History Main / Butterface

* Series/{{Castle}} is overjoyed when Beckett invites him for a private showing of her Nebula 9 cosplay uniform (which naturally follows TheissTitillationTheory). After [[TheTease teasing him from behind a door with a showing of leg and butt]], she then leaps out and growls wearing a hideous alien mask. Castle flees.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'':

* ''Series/GetSmart''. 99 is relaxing in a bubble bath when she gets an AvengersAssemble call from the Chief. A RevealShot then shows she's posing for a photographer, who objects in vain about her walking out on him. So the photographer asks another woman if she wants to hop in the tub. Cue a camera pan up the long legs...of the photographer's middle-aged mother. She refuses, naturally.

* The ''ComicStrip/LilAbner'' comic strips has at least one example of this in the form of Lena the Hyena. The "ugliest woman in the world", Lena hailed from Lower Slobbovia, and while from the neck down she was shown as a fairly attractive woman, her face was always censored in the strips themselves in order to "protect the reader from her madness-inducing visage". In fact, the strip creator Al Capp himself never drew Lena's face, but instead held a contest for people to submit what they thought she might look like. After submissions from the likes of Creator/CarlBarks and [[ComicBook/PlasticMan Jack Cole]], the winning picture was by Basil Wolverton: [[https://www.tattooarchive.com/assets/img/history/lena_hyena_wm.jpg a barely describable caricature]], with a spindly, forward-jutting neck, back-sloping head, thinning hair dangling in greasy curls, large cauliflower ears, bristly eyebrows, an elongated yet flattened almost trunk-like nose, a dangling lower lip perpetually dripping with drool, a dry tongue with a cracked and lumpy textute, and massive, twisted teeth that jut so far out of the jawline past the lips the effect is reminiscent of a skinned horse's snout pushing out through a human skin mask.

* The ''ComicStrip/LilAbner'' comic strips has at least one example of this in the form of Lena the Hyena. The "ugliest woman in the world", Lena hailed from Lower Slobbovia, and while from the neck down she was shown as a fairly attractive woman, her face was always censored in the strips themselves in order to "protect the reader from her madness-inducing visage". In fact, the strip creator Al Capp himself never drew Lena's face, but instead held a contest for people to submit what they thought she might look like. After submissions from the likes of Creator/CarlBarks and [[ComicBook/PlasticMan Jack Cole]], the winning picture was by Basil Wolverton: a barely describable caricature, with a spindly, forward-jutting neck, back-sloping head, thinning hair dangling in greasy curls, large cauliflower ears, bristly eyebrows, an elongated yet flattened almost trunk-like nose, a dangling lower lip perpetually dripping with drool, and massive, twisted teeth that jut so far out of the jawline past the lips the effect is reminiscent of a skinned horse's snout pushing out through a human skin mask.

* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': Blaze describes his [[FishEyes walleyed]] girlfriend Tracey as having an ugly face in “The Cameo.” He uses the phrase “two-bagger” while doing so, suggesting that Tracy is sexy as long as you cover her head in a doubled paper bag.

* The nurses in the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series have [[HospitalHottie very nice bodies]], and what are apparently ''tumors'' for heads.
* ''VideoGame/AtomicHeart'' has the titular new fan favorite {{Fembot}} twins whom, much like the nuns from ''Franchise/SilentHill'' seen above; lack a face entirely and can easily be on the UncannyValley, but. They more than make it up to it, with shapely figures that looks like Soviet {{Playboy}} {{Sexbot}} models, hec... their trailer scene literally has ''[[BrotherSisterIncest sexual connotations]]'' to it. Though that last part can be seen as [[BrainBleach quite disturbing for some]].

*** Downplayed in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'': her face looks more humanlike, with a fully functional set of lips. She still has rows of Tarkatan teeth lining her cheeks in a menacing GlasgowGrin, though.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zkgmtsjExU "I was forcibly taken to the pool by a woman with a great figure.But she was ugly face, so ..."]]: Maki has a great body and cute eyes but wears a mask to hide the unappealing parts of her face.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Helping Handis", Steve grows a pair of breasts as a result of a steroid pill given to him by his dad Stan. When Steve revealed his newly developed breasts to Stan, Klaus (who was next to Stan at the time) says "Talk about a butterface".

* Scythian Witch-Harpies in ''VideoGame/SeriousSam 3: BFE'' look like ''very'' hot women with wings for arms [[MaleGaze and exposed breasts]], even up close. That is until [[https://i.imgur.com/VPot1.png they open their mouths]]. Then they show that their heads aren't even human, more like a red-skinned raptor wearing headgear in the visage of a human woman's head. The Witch-Harpy's breasts are detailed by NETRICSA as having no mammary function, so all they are is SchmuckBait to horny humans.

** Anna Baldavich is a TakeOurWordForIt example. Her face is never shown, but when she asks [[AnythingThatMoves Brock Samson]] to make love to her (after Bud Manstrong, the only other crew member on Gargantua One for all this time, refused to satisfy her), he agrees, but only if she wears her spacesuit helmet.

* The Mother Harlot from ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei'' appears to have the body of a beautiful woman, but being a Fiend has the standard SkullForAHead all Fiends share. In her debut appearance in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'', she initally faces away from the Demi-Fiend before turning around and revealing her face right before the battle starts.

* Played with in Creator/JohnWaters' ''Film/CryBaby'' -- the aptly named Hatchetface is introduced in the classic "gag" manner in the opening scene, where two hoodlums standing in line behind her waiting to get vaccinations reach for her attractively swaying bottom, only to be shocked when she turns around and reveals her flattened nose, crossed eyes, and horrible teeth. The traditional AbhorrentAdmirer aspect of this trope is averted in the rest of the film, though -- she has a very happy relationship with one of the male characters, and none of the Drapes treat her any differently than the gorgeous Wanda, played by TraciLords.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/SoulHunter'', when Su Pu Xian spots [[BigBad Dakki]] having a bath and tries to pull a sneak attack on her. The gorgeous Dakki suddenly turns around, revealing a monstrous face that makes him faint... only to reveal that it was a mask, and that [[InvokedTrope she meant to do that.]]

* Homer Hickham acknowledges this as a cruel nickname in ''Literature/Rocket oys''. The Coalwood High version was "Old Glory," much like Poland's.

* The titular villain of ''The Beetle'' is initially described as being so hideous “it was impossible such a creature could be feminine”, and most people assume she is a man. After she transforms back into a human in front of [[MadScientist Sydney Atherton]] he sees that not only is the Beetle a woman, she's "[[DistractedByTheSexy by no means old or ill-shaped either]]."

* Homer Hickham acknowledges this as a cruel nickname in ''Rocket Boys''. The Coalwood High version was "Old Glory," much like Poland's.

* In 'And I Darken' Lada is very honest with herself about how ugly she is (so is everyone else) but Huma, a successful concubine, sees a lot of potential within her for 'feminine wiles', though she only advises to draw attention to Lada's body. Though not the stick-thin and delicate style of the time, she's described as pretty shapely.
* In Ellen Godfrey's ''Georgia Disappeared'', Jane's first meeting with Georgia is written as a homage to Marian Halcombe's introduction in ''The Woman in White'' -- Jane first sees Georgia silhouetted in a restaurant doorway, then walking gracefully towards her. Only when Georgia gets close does Jane realise how pretty she isn't.

* John Wilkes Hopkins from Creator/RayBradbury's ''Death Is a Lonely Business'' is a male example, being an aging actor with an idealized young athlete's body straight out of the ancient art world thanks to a strict lifelong regimen. It doesn't strike others immediately as he meticulously conceals his physique in suits, but when he reveals a photograph of himself stripped down, the protagonist is floored by the contrast and tries to figure out whether he pasted on the head.

** In the pilot, [[{{Cyclops}} Leela]] is introduced this way, as Fry's [[MaleGaze only sees her from behind]] until she turns around, revealing her single, giant eye. Since she looks perfectly "normal" otherwise ([[ActionGirl better, in fact]]) it doesn't bother him (or [[PerverseSexualLust the audience]]) for long. However, notwithstanding the show's GenericCuteness, in-universe she's generally treated as the horrifying UncannyValley exemplar that someone with her features would be in RealLife.

* VideoGame/AtomicHeart has the titular new fan favorite {{Fembot}} twins whom, much like the nuns from ''Franchise/SilentHill'' seen above; lack a face entirely and can easily be on the UncannyValley, but. They more than make it up to it, with shapely figures that looks like Soviet {{Playboy}} {{Sexbot}} models, hec... their trailer scene literally has ''[[BrotherSisterIncest sexual connotations]]'' to it. Though that last part can be seen as [[BrainBleach quite disturbing for some]].

* The Battle Nuns in ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' look pretty hot from the neck down. Their, uh, "faces", on the other hand...[[spoiler:look like zippers (and little more) that produce weaponized {{Vomit Indiscretion Shot}}s]]. Still, Eddie remarks that they are "[[NightmareFetishist kinda sexy, though, in a weird way]]".

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Subverted with Tier Harribel, who has a gorgeous body. When she unzips her jacket (which hides the lower half of her face), it reveals a skeletal jaw in keeping with her shark AnimalMotif. However, once she enters [[SuperMode resurrecion]], her face becomes just as gorgeous as the rest of her.

* The Abyssal Eaters from ''Manga/{{Claymore}}''; 11 women that are either outright naked if not {{Stripperific}}, with pretty good bodies.....but their eyes are sewn shut and their teeth are just weird.

** In the HotspringsEpisode, Gene and Jim are happy to find a woman pulling the MarilynManeuver...until they look up and realize she's a ''[[http://www.oocities.org/katizua/bios/silgrian1.JPG Silgrian]]'' woman.

* Male example: ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}, like Spidey and Captain America, has a beefcake bod, but whose face is ''anything'' but gorgeous. At least as long as he's wearing his tights and mask, because the rest of his body is just as scarred and hideous as his face. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] - the tumors are caused by the terminal cancer he's suffering from, which his healing factor makes nonlethal, but doesn't cure.

* In ''Franchise/GreenLantern'', Karu-Sil from [[Characters/GLSinestroCorps the Sinestro Corps]] mutilated her own face to better fit in with the [[RaisedByWolves pack of predators that raised her]].

* Michael ComicBook/{{Morbius}} had kind of a weird-looking face even as a human; being turned into a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent living vampire]] made it more extreme, while it did wonders for his physique.

* Pictured atop this page is ComicBook/RedSkull's daughter, Sin. Just stick her dad's head on a smokin' female body and you'll get the picture. [[spoiler: She got better thanks to Kobik]]. Funny thing is, she did start off as [[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/e76980d1-4092-4245-bbf9-b25fd8db1069/dc0j51f-2b80555c-af67-4b0d-a47d-34fecb872b07.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_1799,q_75,strp/red_skull_and_sin___the_father_daughter_of_evil_by_chaosemperor971_dc0j51f-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTc5OSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2U3Njk4MGQxLTQwOTItNDI0NS1iYmY5LWIyNWZkOGRiMTA2OVwvZGMwajUxZi0yYjgwNTU1Yy1hZjY3LTRiMGQtYTQ3ZC0zNGZlY2I4NzJiMDcuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEwMjQifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.hdk831OZc4iKqW4Sf3sVO07PnlHjYRaoJcxWmZ9XhEs a conventionally attractive young woman]], but then suffered severe burns to her face that caused her to lose her looks during ''Captain America: Reborn''.
* In a male example, an old Franchise/{{Superman}} comic from the Silver Age had Superman pretend to be this as a prank on Lois to teach her a lesson on appearances after she pulled a similar move on a poor schmoe to discourage him from trying to date her.

* ''Literature/HouseMadeOfDawn'':

[[folder:Gamebooks]]
* ''Literature/TrialOfChampions'' has an optional (but compulsory) encounter with the Liche Queen, whose body looks like that of an attractive woman... but with a fleshless face whose skin is literally stretched into her skull. The accompanying illustration doesn't do her any favours.
[[/folder]]

** One of his more memorable sketches was a spoof called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcB6gwInny0#t=66 Archie's Angels]], where he and three other men played very homely {{expy}}s of ''Series/CharliesAngels''. It's even lampshaded.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': In a "Wayne's World" segment run in the early days of the first Iraq war, Mike Myers referred to the word "Scud" [an Iraqi missile] as sounding like when "you see a girl from a distance and go 'Hello, babe alert!' then when she gets closer you say 'Omigod, she's a scud!'"

* Perilously close to the TroperNamer is Music/TheMonks (who, amazingly were most of Music/TheStrawbs!) CultClassic, "Nice Legs, Shame about Her Face".

* Music/{{Nelly}}'s song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r67xcDqKQYo "Tip Drill"]][[note]]FYI, the phrase tip drill is a street colloquialism for a Butter Face. The image comes from basketball; if you barely got the ball on the tip of the basket and it made it in, you technically got it in, but it's nothing to brag about![[/note]] got a lot of flak for exploring this trope in a provocative manner. ('''WARNING:''' The music video is definitely {{NSFW}}.)

* The AlternativeRap group Black Sheep's song "Strobelite Honey" is about the rapper Dres meeting a girl in a club. He can't see her face due to the strobe lights, but he can make out her "slammin" silhouette. Then he gets her in the light. HilarityEnsues.

** Same can be said about Baraka, a RareMaleExample, whose body is muscular in an attractive way but whose face is ''anything'' but attractive.

* Ms. Demeanor of ''WesternAnimation/COPSAnimatedSeries'' is a tall, [[AmazonianBeauty muscular yet full-figured]] woman with a less than attractive face, sporting pronounced cheekbones, a narrow and pointy chin, and cruel eyes. It was even a plot point in one story in the comics: [[spoiler: she was originally a beautiful woman who was going to marry Berserko, but an experiment by Dr. Badvibes gave her the face she has in the cartoon, which made her so ugly that Berserko called the wedding off in disgust.]]

* PlayedWith in the "About Face" episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'', in which the titular character develops a strong rapport with a 911 operator [[ArousedByTheirVoice with a silky voice]]. Upon meeting up for drinks, he discovers that she's this - but simply shoots out the lights because he's growing to care about her. After even ''Fluffy & Uranus'' react negatively to her, she decides to get cosmetic surgery and becomes the full package - drop-dead gorgeous and very sweet. The episode ends with [[spoiler: Duckman deciding that he's not good enough for her, [[CruelToBeKind so he breaks up with her and refuses to answer her phone calls]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' has a {{downplayed}} example with Summer Smith. Her face, while not (outright) ugly, is less attractive than her body, and nobody comments on it (she takes after her dad rather than her very conventionally pretty mother).

* ''WesternAnimation/SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperForceGo'': ZigZagged with the Princess in "World of Giants". At first, she appears as a beautiful, giant woman wearing a veil that hides her face. When she removes her veil and reveals to the heroes (and us) just how hideous she is, her body (somehow) transforms from slender and curvaceous to ugly and overweight to match her unattractive face.

** During a sort of MusicVideo of "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)," Buster falls for a mermaid who hides most of her face in her hair until they're in a Tunnel of Love.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' has Hunter, post sex change operation. Body of a supermodel, same face as when he was a dude.

* In a second season episode of ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'', Lance and Hunk are invited by a city of [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaids and mermen]] to have some dinner and enjoy a show. What looks like a dancing mermaid behind a curtain (which gets Lance grinning) turns out to be an octopus with a smaller octopus on top of its head. Lance's reaction turns from delight to disgust.
** Inverted at the end of the episode, where one of the rebelling mermaids gives Lance a kiss on the cheek. Since she has a jellyfish covering her head to protect her mind, Lance is at first reluctant, but removing the jellyfish to reveal her beautiful face makes him change his mind immediately.

* VideoGame/AtomicHeart has the titular new fan favorite {{Fembot}} twins whom, much like the nuns from ''Franchise/SilentHill'' seen above; lack a face entirely and can easily be on the UncannyValley, but. They more than make it up to it, with shapely figures that looks like Soviet {{Playboy}} {{Sexbot}} models, heck… their trailer scene literally has ''[[BrotherSisterIncest sexual connotations]]'' to it. Though that last part can be seen as '''''[[BrainBleach quite disturbing for some]]'''''