].

===[[Pumpkin Carve-nival]]===
*[[Marzipan]] doesn't know [[The King of Town]] is [[Mario]] from the long-running, well-known [[Wikipedia:Mario (series)|video game series]] by [[Nintendo]]. This could be because Marzipan insists she doesn't play video games, as said in the same toon. 
*Strong Bad, who was in a Homestar Runner costume, said he thought [[The Goblin]] (in a Strong Bad costume) was the [[Wikipedia:The Green Hornet|Green Hornet]]. Strong Bad then thought The Goblin was a [[Witches' Brew]], while he was actually [[Bees|The Bee]].
*Homestar thought [[The Cheat]] was [[Witch's Brew]] when The Cheat was [[Wikipedia:Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids#Characters|Russell]].

===[[3 Times Halloween Funjob]]===
*Homestar thought Strong Bad was [[Wikipedia:El DeBarge|El Debarge]], [[Bubs]] thought he was [[Wikipedia:Gloria Estefan|Miami Sound Machine]], [[Coach Z]] thought he was [[Wikipedia:Sananda Maitreya|Terence Trent D'Arby]], and he himself almost said he was Carmen Miranda again, while he was actually Ozone from ''[[Wikipedia:Breakin'|Breakin']]''.
*Homestar thought Coach Z was [[Wikipedia:Wesley Snipes|Wesley Snakes]], when in fact he was [[Wikipedia:Kool Moe Dee|Kool Moe Dee]] from The [[Wikipedia:Treacherous Three|Treacherous Three]].
*Homestar couldn't identify what Bubs's costume was, calling it a "dirty man outfit", when Bubs was dressed as [[Wikipedia:Mel Sharples|Mel Sharples]], the owner of Mel's Diner in the movie ''[[Wikipedia:Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore|Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore]]'' and the TV show it spawned, ''[[Wikipedia:Alice (TV series)|Alice]]''. [[Wikipedia:Vic Tayback|Vic Tayback]] played the role.

===[[Halloween Fairstival]]===
*Strong Bad asked Bubs, "So, Bubs, your approach this year was to ensure that absolutely no one recognized your costume?" Bubs was dressed as One of the 3 Most Important People in the World, from [[Wikipedia:Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure|''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'']].
*Homestar was confused about his own costume.  He thought he was some sort of a golf cart. He was actually Carl Spackler from [[Wikipedia:Caddyshack|''Caddyshack'']].  
*Homestar thought The Cheat was a pile of leaves.  The Cheat was actually Sigmund, from [[Wikipedia:Sigmund and the Sea Monsters|''Sigmund and the Sea Monsters'']].
*Coach Z thought Pom Pom was [[Wikipedia:Big Boi|Big Boi]] from [[Outkast]]. Pom Pom was actually ''Big Boy'', the mascot for the restaurant chain [[Wikipedia:Bob's Big Boy|"Bob's Big Boy"]].

===[[Halloween Potion-ma-jig]]===
*Homestar, seeing Strong Sad's [[Wikipedia:Devo|Devo]] member costume, comments on it, saying, "Nice fire hydrant costume."
*Homestar thought Strong Bad was [[Wikipedia:Blanche Devereaux|Blanche]] from [[Wikipedia:The Golden Girls|The Golden Girls]].  Bubs thought he was [[Wikipedia:Phyllis Diller|Phyllis Diller]]. Coach Z thought he was supposed to be his hot mom.  The King of Town couldn't recognize his costume at all. Strong Bad was dressed as Jambi the genie, from ''[[Wikipedia:Pee-wee's Playhouse|Pee-Wee's Playhouse]]''.
*Homestar also thought Bubs was [[Wikipedia:Lando Calrissian|Lando Calrissian]]. He was actually the master of disaster, Apollo Creed from ''[[Wikipedia:Rocky|Rocky]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:Rocky II|Rocky II]]''.
*Strong Bad thought Pom Pom's costume, which was of Walter Sobchak from ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'', was of "every guy at a truck stop."

===[[TrogdorCon '97]]===
*Homestar asked Strong Bad to guess who he is supposed to be, to which Strong Bad answers successfully with very little effort.

===[[Happy Hallow-day]]===
*Homestar remarked to Marzipan that he likes her "I have a caterpillar crawling across my forehead" costume.  Marzipan was dressed up as [[wikipedia:Frida Kahlo|Frida Kahlo]].
*When Homestar sees Strong Bad's [[wikipedia:Father Guido Sarducci|Father Guido Sarducci]] costume, he thinks it is an evil [[wikipedia:Carmen Sandiego|Carmen Sandiego]] costume. Incidentally, Strong Bad ''did'' dress up as Carmen Sandiego [[The House That Gave Sucky Treats|five years earlier]].
*Strong Bad teases Strong Sad asking him if his costume was Strong Sad at his 20-year high school reunion. Strong Sad was actually [[wikipedia:Tony Clifton|Tony Clifton]].

===[[Decemberween Short Shorts]]===
*The Homestar ornament thinks the Strong Bad ornament is dressed up as a [[Wikipedia:Rhinestone Cowboy|rhinestone cowboy]]. However, it isn't even Halloween.

===[[Jibblies 2]]===
*Homestar mistakes Bubs for Schnieder from ''[[Wikipedia:One Day at a Time|One Day at a Time]]'', The King of Town mistakes him for Monroe from ''[[Wikipedia:Too Close for Comfort|Too Close for Comfort]]'', and Marzipan can't figure out his costume at all. Bubs was really Ross from ''[[Wikipedia:You Can't Do That on Television|You Can't Do That on Television]]''.
*Homestar mistakes The King of Town for a melted [[Wikipedia:Don King (boxing promoter)|Don King]]. The King was actually [[Wikipedia:Al Sharpton|Al Sharpton]].

===[[Fan Costumes '07]]===
*Homestar thinks one of the photos is a picture of Marzipan, when it is actually of someone dressed as [[The Yello Dello]].

===[[yes, wrestling]]===
*In an Easter egg, Homestar thinks Strong Bad (dressed as his "il Cartographer" wrestling persona) is dressed up as Rudy from ''[[Bill Cosby|Fat Albert]]''.

===[[Costume Commercial]]===
*In an Easter egg, Coach Z is dressed as Marzipan, but he thinks he is dressed as himself.

===[[Most in the Graveyard]]===
*Homestar confuses his own costume for [[Wikipedia:Carrot Top|Carrot Top]], then turns around and [[Homestar Runner and Homestar Runner's relationship|"corrects" himself]] as being [[Wikipedia:Crocodile Dundee|Crocodile Dundee]]. He was actually [[Wikipedia:Yahoo Serious|Yahoo Serious]][[Seriously|(ly)]].
*Homestar confuses Strong Sad's [[Wikipedia:Sam Kinison|Sam Kinison]] costume for one of Ma Fratelli from ''[[Wikipedia:The Goonies|The Goonies]]''.

===[[Doomy Tales of the Macabre Teaser]]===
*As everyone stands silhouetted, Homestar thinks everyone is dressed in "covered-all-black-ink costumes", and accuses everyone of stealing his idea.

===[[Doomy Tales of the Macabre]]===
*Speaking very quickly, Homestar identifies Pom Pom as "the underwater orange juice man" (he's a Pooka from ''[[wikipedia:Dig Dug|Dig Dug]]''), Strong Bad as the [[Wikipedia:Scarecrow and Mrs. King|Scarecrow and Mrs. King]] (he's the [[wikipedia:Recurring_characters_in_The_Legend_of_Zelda_series#Skull_Kid|Skull Kid]] from ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]: Majora's Mask''), The Cheat as "the [[wikipedia:Thorax|thorax]]" (he's actually [[wikipedia:The Lorax|The '''L'''orax]]), asks Coach Z if he stole [[Disney|Mickey Mouse]]'s pants (he's [[wikipedia:MC Skat Kat|MC Skat Kat]]), and claims Marzipan is "off-duty [[McDonald's|Ronald McDonald]]" (she's Lola from ''[[wikipedia:Run Lola Run|Run Lola Run]]'').

===[[Which Ween Costumes?]]===
*Strong Bad correctly guesses that Bubs is dressed as a character from ''[[Wikipedia:Die Hard|Die Hard]]'', but says that he is a "Die Hard costume man", to Bubs' consternation.
*Pom Pom is dressed as a snowglobe with all the characters inside him, but Homestar thinks he is dressed as a "last episode of ''[[Wikipedia:St. Elsewhere|St. Elsewhere]]''".
*Strong Sad is dressed as [[Wikipedia:A Christmas Story|Ralphie Parker]], but Strong Bad thinks he is dressed as a deranged [[Wikipedia:Easter Bunny|Easter Bunny]], while Homestar thinks he is [[Wikipedia:Donnie Darko|Donnie Darko]].
*The King of Town is dressed as the [[Wikipedia:Heat Miser|Heat Miser]], but Homestar thinks he is dressed as a "Devil Don King".
*No one knows what exactly Coach Z is dressed as, so Strong Bad decides to ask. Coach Z says he is dressed as "rapping paper" and demonstrates with a rap, to everyone's annoyance.

===[[I Killed Pom Pom]]===
*Homestar guesses that Coach Z is dressed up as a tube of "Evil [[Wikipedia:Aquafresh|Aquafresh]]". Coach Z is actually dressed as the mascot for hip-hop group [[Wikipedia:A Tribe Called Quest|A Tribe Called Quest]].
*Homestar thinks that Strong Bad is dressed as [[Wikipedia:Jay Leno|Jay Leno]]. Strong Bad is actually dressed as [[McDonald's]] Mascot [[Wikipedia:Mac Tonight|Mac Tonight]].
*Homestar mistakes Strong Mad for a [[Wikipedia:Kinkeshi|M.U.S.C.L.E. toy]]. He is actually Goro from the [[Wikipedia:Mortal Kombat|Mortal Kombat series]].
*Pom Pom is dressed as [[Wikipedia:Homer Simpson|Homer Simpson]] as portrayed in the episode [[Wikipedia:King-Size Homer|King-Size Homer]]. Homestar mistakes him for [[Wikipedia:Dom Deluise|Dom Deluise]].

===[[The House That Gave Sucky Tricks]]===
*Homestar thinks that Strong Bad is dressed as "tropical Beetlejuice". He's dressed as [[Wikipedia:David Lee Roth|Diamond Dave]].
*Homestar appears to have the general idea of Pom Pom's costume (Wilson from [[Wikipedia:Cast Away|Cast Away]]), but cannot remember his name, guessing [http://franklinsports.com/ Franklin], [[Wikipedia:Spaulding (sports equipment)|Spaulding]], and [[Wikipedia:John Voight|John Voight]].
*Homestar confuses Marzipan's [[Michael Jackson]] costume with her [[Wikipedia:Prince (musician)|Prince]] costume from Jibblies 2.

===[[Later That Night...]]===
*Homestar mistakes Strong Mad's [[wikipedia:Monica Geller|Monica]] and [[wikipedia:Rachel Green|Rachel]]'s Door from ''[[wikipedia:Friends|Friends]]'' costume for the door from ''[[wikipedia:Seinfeld|Seinfeld]]'' and along with Strong Sad, recites a common recurring scene whenever [[wikipedia:George Costanza|George]] comes over to [[wikipedia:Jerry Seinfeld|Jerry]]'s apartment. 
*Homestar thinks Marzipan has dressed up as her teenage self, when she is actually dressed as Margot Tenenbaum from ''[[wikipedia:The Royal Tenenbaums|The Royal Tenenbaums]]''.
*Homestar claims that Bubs is dressed in an American Hot Sauce Businessman [[Metallica]] costume, insisting he is right and that there's no alternative. Bubs is actually dressed as [[wikipedia:Billy Mitchell (video game player)|Billy Mitchell]].
*Homestar calls Strong Bad's No Face costume a Long Sad costume, but is familiar enough with ''[[wikipedia:Spirited Away|Spirited Away]]'' to offer him an herbal soak token afterwards.
*Homestar thinks Strong Sad is dressed as Lady [[wikipedia:Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]], referring to the character from [[The Simpsons]]. Strong Sad is actually dressed as the [[wikipedia:Utz Quality Foods|Utz]] snack foods mascot.
*Strong Bad fails to recognize The Cheat's [[wikipedia:The Angriest Dog in the World|Angriest Dog in the World]] costume, thinking he forgot to get The Cheat his shots.

===[[@StrongBadActual]]===
*November 22, 2016 &mdash; Strong Bad exclaims that he is not dressed as "Evil [[Presidents|Thomas Jefferson]]" or "Colonial [[wikipedia:Ice-T|Ice T]]" but as "[[wikipedia:Lin-Manuel Miranda|Lin-Manuel Freakin' Miranda]]".

===[[Haunted Photo Booth]]===
*Homestar doesn't recognize who Coach Z is meant to be dressed up as, referring to him as simply "a dog". Coach Z is dressed as [[wikipedia:PaRappa the Rapper|PaRappa the Rapper]], who is indeed a dog.
*Homestar initially refers to himself as [[Mark Lemke]], the "Homestar Runner for the [[Atlanta Braves|[Atlanta] Braves]]", but then angrily corrects himself stating he is actually [[wikipedia:Dale Murphy|Dale Murphy]].
*Homestar calls Strong Mad "Bread Face Red Panties Man"; Strong Mad is dressed as [[wikipedia:List of The Ren & Stimpy Show characters#Powdered Toast Man|Powdered Toast Man]].
*Similarly, Homestar calls The Cheat "Baseball Glove On Head Man", "Swollen [[Cow]] Udders On Your Head Man", and "Swollen Cow Udders On Your Head Lady" based on appearance alone. The Cheat is dressed as Maxwell, the player character from the game ''[[wikipedia:Scribblenauts|Scribblenauts]]''.
*Homestar believes Strong Sad is dressed as [[wikipedia:W. C. Fields|W. C. Fields]], and asks if the initials stand for [[wikipedia:Winston Churchill|Winston Churchill]]. Strong Sad insists he is neither, identifying himself as Belgian sleuth [[wikipedia:Hercule Poirot|Hercule Poirot]].

===[[Mr. Poofers Must Die]]===
*Homestar mistakes Marzipan's [[wikipedia:J Mascis|J Mascis]] costume for "thrift store [[wikipedia:Gandalf|Gandalf]]".
*Homestar mistakes Strong Sad's [[wikipedia:Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears#Gummi Glen|Tummi Gummi]] costume for "[[wikipedia:Bill Murray|Bill Murray]] from [[wikipedia:The Real Ghostbusters|cartoon Ghostbusters]] from the voice of [[wikipedia:Garfield: The Movie|Garfield: The Movie]] dot com" (referencing characters also voiced by {{w|Lorenzo Music}}).
*Strong Bad says no one knows who Strong Mad's costume (Kano from [[wikipedia:Bad Company (comics)|Bad Company]]) is, and dismisses it as "blue [[wikipedia:Frankenstein's monster|Frankenstein]]".
*Homestar calls Homsar's [[wikipedia:David St. Hubbins|David St. Hubbins]] costume a "[[wikipedia:Doug Henning|Doug Henning]] made his own [[mustache]] disappear" costume.
*Due to The King of Town dressing up as [[wikipedia:McKee Foods#Little Debbie|Little Debbie]], Homestar mistakes Bubs (Stan S. Stanman from [[wikipedia:Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]) for Little Debbie's [[Parents|dad]].

===[[The Homestar Runner Enters the Spooky Woods]]===
*Strong Bad derides Strong Sad's [[Wikipedia:The Cremaster Cycle|Loughton Candidate]] costume as "the lovechild of [[Wikipedia:Dobby (Harry Potter)|Dobby]] the house elf and [[Wikipedia:Ron Weasley|Ron Weasley]] from some of your fanfiction."
*Marzipan has no idea what her own [[Wikipedia:Maetel Legend|Maetel]] costume is from. She just wore what Strong Sad told her to wear.
*Homestar believes Bubs ([[Wikipedia:Space Ace|Commander Borf]]) is dressed as "the [[Wikipedia:Genie (Disney)|Aladdin Genie]] dressed as [[Wikipedia:Lou Albano|Captain Lou Albano]]", and there's nothing Bubs (or presumably anyone) can do to make him think otherwise.

===[[Halloween Hijinks]]===
* Homestar, while singing the main theme to ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'', compares Bubs's costume (of an actual ''Zelda'' character, [[wikipedia:Characters of The Legend of Zelda#Beedle|Beedle]]), to "'70s Bubs giving a piggyback ride to [[wikipedia:Totoro|Totoro]] eating a purple burrito".
* In rapid fire, Homestar compares four characters' costumes to puppets made by [[The Muppets|Jim Henson]]:
** Strong Mad (as [[wikipedia:My Pet Monster|My Pet Monster]]) is "probably from ''[[wikipedia:Labyrinth (1986 film)|Labyrinth]]''".
** Pom Pom (as [[wikipedia:List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Capital City Goofball|The Capital City Goofball]]) is "probably from ''[[wikipedia:The Great Muppet Caper|Great Muppet Caper]]''".
** Strong Sad (as [[wikipedia:The Great Space Coaster|Baxter]]) is "probably from ''[[wikipedia:Sesame Street|Sesame Street]]''" (although much of ''The Great Space Coaster'''s crew is associated with Henson projects).
** The Poopsmith (as [[wikipedia:Space Quest|1 Guy from Andromeda]]) is "probably from ''[[wikipedia:Pigs in Space|Pigs in Space]]''".
* Homestar furthermore thinks that Marzipan's [[wikipedia:Captain Planet|Captain Planet]] costume is "zombie Ziggy Stardust", and Strong Bad wonders aloud why she seems to have a drive-thru speaker in her chest (referring to Captain Planet's globe insignia.) The "speaker" then speaks in [[Drive-Thru Whale|a grainy voice]].
* Strong Bad imitates Homestar in comparing Homsar's [[wikipedia:The Black Hole (1979 film)|B.O.B.]] costume to [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/BB-8 BB-8] after having been run over by a [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sandcrawler Sandcrawler]. Homestar says that he was thinking of "[[wikipedia:Oscar the Grouch|Oscar the Grouch]] 2000".

===[[Halloween Hide & Seek]]===

* Every single main character who is able to speak normally, except the King of Town himself, declares that the King (dressed as {{w|Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero|The Antwerp}}) is "a no-armed space {{w|Grimace (character)|Grimace}}".
* Homestar asks if Marzipan is dressed as "that neon sign from Las Vegas". Marzipan, who is actually dressed as Trixie from ''[[Sam & Max]] {{w|Sam & Max Hit the Road|Hit the Road}}'', says that she is dressed as "whatever Strong Sad told me to dress up as", implying that once again she's unfamiliar with her own costume. Homestar then extends his guess to "a neon sign from Las Vegas for a depressing 70's casino that is somehow still operating. Prolly called the Silver Panache."
* Homestar believes that Strong Bad, dressed as {{w|Space Quest II|Sludge Vohaul}}, is "Grandmaw Strong Bane in her recliner, hooked up to her oxygen so she can play Boggle with her pal Eula Mae."
* Homestar thinks that Pom Pom (dressed as {{w|The Manhole}}) is dressed as "copy protection".
* He also compares Homsar, dressed as a gnome from ''{{w|Samorost}}'', to a "droopy {{w|Pikmin}}".
* Homestar further believes that Strong Mad ({{w|Grim Fandango|Glottis}}) is dressed as "a Goron dressed up as {{w|Speed Racer}}".
* Strong Bad guesses that Bubs ({{w|Day of the Tentacle|Hoagie}}) is dressed as "that [[Limozeen]] roadie who has to string Gary's 4-and-a half necked guitar before each show".
* Homestar accuses Coach Z of double-dipping his {{w|Queen Latifah}} costume from [[Happy Hallow-Day]]. Coach Z is dressed as {{w|The Legend of Kyrandia: Malcolm's Revenge|Malcolm}}.
* Homestar believes that Strong Sad's {{w|Dark Seed (video game)|Mike Dawson}} costume is actually {{w|Jeff Foxworthy}}.
* And although he was unable to recognize a ''{{w|Gummi Bears}}'' costume in [[Mr. Poofers Must Die]], if the Goblin is unlocked, Homestar compares its {{w|The Black Cauldron (video game)|Creeper}} costume with Toadwort.

== See Also ==
*[[I really like your costume]]
*[[Halloween Costumes]]
*[[Icon References In Halloween Costumes]]

[[Category:Clothing running gags]]
[[Category:Halloween Costumes]]
[[Category:Lists]]