History Main / AirHugging

[[folder: Live-Action Television]]

See also: HoYay, RealMenHateAffection, ManHug

* In a ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' book on etiquette, Dogbert discusses AirHugging, saying that it is not the best time to reveal your sensitive side, and not to let people see you get the creeps afterwards.

* In ''Film/LordOfTheRings'', Legolas and Aragorn have a habit of placing one of their hands on each other's shoulder and looking at each other for a moment.

* In the episode of ''Series/WillAndGrace'' guest starring Matt Damon, his character (who is pretending to be gay) does the second type to Jack. He gets out of the suspicion by claiming that by having his pelvis away from Jack's, he can then check out Jack's shoes.

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Live Action Television ]]

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

* In a ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' book on etiquette, Dogbert discusses AirHugging, saying that it is not the best time to reveal your sensitive side, and not to let people see you get the creeps afterwards.
* Discussed in [[http://comics.com/herb_and_jamaal/2009-05-05/ this]] ''ComicStrip/HerbAndJamaal'' strip. They say that there is always lots of awkwardness and space when men hug and they are sure ''they'' don't do it, being secure, macho guys with close friendship and all. The last strip reveals that they in fact do it as well.
* ''ComicStrip/{{Zits}}'' had a strip (seen above) where Jeremy air hugged his dad on his birthday, with his mom commenting "Happy male birthday, honey.".

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* On ''WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins'', Lambie is the CuddleBug. However, there have been a couple of instances where there was something preventing actual cuddling, so she gave an "air cuddle" instead.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

Male characters show discomfort expressing emotions, particularly affection towards another man. Often results in a "hug" with no physical contact, an obviously awkward hug, etc. There's also the version where females can hug with their bodies close but guys hug while their lower halves are far away, so they have to lean over more to hug. This has been referred to as "A-Frame hugging".

* A particularly confusing ButNotTooGay example comes from ''YoungAvengers'', where Hulkling and Asgardian, who are a pair of boyfriends, are frequently shown hugging with 45 degree torsos.

[[quoteright:300:[[ComicStrip/{{Zits}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zitz_airhug300_2593.png]]]]

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' uses the "lower bodies separate" version near the end of ''Fire and Flight'', the very first graphic novel. This despite their EveryoneIsBi policy.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC:{{NewspaperComics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:{{RealLife}}]]

* ''ElfQuest'' uses the "lower bodies separate" version near the end of ''Fire and Flight'', the very first graphic novel. This despite their EveryoneIsBi policy.

* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'', "What's With Robert?"

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]

** Chandler and Joey would almost-hug each other on occasion.

* Discussed in [[http://comics.com/herb_and_jamaal/2009-05-05/ this]] HerbAndJamaal strip.
* ''{{Zits}}'' had a strip (seen above) where Jeremy air hugged his dad on his birthday, with his mom commenting "Happy male birthday, honey.".

Male characters show discomfort expressing emotions, particularly affection towards another man. Often results in a "hug" with no physical contact, an obviously awkward hug, etc. There's also the version where females can hug with their bodies close but guys hug while their lower halves are far away, so they have to lean over more to hug.

* A particularly confusing example comes from YoungAvengers, where Hulkling and Asgardian, who are a pair of boyfriends, are frequently shown hugging with 45 degree torsos.
** It's [[ButNotTooGay not that confusing]], really.

* One of the older examples in movies, ''{{Grease}}''.

* In Film/LordOfTheRings, Legolas and Aragorn have a habit of placing one of their hands on each other's shoulder and looking at each other for a moment.

* Chandler and Joey did this on occasion in ''Series/{{Friends}}''.
** They also lampshaded and averted it in the finale when they decide on the "lame cool guy hand shake" over the "awkward hug", but end up giving each other a real hug, anyway.

* ''Series/HoratioHornblower'', "Retribution": When the dynamic trio of lieutenants Bush, Kennedy and Hornblower return gloriously from [[TheUriahGambit a suicide mission]], everybody is chuffed beyond words. Horatio comes aboard and Matthews welcomes him very cordially. Matthews has been a member of Hornblower's division since his very early days in the Navy and who later acted as Horatio's mentor, that is, as long as an experienced boatswain can be a mentor to a young and highly competent lieutenant. He goes for a hug, but remembering his rank, he just grabs his arms with both hands and shakes them, and he laughs with apparent pride and relief that his young hero is back safe and sound. This trope is often played to feel awkward or express problems showing affection, but this particular Air Hugging is very sweet.

* A related version to this comes from the infamous instance of the [[PoesLaw 'Christian Side Hug']]. It's a rap. About how hugging frontwise leads to... y'know what? Just google it.
* This has also been referred to as "A-Frame hugging."
* There's also a thing where guys look like they're going to shake hands, but they instead each put one arm between their bodies and get close while pounding on the other guy's back with the other hand. Also known as a ManHug. This has a habit of showing up in situations where protocol demands you shake hands but emotional/personal background demands you hug.

----
<<|CharacterizationTropes|>>
<<|ComedyTropes|>>
<<|TruthInTelevision|>>

[[quoteright:287: [[{{Zits}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zits_airhug_3861.gif]]]]

* An excellent example is a 'hug' between WillFerrell and AdamScott in ''Film/StepBrothers''.