History Main / BlackBestFriend

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[[caption-width-right:335: "Can I keep him? I'll feed him!"]]

->''"Nothing is more racist than having one black friend. Somehow, having zero black friends is '''less''' racist than having one black friend!"''
-->-- '''Kevin Hart''' on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''

"Some of my best friends are ''sassy'' black people!"

So, you're hip. You're smart. You've got class. And when you say "SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX", you want people to know that there is credibility behind that statement. What's the best way to show it? By having a black BestFriend!

Your black best friend is [[SassyBlackWoman sassy]]. She's never too busy to lend an ear, or come along on your [[ZanyScheme wacky schemes]]. She is [[PositiveDiscrimination flawless to the point of being unreal.]] (Until it's time to save the day of course. That's what ''white'' heroes are for.) Is it because she has [[SatelliteCharacter no love life, no apartment, and no family]]? It's hard to say, but there's one thing for sure. She has a cell phone, and never ignores your calls.

'''Note:''' This is a black character whose role either A) [[{{Satellite Character}} revolves almost entirely]] around a white character or B) serves as a conscious effort for a white character/writer to appear inclusive. Simply being black as well as friends with a white character does ''not'' automatically make a character this trope. '''A black character who's shown to be just as relevant as their white counterparts does not count as this trope.''' Black characters with [[{{Hero Of Another Story}} their own story]], their own distinguished identity and goals; characters who [[{{Character Development}} undergo personal growth]] shouldn't be listed. In addition, black people in {{Real Life}} should [[{{Unfortunate Implications}} definitely not be listed]]. Living beings do not exist in accordance to another person based [[{{Double Standard}} on ethnicity]].

See also MagicalNegro, TokenMinority, SatelliteCharacter, and GayBestFriend. May also be BlackAndNerdy. Some of the clunkier examples of TokenWhite [[InvertedTrope invert]] the race aspect of this trope,[[note]]Technically a full inversion would be the black lead having a multifaceted and well written white best friend.[[/note]] being someone there just to add diversity to a cast.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* A rare anime example is Tapp Oceano from ''Anime/MetalArmorDragonar''. In a strange twist, he is a rather grounded individual who came from a childhood of relative poverty living in New York, compared to his friends Kaine Wakaba, the somewhat overzealous hero who grew up in a strangely traditional Japanese village, and Light Newman, TheSmartGuy who happens to be a certified British nobleman (he doesn't like to talk about it).
%%* Danny, Chris' best friend from ''Anime/SonicX''.
* In the shows that make up ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'', there's Misa Hayase[=/=]Lisa Hayes's CoolBigSis Claudia [=LaSalle=]/Grant from ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'', and Jeanne Fránçaix[=/=]Dana Sterling's childhood friend Bowie Emerson[=/=]Grant from ''Anime/SuperDimensionCavalrySouthernCross'' (who's also Claudia's nephew in the ''Robotech'' continuity).
** In the ''Robotech'' ExpandedUniverse, Dana and Bowie were raised practically as siblings by Rolf Emerson, while their respective parents were away in space. This matches their relationship on-screen, inseparable but completely platonic.
%%* Bob Makihara from ''Manga/TenjhoTenge''.
* Kennedy/Kenichi is black in the 2003 ''Anime/AstroBoy'' adaptation; he seems to serve as TheLancer when the kids as a group are in focus and gets more development than any of Astro's friends save Reno.
* The President of Central High's Vice President in ''Manga/DailyLivesOfHighSchoolBoys''. Subverted in that the Vice President finds the President just as annoying as everyone else does.
* ''Anime/MagicalDoremi'' gives us Beth, Momoko's best friend from back in the USA who pops up a few times as if to say, "Momoko lived in America, and there were black people there!"
* Inverted in ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}''. We actually know quite a bit about Patrick "Panther" Spencer, but as for his best friend Homer, well... He's white. And nice. That's about it. Of course, it can be argued that Panther is Sena's black friend.
* A variation can be found in ''Anime/TheDaggerOfKamui''. In order to travel to California, Jiro has to take a Western boat. Since Westerners weren't that fond of Japanese people at the time, Jiro befriends Sam, a slave of the captain, after rescuing him when he's left behind by his crewmates. He asks for passage on Sam's ship, the ''California''. Sam decides that he owes the ninja his life, and Jiro buys Sam's freedom when the captain forces the ninja to disembark in Alaska.
* Smokey Brown, Joseph Joestar's buddy from Part 2 ([[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency "Battle Tendency"]]) of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure''. If anything, his fast befrieding with Joseph and Erina shows how open-minded the Joestar family is during World War II era. That, and [[AudienceSurrogate he acts as a part-time narrator and gives typical reactions to Joseph's very bizarre journey.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comedy]]
* Creator/ChrisRock:
** He makes fun of this in one of his standups when he says "All my black friends have a bunch of white friends, and all my white friends have one black friend!"
** Also inverted and parodied in "How to Not Get Your Ass Kicked by the Police" with this advice: "Get a White Friend."
--->''"A white friend could be the difference between a ticket--" [black driver is handed a ticket as white friend watches sympathetically; arrow caption says "Ticket"] "--and a bullet in the ass." [black driver is forced to the ground and a pistol is pointed at his cranium; arrow caption says "Not A Ticket"]''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Jim Rhodes: friend and employee of Tony Stark aka Comicbook/IronMan. The personal pilot of the billionaire who became the second Iron Man and then got his own armor as Comicbook/WarMachine. Even before he got the suit, he still managed quite well as a BadassNormal in Stark's adventures.
* Davida Kirby, from ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'': Sure, she's a great friend who's hip and always willing to lend an ear, but also... [[AnAesop almost lost her friends due to anger and jealousy]], strings boyfriends along, and is a little insensitive and pushy sometimes. Plus she's getting suspicious of her best friend's lame excuses.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/CaptainAtom'' with Sgt. Jeff "Goz" Goslin. Goz is black, and is Cap's best friend, but he is a fully realized character, and he certainly has a love life. At one point, in fact, he was involved with Cap's daughter, a plot-line the writers used to explore Cap's attitudes about race.
%%* The heroine of the western manga ''Rhysmith'' has one of these.
* Machiste who, despite being king of his own land, spends most of his time as the loyal companion to Travis Morgan in ''Comicbook/TheWarlord''.
* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica had the black hero, Comicbook/TheFalcon. They were so tight in the 1970s that Cap's series was retitled as ''Captain America and the Falcon'' for years.
** When Cap quit being Cap and a new one was appointed by the US government, the replacement John Walker, in that brief interlude before he started getting evil, also had a black best friend, Lemar Hoskins, who was given the costume of and codename of Bucky, Original Cap's UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo sidekick. The comics people rapidly realized that there were UnfortunateImplications, and in an unusual move [[AuthorsSavingThrow addressed these within the comic]], as Lemar explained to Walker that 'Bucky' was an unfortunate slang term for black men, and there was something demeaning about a grown man being named after a dead white teenager, so he'd like to pick a new codename. Walker agreed and Lemar became Battlestar.
* Bill Foster ([[IHaveManyNames AKA Black Goliath, AKA Giant-Man II, AKA Goliath]]), the friend and lab assistant of [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]]. Despite not being as popular or well known as War Machine and the Falcon, he actually predates both of those characters as one of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse's earliest examples of this trope.
%%* In the ''Mysti'' comic books, Mysti has a black best friend named Peaseblossom (though for the first few volumes, she is a white best friend).
* ''ComicBook/TheBadger'''s best friend, Riley Thorpe, hits on most cylinders of this description, but he is given a good bit more personality and independence than the average black best friend.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/BobTheDog'', where the main character, Bob's best friend, Leonard, ''happens'' to be black, but in addition to the fact that Bob actually ''dates'' a black woman (Charlene), both Charlene and Leonard are portrayed realistically and with fully developed characterization.
* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': J. Jonah Jameson has Joe "Robbie" Robertson. True to form, Robbie is the more mellow and approachable of the two (not that that's hard), generally acting as Jonah's [[TheLancer Lancer]] / MoralityChain. This leads to a brilliant moment in an issue of ''ComicBook/SheHulk'' in which she helps Spider-Man sue Jameson for harassment. While on the stand, Spidey (who, of course, wears a full-body costume) says that JJJ keeps harassing him because he's black. Jameson's reply is to stammer out that "Some of my best friends are... uh..." It's a statement that's ACTUALLY TRUE because of Joe Robertson and it only adds to the hilarity. [[spoiler:The lawsuit only failed because they tried to call Peter Parker as a witness, which would've forced Spider-Man to testify against himself.]]
* ''ComicBook/QuantumAndWoody'': A variation, since they are forced to stay together by circumstance despite [[VitriolicBestBuds really getting on each other's nerves.]] Also, Quantum, who is black, is much more straight-laced and uptight than Woody.
* [[ComicBook/LukeCageHeroForHire Power Man]] and ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist. Notably, Luke (Power Man) was originally the title character, and Danny (Fist) was introduced as his ''white'' best friend. Also notably, while Danny is still reasonably popular, Luke is the much more popular of the two these days.
* ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk used to hang out with a homeless man named Crackajack Jackson and then teenage runaway Jim Wilson, feeling a kinship with them because they all felt like outcasts. Jackson died in the same issue he was introduced, but made a big enough impression that he kept appearing in flashbacks and such when the Hulk was feeling sad and lonely for years; the Hulk really loved him, and his death hit him hard. Wilson eventually drifted out of the Hulk's life (as the Hulk's friends tend to do), and then returned years later, dying of AIDS.
* ComicBook/TheBeano's Roger the Dodger (a strip that started in 1953) and his best friend Dave (who only started appearing some time during the late 2000s). Also in ComicBook/TheBeano is Ball Boy and his friend Benji who began appearing in the comic in the 1970s around the same time as Bally Boy's strip started. Although Benji's name suggests he maybe Asian rather than Black so he may be more of an AmbiguouslyBrown Best Friend.
* Jak and Todd from ComicBook/TheDandy. Jak originally appeared in [[TheNineties the late nineties]] but in 2004 was thrust onto The Dandy's cover along with a new black best friend called Todd, complete with FunnyAfro, as part of The Dandy's revamp at the time.
* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Shazam}}: First Thunder,'' [[KidHero Billy Batson]] has one named Scott Okum. An odd case, since he's never seen in any of the main ''Shazam'' stories that are supposed to be set after this one. [[spoiler:[[BlackDudeDiesFirst There's a reason for that]]]].
* Subverted in Kevin J. Taylor's ''Girl'' series as [[AlliterativeName Jessie]] [[NamedAfterSomeoneFamous James]] has enough of a life as a globe-trotting photographer and fellow sex-positive woman to have the occasional ADayInTheLimelight, but 1. Jaliera is revealed to be ButNotTooBlack and 2. Jessie is especially a MuggleBestFriend and SecretKeeper to Jaliera's HotWitch that Jaliera talks about her supernatural adventures with, magically becomes an omniglot in thanks for her friendship and provides connections for help when Jaliera needs supernatural assistance.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Cassie]]'s best and only recurring friend is her African American classmate Georgia
** ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'': While all signs point to plans for Lt. Lawrence Stone to have become more than a good friend and SatelliteCharacter to ComicBook/SteveTrevor the comic was canceled before those plans had a chance to come to fruition.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
%%* Marcus Jones in ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' is both Jason's Black Best Friend and BlackAndNerdy.
* Franklin in ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', although he's depicted as Shermy's best friend, rather than the protagonist Charlie Brown's. Originally, Franklin was a kid from the next neighborhood over who apparently knew Charlie Brown from school and was visiting the Peanuts Gang. He proceeded to become the OnlySaneMan when he realized that all the kids in the neighborhood were so eccentric that he could never possibly be friends with them. (He obviously changed his mind later, though.) Being in the same class as Peppermint Patty with all her silliness helps.
* Prince Lothar from ''ComicStrip/MandrakeTheMagician'' is one of the oldest examples of the Trope. ([[OlderThanTheyThink The strip started in 1934.]]) He became an EnsembleDarkHorse and got more CharacterDevelopment than usual, though.
** When the two appeared on ''WesternAnimation/DefendersOfTheEarth,'' Lothar finally got ''equal billing.'' Which seems fair, considering that he's always been described as the [[WorldsStrongestMan Strongest Man In the World.]]
%%*** In said series, Lother's son LJ was the best friend of ComicStrip/FlashGordon's son Rick.
* Lawrence is Michael's Brazilian (and gay) friend in ''ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse''. Usually he's pulled out to show how tolerant the Pattersons are. In later years Eva served as this to April, to a) make Becky look bad, and b) use the AppealToWorseProblems trope.
[[/folder]]

%%[[[folder:Fan Works]]
%%* In ''FanFic/LittleBlackDeathNote'' [[Franchise/HarryPotter Blaise Zabini is this for Draco Malfoy.]]
%%[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Molly from ''Film/{{Showgirls}}''. The second person main character Nomi meets, she immediately offers her shelter and helps her get a job. She then serves as the voice of reason, though she is constantly ignored. She is the only character with no hidden motive, and the only character of moral integrity. [[spoiler: By the end of the film she has been violently gang raped and beaten and is barely alive in a hospital]].
* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': Poor Ethan looks for a while like he might be Will's new best friend if Will and Laila hook up, only for the JerkWithAHeartOfGold to be that.
%%**Penny to Gwen.
* Bennet from ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' is one of the greatest offenders. He only has a couple of scenes, usually for a bit of PluckyComicRelief, where he shares the bedroom with the hero and seems to be the [[SocialCircleFiller ''only'' person who talks to him]] and when he does is to say that [[YouNeedToGetLaid Dave has to get a girlfriend]] and introduce a ChekhovsGun that is going to be used by the BigBad. Then, when he's having a date, Dave calls him for help and he leaves in the same instant, meets the hero, he says he's willing to do ''anything'' to help him and then [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse he VANISHES without any explanation whatsoever.]] The point that [[RememberTheNewGuy NOBODY seems to remember this character]] makes it even more obvious.
%%* Lily, Andy's best friend in the movie ''Literature/TheDevilWearsPrada''.
%%* ''Film/GrandCanyon'': Jane (Alfre Woodard) is this to Dee (Mary-Louise Parker). Eventually Kevin Kline and Danny Glover become best friends.
%%* Lynette from the film version of ''Film/TheNannyDiaries''.
%%* Annie from the Sandra Bullock vehicle ''Film/{{Premonition}}''.
%%* Bob Parr & [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Lucius Best]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''.
%%* Sithandra from ''Film/AeonFlux'', who [[UnfortunateImplications unfortunately has monkey-like hands/feet]].
%%* Trey in ''Film/SuperheroMovie''.
%%* Bubba is this to ''Film/ForrestGump''.
%%* Brenda Meeks from the ''Film/ScaryMovie'' series is a send-up of this trope.
* In ''Film/TheProposition'', the only cop other to be trusted by Cpt. Stanley is Jacko, an Australian Aborigine. On the other side of the law, Arthur Burns' right-hand man is another Aborigine named Two-Bob. [[spoiler: Two-Bob considers Jacko to be a sellout, and knifes him to death.]]
* Gina, Honey's best friend in ''Film/{{Honey}}''.
* In ''Film/{{District 9}}'', they are not exactly friends, but Wikus' black bureaucratic co-worker got along well enough with him. Furthermore, that co-worker is so inspired by Wikus' sacrifice that he investigated and exposed MNU's evil scientific experiments on the aliens to the world to strike his own blow and willingly pays the price doing so.
%%* Ella's Asian Best Friend in ''Film/EllaEnchanted''. The character is played by Parminder Nagra (of ''E.R.'' fame), which makes her painfully obvious sidelining all the more so.
%%* Hallie, new BFF to Sidney Prescott in ''Scream 2''.
* ''Film/TheSkeletonKey:'' Actually serves the plot as she introduces the protagonist to the Hoodoo that was practiced in her family. (And at the end [[spoiler: it's how we know she's going to be the next victim of body-snatching Mama Cecile who had said earlier that she wants a black woman to inhabit.)]]
%%* Bo Peep to Snow White From ''WesternAnimation/HappilyNEverAfter 2''. Also, Little Red Riding Hood seems to be Snow White's Arab Best Friend, complete with headscarf-esque hood.
* Inverted in ''Film/TheKarateKid2010'' in that as soon as Dre moves to China a local blonde starts being his friend but barely has a line in the film.
* Jason is the Black Best Friend of Charlie and Duncan in ''Film/MysteryTeam''. Slightly averted in that he's the protagonist, and doesn't have the same characteristics as most examples of these tropes.
* In the movie of ''Film/{{Matilda}}'', her best friend, Lavender, is black. She gets no in-depth characterisation or growth, but then, neither do any of the other characters outside of Matilda's immediate family [[spoiler: at least if you count Miss Honey as her family, since she did adopt Matilda at the end of the movie.]]
%%* In one of the earliest examples in film, Sam is this to Rick in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''.
* Inversion in ''Film/IndependenceDay''. The hero, Steven Hiller, is a black Marine fighter pilot and his white best friend, Jimmy, is the wise-cracking comic relief who's [[spoiler: also one of the first to die]]. It's worth noting that the hero wasn't written as a black character, but the role went to a young Creator/WillSmith.
* In the film ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'', Steve Montgomery is the Black Best Friend of the two white protagonists who also develop superpowers. He's done a bit more justice than the typical Black Best Friend, though - he's the most popular, sociable and outgoing member of the trio (and is suggested to be a positive influence on both of them), is a well-rounded character who doesn't exhibit any particularly stereotypical attitudes or behaviors, and the development of the friendship between the members of the trio is treated as a meaningful plot arc.
%%* Harlan in ''Film/{{Adam}}'' is the only friend of the protagonist.
%%* Ripcord to Duke in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''.
%%** Roadblock to Duke in ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'', but not as much as Ripcord. More like black ''good'' friend.
%%* Mace from the 2014 remake of ''Literature/EndlessLove''.
%%* Earl of ''Film/MeAndEarlAndTheDyingGirl''.
%%* In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', John Wraith teams up with Logan after he visits him in Vegas.
* The plot of ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'' is largely caused by Sunny [[JustFriends refusing to just be this]] to Princess Dawn.
* Luther Stickell from the ''Film/MissionImpossible'' series. Since Ethan and Luther first met, they've become close friends and allies. He was also the only recruit in the first movie to not have a FaceHeelTurn.
* Charles Robinson from the Creator/PierceBrosnan era of the Film/JamesBond film series was apparently this to Bond, given how genuinely terrified for James' life he is in one instant and how genuinely happy he is at Bond's release from a North Korean prison.
** Felix Lighter is the closest thing James has to a real friend in the world. He has been played by a black man on a few occasions.
%%* ''Film/GodsNotDeadALightInDarkness'': Jude to Dave, as with the previous films.
* ''Series/TheOfficeUK'' spinoff ''Film/DavidBrentLifeOnTheRoad'' plays this trope for laughs. David befriends a black hip-hop artist named Dom and makes him come into work to show the HR rep that even though he made a racist joke, [[InsaneTrollLogic it's cancelled out by the fact that he knows a black guy]]. Adding to the hilarity is the fact that this was Dom's first appearance in the film.
* ''Film/AWalkToRemember'' has Eric, the only Black friend Carter has, in spite of being the BigManOnCampus. That said, he was the first of their group of friends to come around and apologize for mistreating Jaime and renew their friendship.
* Parodied in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'' with Malik Token, who lampshades as the TokenMinority of the film, that he should only smile politely, stay out of the conversation and just say things like "Bling-bling!" and "That is whack!" In the climax of the film, he begins a meaningful conversation with lead protagonist, only for him to cut him off to [[RaceForYourLove race for his love]] and he points out how irritating he is by this.
* ''Film/ShanghaiExpress'' is named by ''Pre-Code Hollywood'' as a very early example of this (it came out in 1932). Hui Fei is Chinese and is Shanghai Lily's ethnic companion, with no real explanation of how they know each other or why they're travelling together. Of course she's something of an UnbuiltTrope as she still is involved in the plot [[spoiler: getting raped by the villain and then murdering him for it]]. It's also one of the few non-stereotypical roles her actress Creator/AnnaMayWong got to play in Hollywood.
* ''Film/ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbingMissouri'' - Mildred's only friend (or at leas the only character she treats nicely) is her black co-worker. She's arrested for drug possession early on in the film and doesn't get released until the last act - allowing Mildred to have plenty of angst in between.
* ''Literature/ALittlePrincess'' (the 1995 film version) gives Becky a RaceLift to become black. This fits with the SettingUpdate from Victorian London to World War I New York (Becky was a cockney girl in the book). Becky serves as Sara's MoralityPet when she loses her fortune, keeping her from becoming too bitter about her situation. In this case she literally has no life of her own because she's an orphan working at the school for her room. [[spoiler: The film changes the ending to have Becky adopted as Sara's sister]].
* ''Film/GetOverIt'':
** Alison has a BetaBitch called Maggie (played by pre-fame Creator/ZoeSaldana) whose lines consist of {{Squee}}ing over Alison's BoyBand member boyfriend or saying mean things about Berk. Oh and then [[spoiler: Stryker cheats on Alison with her]].
** Berk also has a black friend called Dennis, who has less of a role in the plot than their other best friend Felix. His contribution to the plot is being a last minute replacement for a dancer in the school musical.
%%** If Jews count then Basin fills this role to Kelly, and in fact hooks up with Dennis at the end.
* ''Film/TheCabinInTheWoods'' Holden is the only boy of colour in the FiveManBand and he's the only character not to be part of the main gang, introduced as Kurt's friend that he's trying to set Dana up with.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Fred and George have Lee Jordan. He gets some focus as the boy who does the Quidditch commentary but is still mostly defined as "the twins' friend".
** Blaise Zabini is indicated to be the only person that Draco respects/sees as an equal. Subverting the usual implication of the character being broad-minded, both Draco and Blaise are pretty big ''[[FantasticRacism fantastic]]'' [[FantasticRacism racists]].
** Dean Thomas is initially this as part of ThoseTwoGuys with the white Seamus. The latter initially got more characterization, but Dean overcame this by becoming Ginny's RomanticFalseLead and getting some focus as a runaway in the last two books.
** Inverted for Cho Chang who is Asian and has a white best friend Marietta that fits the SatelliteCharacter requirements of the trope almost to the letter; she's introduced as Cho's friend and is only at the DA meetings because of Cho.
* ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'' features ''two'' of these -- Clarice's roommate Ardelia and the orderly Barney, who appears to be one of the few people Hannibal Lecter respects.
%%* The ''Literature/StephaniePlum'' novels have Stephanie teamed with black ex-hooker Lula.
* Parodied in the ''Literature/JohnnyMaxwellTrilogy'' with Yo-less, who is "technically black". Yo-less was once asked if it was racist for him to be Baron Samedi for Halloween. He says no, it can't be racist if it's him doing it. The nickname, incidentally, is because he is so chronically unhip that it goes far beyond not conforming to stereotypes; he's actually "whiter" than his aggressively Anglo friends.
* OlderThanRadio: Jim from ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn'' might be the [[TropeMaker original Black Best Friend]], from ''way'' before it was cool. On the other hand, Jim and Huck don't always see eye-to-eye on some issues, such as their discussions over the wives of Henry the Eighth, the many different languages in the world, or the Solomon's decision to cut a child in half.
* Even older than previous example, works by Creator/JulesVerne frequently featured African and Aftican-American characters as sidekicks of the protagonists.
* Jessica, from the ''Literature/BetsyTheVampireQueen'' series. She is undeniably [[SassyBlackWoman sassy]], and despite having no supernatural powers (unlike many other characters in the series), she is something of a MagicalNegro, due to her stupendous (inherited) wealth.
%%* Hawk in Robert B. Parker's Spenser (a/k/a Spenser For Hire) detective series. (The novels were also the basis for a TV series in the mid-'80's. Robert Urich played Spenser; Avery Brooks played Hawk.
* Melanie is this to April in ''Literature/TheEgyptGame'', providing an early example from TheSixties. The SympatheticPOV is actually assigned to them about equally, although April still registers more strongly as a protagonist. On the other hand, April is definitely the sassier of the two, which would have been an InvertedTrope had [[UnbuiltTrope the stereotype been codified]].
%%* Melody in ''Literature/BaileySchoolKids''.
%%* Josh to Kevin in ''Literature/TheEyesOfKidMidas''.
* In the ''Literature/DearAmerica'' book ''Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl'' the main character Zettie, though six years younger, is her mistress's loved and trusted companion.
%%* The premise of the ''American Girl'' series with Marie-Grace and Cecille.
%% * Shaunee and Krashima from ''Literature/TheHouseOfNight''.
* In ''EleanorAndPark'', Eleanor's only two friends are Beebi and DeNice who say, "Mmm hmm," too much and make sassy wisecracks and have no life outside of the main character.
* Defied by Regine, the black secondary character from ''Literature/MoreThanThis''. She calls Seth out on thinking that everything revolves around him and that Regine and Tomasz are some sort of props to help ''him'' on his journey.
* Rafael, Greg's study partner in an Israeli yeshiva in the middle third of ''Literature/AWolfInTheSoul'', is a black convert to Judaism. His older brother, also a convert, appears later [[spoiler:and earlier]] in the book.
* Christina from ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' is a better example than most, since she is a pretty well-rounded character that interacts with and has strong friendships with people other than Tris. However, she isn't a very [[PositiveDiscrimination flawed person]].
* Shaunee is the only black main character of ''Literature/TheHouseOfNight'', and her main character trait is being best friends with Erin.
%%* In ''Literature/SimonVsTheHomoSapiensAgenda'', Abby is this for Simon and Bram is this for Nick.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/SmallWonder'': Reggie, Jamie's best friend. In the earlier seasons, he's written as a normal kid. In some later episodes, Reggie picks up some stereotypical BlackBestFriend behavior. He's sassier, and one episode has him ''rapping'' for a school project.
%%* ''Series/FindingCarter''. Bird (played by Creator/VanessaMorgan) ''seems'' to be a typical version of this at first, then later becomes a complete subversion of it.
* James "Lord Bowler" Lonefeather of ''Series/{{The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr}}'' while starting out as a rival bounty hunter he eventually became the partner and best friend of Brisco.
* Francie, Sydney Bristow's best friend, on ''Series/{{Alias}}''. She had her own plot about a cheating fiance that only served to show Sydney had a normal non-spy-related friend. In the second season, she had a restaurant startup subplot, and even interacted with people Sydney knew outside of their mutual friend Will. But then, she ends up killed and replaced by [[{{Doppelganger}} someone who's been genetically altered to look like her]].
%%* ''Series/AllyMcBeal'': Renee, until they gave her ChuckCunninghamSyndrome.
%%* ''Series/AllMyChildren'''s SuperCouple Jesse and Angie were this to fellow SuperCouple Greg and Jenny. Jesse was this to Jenny and to her brother Tad as well.
* Wes and Gunn on ''Series/{{Angel}}'' for a while. Later on, they actually subverted this pretty well -- part of the reason Gunn winds up spiraling toward the dark side in later seasons is because the rest of the team have a tendency to absentmindedly treat him like a secondary character. While the characters do, however, the show itself rarely does.
%%* The classic ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}''
%%** Tigh to Adama
%%** Boomer to Apollo and Starbuck
* ''Film/BatesMotel1987'', a failed PilotMovie that tried to create an anthology series based around the titular motel, had Henry Watson, a hard-up carpenter who befriended lead character Alex West, and was subsequently allowed to move into the motel in exchange for renovating it. While the person who Alex actually had the most screentime with was Lori Petty's character, Willie, she was likely intended as a romantic foil for Alex if it ever went to a series, meaning that Henry more fit the "best friend" part of the trope.
* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' had two at different points in the show's run: Angela Moore for Topanga Lawrence and Eli Williams for Jonathan Turner. However, in Angela's case, her primary role was as Shawn's girlfriend and her friendship with Topanga grew out of her relationship with Shawn.
%%* Forrest to Riley on ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', although he could hardly be considered friendly.
* Subverted by Cirilo in ''Series/{{Carrusel}}''. He is friends with practically everyone- but not the sidekick of anyone in particular.
%%* ''Film/{{Clueless}}'': Dionne "Dee" Davenport in the sitcom version (and the movie).
* Parodied in ''Series/TheColbertReport''. When discussing racial matters, Stephen would frequently show a single picture of him with a black staff member named Alan. After Colbert saw Alan participating in an anti-war protest, he was demoted to a "black acquaintance", and Colbert started looking for a ''new'' black friend before dropping the bit completely. There was actually a montage in which he showcased all his token minority friends. Stephen also has an Asian best friend, a Mexican best friend, and a Jewish best friend (Creator/JonStewart). In all cases, the "friends" are wearing the same resigned expressions as in the picture at the top of the page.
* ''Series/{{Community}}'': One thing that gets Pierce out of his suicidal funk is that he has "a young African-American friend". Troy is in no way this trope, but it fits Pierce's racist world view to think he is.
%%* ''Series/TheCosbyShow,'' which has a predominantly black cast, inverts this trope with Cliff's ''white'' best friend, Jeffrey, played by Wallace Shawn.
%%* Nick and Warrick on ''{{Series/CSI}}''.
* The first episode that Hazel is the main character in ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' leaves her usual part of being an extention of the queen bee Paige and goes to her claiming that she's black because she's from Jamaica, not the Muslim African nation that she is from.
* Inverted on ''Series/{{ER}}''. While Pratt was certainly this to Morris, Pratt was the more prominent character.
* Avoided in ''{{Series/Eureka}}'': Henry is Carter's best friend, but he has his own subplots, his own agenda, and his own secrets. A typed BBF would never [[spoiler: erase memories]] from the white protagonist.
** And considering that the woman that Carter is in love with is black, uh, yeah. Henry's as far from a token as can be.
* Not a perfect example, but the trope is played for laughs in the Season 3 episode of ''Series/FatherTed'', "Are You Right There, Father Ted" where, in an attempt to appeal to the Chinese people of Craggy Island when they all start to [[MistakenForRacist believe he is a racist]], Ted organizes an event to celebrate their culture. A slide-show is the main event where, before he gets to a cringe-worthy display of examples of "Chinese culture" (including Ted claiming that you can see the Great Wall of China "from anywhere in the world" and [[Film/TheKarateKid Mr. Miyagi]]) he shows a picture of himself with his arm around a black man and the pair smiling. To this he says "I forget his name now, but I got on very well with him..." before moving on.
** WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation did the exact same joke in his review over Music/FiftyCent's game, just a lot quicker.
%%* ''Series/{{Felicity}}'': Elena Tyler
%%* ''Series/{{Flash Gordon|2007}}'':
%%** Nick to Flash, though he functions mostly as a ButtMonkey.
%%** If you count Dale Arden's cameraman/confidant, there are two of these.
%%* Andrea Moreno is the black best friend of Melinda Gordon in ''Series/GhostWhisperer''.
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': Karofsky's best friend, Azimio, fits the trope - he is every bit a JerkJock like Karofsky, just without the HiddenDepth of [[spoiler: being and ArmoredClosetGay with suicidal tendencies.)
%%*, Mercedes is this to Kurt.
* In ''Series/{{Nashville}}'', Zoey is this to Scarlett. While she may in time come to have her own desires that do not revolve around helping Scarlett or Scarlett's ex-boyfriend, right now Zoey fulfills the trope. It is also notable that she entered the show as Coleman, the only African American cast member at the time, was written off the show. It could be argued that Coleman fulfilled this trope for a few characters on the show.
%%* Ivy Wentz on ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'' is Teddy's black best friend. Also P.J.'s best friend Emmett is BlackAndNerdy.
* ''Series/H2OJustAddWater'' Season 1's AlphaBitch Miriam has a black best friend called Tiffany who rarely gets lines or focus outside of one episode where she's crowned the surprise winner of a BeautyContest, and another where she's Lewis's date for a dance (and she seems to be nicer than Miriam). Both characters [[BrotherChuck vanish in Season 2]].
* Averted in ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet''; many of the Black characters are given much more characterization and are just as relevant as their White counterparts (which helped in the series' lasting popularity). Frank often shoots down any attempts at friendship Tim shows despite Tim calling Frank his best friend. This is more to do with Pembleton's characterisation as a self-assigned loner.
%%* ''Honest'' [[spoiler: features Reza, a ''South Asian'' Best Friend. Subverted in that he's not all that smart.]]
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Michelle, Lily's best friend from high school in the Season 3 episode "Sand Castles in the Sand". She has an extremely thick, stereotypical "black" accent...and when Lily is talking to her, so does she. At one point, Lily leaves her friend alone with the main cast, and it turns out she doesn't normally have that accent either--they just bring out that side of each other.
%%* Deacon on ''Series/TheKingOfQueens''.
* Satirized in ''Series/TheLAComplex'' when Raquel goes out for the role of the protagonist's best friend in a new TV show and is told that they're looking for a Black Best Friend.
* On ''Series/LasVegas'', we have Mike Cannon, who is pretty much cool personified, and frequently chases tail. [[HollywoodNerd He's also an MIT graduate, idolizes Stephen Hawking, and is one of the smartest guys on the show]]. (James Lesure and Josh Duhamel are actually real-life friends.) There's also Detta, who was Delinda's British [=BBF=], and Sam Marquez, a sassy Hispanic woman(And I use the word "sassy" generously).
%%* Ramona Platt in ''Series/LessThanPerfect''.
* Malcolm's best friend in ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' is Stevie, who is also BlackAndNerdy.
** All of Hal's friends are black, possibly because their friendship with Hal is a result of his friendship with Stevie's father. As is typical of the series, this is never explained or commented upon. It is, however, subverted at first, where Hal feels he doesn't get along with Stevies father and all of his friends, and that they treat him differently, because he is not like them. When Abe confronts Hal about what he means, Hal says they treat him differently because Hal isn't a professional.
* For the first eight or so seasons of ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', Al worked alone in the shoe store. Starting in season 9, his friend and fellow [=NO-MAAMer=] Griff became his co-worker. In many respects, Griff was a black version of Al, with a bad car and an even worse job, their major difference being that Griff was divorced. Al would probably consider him better off, but as Griff told Bud in one episode, ''she got the car, the dog and the money. I got the right to remain silent.''
** He actually worked with a white guy in the first season of the show, then went a couple of of seasons working alone, before hiring a kid that was from Polk High named Aaron. Then he got a intern named Dexter (played by Chi [=McBride=]) for one episode. Then Griff came along. Plus, the only cop in Chicago who seems to like Al is Officer Dan.
%%* [[Series/{{Matrix}} Steven Matrix]] has Billy Hicks.
* In ''My Boys'', this appears in a downplayed form because the main character is the hip one and her black best friend is overly feminine.
* The ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode that features the movie ''Werewolf'' mocks this when the only black person in the film, seen for a few seconds, is introduced at a party as "my good friend Elgin."
-->Mike: Elgin is my ''black'' friend.
%%* Barb, from ''Series/TheNewAdventuresOfOldChristine'' is this, and it's constantly [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Christine.
* One of Michael Scott's quirks from ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' is his bizarre belief, [[SelectiveObliviousness in the face of all evidence]], that sales rep Stanley Hudson is a stereotypical "sassy black mentor" and that Stanley is therefore one of his best friends from work (since Michael is, of course, the protagonist of his little pop-culture fantasy world). Michael has a magical ability to completely ignore all of Stanley's real personality traits while imagining him as a Black Best Friend, imagining him as a wisecracking happy-go-lucky athletic "urban" man with working-class roots , when Stanley is in fact sedentary and out of shape, laconic to the point of catatonia, frequently depressed, raised in a small town and just as if not more solidly upper-middle-class as anyone else in the office.
** Bizarrely, this is why Michael, despite his blatant racism, seems to genuinely like Stanley to the point of being willing to fight Corporate to keep him as an employee, even though everyone else sees Stanley as one of the less likable (or even memorable) people there, and Stanley himself has nothing but disdain for everyone around him. The thing about Michael is, he's a racist because he's an idiot.
* On ''Series/OneTreeHill'', this is basically Skills' characterization, even with being in the opening credits in the fourth season and given more dialogue and backstory. One BottleEpisode even has Lucas meeting up with a Black female friend in her new city.
%%* The titular Jimmy of ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'' has a Black Best Friend, Craig. [[RaceLift This is a change]] from the original movie were Craig was Asian.
* ''Series/{{Providence}}''. Dr. Sydney Hansen and her fellow physician at the clinic the latter woman runs. We learn they became friends in college and stayed that way through medical school before losing touch when Sydney moved to California for her residency.
* Gus on ''Series/{{Psych}}'', though he exerts a lot of effort into ''not'' getting involved in Shawn's latest case. He's also probably a subversion, considering his general dorkiness, especially when compared to Shawn. What's his normal day-job when he's not helping Shawn solve crimes? He's a [[{{Salaryman}} pharmaceutical sales rep]]. He's also gotten significant character development and almost always provides a reasonable offering to the plot of each episode.
%%* Patti from ''Series/RitaRocks''.
* ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' - according to Michelle Beaudoin, she was axed as Sabrina's best friend Jenny because the network wanted her to have an ethnic best friend. This didn't happen until Season 4 with Dreama - who actually did get a plot of being a student Sabrina needed to help earn her witch's license.
* Spoofed in ''Series/TheSarahSilvermanProgram'' episode "Batteries" when Sarah meets God depicted as an African-American man and she asks him "Are you God's black friend?"
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'':
** Parodied with J.D. and Turk. J.D. is a total dork whose best friend is a black guy, but Turk is only slightly less, if not ''equally'', dorky despite also possessing several jock characteristics. Generally said, ''Scrubs'' is one of the rare shows that handles the topic "racism" openly, and isn't afraid to do so. Examples are jokes about the white, [[{{Geek}} geeky]] stereotype or the black SurferDude stereotype. They are very, very aware of this trope. Their nicknames for each other are 'chocolate bear' and 'vanilla bear'.
** In Season 4's "My Roommates", [[KnightInSourArmor Dr. Cox]] has a VitriolicBestBuds relationship with Ron Laver, his black best friend from high school. The two have a rollicking good time being complete {{jerkass}}es to everyone, and Ron messes with J.D. with an AngryBlackMan routine.
** In Season's 5's "His Story III" Dr. Cox accuses Turk of not really being black, one of the reasons being because he has a nerdy, white best friend.
** In Season 5's "My Chopped Liver" they go to a frat party with [[RefugeInAudacity J.D. in blackface and Turk in whiteface]], J.D. obviously more worried about the implications than Turk is. Turk gets caught up elsewhere and J.D. is left to the mercy of the black fraternity leaders.
** From Season 9's "My Dumb Luck"
--->''[after J.D. and Turk share a hug]''\\
'''Ted:''' I need one of those.\\
'''J.D.:''' A hug?\\
'''Ted:''' No, a black best friend. It would make me a lot cooler.\\
'''Turk:''' I should be offended, but he's right.
* Alex Mack from ''Series/TheSecretWorldOfAlexMack'' has Raymond as her black best friend. He's one of only two people along with Alex's sister Annie to know about her powers.
* Parodied in the 6th season episode of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', "The Diplomat's Club" in which George offends his black boss, Morgan, when he says Morgan resembles Sugar Ray Leonard (in George's defense, he actually does). He goes as far as trying to find any black person he's had contact with recently to prove to his boss he's not a racist. He ends up inviting Jerry's black [[strike:plumber]] exterminator to a dinner with his boss and pretending they're old high school buddies. Obviously, it blows up in his face.
%%* The Hamiltons of ''Series/SeventhHeaven'', an entire family with a black best friend for every Camden family member.
* Pete in the early seasons of ''Series/{{Smallville}}.'' The first character outside the Kent family in whom Clark confided about his powers. Made all the more transparent by the fact that Pete Ross [[RaceLift was a blond, blue-eyed white boy]] in the comics.
** After he learnt about Clark's powers, he does rescue Clark for a good number of times, but then became an achingly obvious TokenMinority and was eventually PutOnABus. The role of Clark's best friend was quickly assumed by the much more interestingly written and acted Chloe Sullivan. It should be noted that Chloe learned Clark's secret ''after'' Pete left, though.
** Unlike everyone else Pete never had a place (barn, talon, torch office, kitchen) and his only problem was living in Clark's shadow so he left for good reason.
* La Donna Frediricks of ''Square Pegs'' was valley girl Jennifer Di Nuccio's best friend and shared the "most popular girl" mantle with her. In spite of her cliché sassy blackness, she thankfully never fell prey to the more boring PositiveDiscrimination laws of the day that would've castrated her [[AlphaBitch Mean Girl]] evil. While proving marginally smarter and more accomplished than the other popular kids, La Donna was a bully at heart, and was just as cruel, selfish, and shallow as the rest of her clique -- La Donna's catchphrase was an always uncalled for "I ''hate'' that," and she routinely referred to the two protagonists derisively as "that fat girl" and "that fat girl's friend".
%%* Huggy Bear to ''Series/StarskyAndHutch''.
%%* ''Summerland''; had Susannah, the black best friend of Ava.
%%* Owen on ''Supah Ninjas''.
* Lampshaded in ''Series/ThirtyRock''. When Liz tries to make friends with Tracey's wife, Angie, she asks "Are you looking for a sassy black friend?" When Liz stumbles for words, Angie continues: "Because you just found one, girlfriend!"
%%** Also: Kenneth and Tracy.
%%* Kenny on ''Series/TilDeath''.
* ''Series/TrueBlood'' initially had cousins Tara and Lafayette playing this straight as Sookie's black best friends, with Lafayette being [[PetHomosexual gay]] as well. But they got significant characterization and plenty of plots outside of their minority status and friendship with Sookie. Eventually both characters started getting season-long story arcs completely separate from her.
* Bonnie to Elena and Caroline on ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''. She's not a perfect example because she's a fleshed-out character with plotlines of her own, is more aware of and capable of handling what's going on in the TownWithADarkSecret than many characters, and is even a MagicalNegro, but she's black and a good friend, so it's still worth mentioning. She's sassy as well, [[WorldOfSnark but so is everyone on the show]].
* Wallace on ''Series/VeronicaMars''. He gets his own story in season 2...which results in him leaving the show for several episodes...and is promptly written into the background of season 3. Weevil might also count as a sassy latino associate, but he's got enough of his own motivations that he might count as independent of Veronica...except he needs her help frequently to get him out of jail. Wallace got a few storylines in Season 3. The show tried a little harder than most shows to make the minority best friend more three-dimensional.
** (Also, Neptune, the town where the show takes place, is divided into classes which look at the money you make and frequently also the colour of your skin (some exceptions, but as a rule the white kids are on top) - Wallace wasn't so much the black best friend to give the main character a black best friend, rather he was black because she wouldn't be able to make friends with someone who wasn't also spurned as a social outcast to some degree, and with the town being a little racist as well as money obsessed, it made sense for it to be the black boy she felt sympathy for.)
* ''Series/{{Wonderfalls}}'' has an odd case with Mahandra, who, unlike other examples, has a love life and the occasional wacky subplot.
* In a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch Creator/LouisCK stars as UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln in a parody of his show ''Series/{{Louie}}''. He tries to make new black friends at a bar [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency by mentioning how he emancipated them]]. It doesn't go well.
* Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid in ''Series/CriminalMinds'', especially in the first three seasons. More often than not, Morgan's interactions with Reid are about addressing a concern Reid is having or to highlight a trait of Reid- you never see Morgan get help from Reid.
* This trope is referenced and mocked in ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack''. When Taystee is thinking of new hairstyles that would help her appeal, one of the other girls recommends that she go the "Black Best Friend" route with her hair. They list off a few from recent movies such as Regina King in ''Film/MissCongeniality'' and ''Film/LegallyBlonde'', as well as Viola Davis in ''Film/EatPrayLove''.
* While Teal'c gets many "Warrior-centric" episodes he stars in, and plenty of plot development, group episodes of ''Series/StargateSG1'' typically relegate him to Jack's one-word StraightMan BlackBestFriend. Often for hilarious lampshading effect.
-->(''during a ship-wide battle drill'')\\
'''Ship Captain:''' Weapons officer, (''a quick shot of the weapons officer at his station'') Prepare to fire on my command.\\
'''O'Neill:''' (''to Teal'c'') As the weapons officer you'd think he'd already be prepared.\\
'''Teal'c:''' Indeed.\\
'''Ship Captain:''' (''to O'Neill and Teal'c'') The bridge isn't exactly where you're supposed to be during a battle drill.\\
'''O'Neill:''' No, I've been meaning to talk to you about that.\\
'''Ship Captain:''' Can it wait? 'Till we're not in the middle of a drill.\\
'''O'Neill:''' When are we not in the middle of a drill?\\
(''the captain glares at O'Neill and says nothing; O'Neill holds his hands up'')\\
'''O'Neill:''' Okay. We'll talk about it later. Teal'c, prepare to assist in damage control.\\
'''Teal'c:''' I am prepared, O'Neill.\\
'''O'Neill:''' See how melodramatic that sounds, it's unnecessary!
* Before showing a sketch the audience ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' talk about how the only roles in movies they get to read for are for the "black best friend" who's purpose is to make the white main character seem cool and to offer him wise advice.
* More of a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen, as in ''Series/TeenWolf'', Rebecca "Harley" Harlowe is a character who during the pilot, one would think she was built up to be this trope to Scott and Stiles. The two talk to her and later in the pilot, she expresses concern when Scott acts out of it. The original script for the show even states that she seems to be their only friend. But after that, she's rarely seen again.
%%* ''Series/Zoey101'' Michael is this to Chase and Logan. Lisa becomes this to the girls in the final season.
* ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' averts the trope for the most part, but the spectre of it hangs over [[HeterosexualLifePartners Hill and Renko]] whenever they have a falling-out; Bobby is actually insecure about the idea Renko ''sees'' him as this trope at its worst. This was most noticeable when Bobby was elected to a post in the city's Black Police Association, taking him away from street duty for a while. Ironically enough was that Andy was most bothered by the fact he got assigned a (white!) substitute partner whose carelessness nearly got him jumped by a perp.
%%* ''Series/ForThePeople'' has Allison for Sandra and Leonard for Kate.
* ''Series/WonderWoman'' starts to set one up for Diana in the episode where she transfers to Los Angeles. T. Burton Phipps III is a sassy black kid who somehow has open access to the West Coast headquarters of the IADC to sell apples and other items at outrageously inflated prices.
* Subtly parodied in the ''Series/AllThat'' sketch "Harry Bladder", a ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' spoof where Harry Bladder's best friend [=ReRon=] (a parody of Ron Weasley) is an African-American kid with a huge red afro.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* The team of Wrestling/{{Glacier}} and [[Wrestling/ErnestMiller Ernest "The Cat" Miller]] teamed together in Wrestling/{{WCW}} in 1997 in the Blood Runs Cold feud against [[Wrestling/{{Kanyon}} Mortis]], [[Wrestling/BryanClarke Wrath]] and manager [[Wrestling/JamesMitchell James Vandenberg]]. It is a {{Justified|Trope}} example, as both Glacier and Miller are martial artists and Miller was Glacier's ''only'' friend in WCW. Because Miller did not develop his LargeHam[=/=]SmallNameBigEgo "I'm the greatest" act until sometime after the team had dissolved, it was not a case of SaltAndPepper. In fact, one of the problems that hurt the feud's chances of getting over was that no one really displayed a personality that could transcend their gimmicks.
* Wrestling/KellyKelly got two in the 2011-2012 period where she was the top face Diva. First was Wrestling/EveTorres, who randomly decided to save Kelly from an attack by the Wrestling/BellaTwins when they had no history beforehand. Wrestling/AliciaFox was given a HeelFaceTurn to join them as well, and upon Eve's FaceHeelTurn, Alicia spent a few months tagging with Kelly or standing at ringside for her matches. Despite Eve and Alicia getting wins, Kelly was always promoted as the 'leader' of the trio.
* {{Wrestling/Layla}}:
** As part of Wrestling/LayCool she played the BetaBitch to Wrestling/MichelleMcCool - there to take beatings or pins in tag matches. ''Then'' Layla became Women's Champion and although the two held the title as 'co-champions', Layla was subtly built up to become Michelle's equal. And Michelle ended up turning on her, resulting in a HeelFaceTurn for Layla and a win in a match that meant Michelle had to retire.
** She found herself getting paired with {{Wrestling/Kaitlyn}} a lot during the latter's rise to the top as Divas' Champion. In a shoot interview Kaitlyn poked fun at WWE trying to portray them as best friends just because they were both faces who had teamed together. Layla did pull a FaceHeelTurn on Kaitlyn to become this to AJ Lee - but that became an AbortedArc quite fast.
** Averted in her alliance with Summer Rae - where both were presented as equals.
* {{Wrestling/Jacqueline}} spent a lot of the 2002-2003 period tagging with either Lita or Trish Stratus (whichever was the top face at the time) and playing the 'friend of top face' while getting minimal storyline of her own.
* {{Wrestling/Naomi}} would occasionally find herself playing the number two face to either {{Wrestling/Paige}} or Wrestling/AJLee in the 2014-2015 period while getting no storyline of her own. She did make a FaceHeelTurn on Paige in mid-2015 but that became an AbortedArc. As of her 2016 HeelFaceTurn, she initially was in this role to Wrestling/BeckyLynch - but this was subverted when she became Smackdown Women's Champion, and the first African-American to hold the title (granted she was only the third champion but still).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* Subverted with Robin Quivers. She's been the news anchor and a co-host of ''Radio/TheHowardSternShow'' since 1981, although originally she was only given the job of newsanchor by [[ExecutiveMeddling executives]] in the hopes that she would calm Stern down and fulfill the normal role of Black Best Friend. As common with Stern, this only served to increase his wild tendencies, and he interacted and involved Quivers with the show so much through the years that it's obvious she's a fully realized person with flaws, likes, and dislikes... and sometimes she's the only person to take a stand ''against'' Stern.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', [[BaldBlackLeaderGuy Ismail]] is [[MagicKnight Belial's]] best friend. They met each other for the first time when Belial began [[StarCrossedLovers spending time]] with [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Sultana]] [[LadyOfWar Razia]] whom Ismail served as the captain of the guard in Vanna. The two men instantly got along and actually began teaching each other about their respective cultures, gaining mutual respect over the years which turned into a lasting friendship. When Razia's twin sister [[WomanScorned Adela]] usurped the throne, Ismail was sent into exile. Belial immediately offered him and the other exiled people a sanctuary in his Maar Sulais home, and Ismail returned the favour by becoming Belial's bodyguard as well as the mentor of Belial's son.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Barret from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' is this to Cloud. You can see them having a man-talk moment if you get him for the tram ride cut-scene. Barrett does have a backstory involving raising the daughter of a former partner he thought dead (who later returns looking for revenge) but after the first disc he mostly falls back into a secondary role (although this could be because the other supporting characters get their day in the limelight next).
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' has two.
** Within the PowerTrio of Laguna, Kiros and Ward - Laguna is the one with the most development and focus. Ward gets a bit of focus when he is rendered mute after a nasty attack. Kiros is mostly a SatelliteCharacter whose only independent action is to show up in Winhill to see how Laguna is post-retirement.
** Seifer's TerribleTrio includes Fujin - a woman who initially speaks only one or two words at a time, but eventually gets a WorldOfCardboardSpeech to talk Seifer down - and Raijin, who doesn't do much beyond ending his sentences with [[VerbalTics "ya know"]] (in the English translation anyway). Raijin is of course the most prominent dark-skinned character after Kiros.
%%* Big Bo to Dan Marshall in ''VideoGame/BinaryDomain''.
* Nakili Abuto in the ''VideoGame/PurpleMoon'' [[TheVerse verse]] hits every note of this, save for not being ''your'' best friend -- instead, she's part of a social clique that the player character wants to join. You know, girl?
* 8-Ball, Lance Vance, and Little Jacob in the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series. 8-Ball is probably the least stereotypical of the three, unfortunate since he's the oldest character (they first appear in GTA III, Vice City, and GTAIV respectively). Little Jacob is Jamaican, so whilst he is black he comes from a totally different culture to a black American.
** Dwayne from ''GTA IV'' (provided you let him live), who is one of the nicest characters in the game. He isn't directly a stereotype, but if you take him to Cluckin' Bell (the game's chicken shop) he admits that it may be a stereotype but he still loves the food.
%%* In the [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 Soldier/Demoman update comics]], the RED Demoman is this to the BLU Soldier.
* It was hinted that [[Franchise/StreetFighter Dee Jay]] may have been this to Fei Long in the ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Alpha]]'' continuity, since there were some mentions to them having worked together [[spoiler: and Dee Jay defended Fei Long's image when he was told by Yun that Fei Long may be involved in drug trades.]] There haven't been any allusions to this in other continuities, though.
%%* In the 1998 version of ''VideoGame/JumpStart Kindergarten'', the song "So Many Colors" contains the line, "Brown is the color of my best friend's skin."
%%* Willy's friend Perry from ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfWillyBeamish'', who are also TwoGuysAndAGirl with their friend Dana.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* At the start of the ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' review of ''50 Cent: Blood on the Sand'', Yahtzee explains that he's not a racist. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yzblackfriend.jpg This photograph]] flashes up for just one frame. Then flashes up again. And again. Including ''after'' [[CurseCutShort the last line of the video]], which cuts off a... not very nice word for black people.
%%* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': Matthew Derringer to Tanner Christiansen.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/MagickChicks'': Jacqui is best friends with Melissa and Cerise, and is [[NiceGuy the nice one]] of the bunch. She cares for both of them and offers them her support when they need it... [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/no_guys so long as there aren't any boys around to distract her.]]
* ''Webcomic/SketchComedy'': It would seem that Paul's sole purpose is to help James realize how ridiculous his elitist opinions are. [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2012/10/18/even-meanwhiler It's not exactly working.]]
%%* Bodacia from ''WebComic/TalesOfSchlock'' is this to Manoa.
* Bizarrely {{Exaggerated}} in ''Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff'' with the new friend Geromy, a LivingProp who does literally nothing but exist and be a black friend. As the book commentary says, he "adds much needed racial diversity to these two white assholes who fuck everything up. geromy doesnt fuck anything up ever because hes perfect. i love geromy."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', Jericho is this to Diamondback and Razorback. Given that Diamondback looks like a naga and Razorback looks like he's mostly velociraptor, not a lot of people ''want'' to be their friend.
%%* JJ, also known as LetsPlay/{{KSI}}, is this to [[LetsPlay/{{Miniminter}} Simon]].
* A parody website called ''[[http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/ Black People Love Us!]]'' It goes on about how "well-liked [they are] by Black people," and hangin' out with their black friends.
* Devin Freidman wrote an article called "Will You Be My Black Friend?" on how he realized at a cocktail party that most of his friends were white. He tried to remedy this by putting an ad for himself on Craigslist for a black friend. Oprah's producing a movie with Chris Rock based on it.
* Deconstructed in the ''Funny or Die'' sketch [[https://youtu.be/omPw8_T1zCQ "Black Best Friend"]], in which Casey Wilson tells her friend Aisha Muharrar (who wrote the sketch) that their friendship isn't working out because Aisha isn't "sassy" enough.
-->'''Casey''': See, I kind of wanted this happy ending like in the movies where there's some black lady or some ''African-American'', who sweeps in and helps out her clueless white friend and...I can't have my black best friend be more clueless than me.
-->'''Aisha''': I'm not that clueless.
-->'''Casey''': Yesterday you called me crying because you were lost downtown.
-->'''Aisha''': It was nighttime.
-->'''Casey''': You haven't called me "''Girrrrrllll''" once.
-->'''Aisha''': I know your name is Jen.
** Later in the sketch, when Casey claims that black people are "super-confident because they're black", Aisha complains "Do you know how hard it is to get concealer in my skin tone? And people are always asking me to sing."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* When talking about the "sensitive issue of race" WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick parodies this by saying that its okay, because her best friend is black. Cut to the definitely white Nella:
-->'''Nella:''' I'm adopted. Fo' shizzle.
%%* King Caesar in ''WebVideo/MonsterIslandBuddies''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Terry [=McGinnis'=] friend, [[SassyBlackWoman Maxine "Max" Gibson]], in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', one of the few besides him and Old Man Wayne who know his secret identity. Before her introduction, Jared Tate might count, as he was Terry's only male friend.
%%* Jamie James from ''WesternAnimation/CarlSquared''.
%%* Iggy from ''WesternAnimation/DaftPlanet''.
* Sloane Plunderman from ''WesternAnimation/DNAce'' is Ace Ripley's closest friend in the series. She usually gets involved with him and his various endeavors.
%%* Jonathan Reed is one of the earliest examples of this trope in ''WesternAnimation/DaveyAndGoliath''.
%%* Eema the Styracosaurus is probably this to [[LastofHerKind Baylene the Brachiosaurus]] from Disney's ''Disney/{{Dinosaur}}'', judging by her accent (Baylene has a British accent).
%%* WordOfGod has Skeeter from ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' as this, despite the fact he's [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation blue in the series]].
* Played for laughs in the Season 7 ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode, "Three Kings" in its parody of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'':
-->'''Andy:''' ''Oh, we've only had one conversation, but I can tell we're gonna be life-long friends. [[LampshadeHanging And since you're black, and I'm white, that makes it more especial for the audience]]!''
* AJ on ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' is the black friend to both Timmy and Chester, though in a bit of a subversion he's probably the smartest and most level-headed of the three. AJ is definitely the smartest both academically (he gets LOTS of A's while Timmy and Chester pretty much fail exclusively) and in terms of common sense, though his attempts to get Timmy to not make ridiculously bad decisions don't really work.
* Maurice from ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar''. He only serves as Julien's royal adviser, and doesn't have much characterization compared to Julien and Mort. Zig-zagged later on in ''WesternAnimation/AllHailKingJulien'' where we learn about his backstory and even his [[ParentalAbandonment lost family]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'''s ShowWithinAShow ''All My Circuits'', Calculon's best friend is a human--who doesn't have a name and is only known as "human friend." Similar in spirit.
%%* Discovery Kids' animated series ''WesternAnimation/GrowingUpCreepie'' has Beuregard "Budge" Bentley III, though like many black characters on shows aimed at younger kids, he's not overly portrayed as black.
%%* Gerald in ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' is this to the title character.
%%* Carrie Baker is this to the title character in the ''WesternAnimation/HollyHobbieAndFriends'' releases.
* ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'' averted this with Rhodey, who's Tony's best friend, confidant, and moral compass for most of the series. He is by far the most calm and mature out of all the main characters. He's also the only person who calls Tony out when he does morally/intellectually questionable things and is basically the main cast's voice of reason. During the TimeSkip between seasons, Tony gave Rhodey his own armor to use to protect New York with because Rhodey is, according to Tony 'the only thing that makes sense'. Although the series' main focus is on Tony (he ''is'' Iron Man, after all) Rhodey undergoes a personal morality arc wherein he examines his actions, his struggle to be the moral center, and what ultimately is moral.
** Rhodey's mother Roberta would be this for Howard, Tony's father, if it's weren't for the fact that the second season gave an AuthorsSavingThrow to explain a large chunk of their friendship is based on her accepting his change of heart from weapons' dealer to altruistic scientist and that she's his ''only'' friend. [[RelationshipWritingFumble If she wasn't married it'd be a pretty good romance backstory.]]
* Monique from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''. Sassy and Kim's closest female friend outside of her fellow cheerleaders.
%%* Clyde in ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' is this to Lincoln.
%%* The title character's friend Zack in ''WesternAnimation/MiloMurphysLaw''.
* Quincy from ''WesternAnimation/MyDadTheRockStar'' is this to the male lead Willy. Unique in that he is not portrayed as cooler than the already nerdy-looking Willy. In fact, he's a subverted JiveTurkey who tries to talk in street slang and appear hip hop, but comes off as a clear poser to everyone else
%%* Claire is this to Julie in ''{{WesternAnimation/Motorcity}}''. They're also a TomboyAndGirlyGirl.
%%* Vince from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' is this to T.J. (And [[EnsembleCast the rest of the gang]], though he's more "buddy-buddy" with T.J.). Ashley B. is this to Ashley A.
* Cloe of ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'' to Sabrina, though she does have some importance as a SecretKeeper who knows about Sabrina's magic - allowing her to get involved in more adventures than the rest of the cast. Still, her involvement in the plot is usually based around being Sabrina's friend. In the sequel series she is PutOnABus and replaced with a Latina girl called Maritza - who is more blatantly this trope.
* In ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' there's what you could call an inversion. The protagonist is black, though his race rarely comes up unless the show is actually talking about racism. However, his best friend is Richie, who you could call...'White Best Friend'. Richie is, perhaps deliberately, as white as a character can be. Being a geek, completely uncool and utterly...well, white ([[WordOfGay And gay.]] Not that this is ever mentioned on the show, though). Although, to be fair, [[BlackAndNerdy Static]] is equally geeky.
%%* In ''WesternAnimation/StickinAround'', Bradley is precisely this for Stacy.
* [[SassyBlackWoman Libby Folfax]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' to [[AcademicAlphaBitch Cindy Vortex]].
* Parodied with ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', where Billy's Black Best Friend Irwin ''tries'' to be cool, but is a complete and almost hopeless dweeb with [[StalkerWithACrush an obsessive crush]] on Mandy. Irwin also manages to be an [[{{Averted Trope}} aversion]]. He does occasionally get his [[{{A Day In The Limelight}} own episodes]] exploring his struggles and relationships outside of Billy and Mandy. His family, which consists of [[{{Monster Mash}} mummies and a geriatric Dracula]] even get a moment to shine in all their [[{{Dysfunction Junction}} dysfunctional, macabre glory]].
%%* Abby in ''WesternAnimation/TheReplacements''.
%%* In''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' DJ and Leshawna take this role towards Geoff and Gwen respectively.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronForce'' Vincent is Daniel's best friend. Unusual case in that the Black guy is the best friend of an Asian guy!
* ''WesternAnimation/WishKid'' Nick has a black best friend named Darryl. He acts as the straight man to Nick and is the only other person who knows of the magic baseball glove.
* Lola, the little cutie from ''WesternAnimation/{{Robotboy}}'', seems to want to make romantic sparks with the show's human protagonist Tommy Turnbull than be friends with him.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': Sydney Skelley to Jet, Sean, and Mindy.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug,'' both [[TheProtagonist Marinette]] and [[{{Deuteragonist}} Adrien]] have an AmbiguouslyBrown best friend: [[IntrepidReporter Alya]], who according to WordOfGod is Martinicquan, and [[BromanticFoil Nino]], who's Moroccan. Both are less socially awkward than their white friend and wind up as a [[TokenMinorityCouple Token Minority]] BetaCouple. However, while this trope applies fairly well in the first season, the second has made a conscious attempt to develop both of them more as their own characters, [[spoiler:in preparation for them becoming superheroes themselves]].
%%* Thanks to being [[RaceLift Race Lifted]], April O'Neil fills this role in ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.
[[/folder]]
----

* ''Series/TrueBlood'' initially had Tara and Lafayette playing this straight as Sookie's black best friends. But they got significant characterization and plenty of plots outside their friendship with Sookie. Tara even had her own season long arc separate from Sookie.

Your black best friend is [[SassyBlackWoman sassy]]. She's never too busy to lend an ear, or come along on your [[ZanyScheme wacky schemes]]. She is [[PositiveDiscrimination flawless to the point of being unreal.]] (Unless there's the occasional situation of either having a problem with her race or her relationship with you.) Is it because she has [[SatelliteCharacter no love life, no apartment, and no family]]? It's hard to say, but there's one thing for sure. She has a cell phone, and never ignores your calls.

* Barret from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' is this to Cloud. You can see them having a man-talk moment if you get him for the tram ride cut-scene.
%%* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' has two. For the protagonists, Kiros is this to Laguna and Ward. For the antagonists, Raijin is this to Seifer and Fujin.

* ''WishKid'' Nick has a black best friend named Darryl. He acts as the straight man to Nick and is the only other person who knows of the magic baseball glove.

* ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'': While all signs point to plans for Lt. Lawrence Stone to have become more than a good friend and SatelliteCharacter to ComicBook/SteveTrevor the comic was canceled before those plans had a chance to come to fruition.

* ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'' gives us Beth, Momoko's best friend from back in the USA who pops up a few times as if to say, "Momoko lived in America, and there were black people there!"

* Bill Foster ([[IHaveManyNames AKA Black Goliath, AKA Giant-Man II, AKA Goliath]]), the friend and lab assistant of [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]]. Despite not being as popular or well known as War Machine and the Falcon, he actually predates both of those characters as one of the MarvelUniverse's earliest examples of this trope.

* Smokey Brown, Joseph Joestar's buddy from Part 2 ([[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency "Battle Tendency"]]) of ''Franchise/JojosBizarreAdventure''. If anything, his fast befrieding with Joseph and Erina shows how open-minded the Joestar family is during World War II era. That, and [[AudienceSurrogate he acts as a part-time narrator and gives typical reactions to Joseph's very bizarre journey.]]

** As revealed by artist/writer Creator/JohnByrne on his message board: It was the habit in the [Marvel] Office to refer to CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON as [[http://www.bleedingcool.com/forums/showthread.php?34790-John-Byrne-Describes-Marvel-s-Casual-Racism-In-The-Seventies Captain America and the Fowl Coon.]]

* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Michelle, Lily's best friend from high school in the Season 3 episode "Sand Castles in the Sand". She has an extremely thick, stereotypical "black" accent...and when Lily is talking to her, [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments so does she]]. At one point, Lily leaves her friend alone with the main cast, and it turns out she doesn't normally have that accent either--they just bring out that side of each other.

-->'''Nella:''' [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments I'm adopted. Fo' shizzle.]]

* The worst offender is the extremely [=WASPy=] and nationalist and hateful family from ''Series/SmallWonder'' where the jerkass protagonist kid has a black best friend in Jerry.

* In ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' there's what you could call an inversion. The protagonist is black, though his race rarely comes up unless the show is actually talking about racism. However, his best friend is Richie, who you could call...'White Best Friend'. Richie is, perhaps deliberately, as white as a character can be. Being a geek, completely uncool and utterly...well, white. Although, to be fair, [[BlackAndNerdy Static]] is equally geeky ([[WordOfGay And gay.]] Not that this is ever mentioned on the show, though).

* Jamie James from ''WesternAnimation/CarlSquared''.
* Iggy from ''WesternAnimation/DaftPlanet''.

* Sloane Plunderman from ''WesternAnimation/DNAce''.

%%* Jamie James from ''WesternAnimation/CarlSquared''.
%%* Iggy from ''WesternAnimation/DaftPlanet''.

* Danny, Chris' best friend from ''Anime/SonicX''.

* Bob Makihara from ''Manga/TenjhoTenge''.

* The heroine of the western manga ''Rhysmith'' has one of these.

* In the ''Mysti'' comic books, Mysti has a black best friend named Peaseblossom (though for the first few volumes, she is a white best friend).

* Marcus Jones in ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' is both Jason's Black Best Friend and BlackAndNerdy.

*** In said series, Lother's son LJ was the best friend of ComicStrip/FlashGordon's son Rick.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''FanFic/LittleBlackDeathNote'' [[Franchise/HarryPotter Blaise Zabini is this for Draco Malfoy.]]
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'':
** Penny to Gwen.
** Poor Ethan, on the other hand, looks for a while like he might be Will's new best friends if Will and Laila hook up, only for the JerkWithAHeartOfGold to be that.

* Lily, Andy's best friend in the movie ''Literature/TheDevilWearsPrada''.
* ''Film/GrandCanyon'': Jane (Alfre Woodard) is this to Dee (Mary-Louise Parker). Eventually Kevin Kline and Danny Glover become best friends.
* Lynette from the film version of ''Film/TheNannyDiaries''.
* Annie from the Sandra Bullock vehicle ''Film/{{Premonition}}''.
* Bob Parr & [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Lucius Best]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''.
* Sithandra from ''Film/AeonFlux'', who [[UnfortunateImplications unfortunately has monkey-like hands/feet]].
* Trey in ''Film/SuperheroMovie''.
* Bubba is this to ''Film/ForrestGump''.
* Brenda Meeks from the ''Film/ScaryMovie'' series is a send-up of this trope.

* Ella's Asian Best Friend in ''Film/EllaEnchanted''. The character is played by Parminder Nagra (of ''E.R.'' fame), which makes her painfully obvious sidelining all the more so.
* Hallie, new BFF to Sidney Prescott in ''Scream 2''.

* Bo Peep to Snow White From ''WesternAnimation/HappilyNEverAfter 2''. Also, Little Red Riding Hood seems to be Snow White's Arab Best Friend, complete with headscarf-esque hood.

* In one of the earliest examples in film, Sam is this to Rick in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''.

* Harlan in ''Film/{{Adam}}'' is the only friend of the protagonist.
* Ripcord to Duke in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''.
** Roadblock to Duke in ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'', but not as much as Ripcord. More like black ''good'' friend.
* Mace from the 2014 remake of ''Literature/EndlessLove''.
* Earl of ''Film/MeAndEarlAndTheDyingGirl''.
* In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', John Wraith teams up with Logan after he visits him in Vegas.

* ''Film/GodsNotDeadALightInDarkness'': Jude to Dave, as with the previous films.

** If Jews count then Basin fills this role to Kelly, and in fact hooks up with Dennis at the end.

* The ''Literature/StephaniePlum'' novels have Stephanie teamed with black ex-hooker Lula.
* Parodied in the ''Literature/JohnnyMaxwellTrilogy'' with Yo-less, who is "technically black".
** Yo-less was once asked if it was racist for him to be Baron Samedi for Halloween. He says no, it can't be racist if it's him doing it.
** The nickname, incidentally, is because he is so chronically unhip that it goes far beyond not conforming to stereotypes; he's actually "whiter" than his aggressively Anglo friends.

* Hawk in Robert B. Parker's Spenser (a/k/a Spenser For Hire) detective series. (The novels were also the basis for a TV series in the mid-'80's. Robert Urich played Spenser; Avery Brooks played Hawk.

* Melody in ''Literature/BaileySchoolKids''.
* Josh to Kevin in ''Literature/TheEyesOfKidMidas''.
* In the Literature/DearAmerica book ''Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl'' the main character Zettie, though six years younger, is her mistress's loved and trusted companion.
* The premise of the American Girl series with Marie-Grace and Cecille.

* In ''Literature/SimonVsTheHomoSapiensAgenda'', Abby is this for Simon and Bram is this for Nick.

* ''Series/FindingCarter''. Bird (played by Creator/VanessaMorgan) ''seems'' to be a typical version of this at first, then later becomes a complete subversion of it.

* ''Series/AllyMcBeal'': Renee, until they gave her ChuckCunninghamSyndrome.
* ''Series/AllMyChildren'''s SuperCouple Jesse and Angie were this to fellow SuperCouple Greg and Jenny. Jesse was this to Jenny and to her brother Tad as well.
* Wes and Gunn on ''Series/{{Angel}}'' for a while.
** Later on, they actually subverted this pretty well -- part of the reason Gunn winds up spiraling toward the dark side in later seasons is because the rest of the team have a tendency to absentmindedly treat him like a secondary character. While the characters do, however, the show itself rarely does.
* The classic ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}''
** Tigh to Adama
** Boomer to Apollo and Starbuck

* Forrest to Riley on ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', although he could hardly be considered friendly.

* ''Film/{{Clueless}}'': Dionne "Dee" Davenport in the sitcom version (and the movie).
* Parodied in ''Series/TheColbertReport''. When discussing racial matters, Stephen would frequently show a single picture of him with a black staff member named Alan. After Colbert saw Alan participating in an anti-war protest, he was demoted to a "black acquaintance", and Colbert started looking for a ''new'' black friend before dropping the bit completely.
** There was actually a montage in which he showcased all his token minority friends. Stephen also has an Asian best friend, a Mexican best friend, and a Jewish best friend (Creator/JonStewart). In all cases, the "friends" are wearing the same resigned expressions as in the picture at the top of the page.

* ''Series/TheCosbyShow,'' which has a predominantly black cast, inverts this trope with Cliff's ''white'' best friend, Jeffrey, played by Wallace Shawn.
* Nick and Warrick on ''{{Series/CSI}}''.

* ''Series/{{Felicity}}'': Elena Tyler
* ''Series/{{Flash Gordon|2007}}'':
** Nick to Flash, though he functions mostly as a ButtMonkey.
** If you count Dale Arden's cameraman/confidant, there are two of these.
* Andrea Moreno is the black best friend of Melinda Gordon in ''Series/GhostWhisperer''.
* In ''Series/{{Glee}}'', Mercedes is this to Kurt.
** Karofsky's best friend, Azimio, also fits the trope - he is every bit a JerkJock like Karofsky, just without the HiddenDepth of [[spoiler: being and ArmoredClosetGay with suicidal tendencies.)

* Ivy Wentz on ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'' is Teddy's black best friend. Also P.J.'s best friend Emmett is BlackAndNerdy.

* ''Honest'' [[spoiler: features Reza, a ''South Asian'' Best Friend. Subverted in that he's not all that smart.]]

* Deacon on ''Series/TheKingOfQueens''.

* Ramona Platt in ''Series/LessThanPerfect''.

** All of Hal's friends are black, possibly because their friendship with Hal is a result of his friendship with Stevie's father. As is typical of the series, this is never explained or commented upon.
*** It is, however, subverted at first, where Hal feels he doesn't get along with Stevies father and all of his friends, and that they treat him differently, because he is not like them. When Abe confronts Hal about what he means, Hal says they treat him differently because Hal isn't a professional.

* [[Series/{{Matrix}} Steven Matrix]] has Billy Hicks.

* ''Series/NedsDeclassified'' has Simon [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname 'Cookie']] Cook, who is Ned's '''[[BlackAndNerdy nerdy]]''' black best friend. Due to a desire to avoid [[WhiteDudeBlackDude common racial stereotypes]], a lot of kids' shows tend to have this geeky [[Series/FamilyMatters Urkel]] type of black friend.
* Barb, from ''Series/TheNewAdventuresOfOldChristine'' is this, and it's constantly [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Christine.

* The titular Jimmy of ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'' has a Black Best Friend, Craig. [[RaceLift This is a change]] from the original movie were Craig was Asian.

* Patti from ''Series/RitaRocks''.

* The Hamiltons of ''Series/SeventhHeaven'', an entire family with a black best friend for every Camden family member.

* Huggy Bear to ''Series/StarskyAndHutch''.
* ''Summerland''; had Susannah, the black best friend of Ava.
* Owen on Supah Ninjas.

** Also: Kenneth and Tracy.
* Kenny on ''Series/TilDeath''.

* ''Series/Zoey101'' Michael is this to Chase and Logan. Lisa becomes this to the girls in the final season.

* ''Series/ForThePeople'' has Allison for Sandra and Leonard for Kate.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' has two. For the protagonists, Kiros is this to Laguna and Ward. For the antagonists, Raijin is this to Seifer and Fujin.
* Big Bo to Dan Marshall in ''VideoGame/BinaryDomain''.

* 8-Ball, Lance Vance, and Little Jacob in the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series. 8-Ball is probably the least stereotypical of the three, unfortunate since he's the oldest character (they first appear in GTA III, Vice City, and GTAIV respectively).
** Little Jacob is Jamaican, so whilst he is black he comes from a totally different culture to a black American.
** Dwayne from GTA IV (provided you let him live), who is one of the nicest characters in the game. He isn't directly a stereotype, but if you take him to Cluckin' Bell (the game's chicken shop) he admits that it may be a stereotype but he still loves the food.
* In the [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 Soldier/Demoman update comics]], the RED Demoman is this to the BLU Soldier.

* In the 1998 version of ''VideoGame/JumpStart Kindergarten'', the song "So Many Colors" contains the line, "Brown is the color of my best friend's skin."
* Willy's friend Perry from ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfWillyBeamish'', who are also TwoGuysAndAGirl with their friend Dana.

* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': Matthew Derringer to Tanner Christiansen.

* Bodacia from ''WebComic/TalesOfSchlock'' is this to Manoa.

* JJ, also known as LetsPlay/{{KSI}}, is this to [[LetsPlay/{{Miniminter}} Simon]].

* King Caesar in ''WebVideo/MonsterIslandBuddies''.

* Jamie James from ''WesternAnimation/CarlSquared''.
* Iggy from ''WesternAnimation/DaftPlanet''.
* Jonathan Reed is one of the earliest examples of this trope in ''WesternAnimation/DaveyAndGoliath''.
* Eema the Styracosaurus is probably this to [[LastofHerKind Baylene the Brachiosaurus]] from Disney's ''Disney/{{Dinosaur}}'', judging by her accent (Baylene has a British accent).
* WordOfGod has Skeeter from ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' as this, despite the fact he's [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation blue in the series]].

* AJ on ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' is the black friend to both Timmy and Chester, though in a bit of a subversion he's probably the smartest and most level-headed of the three.
** AJ is definitely the smartest both academically (he gets LOTS of A's while Timmy and Chester pretty much fail exclusively) and in terms of common sense, though his attempts to get Timmy to not make ridiculously bad decisions don't really work.

* Discovery Kids' animated series ''WesternAnimation/GrowingUpCreepie'' has Beuregard "Budge" Bentley III, though like many black characters on shows aimed at younger kids, he's [[ButNotTooBlack not overly portrayed as black.]]
* Gerald in ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' is this to the title character.
* Carrie Baker is this to the title character in the ''WesternAnimation/HollyHobbieAndFriends'' releases.

* Clyde in ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' is this to Lincoln.
* The title character's friend Zack in ''WesternAnimation/MiloMurphysLaw''.

* Claire is this to Julie in ''{{WesternAnimation/Motorcity}}''. They're also a TomboyAndGirlyGirl.
* Vince from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' is this to T.J. (And [[EnsembleCast the rest of the gang]], though he's more "buddy-buddy" with T.J.). Ashley B. is this to Ashley A.

* In ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' there's what you could call an inversion. The protagonist is black, though his race rarely comes up unless the show is actually talking about racism. However, his best friend is Richie, who you could call...'White Best Friend'. Richie is, perhaps deliberately, as white as a character can be. Being a geek, completely uncool and utterly...well, white. Although, to be fair, [[BlackAndNerdy Static]] is equally geeky.
** [[WordOfGay And gay.]] Not that this is ever mentioned on the show, though.
* In ''WesternAnimation/StickinAround'', Bradley is precisely this for Stacy.

* Abby in ''WesternAnimation/TheReplacements''.
* In''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' DJ and Leshawna take this role towards Geoff and Gwen respectively.
* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronForce'' Vincent is Daniel's best friend. Unusual case in that the Black guy is the best friend of an Asian guy!

* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': Sydney Skelley to Jet, Sean, and Mindy.

* Thanks to being [[RaceLift Race Lifted]], April O'Neil fills this role in ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

--> ''(after J.D. and Turk share a hug)''
-->'''Ted''': I need one of those
-->'''J.D.''': A hug?
-->'''Ted''': No, a black best friend. It would make me a lot cooler.
-->'''Turk''': I should be offended, but he's right.

* ''Series/{{Zoey 101}}'' Michael is this to Chase and Logan. Lisa becomes this to the girls in the final season.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Marcus Jones in ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' is both Jason's Black Best Friend and BlackAndNerdy.
* Franklin in ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', although he's depicted as Shermy's best friend, rather than the protagonist Charlie Brown's. Originally, Franklin was a kid from the next neighborhood over who apparently knew Charlie Brown from school and was visiting the Peanuts Gang. He proceeded to become the OnlySaneMan when he realized that all the kids in the neighborhood were so eccentric that he could never possibly be friends with them. (He obviously changed his mind later, though.) Being in the same class as Peppermint Patty with all her silliness helps.
* Prince Lothar from ''ComicStrip/MandrakeTheMagician'' is one of the oldest examples of the Trope. ([[OlderThanTheyThink The strip started in 1934.]]) He became an EnsembleDarkHorse and got more CharacterDevelopment than usual, though.
** When the two appeared on ''WesternAnimation/DefendersOfTheEarth,'' Lothar finally got ''equal billing.'' Which seems fair, considering that he's always been described as the [[WorldsStrongestMan Strongest Man In the World.]]
*** In said series, Lother's son LJ was the best friend of ComicStrip/FlashGordon's son Rick.
* Lawrence is Michael's Brazilian (and gay) friend in ''ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse''. Usually he's pulled out to show how tolerant the Pattersons are. In later years Eva served as this to April, to a) make Becky look bad, and b) use the AppealToWorseProblems trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]

* ''WebComic/MagickChicks'': Jacqui is best friends with Melissa and Cerise, and is [[NiceGuy the nice one]] of the bunch. She cares for both of them and offers them her support when they need it... [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/no_guys so long as there aren't any boys around to distract her.]]

* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', [[BaldBlackLeaderGuy Ismail]] is [[MagicKnight Belial's]] best friend. They met each other for the first time when Belial began [[StarCrossedLovers spending time]] with [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Sultana]] [[LadyOfWar Razia]] whom Ismail served as the captain of the guard in Vanna. The two men instantly got along and actually began teaching each other about their respective cultures, gaining mutual respect over the years which turned into a lasting friendship. When Razia's twin sister [[WomanScorned Adela]] usurped the throne, Ismail was sent into exile. Belial immediately offered him and the other exiled people a sanctuary in his Maar Sulais home, and Ismail returned the favour by becoming Belial's bodyguard as well as the mentor of Belial's son.
* At the start of the ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' review of ''50 Cent: Blood on the Sand'', Yahtzee explains that he's not a racist. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yzblackfriend.jpg This photograph]] flashes up for just one frame.
** Then flashes up again. And again. Including ''after'' [[CurseCutShort the last line of the video]], which cuts off a... not very nice word for black people.
%% ''{{Theatrica}}'': Vivian
* When talking about the "sensitive issue of race" WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick parodies this by saying that its okay, because her best friend is black. Cut to the definitely white Nella:
--> '''Nella''': [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments I'm adopted. Fo' shizzle.]]
* In the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, Jericho is this to Diamondback and Razorback. Given that Diamondback looks like a naga and Razorback looks like he's mostly velociraptor, not a lot of people ''want'' to be their friend.
* King Caesar in ''[[WebVideo/MonsterIslandBuddies Monster Island Buddies]]''.
* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': Matthew Derringer to Tanner Christiansen.

[[folder:Other]]
* A parody website called ''[[http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/ Black People Love Us!]]'' It goes on about how "well-liked [they are] by Black people," and hangin' out with their black friends.
* Devin Freidman wrote an article called "Will You Be My Black Friend?" on how he realized at a cocktail party that most of his friends were white. He tried to remedy this by putting an ad for himself on Craigslist for a black friend. Oprah's producing a movie with Chris Rock based on it.
* Creator/ChrisRock makes fun of this in one of his standups when he says "All my black friends have a bunch of white friends, and all my white friends have one black friend!"
** Also inverted and parodied in "How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police" with this advice: "Get A White Friend."
-->''"A white friend could be the difference between a ticket--" [black driver is handed a ticket as white friend watches sympathetically; arrow caption says "Ticket"] "--and a bullet in the ass." [black driver is forced to the ground and a pistol is pointed at his cranium; arrow caption says "Not A Ticket"]''
[[/folder]]