History Main / DoesNotUnderstandSarcasm

[[quoteright:350:[[ElGoonishShive http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/egs-missedpoint.gif]]]]
->'''Leonard:''' For God's sake, Sheldon, do I have to hold up a sarcasm sign every time I open my mouth?\\
'''Sheldon:''' You have a sarcasm sign?
-->-- ''TheBigBangTheory''

A common trait among characters who have NoSocialSkills due to an offbeat background, also TheSpock, and those who are just that {{Unfunny}}. These characters do not understand sarcasm. Although characters like this are also often LiteralMinded, some aren't. Sarcasm is tricky for someone to understand, because while "That's great," sometimes does mean that something is great, other times it doesn't. Everything depends on [[IDoNotSpeakNonverbal tone and gestures]].

For the intermittant effect, see SarcasmFailure. Also see NoSenseOfHumor, CannotConveySarcasm, and SarcasmMode.

----
!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Sōsuke in ''FullMetalPanic!'', to no-one's surprise.
* Osaka from ''AzumangaDaioh'', especially with the following exchange:
-->'''Osaka:''' (eyes start wandering around)\\
'''Kaorin:''' Hey Osaka, what are you doing?\\
'''Osaka:''' Well, you know those little tiny spots you sometimes catch in your eyes? Well, I'm trackin' them down.\\
'''Kaorin:''' I see...well, [[SarcasmMode good luck with that.]]\\
'''Osaka:''' Mmm, thank you.\\
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comics]]
* In ''Battle Hymn'', the King of the Sea doesn't understand ideas like figurative speech or metaphor; from what he says, they don't seem to have these underwater.
* The PointyHairedBoss in ''{{Dilbert}}''. He's managed to recognise it maybe five times in ''20 years''.
** Played with in a strip where Dilbert described his accomplishments, rattling off every management buzzword and ending with "I give you -- Dilbert -- the perfect employee."
--->'''Boss:''' Was that sarcasm?\\
'''Dilbert:''' To be honest, I don't even know.
** Also from the PHB: "This could be that 'sarcasm' thing I keep hearing about."
* Dagwood of ''{{Blondie}}''. Apparently even sarcasm [[http://www.blondie.com/strip.php?month=12&year=2005&comic=2005-12-4 can't penetrate "that thick skull of his"]].
** Made even funnier by the fact that his boss took some time to find this out.
* In ''DylanDog'', Scotland Yard's agent Jenkins. [[NoSenseOfHumor Can't get humor, too.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Goku in Team Four Star's ''Dragon Ball Z [[TheAbridgedSeries Abridged]]'' series is a prime example of this.
-->'''Raditz:''' Now, disregarding the Namekian...\\
'''Goku:''' Nu-uh, the Yoshi.\\
'''Piccolo:''' I'm not a goddamn Yoshi!\\
'''Goku:''' But you said you were?\\
'''Piccolo:''' It's called Sarcasm!!\\
'''Goku:''' [[IsItSomethingYouEat What's that taste like?]]\\
'''Piccolo:''' DAMMIT GOKU!!!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Lampy in ''TheBraveLittleToaster'':
-->'''Lampy:''' I think he was laughing at us.\\
'''AC:''' You know something, you're a real bright little lamp.\\
'''Lampy:''' Oh thanks! ''({{beat}})'' Heeeeeyy....
* Pumbaa from TheLionKing trilogy:
-->'''Timon:''' Well, ''that'' worked like a dream.\\
'''Pumbaa:''' It did?\\
'''Timon:''' Sarcasm is a foreign language to you, isn't it?
* ''{{Home on the Range}}'':
-->'''Maggie:''' I got it! Why don't we go nab that Alameda Slim and use the reward money to save the farm?\\
'''Mrs. Calloway:''' Oh, that ''is'' a sensible idea.\\
'''Maggie:''' I knew you'd love it!\\
'''Mrs. Calloway:''' Don't they have sarcasm where you come from?
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* A sketch in ''[=~Monty Python's The Meaning of Life~=]'' has an Army drill sergeant barking at his men that they're going to spend the day "marching up and down the square... that is, unless any of you got anything better to do." When the soldiers begin mentioning such things (being at home with the wife and kids, reading a book, practicing the piano), the nonplussed sergeant dismisses them.
* In the distant future of 2032, the world of ''DemolitionMan'', sarcasm apparently is a lost art. Spartan was trying to figure out a way to stop Simon Phoenix.
-->'''Police Chief:''' We have figured out a plan. We are going to wait for another [=MurderDeathKill=] and then we will pounce on him.\\
'''Spartan:''' Good plan.\\
'''Police Chief:''' Thank you.
** [[BigBad Phoenix]] is even good enough to [[LampshadeHanging point this out]], in an exchange with cops sent to apprehend him:
--->'''Phoenix:''' Look at you, in your nice shiny uniforms... oooh, I'm SO scared... what, you people don't have sarcasm anymore?\\
'''Squad leader:''' Maniac has responded with a scornful remark.
* In ''{{Roxanne}}, the title character accidentally locked herself out of the house, wearing only a bathrobe [[NakedPeopleTrappedOutside that got caught in the door]]. She goes to the fire department for help, and hides in the bushes. C.D. asks her if she'd like a coat, and she sarcastically remarks, "No, I'd really like to stand naked in this bush in the freezing cold." He goes to get his tools, and she's surprised when he returns without anything for her.
-->'''Roxanne''': Nobody had a coat?\\
'''C.D.''': I thought you said you didn't want a coat.\\
'''Roxanne''': Why would I not want a coat?\\
'''C.D.''': You ''said'' you didn't want a coat.\\
'''Roxanne''': I was being [[{{Irony}} ironic]].\\
'''C.D.''': Oh! Irony! Oh, no, no, we don't get that here. See, people ski topless here while smoking dope, so irony's not really a high priority. We haven't had any irony here since about '83 when I was the only practitioner of it, and I stopped 'cause I was tired of being stared at.
* [=C3PO=] from StarWars is programmed with over 6 million forms of communication, but doesn't quite understand Han's sarcasm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Ford Prefect from ''[=~The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy~=]'', who doesn't understand sarcasm because he's an [[HumanAlien alien]] and they don't have it on his planet.
** Leading to a CrowningMomentOfFunny in ''H2G2/MostlyHarmless'', when he responds to a huge rant about the Guide from Arthur ("I can hardly wait to find out which are the most interesting spaceports to get bored hanging around in!") with a genuinely perplexed "This is that thing you call sarcasm, isn't it?"
** CharacterDevelopment in ''H2G2/AndAnotherThing'':
--->'''Arthur:''' I don't suppose you have a bomb-proof towel.\\
'''Ford:''' Sure, I have a bomb-proof towel and an antimatter pillowcase.\\
'''Arthur:''' Hey, sarcasm. Well done, mate, you're learning.
* Carrot Ironfoundersson from ''{{Discworld}}'', due to his upbringing by the LiteralMinded dwarves. He gets better at recognizing it, even if he still doesn't really understand it. Though some wonder, in-story, if Carrot [[ObfuscatingStupidity isn't as oblivious as he seems]].
** Interestingly, though Carrot has NoSocialSkills because he grew up at the bottom of a dwarven mine, most of the dwarfs seen in the books are a lot more savvy than himself. This is mainly because most of them are from Ankh-Morpork. Mountain dwarfs fall more definitely into this trope.
** Sergeant Colon as well, who thinks "irony" means "sort of like iron". When he's made Captain in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'', Vetinari's barbed comments just bounce straight off, no matter how blatant he tries to make them.
** Cohen the Barbarian ''does'' understand sarcasm, in a vague sense, but he has a little more trouble with metaphor and hyperbole. Several Agatean nobles commit suicide in ''Interesting Times'' by telling him they'd rather die than see him on the throne.
* In the ''XWingSeries'', Runt is like this at first, being a non-human new to serving in the New Republic. He learns.
* The Eighth Doctor, in the ''DoctorWho'' EighthDoctorAdventures books. He's more of a genuine {{Cloudcuckoolander}} than the Doctor [[ObfuscatingStupidity usually is]]. Why he has one or two {{Deadpan Snarker}}s traveling with him basically at all times is something of a mystery.
-->"Well. They could've been muggers, I suppose."\\
"I'm so, so sorry."\\
"Why, did you put them up to it?"\\
The Doctor looked at her strangely. "Of course not!"
* Hephaestus in "TheHeroesofOlympus". As the god of the forge, he's not too smart dealing with organic life forms.
-->"That was sarcasm, wasn't it? Machines don't have sarcasm, usually."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* On a ''SaturdayNightLive'' hosted by Kevin Spacey he played the "inventor" of sarcasm. He said things like "I love this party" meaning he hated it, but no-one got it because no-one else knew of sarcasm.
** Until they all understood he was being ''ironic'', became extremely hurt, and burned him at the stake.
* ''TheBigBangTheory'': Sheldon uses sarcasm himself sometimes. He doesn't ''always'' fail to understand it, but he often does.
** Leonard even made a sarcasm sign in an early episode. And Sheldon keeps track of how many times he correctly understands sarcasm.
* ''{{Supernatural}}'': Castiel. Though as he hangs out with Dean more, he might get a handle on it.
-->'''Castiel:''' [God] isn't in Heaven. He has to be somewhere.\\
'''Dean:''' Try New Mexico! I hear he's on a tortilla.\\
'''Castiel:''' ''(after seriously considering this)'' No, He's not on any flatbread.
** Also:
--->'''Jo:''' Hey, ever heard of door handles?\\
'''Castiel:''' ''(after teleporting himself out of the car)'' Of course I have.
** Lately, he's become more sarcastic himself.
--->'''Castiel:''' You're right. Pardon me for highlighting their crippling and dangerous empathetic response with "sarcasm".
* A ''MrShow'' sketch has a man who expresses constant, venomous sarcasm... through letter writing. Given the obvious lack of cues towards his sarcasm as a result, everyone tends to take him at face value (including one poor woman who receives a "love" letter from him).
* Dr. Temperance Brennan, title protagonist of ''{{Bones}}'', often fails to understand sarcasm at first (if at all) and usually must use logical deduction (out loud) to detect it. Much to the bemusement of her [[UnresolvedSexualTension partner]].
* Bennett Halverson, the programmer played by SummerGlau on ''{{Dollhouse}}'', shows signs of this as part of a general [[TheRainman Rainman]] vibe, as evidenced by an exchange with Adelle.
-->'''Bennett:''' You used the company jet to abduct the programmer of a rival house?\\
'''Adelle:''' I'm certain I'll be kicking myself come holiday bonus time.\\
'''Bennett:''' I'm sure you'll be dead by then.
* Virtually everyone in ''{{Blackadder}}'' except the title character takes turns at failing to understand his sarcasm, especially in the fourth series.
** This is lampshaded once in the third series.
--->'''Blackadder:''' Baldrick, do you have any idea what irony is?\\
'''Baldrick:''' Yeah. It's like goldey and bronzey, only it's made of iron.
* ''TheBrittasEmpire'': Mr. Gordon Brittas not only fails to understand sarcasm, but anything at all that's subtler than coming out and speaking your mind.
-->'''Laura:''' You see, we were all standing outside the ambulance waving goodbye to Mr. Petrov, and Mr. Brittas was saying "Where are we going to find an internationally famous pianist in the next half hour?", and I said, "Hey kids, why don't we do the show ourselves?"\\
'''Helen:''' Oh, you didn't...\\
'''Laura:''' I just never thought.
** Cue CringeComedy.
* ''{{Seinfeld}}'': Cosmo Kramer
* In ''MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', Mr Pither in the episode ''The Cycling Tour'':
-->'''Cafe Proprietor:''' 35 p please.\\
'''Mr Pither:''' Ah... oh, I have only a fifty. You have change?\\
'''Cafe Proprietor:''' Well, I'll have a look, but I may have to go to the bank.\\
'''Mr Pither:''' I'm most awfully sorry.
* In the ''{{House}}'' episode "Family Practice", the PatientOfTheWeek is Cuddy's mother, played by Candice Bergen. After going through the usual incorrect diagnoses of what's wrong with her (her hypochondria didn't exactly help things much), House makes a blatantly sarcastic remark about how much he ''loves'' a certain famous baseball player, then asks her if he really meant what he just said. Her inability to detect his sarcasm confirms his suspicions, allowing him and his team to proceed finally in the right direction.
* As of the ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Data's Day", Data can recognize sarcasm using logic, but can't quite grasp how to use it:
-->'''Riker''': ''[sarcastic]'' Charming woman.\\
'''Data's voiceover''': The tone of Commander Riker's voice makes me suspect that he is not serious about finding Ambassador T'Pel charming. My experience suggests that, in fact, he may mean the exact opposite of what he says. Irony is a form of expression I have not yet been able to master.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* In WeirdAlYankovic's 11-minute epic "Albuquerque", he mentions an incident where he saw a co-worker struggling with some heavy boxes and asked if he wanted help. The co-worker responded "No, I want you to cut off my arms and legs with a chainsaw." [[BlackComedy So he did.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''MySims Kingdom'', the first time you go to Cowboy Junction, Buddy asks what kind of people they'll find there. Lyndsay says that it's probably inhabited by a race of fishmen, which excites Buddy. She tells him that was sarcasm. He tells her that ''he's'' a fishman, prompting a "Really?" from her. He takes that to mean that he fooled her "with a sarcasm".
* Maya Fey from the ''AceAttorney'' games seems completely oblivious to Phoenix's sarcastic tone, taking his snarky comments seriously.
* Mical the Disciple in ''StarWars'': ''{{Knights of the Old Republic}} II''. When the player character receives a request to meet a shady character, alone, [[DeadpanSnarker Atton Rand]] snarks, "Well, at least we know it isn't a trap," to which Mical earnestly replies, "No, Atton, I think it may ''be'' a trap!"
** Since her and Mical an either/or pair The Handmaiden fills this role for [=Male!Exile's=] party. "What are you talking about? It's obviously a trap."
* In ''TouchDetective'', when the player first converses with Daisy:
-->'''Mackenzie:''' Um, I'm Detective Mackenzie.\\
'''Daisy:''' Oh, how cute. A detective.\\
'''Mackenzie:''' Thanks...\\
'''Daisy:''' Don't you understand sarcasm when you hear it?\\
'''Mackenzie:''' ...
** Mackenzie's reaction showed that she didn't like it.
* Master Ilen displays this when approached about Iron Bark by a particularly Snarky!Hawke in DragonAge2:
-->'''Hawke:''' With a sarcastic tone, "What could have happened to cause concern among such skilled warriors as the Dalish hunters?"\\
'''Ilen''': "I'm surprised to see a shemlen with such respect for our hunters."
* During the Climax of ''{{Portal}}'' 2, and the second core transfer starts. Justified as it's a machine:
-->'''Computer:'''Corrupt Core, are you ready for core transfer?
-->[[spoiler:'''Wheatley:''']]What do you think?
-->'''Computer:''' Interpreting vague answer as yes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* Caboose from ''RedVsBlue''. Of course, he doesn't understand [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} reality sometimes, either.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''{{The Order of the Stick}}''. Up until very recently, this applied to Elan in spades.
** Lampshaded in the case of KnightTemplar Miko: "Good gods, they can teach you how to detect Evil, but not sarcasm?"
* As seen in the picture above, Agent Wolf of ''{{El Goonish Shive}}''.
* John in ''{{Homestuck}}'', at least sometimes, due to being a bit of an IdiotHero:
-->'''EB:''' hey, can you hold on?\\
'''EB:''' i'm getting trolled again.\\
'''TG:''' oh man and if weve just concluded anything its that talking to those dbags should be priority number one so yeah go right ahead\\
'''EB:''' ok, brb.
** [[{{Troll}} Kanaya]] as well. Not even ''John's'' sarcasm. She finally catches on to Rose's sarcasm, but she still hasn't figured out that the other trolls use it all the time.
*** She seems to be getting better at it, even referring to sarcasm as "An Enjoyable Exercise In Xenocultural Inculcation." When it is pointed out to her that the other trolls do it just as often, she responds "Thats True But When We Do It Its Usually Just Because We Are Trying To Be Jerks Rather Than By Way Of A Mild Manner Perpetually Dispatching Little Puzzles Of Rhetoric Without Apparent Purpose."
* Poor Tem Phica, of ''SchlockMercenary'', is so fearful that he takes even ridiculous threats on his life at face value.
-->'''Col. Pranger:''' They could also have suborned your climate engineers. Better watch out for clear-sky lightning out here in the open.\\
'''Tem Phica:''' Good point. '''''Everybody back inside!'''''\\
'''Pranger:''' [[LampshadeHanging Your paranoia is a powerful defense against my sarcasm.]]
* A running gag in ''[=~8-Bit Theater~=]'' is that Red Mage never understands Black Mage's sarcasm. Also, applies to Fighter in spades.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* The website BusyStreet believes this to be true of internet communication in general.
* Too good to leave off: Shortly after the developer went out of business, Yahtzee did an episode of ''ZeroPunctuation'' where he "reviewed" ''DukeNukemForever'', touting it as the greatest game ever, bar none; he briefly descends into a horrible fantasy where the game was never released because the developer spent twelve years jerking off and rightly got sued into oblivion, but he's ''so glad'' we don't live in a world like that! The next week, after his normal review, he posts a "Letter of the Week" which he received from a fan who was ''so excited'' that the game had finally come out, he'd been waiting for years, and asks Yahtzee where he got his copy because he can't seem to find it anywhere.
** And this was despite the video having '''[[WhatAnIdiot a note at the end stating the entire review was sarcastic!]]''' Sometimes even CaptainObvious has a job to do.
** Maybe the letter sender was being sarcastic himself?
* [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-082 SCP-082]] from the SCPFoundation, a giant cannibalistic mutant who, among other delusions, doesn't grasp sarcasm, parody, or fiction in general (he has even expressed a desire to meet Hannibal Lecter).
* [[http://www.qdb.us/249451 This]] QDB.us quote:
--> '''Tim333''': You sound like a real winner
--> '''rockstar111''': is that a good thing
--> '''Tim333''': Have you ever heard of "sarcasm" or "irony", rockstar?
--> '''rockstar111''': what
--> '''Tim333''': Wow. It must be nice to be invulnerable to insult by means of incomprehension.
--> '''rockstar111''': what the hell r u talking about
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Used hilariously in an episode of ''[[{{Ptitle7gm1359jq2c8}} Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]''. Bloo has no idea what sarcasm is, despite the fact that he uses it ''all the time''.
** "Oh, yes, I'm sarcastic ''all the time.''" "You're doing it right now!"
** Later in the episode, when a man defends a pretty ludicrous deceit with "I was being sarcastic," Mac and Bloo are able to call him out, and back it up with extensive research.
** Also gets mixed with MindScrew in that episode:
--->'''Mr. Herriman:''' ''Yes'', could I ''be'' any more sarcastic?
*** [[CreditsGag Mac and Bloo are still sitting there, trying to figure that one out, well into the credits]].
* [[BrainlessBeauty Lindsay]] from ''TotalDramaIsland'', much to the chagrin of {{Deadpan Snarker}}s like Gwen and Noah.
-->'''Noah:''' Throwing balls, gee, another mentally challenging test.\\
'''Lindsay:''' I know, right?
* Much of the cast in ''{{Daria}}'' (aside from Daria and Jane, obviously), to much comic effect. Particularly the stupidest characters (Brittany, Kevin, Sandy/Quinn, Mr. O'Neil...).
* Used in the ''SouthPark'' movie "Imaginationland". The military is interrogating Stan and Kyle, trying to find a way into Imaginationland, and a specialist accidentally lets slip that they have a secret portal there. The general shuts him up, sarcastically saying, "Why don't you just tell them everything about Project X?!" The specialist starts describing it until the general cuts him off by pointing out he was being sarcastic.
* Used hilariously in ''JusticeLeague''. In the episode "Eclipsed", a general is possessed by an evil spirit, which wants to pass itself along to a member of the Justice League. Asking a subordinate how to get the attention of the Justice League, the subordinate replies, [[SuperVillain "Put on a gaudy costume and threaten to hurt a lot of people."]] ''So he does.'' The costume he puts together is a ShoutOut to one of the more garish of the old school supervillains, Eclipso.
* In the ''ACharlieBrownChristmas'', Charlie Brown is none to pleased to discover he has received no Christmas cards, so he goes up to Violet, and says:
-->'''Charlie Brown:''' Thanks for the Christmas card you sent me!\\
'''Violet:''' '''I''' didn't send you a Christmas card, Charlie Brown! ''(walks off)''\\
'''Charlie Brown:''' Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?!
* ''{{Jimmy Two-Shoes}}''
-->'''Lucius:''' Well, I hope you're happy, Two-Shoes.\\
'''Jimmy:''' Aw, Thanks Lucy. I'm a little bummed about the [[CoolPlane plane]] and Jez, but other than that [[ThePollyanna I'm pretty happy]]!
* ''TheSimpsons'': Homer can exhibit this sometimes.
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Just sit down and wait for "Detective Like I Give A Damn".\\
'''Homer:''' Thank you so much.\\
''({{beat}})''\\
'''Lisa:''' Dad?\\
'''Homer:''' Honey, Daddy's waiting for the detective.
** Also...
-->'''Lisa:''' Maybe they're all reverse vampires and they have to get home before dark.
-->'''Kids:''' AAAAAAHHHHH!!! REVERSE VAMPIRES!!!
* Most characters on ''[=~Avatar: The Last Airbender~=]'' are pretty quick on the uptake, but Aang, due to his optimism and shining idealism, demonstrates this characteristic at least once, when he is reluctant to kill the BigBad, but the rest of the Gaang wants him to.
-->'''Aang:''' Maybe we could make some big pots of glue, and then I could use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore!\\
'''Zuko:''' Yeah! And then you can show him his baby pictures and all those happy memories will make him good again!\\
'''Aang:''' Do you really think that would work?\\
'''Zuko:''' NO!
* From the ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Winter Wrap Up":
-->'''Spike''':Well, you're good at a lot of things. Just not nest making, ice skating, animal waking, snow clearing...\\
'''Twilight Sparkle''': Thanks a lot for making me feel ''so'' much better.\\
'''Spike''': That's what I'm here for, sister.
** And again in "Over a Barrel," where it [[InsultBackfire backfires]] on Rainbow Dash because [[CloudCuckoolander Pinkie Pie]] takes her quip about Fluttershy being a tree out of context.
* Beavis from BeavisAndButtHead. If told "Tell me something I don't know.", he'll do exactly that. He thinks "Stick it where the sun doesn't shine." means "Put it under your pillow."
[[/folder]]

----

->'''Osaka:''' (eyes start wandering around)\\

*** [[FridgeLogic Although]], he uses sarcasm himself, not three paragraphs later:
---->'''Arthur:''' You may think I am just standing here barking...\\
'''Ford:''' Hadn't occured to me, in fact.
*** I think he was actually being sincere there; after all, Ford has witnessed a lot of crazy and implausible things in his life.

* During the Climax of ''Portal'' 2, and the second core transfer starts. Justified as it's a machine:

-->[[spolier'''Wheatley:''']]What do you think?

[[spolier'''Wheatley:''']]What do you think?
'''Computer:''' Interpreting vague answer as yes.