History Main / ComplimentBackfire

* In an episode of ''[[WesternAnimation/QuickDrawMcGraw Snooper and Blabber]]'' the duo are disguised as servants protecting the valuable diamond of a matron whose 65th birthday is being celebrated. Snooper gets the cake thrown in his face after quipping to her "You'll never see 60 again!"

-->Squit: I wanna be a tough bird, like you, Pesto.
-->Pesto: Whaddaya mean by that?
-->Squit: I just mean you're tough, that's all.
-->Pesto: Are you sayin' I'm an overdone piece of meat? Is that what you're sayin'?
-->Squit: No, that's not what I'm saying.
-->Pesto: I am tough?
-->Squit: Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'.
-->Pesto:: DAT'S IT!!!! [he starts to beat up Squit]

* A RunningGag in ''Comicbook/{{Empowered}}''. It seems Thugboy finds Emp's backside one of her most alluring features, while Ms. Powers herself often finds it disgustingly oversized (along with the rest of her). You can see where this is going.

* In ''Series/TheHitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', when Arthur is the one to realise they arrived at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe by travelling in time, but not in space, Zaphod snaps at him and the waiter intervenes "No, your [[SonOfAnApe monkey]] has got it right, sir." Arthur spends a second being pleased that he got it right before double-taking and glaring at the waiter.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''Series/TheHitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', when Arthur is the one to realise they arrived at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe by travelling in time, but not in space, Zaphod snaps at him and the waiter intervenes "No, your [[SonOfAnApe monkey]] has got it right, sir." Arthur spends a second being pleased that he got it right before double-taking and glaring at the waiter.

* Seigi in ''LightNovel/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard'' compliments Richard for almost everything, but esepcially and explicitly his beauty. Constantly. But Richard hates his appearance and is very self-conscious about his good looks.

* There are 2 instances in Manga/PokemonAdventures. One is when Moon is impressed by Ultra Megalopolis and says that the scientists in this world must be more advanced than theirs. Zossie thinks of it as sarcasm because of the harm their scientists brought. Another is when Henry wins against Nessa, who praises her and says that their strategy would've only worked on a Gym Leader. Nessa then accuses him of talking down to her.

* Music/FlightOfTheConchords' "Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)" is an extended form of this, a lovely Music/{{Prince}}-esque serenade towards a romantic interest, including such gems as how she's "the most beautiful girl in the... [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative room]]."

''You're so beautiful... you could be an air hostess in the 60's\\

* WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}:
** Pesto from the "Goodfeathers" cartoons uses something similar to this trope. From their first episode:

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' Goodfeathers sketches, Pesto ''ALWAYS'' takes Squit's compliments as insults. Granted it's obvious that Pesto is an homage to Joe Pesci and it was a spoof of ''Film/GoodFellas'' but still...

* In the beginning of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', The Dursleys have to drive to their safe house to avoid Ministry (and, by extension, Death Eater) detection, because their Order of the Phoenix guards don't know how. Dedalus Diggle praises Vernon on his driving (which would confuse him no end), but Vernon is dismayed to hear that Dedalus can't drive.

--> '''Morello:''' Ryan claims that he likes Rage’s sound, but not the lyrics. [[SnarkToSnarkCombat Well, I don’t care for Paul Ryan’s sound]] ''[[SnarkToSnarkCombat or]]'' [[SnarkToSnarkCombat his lyrics]]. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage.

* During the 2012 American Presidential Election Republican VP nominee Paul Ryan stated that (''without any irony whatsoever'') that his favorite band is Music/RageAgainstTheMachine. Tom Morello's [[FlatWhat reaction]] then lampshaded the irony that Ryan's politics is the very ''machine'' the band's been raging against.

* Jessie of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' gets a lot of the third one, but it's often a slip-up by James and Meowth. Harley secretly turned heel on May because of the second.

* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'' has Ruby's "compliments" for Ilya after it's revealed that Ilya can fly so easily because she's a DaydreamBeliever of {{Magical Girl}}s.
-->'''Ruby:''' Look at Ilya-san! Skip logic or the process and only imagine the result! Like that, optimistic thoughts are better than practical ones for being a MagicalGirl! \\
'''Ilya:''' Somehow, since a little while ago, you've been saying cruel things!?\\
'''Ruby:''' No no, I was praising you. Having an empty head means you can stuff it with more dreams. \\
'''Ilya:''' Don't just selfishly make people into [[IdiotHero idiot characters]]!
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', when attempting to encourage Sakura, calls her a "master of brute force." Of course, being Naruto, he meant well, but that didn't stop Sakura from getting mad. [[IResembleThatRemark And then hitting him]].
** On that note, there's also when, during the "Invasion of Konoha Arc", Kakashi's ninken (summoned tracking ninja dog [[ItMakesSenseInContext who can talk]]), who is leading Naruto and Sakura on the search for Sasuke, stops in his tracks. The reason? To comment to Sakura that he's just realised - from the smell - that she uses the same brand of shampoo in her hair as he uses for his fur. Cue ColourFailure and ''Naruto'' [[IdiotHero of all people]] calling him out on this random comment.
---> '''Sakura:''' (half-delusional) I smell like a dog. I smell like a dog. [[HeroicBSOD I smell like a dog...]]
* Dramatic version in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'': After destroying the Freedom Gundam, Shinn tells Athrun "I got revenge, for me ''and'' for you"...and gets punched in the face. From Shinn's perspective this comes completely out of left field: the Freedom had previously shredded Athrun's Saviour Gundam and badly injured him in the process, on top of the non-personal interference it'd pulled on ZAFT's forces. What he ''doesn't'' know is that the Freedom's pilot is Athrun's ChildhoodFriend, so naturally being told that he's (apparently) dead isn't exactly comforting.
* Also PlayedForDrama in ''Kodomo No Jikan'', Aoki-sensei is pushed to transfer to a joint primary-middle school. He thinks this shows that the school board didn't trust him, despite everything he had done for his students. It turns out that they were more than satisfied with the job he had done; they merely wanted him to teach somewhere that his skills would be put to better use.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', Judai Yuki is absolutely amazed by Edo Phoenix's Destiny Hero monsters and expresses how cool they are. Edo, who has absolute disgust and contempt for Judai at this point, is annoyed.
* A variation occurs in ''Manga/YugamiKunNiWaTomodachiGaInai'': [[LonersAreFreaks Self-made loner]] protagonist Yugami is given a LoveLetter by a girl he doesn't remember. In the letter, the girl talks about how kind and wonderful he is, but Yugami isn't the least bit flattered by these comments because she's overglorified his personality to extremes and this leads him to think the girl is delusional. This troubles Yugami so much that he concludes not replying to the letter is the best course of action.

* In ''Manga/BloomIntoYou'', this often happens in fairly comedic moments, and in a few serious ones.
** In one extra, when Koyomi notes that she doesn't wear her uniform's ribbon due to not liking "cute" things, at which point Akari then asks Koyomi whether she liked the stuffed animal Akari bought her. Koyomi reassures her that she did, because it wasn't cute, much to Akari's disappointment.
** In another extra, Touko and Yuu meet two of Yuu's kouhai from the middle school softball team. Touko points out that Yuu doesn't look like much of a senpai because she's shorter than the two younger girls (which Touko finds cute), which offends Yuu. Yuu's kouhai then point out that Yuu is cool and reliable... ''despite being short.''
** PlayedForDrama in Chapter 21. [[StudentCouncilPresident Touko]] meets Ichigaya, who served on the student council with Touko's older sister, Mio. After revealing that [[spoiler:Mio's status as a perfect student council president was a facade]], he says Touko's a much better president, [[spoiler:due to actually being the person Mio pretended to be]]. Touko, who'd spent the last seven years trying to emulate her sister, is quite troubled, [[spoiler:since in reality, it means Mio was more like Touko than Touko had thought]].
* In Chapter 80 of ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakiKun'', Sakura and Nozaki are pretending to be a couple to come up with ideas for manga dialogue. Nozaki asks Sakura (who he doesn't know likes him for real) to say what she likes about him. She thinks saying his height would make her sound shallow, and mentioning his kindness and sense of humor is too cliche, so she ends up saying "[[DamnedByFaintPraise I like how when you kneel for a long time, your foot doesn't fall asleep]]".

* In ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', Erik tries to compliment Hank's Beast form, but Hank takes it as sarcasm. Erik is remarkably understanding about the mistake.

* The bridesmaid Zorah has a line like this in ''Theatre/{{Ruddigore}}'': "[[OldMaid Dame Hannah]], you're a nice old person..." Play it right and it always gets a laugh from the audience.
* Set up and then subverted in ''Theatre/MaryMary''. Bob, at a loss at how to win back Mary, says she doesn't know he believes she's pretty. He never got to tell her that she was as beautiful as "a lovely piece of white porcelain," because he knew what she would say: "White porcelain? You mean like the kitchen sink?" Indeed, in their final reconciliation scene, he gives her that compliment, and her retort is as predicted, except that she catches herself in mid-sentence and goes sweet.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Daria'', Quinn goes to see plastic surgeon, Dr. Shar about getting a nose job. Dr. Shar however says she wouldn't do anything to Quinn's nose, calling it a "pretty little schnoz." Quinn then exclaims, "It's a ''schnoz''?!" Dr. Shar then has to backtrack a little bit.