History Main / HeadDesk

* In [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13563881/88/Harry-Potter-the-Mutant-Obscurus-Gamer Harry Potter the Mutant Obscurus Gamer]] This Harry Potter x M C U fanfic, During the events of Film/IronMan2, Harry has previously viewed Natasha's file, even if not met her personally, he avoids blowing her cover, but his hints are more like blugen blows. He says she "Looks like a [[ExactWords Professional with killer thighs]], killer legs, killer arms, killer face and a killer body". Tony does not notice, but does Head Desk when her cover is uncovered. She recorded it and Fury plans on making the look on Stark's face his screensaver.

** In "[[http://notalwaysright.com/their-mind-is-blank-cheque/60196/ Their Mind Is Blank (Cheque)]]", the narrator does this when the person they're assisting reveals that they thought cheques were like cards and that the customer who paid with it would be charged twice.
** And the end of "[[http://notalwaysright.com/a-sweet-resolution/35826/ A Sweet Resolution"]], where it's revealed that the "static" the person calling tech support needed help with was actually just them opening a candy wrapper.

* Kyon of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' can be seen doing this in the [[AnimeThemeSong opening theme song]], "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMwo8PbjoE Bouken Desho Desho]]", cementing his [[DeadpanSnarker personality]] and his [[OnlySaneMan role]] in the [[TrueCompanions SOS Brigade]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In "[[Recap/TheLoudHouseS1E4ATaleOfTwoTablesTheSweetSpot The Sweet Spot]]", Lincoln does this in a FlashbackCut when he is sitting next to a speaker in the family van playing a romantic song his parents danced to at their prom.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1365183367034167400
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%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExamples commented out. Please provide context before un-commenting them.

* ''Series/{{Limitless}}'': Some of the first NZT test subjects are shown doing this to the point of blood on the wall.

* ''Series/MadMen'':
** This is Peggy Olson's reaction in season 4 when she finds out Pete Campbell's wife is pregnant.
** Pete did a facewall (for when facepalms are not enough) in the season 4.

* ''Nostromo'': Dr. Monygham feels guilt because in the last revolution while under torture he gave the names of people who were then executed (actually the people he named weren't revolutionaries at all; he just named them to protect the real ones). In prison and believing he'll be tortured once again, he bangs his head against the wall saying each time, [[SurvivalMantra "This time I WILL hold out!"]]
* ''Series/{{Reba}}'': In one episode, Reba has to work for her obnoxious ex-husband, and his equally irritating new wife:
-->'''Reba:''' You know how when Barbara Jean and Brock come over and visit for, like, 10 minutes, then I come in here and bang my head against the refrigerator? I've been with them for 8 hours today! ''[points to forehead]'' Touch it! It's still hot!

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Dr. Cox does a variant on this in one episode, where he takes the liftable entry part of the desk and slams it into his head. Repeatedly.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': In the 7-minute special "Many Happy Returns", Lestrade does one when Anderson tells him about another sighting of Sherlock.

** Played for horror in "Repo Man", when [[InvisibleRabbit Hallucifer]], annoyed because Sam is trying to ignore him, creates a hallucination in which everyone starts banging their heads on the desk until their faces are a bloody pulp.
** Played for laughs in "Scoobynatural", when [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Fred]] bangs his head against a tree when Sam and Dean tell the gang that they hunt for real supernatural beings.

* ''Series/ThreesCompany'': Jack (and sometimes, Janet) would sometimes do this when Chrissy would [[InsaneTrollLogic try to prove a point]].

* ''Series/TheXFiles'', "Rain King": Daryl Mootz seemed to be a real deal Rain King who is able to bring rain to dried out farms. When the person who is really affecting the weather stops feeling guilty for him, Daryl's show doesn't work any more. When he learns the sum people are sueing him for, he bangs his head on the desk.
* ''Series/YouCantDoThatOnTelevision'' had this sketch:

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Series/SesameStreet'' character Don Music, a frustrated composer, has a habit of slamming his forehead on the keys of his piano. Which is why you don't see him on ''Sesame Street'' anymore.
* Miss Piggy does this to her office desk in ''Film/TheMuppets''. (The 2011 one.) "I can't ''believe'' I fell for [[TotemPoleTrench Muppet Man]]!"
* In one episode of ''Series/JuliesGreenroom'', Hank bangs his head on his piano in frustration when collaborating on a song with Spike isn't going as smoothly as either of them had hoped.
[[/folder]]

* Done in one ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' battle report -- a Chaos SpaceMarine leader wallbanged his metal forehead against the inner wall of a bunker, in response to his units' abysmal accuracy.

-->'''Charlie Brown:''' Oh good grief! (Runs off-stage)\\

* Played for laughs in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' at the end of ''Shadowbringers''' Patch 5.3 story. [[spoiler: The Scions had spent InUniverse years in The First, an alternate world from the Source while their friend, [[PlayerCharacter the Warrior of Light]], could teleport freely. It's a few days after they finally recover getting back into their bodies that Alisaie smacks her head on the table and is utterly depressed that Thancred, Urianger and Y'Shtola have the same gear they had from their time on the First but now in the Source while she's languished for years as a {{red mage}}.]]
* PlayedForDrama in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' by [[spoiler: Otacon, who appears to take his step-sister's death well-ish but suddenly [[TearJerker breaks into this]] before Snake tells him to get it together]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Spellforce}}'', to get your siege units to use their anti-building attacks against buildings, you have to set them next to the buildings ''without'' ordering them to attack -- otherwise, they'll bang their heads against the walls (as they melee attack the buildings).
* ''VideoGame/PokerNightAtTheInventory'' games:
** [[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner Strong Bad]] sometimes does this if he has a bad hand. Especially hilarious because he doesn't say a thing during it, he just has this ''look'' while he slams his head into his cards and chips.
** [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} Claptrap]] does this in the sequel while saying "Crap!" repeatedly.
* Not really done to express annoyance, but the first ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' game has Isaac come across a guy randomly doing this in a part of the ''USG Ishimura''. The guy is just standing in the hallway beating his head against a wall, with more blood coming out with every hit. Eventually, he hits his head against it hard enough that ''it kills him.'' And when his corpse is on the ground you can see that there was ''nothing'' left inside him, all of his intestines had apparently been ripped out.
* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' Citadel DLC, you can encounter Wrex lamenting [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor getting to sire half of Tuchanka]] after the Genophage Cure. He's swarmed day and night by eager newly fertile females who want their firstborn by his seed. His poor quad are so achy he needs an icepack for them. While complaining to Shepard, he drops his headplate on the bar table repeatedly, each time with a resounding, glass-rattling '''*THUD*'''

* Trevor from ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoV'' is reduced to banging his head into a wooden pallet when he realizes that [[spoiler:the government's top-secret, ultra-precious "cargo" he just stole is '''A FUCKING NUKE''', and, as a result, cannot sell the payload without getting the government on his ass]].
** In ''Grand Theft Auto Online,'' Trevor once again bangs his head against something, this time a tree. [[spoiler: After completing his Heists-- which involved stealing drugs or drug-making materials, from various factions around San Andreas-- Trevor meets with his buyer... who turns out to be an undercover government agent. Trevor is forced to flee the sting, and after getting to safety, bangs his head off a tree while sobbing at the failure of his plans.]]
* In ''2 Tasty'' Cole bangs his head on a wall after he invites Libby to a local bar instead of [[CantSpitItOut telling her he likes her]].
* The ending of ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2000'' sees ComicBook/DoctorOctopus start banging his head against the bars of his cell while Rhino erroneously gloats about beating ComicBook/{{Mysterio}}, [[ComicBook/MacGargan Scorpion]], and a bank robber at Go Fish. One of the things that shows ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2EnterElectro'' is an ImmediateSequel is that Ock is ''still'' doing this when Hammerhead and Shocker, in the cell across from them with Electro, asks Ock and ''his'' cellmates if they know Go Fish.

** Manfred von Karma does this in one game, while [[spoiler:ranting about how Edgeworth and his father gave him a scar on his shoulder and a penalty on his record, respectively, and vowing to bury Edgeworth with his own hands]].
** Gumshoe in game 3 pulls a wall bang (off screen) when Phoenix and Maya tell him that Maggey hates him for betraying her.
** PlayedForDrama in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]''. [[spoiler:When Apollo finds out that Dhurke, his adopted father who had saved his life several times over, had died, he goes into a HeroicBSOD and slams his head into the defense bench in despair.]]
* The PlayerCharacter in ''VisualNovel/{{Planets}}'' indulges in this ... with a brick wall ... and ends up bleeding.
* In ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', Hisao does this late in Rin's route, after they have an argument, blaming himself for things going wrong.

** In a "deleted scene" from the email "[[Recap/StrongBadEmailE169FromWork from work]]", Strong Bad hits his keyboard so hard it knocks the caption off the screen. And not his computer screen, but [[BreakingTheFourthWall the cartoon's screen]].
* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': Brittnay, and Than, are shown to bang their heads against the lockers if fed up enough.

* ''Webcomic/MenageA3'':
** Gary's reaction to what Zii says about Yuki [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20100102.html here]].
** Zii shows how it's done [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20110113.html here]].
* In ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'', Mary and Sue use their TwinTelepathy to [[AsYouKnow debrief]] each other. When [[GenkiGirl Mary]] goes off on a [[WallofBlather tangent]] about [[LoveInterests Elly]], Sue does this to shut it off. It gets worse when Sue "calls" Mary and realizes she's talking to someone about when they went through puberty.
* Some characters in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' use a variation. They hit their heads against their keyboards once, [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004368 then use their left hand to hammer their forehead in]].
* In ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'', [[http://kevinandkell.com/2002/kk0904.html this strip]]. George goes to a Carrot Computers meeting posing as a rabbit, and is smitten with a fellow fennec fox named Zerda Zenith. Unfortunately, [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch Zerda says to George's face that she dislikes Fennec foxes in general]] (except for Fiona) and George Fennec in particular, much to his chagrin. Oblivious to [[RightInFrontOfMe George's true identity]], she leaves thinking he's tapping his foot out of affection for her when he's actually banging his head on the table.
* Merlin does it in [[http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/2299.htm a strip of]] ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'', apparently because he missed something obvious [[spoiler: but really because [[http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/2306.htm Nimue did]].]]
* In ''Webcomic/AlienHandSyndrome'', Erin bangs her head on café tables a couple of times in response to Mina's unadventurous eating habits.
* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': [[https://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/2746 Dabbler starts bonking her head]] on Zeph's desk after Sydney points out there was a much simpler solution to a problem "the most intelligent being on the planet" was overthinking.
-->'''Zeph:''' Don't dent my desk with your horns.
* ''Webcomic/RobberXLover'': When Ji Ho calls Gang Dojin a robber, the latter slams his head against a wall in frustration.

%%[[folder:Web Original]]
%% * ''Website/NotAlwaysRight'':
%% ** It's the end result of [[http://notalwaysworking.com/their-mind-is-blank-cheque/33562 this story]].
%% ** And the end of [[http://notalwaysright.com/a-sweet-resolution/35826 this story]].
%%[[/folder]]
%%

%%* ''Series/TheCallOfWarr'': Nobody has any idea why they're fighting the warr, just that they have to, and they seem to be making weird justifications for it, such as Prince's claim that the enemy "burns their bodies", while they bury them.

** Happens in many episodes, as the Critic reviews in front of a desk. It happens so often that his "desk" is actually a massage table; padded so he can safely bash his head against it, and then dub in the thud effects later.
** In particular, the beginning of his ''Film/AKidInKingArthursCourt'' review had him slamming his head into his desk in an attempt to [[BrainBleach forget what he just saw]].
** Upgrades to slamming his head against a wall in ''Film/TheRoom''.

* ''WebVideo/WhatTheFuckIsWrongWithYou'' Nash took this to an extreme during the pre-recorded episode 'This Is All Your Fault (The Return!)'; he went out to his garden shed, busted out the power tools, and ''[[UpToEleven built a section of wall]]'' specifically for him to bash his head against in protest of the stupid.
* In one of three rare instances where Creator/LewisLovhaug is on camera for his side-series, ''WebVideo/HistoryOfPowerRangers'' (after [[DidntSeeThatComing his shock]] at [[Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy Kendrix's death]], but before his [[LaughingMad losing his shit]] over [[spoiler:[[Series/PowerRangersMegaforce Robo Knight]]'s UnexplainedRecovery]]) was during the video for ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', with footage of his banging his head against a wall used to vent his feelings of Dax's [[WhatAnIdiot idiocy at not stopping Miratrix]] and later [[WTHCastingAgency his reaction to Alpha 6]] not being voiced by Alpha 5's voice actor Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz or even 6's earlier voice actresses Caterina Lucciani or Creator/WendeeLee.
* Popular Website/YouTube vloggers Music/{{Hank|Green}} and Creator/JohnGreen (known collaboratively by their channel name of WebVideo/VlogBrothers) sometimes do this in their videos to express dismay at the idiocy of the average Internet user or other frustrations. Especially John has been known to do this from time to time. "Huaaaa--hh HEADDESK!" (after which he had a bruise, and had to end the video). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VCY4dup3-M In one video]] John performed a *headdesk* to the extent that he wondered (possibly jokingly) if he'd given himself a concussion and pretended to have memory loss through the remainder of the video.
* This is a RunningGag on ''WebVideo/BroniesReact'' for [=AnimatedJames=], starting with the ''Rainbow Rocks'' review. In the "Slice of Life" video, James again takes note of doing it... "not too hard this time". And then he writes "BANG HEAD ON TABLE REALLY REALLY HARD" when he notices the FreezeFrameBonus MediumShiftGag.
* In the ''WebVideo/AnalystBroniesReact to [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames Friendship Games]]'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UCbafui1w0 video]], [=KeyFrame=] and [=DaWillstanator=] have the movie stop and rewind the first time they hear the term "pony up". Then (probably taking their inspiration from ''WebVideo/BroniesReact'''s [=AnimatedJames=]), [=DaWillstanator=] smashes his head against the desk. Followed by [=KeyFrame=] doing the same, except she first pulls out a pillow.
* ''WebVideo/{{PhantomStrider}}'s'' reaction to the songs on ''WesternAnimation/MulanII'' on his [[https://youtu.be/8npYjPV1Bvo Top 10 Worst Disney Movies video]]. He's also hit his head on his keyboard once [[DespairEventHorizon in despair]] on [[https://youtu.be/KGLmgvEsuW8 two]] [[https://youtu.be/7UnKLOWDNpY occasions]] when bringing up "[[Recap/RenandStimpyAPC1x02RenSeeksHelp Ren Seeks Help]]".
* Michael of ''Creator/AchievementHunter'' does this ''onto his mic'' after accidentally pressing the Escape button while playing ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3''.

* PlayedForLaughs in the ''WebVideo/PotterPuppetPals'' episode "Wizard Angst", where Harry is banging his head against a wall while chanting "angst" over and over again.

** In one episode, Jimmy and Cindy are forced to work together for a science project -- find the sunken ship ''The Oozing Scab'' and its treasure. After going through heck to find it, they finally retrieve the treasure chest, supposedly full of valuables. [[spoiler:It turns out to be full of saltwater taffy]]. Cue headdesk.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheEmberIslandPlayers The Ember Island Players]]". Aang slams his head on a balcony banister after being a little too forward with Katara about his feelings.

%%* WesternAnimation/DangerMouse did it at least once.

* Done literally by AJ in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' at the end of the episode "Shelf Life" after Crocker gives him an 'F' on his book report (thanks to Timmy changing the stories of the books).
* ''WesternAnimation/GravedaleHigh'': In "Monster on Trial", Max Schneider does this when [[spoiler:the judge declares him guilty in favor of old lady Fresno, who faked whiplash after Reggie accidentally bumps into her while taking Driver's Ed]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': In the episode "Let's Play Prince Charming", Mr. Cat does this after Quack Quack answers a bunch of ridiculously difficult questions -- and the desk had a buzzer on it, which, when pressed, gives Quack Quack an electric shock.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'', Daffy Duck does this when Bugs Bunny said he didn't make a parade float.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In "The Sweet Spot", Lincoln does this in a FlashbackCut when he is sitting next to a speaker in the family van playing a romantic song his parents danced to at their prom.

** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E18AFriendInDeed A Friend in Deed]]", Twilight Sparkle bangs her head against a tabletop when Pinkie Pie insists on trying to befriend Cranky Doodle Donkey, despite Twilight trying to convince Pinkie that maybe he just wants to be left alone. Twilight has a book in front of her at the time. Cue jokes by the fans that Twilight has just joined Facebook.
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E3TooManyPinkiePies Too Many Pinkie Pies]]", Pinkie thumps her head against a giant mushroom being used as an outdoor cafe table, having realized just how big a mess she's made by creating so many duplicates of herself.

** "[[Trivia/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E24UncommonBond Uncommon Bond]]": Starlight Glimmer again, while Sunburst and Twilight are gushing over the antiques they've bought after a lengthy stay at the shop, during which Starlight had been bored out of her skull.
* In the ''ComicBook/MonsterAllergy'' Monster Allergy episode "The Horn of Kong", Magnacat (in human form) bangs his head on his desk repeatedly after finding out that he's spent so much money on evil schemes that his company has gone bankrupt.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' episode "Das Mouse", the Brain appoints Pinky to disguise the bad taste of hypnotic sapo in his pancake recipe. Later, when they are making the ''Titanic'' rise, Pinky keeps trying to ask the Brain about the "icky stuff that tastes bad" in the recipe, but the Brain keeps telling him, "Cut it out!" Finally, after the pancake jamboree is held...

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': In "Space Madness", Ren bangs his head on the table after seeing the FoodPills Stimpy presents.
-->'''Ren:''' THAT'S IT! I NEED SOME ''REAL FOOD!''
* In the ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' [[IntercontinuityCrossover crossover]] with ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', after Sam & Dean reveal to Mystery Incorporated that monsters are real, Fred slams his head into a tree while exclaiming that his life is meaningless after realizing that they've spent all this time chasing guys in masks when "we could've been hunting Dracula".

** When Bart is on a mission to get his soul back after selling it, the Comic Book Guy tells him he sold it to someone else. He then tells Bart to stop banging his head on the display case as it contains a rare ''ComicStrip/MaryWorth'' in which she has advised a friend to commit suicide.
** In a WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror segment that parodies ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', Milhouse does this to a tree after the second time the Rigelian girl berates him.

** In the episode "Hooked on Monkey Fonics" Kyle falls in love with the {{Homeschooled Kid|s}} Rebecca, who is unfamiliar with the public school system. When he asks her to come to the dance, she says she might see him there. Kyle explains that he meant going to the dance with him, but Rebecca explains there is no need for that since her father will drive her there. Once she leaves the room, Kyle bangs his head against her chair.
** Stan bangs his head on the desk in "Pinkeye" when he is stuck dressed as Raggedy Andy. He was supposed to pair with Wendy who would dress as Raggedy Ann but she ditched her costume after realizing how stupid she would look. [[JerkAss She thought Stan would reach the same conclusion]].
* The ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Krusty Krab Training Video" has Squidward bang his head against the cash register after asking [[TheDitherer Patrick]] if he wants his Krabby Patty for here or to go.
** In "Squeaky Boots", Mr. Krabs does this several times when he goes insane.

* ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'':
** Larry the Cucumber does this after Archibald Asparagus plays His Cheeseburger in [[Recap/VeggieTalesEpisode11SillySingAlong2TheEndOfSilliness The End of Silliness?]]
** Archibald himself does this in the Silly Songs with Larry segment "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diOtFw9sB34 The Biscuit of Zazzamarandabo]]".

* Alexander Graham Bell did this when he was trying to create the telephone.
* One of the special effects programmers can be seen doing this in the appendices to ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', when under serious deadline pressure at the end of the last film.
%% * John Green does this in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VCY4dup3-M one of his videos]] (and then proceeds to answer questions with a head injury)

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' After story, Nagisa's 20th birthday is also her first time drinking sake (the legal age for drinking in Japan is 20). She gets extremely drunk off just one bowl/cup and turns into a ClingyJealousGirl. HilarityEnsues and when Sanae and Akio start messing with him too, Tomoya does a fast headdesk.
* ''Manga/SekaiichiHatsukoi'' has [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/StarRose/GIFS/headdesk.gif one memorable instance]] when a character tried to get rid of his crush on a random guy.

* Frequently applied by ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'''s Yuuta, who is prone to frequently strike his head on the wall whenever he remembers another one of his past rants as a very deluded teen.
* ''Franchise/OnePiece'' uses this trope with Nami after she discovers most of the money she has saved was spent on a party.
* Saya did that in Episode 6 of ''Manga/ServantXService'' when she thought about the prospects of marrying.
* Used quite often by Eita from the anime version of ''LightNovel/{{Oreshura}}'' whenever Masuzu reads a passage from his secret notebook that she acquired.
* Mirai Kamiki does this in reaction to little brother Sekai's obliviousness in episode 4 of ''Anime/GundamBuildFightersTry''.
* If there was an award for the number of times the Sextuplets from ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'' did this, Ichimatsu would win. Expect a little blood each time.

* ''ComicBook/{{Archie|Comics}}'': After ignoring a warning from his mom that it looks like rain and he might catch a cold if he goes out, he and Jughead both get soaked and head for Veronica's place. After going through a sauna and doing laps of a pool to try and avoid getting sick ("No germ would be stupid enough to stick around for that punishment") Archie gets home and...sneezes. "Banging your head against a wall is not an accepted cold medicine!"
* A completely serious example in one of ComicBook/TheJoker's stories; he's been arrested and is going to trial, and the possibility of an insanity defense has (unsurprisingly) been raised by his attorney. While getting exasperated with his client, the lawyer sarcastically asks [[RhetoricalQuestionBlunder "and getting declared insane is that easy, is it?"]] The Joker calmly slams his own face down on the table he's sitting at, sits up with his face covered in blood, and says [[BadassBoast "It's that easy."]]
* ''ComicBook/SupergirlCosmicAdventuresInThe8thGrade'': [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Linda Lee]] bangs her head against her desk because her bully of a schoolmate Belinda is playing a tape where Linda is complaining about her "bad-smelling" schoolmates over the school intercom.
* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck does it at the beginning of the Creator/CarlBarks story ''The Golden Helmet'', because his nephews were so slow at catching up on his urgent plans. First, he asks them to gather winter clothes, and they just ask why they need them in midsummer, and then he explains they are going to Labrador. Cue this dialogue:

* ''I, Arne Næss'', a comic book telling the life of the eponymous Norwegian philosopher, made for his ninetieth birthday, has one as well. Næss was an eager mountaineer, and often took his nephew with him. One sequence shows the two of them arguing about climbing further up or going down. Næss, being somewhat of a Trickster, got his will by tossing a coin (heads or tails), and lost it on purpose down the mountain. Thus, he just said "Ouch, now we have to go down to find it..." His nephew, who was the one who argued for climbing upwards, is then shown banging his head in the mountainside in sheer frustration.

* ''Franchise/HarryPotter'':
** In ''[[Surprise!]]'' after a buxom St. Mungo's receptionist tries to get Harry to autograph her chest, he floos back to Grimmauld Place and bangs his head on a table.
--->'''Harry:''' I. Am. Going. To. Destroy. Witch. Weekly.
** In ''Fanfic/WhenInDoubtObliviate'' during an argument with Remus about why Wormtail was made Secret Keeper instead of him, Sirius bangs his head against the wall of his room in St. Mungo's.
--->'''Remus:''' Oh, that will convince them that you don't have any brain damage...
** In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5353683/10/The-Girl-Who-Loved The Girl Who Loved]]'' one of the Sailor Scouts makes a suggestive remark involving Harry and Sailor Pluto and he tries to beat the resulting images out of his head with the aid of a nearby table, which breaks partway through and has to be magically repaired.
** ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3535620/7/Insane-Asylum-Escapees Insane Asylum Escapees]]'' has Harry [[spoiler:who doesn't believe in magic]] walk out into the dragon arena shirtless with a lawn chair and a tanning mirror, as he thinks the dragons are iguanas on steroids. Cue Remus hitting his head on a book going "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." with "He's gonna die." thrown in every once in a while.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7832676/3/Petunia-s-Boys Petunia's Boys]]'' Lucius bangs his head on a table after realizing there are so many Muggles it would take the entire world magical population several centuries to kill them all off.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10301885/5/Two-Halves-Of-A-Whole Two Halves Of A Whole]]'', Harry bangs his head on a table when Andromeda tells him her and her daughter Nymphadora's reinstatement into the Black family means he not only has to give Remus and Nymphadora permission to marry but determine the dowry as well.
** PlayedForLaughs in the ''WebVideo/PotterPuppetPals'' episode "Wizard Angst", where Harry is banging his head against a wall while chanting "angst" over and over again.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4081016/2/The-Poker-Game The Poker Game]]'' Harry bangs his head on a table every time a new girl is added to his UnwantedHarem.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10399961/14/Time-Turned-Back Time Turned Back]]'' Harry bangs his head on a desk after discovering magic has declared him the new Heir of Slytherin.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11898648/6/Harry-Potter-and-the-Rune-Stone-Path Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path]]'' Professor Babbling bangs her head on a table after hearing Ron decided to fly his father's car to Hogwarts.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7665632/25/Potter-s-Protector Potter's Protector]]'' Harry bangs his head on a table after his name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9750991/69/Angry-Harry-and-the-Seven Angry Harry and the Seven]]'' it's Valentine's Day, so Harry recites poetry and gives a large bouquet of roses and baby's breath to his betrothed Daphne right in front of everybody in the Great Hall, making the rest of the boys with girlfriends look like unromantic clods in comparison. A Seventh Year Hufflepuff who recognizes he's been outshone lightly bangs his forehead on the tabletop a few times. And then Blaize publicly presents his girlfriend Tracey with a carnation and a pretty necklace and helps her put the necklace on, again making the rest of the boys with girlfriends look like unromantic clods in comparison. The poor Hufflepuff, seeing he's been outshone again, resumes banging his forehead on the tabletop.
** In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11420524/1/Choices-Part-I Choices - Part I]]'' Bill bangs his head on a desk after finding out that Ron gave a highly insulting interview about Veela which gets him killed by Fleur's angry relatives.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** The fic ''Fanfic/{{Progress}}'' has Princess Luna doing this in one chapter. She makes a BadassBoast to a pair of monsters threatening the Cutie Mark Crusaders, only to be frustrated immensely when neither of them recognize her.
--->''Both tyrannosaur and megaprimate were treated to the rare sight of a deity in wrath beating her head against the wall.''
** ''Fanfic/TheManySecretOriginsOfScootaloo'':
*** Twilight smashes many, many tables as she's subjected to CrackFic after Crack Fic about Scootaloo. Prior to chapter 20's, she summons a pillow in preparation. Then, once the crack starts, she whips the pillow away as a ''threat'' to the table's health.
*** In Chapter 22, Twilight is punished by all the tables she's injured by performing this by being turned into a table herself and [[{{Squick}} having Shining Armor and Cadence have sex on her.]] [[spoiler:It's all a dream.]]
** Shining Armor from the ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'' develops a habit of doing this in frustration at the [[WeirdnessMagnet bizarre situations he keeps finding himself in.]]
** ''Fanfic/ABriefHistoryOfEquestria'' describes an incident during the unicorn migration to what would eventually become Equestria. Exasperated by the bickering and delays of the aristocracy, Princess Platinum began going up to trees and tapping on them. When questioned, she did not explain her reason until she had found a suitably dense tree, which she began smacking her head against in frustration. On the plus side, they did manage to get some fruit for the caravan.
** There's also the question about whether a unicorn can actually truly headdesk due to the horns on their heads. [[http://biporarity.tumblr.com/post/19886139933/sniffle-how-could-you-kage-how-could-you Rarity indirectly addresses that question in this blog]].
** ''Fanfic/MyLittleAlicorn'': Bringing Up Blueblood:
--->''Blueblood barely resisted the urge to slam his face into the desk. He could tell exactly what most of his day would be filled with.''
** ''Fanfic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': [[spoiler:The mare Rainbow Dash]] repeatedly smacks her head against a wall at one point.
** ''Fanfic/TheAlarmaverse'': In ''Twilight Sparkle and the Strange Case of Old Res'', [[spoiler:when the shop owner realizes that his plan to corrupt Twilight Sparkle has failed]], because he misunderstood her, [[spoiler:he starts his VillainousBreakdown with some]]:
---> He dropped his face onto the counter with a loud thud, kicking up another dust cloud.\\
"Oh!" Twilight said. "Are you—"\\
''"{{Get out}},"'' the stallion hissed. He slammed his face several more times, until dust clouds completely obscured the room, until the wood cracked beneath him.
* ''Fanfic/ProjectFreelancerPhaseOneGenesis'' features [[DrJerk Dr. Killian's]] reaction when he's told that [[Machinima/RedVsBlue the Director]] is bringing in more agents after a dangerous mission: "Eight ''thump'' more ''thump'' medicals ''thump'' for ''thump'' eight ''thump'' more ''thump'' Freelancers ''thumpthumpthumpthump''."
* A frequent occurrence in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' FanFiction. It has been rationalized that the use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu (''Kage Bunshin no Jutsu'') [[{{Fanon}} can defeat a Kage's greatest enemy: paperwork]]. When someone (usually Naruto) points this out to the Third Hokage (or any Kage for that matter), the common reaction is for him to bash his head on his desk repeatedly while muttering "stupid" every single time, usually because he's known that jutsu for ''decades'' and never realized that he could use it for paperwork.
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' fanfic ''FanFic/{{Insontis}}'', Spock wants to "impact his cranium with the nearest solid object" from the stress of dealing with the de-aged Kirk.
* In the ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' fan game, ''Phoenix Drive'', Phoenix does this while claiming that to be the culprit for the murder Larry is on trial for.
-->'''Phoenix:''' I hated her! Whooo!! Wanted to murder it! Whooo!!
* Dipper starts hitting his head against a tree in ''Fanfic/FakingIt'' when Bill admits even he has no idea what kind of cover story Dipper can give to get [[spoiler: Ford to stop wondering how his nephew managed to put most of the town to sleep, at least unintentionally]].

* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'':
** In Chapter 23, Cross does this after Soundbite gives the Teenage Dugong Warrior Squad their name.
** In Chapter 28, Cross does this after Isaiah, perching on Pierre's head while the latter is in his hybrid form, says "[[Advertising/TheManYourManCouldSmellLike I'm on a horse.]]"
** In Chapter 33, Vice Admiral Jonathan does this when he realizes the full extent of the chaos the Straw Hat Pirates are capable of causing.
** Chapter 37 has Vivi doing this after [[TestosteronePoisoning Boss]] successfully negotiates with Franky by [[PecFlex flexing]].
** Chapter 42, when Sengoku hears that Admiral Kizaru (with the inadvertent help of Nami), has ended up refracting himself out of the fight, he does this. While in his Buddha form. ''Denting the Gates of Justice in the process.''
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': This trope is Misato's reaction to finding out [[TooMuchInformation more than she ever wanted to know]] about Ritsuko and Commander Ikari's sex life.
* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Izuku slams his head against his desk when Bakugou starts screaming at him in the middle of class for not applying to U.A.
* In ''Fanfic/DestinyIsAHazyThing'', Idate starts slamming his head against a pillar when Sasuke wastes time challenging Rock Lee to a fight, especially since Idate knows Lee is out of his league.

-->'''Chloe:''' ''(banging head on writing desk covered with crumpled paper)'' Dumb brain! Got nothing! Stupid! Useless! No good!

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'', Tulio is banging his head against a wall to try to figure out a way to escape from Cortez's ship. He appears to get an idea... but just resumes banging. Made funnier when Tulio appears to have a black eye and the wall has ''a dent'' in it.
* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'': Stitch does this when he's in the pound, and actually knocks a brick out of place because of his power.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', Victor bangs his head on the bar counter, in response to being told by the woman he accidentally married that he said his vows perfectly. In this case, he's trying to wake himself up from what he thinks is a dream.
* Before they meet Anya, Dimitri and Vlad are holding an audition for girls to play ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}''. One prospect is a [[WhiteDwarfStarlet middle-aged woman,]] who says in a sultry voice, "Granmama! It's me, Ana-''STASIA!''" Their reaction is a combination of this and FacePalm.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1'': This is Twilight's reaction after she sees the embarrassing video made by Sunset Shimmer, and she says that no-one is going to vote for her now.

* ComicBook/ScottPilgrim does this against a telephone pole in ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', after [[spoiler:Ramona breaks up with him]]. It looks seriously painful. He's also doing it [[MickeyMousing in time with the music.]]
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossThe8thDimension''. Perfect Tommy lightly bumps his head against the prison bars while Buckaroo is talking to Penny Priddy in jail. The expression on his face and later dialogue indicates that he's doing it out of disbelief that Buckaroo is wasting his time with a woman who tried to kill him.

%%* Creator/SylvesterStallone's character also does this in ''Theatre/{{Oscar}}''.
* Dramatic example: In the aftermath of [[spoiler:Smith's death]] in ''Film/EventHorizon'', Miller does a subdued version of this against the nearest wall. [[spoiler:Then he wishes he hadn't.]]
* ''Film/TheGraduate'' has Ben Braddock doing an "I can't believe I'm doing this" variant against a hotel room wall just before he sleeps with Mrs. Robinson for the first time.
* ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'' and sequel, with more violent head-on-wall banging, ''The Whole Ten Yards''. Dramatic and played for laughs in one go.
* Done a lot in ''Film/ColdTurkey'' as the townspeople go through withdrawal from smoking, most notably a pre-''Series/AllInTheFamily'' Jean Stapleton clonking her head against a tree.

* The first ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' movie: after the climax, Tackleberry removes both his sunglasses and motorcycle helmet before he starts banging his head against the hood of a police car for having missed the shoot-out.
* ''Film/StarTrekNemesis''. Worf's reaction to: "Irving Berlin..."
* Subverted in ''Film/KickAss''. Dave's mother appears to do this in response to him saying something dumb at the dinner table. As it actually turns out however, she just happened to pick that particular moment to die of a brain aneurysm.
* In ''Film/{{UHF}}'', when George is confronted by Teri about having lost yet ''another'' job after coming home near the beginning...Though he seemed to do it in [[SarcasmMode sarcasm]].
* During the ImpostorExposingTest in ''Film/TheWorldsEnd'', Gary bashes his head repeatedly against a support beam to prove that he hasn't been replaced by a "blank" and to [[spoiler:avoid showing a scar on his arm as a proof because the others would also see that he tried to commit suicide]].
* Characters do versions of this in both the western comedy ''Film/SupportYourLocalSheriff'' and its non-sequel followup ''Support Your Local Gunfighter''. (Against a tree-branch and a wall-beam, respectively.)

* In ''Film/LoveActually'', after David, the Prime Minister, realizes he is falling for Natalie, the PM's personal assistant, he non-challantly tries to find out whether she has a boyfriend. After finding out that she had just broken up with him, David offers to send British Special Forces to "take him out," playing it off as a joke. Natalie sees the attempt at humor, grudgingly smiles and leaves his office. David immediately bangs his head on the desk when he realizes just how creepy the "joke" sounded.

-->''I was all shaky inside as we entered Fflliikkiinnenn's room. He was standing in a corner beating his head methodically against the wall. "He's toughening up for the football season," Roger whispered.''
* ''Literature/{{Brennus}}'': Basil gets in on this in the aftermath of the Hastur Arc, when his girlfriend Prisca-who has spent most of her life crippled and confined to a hospital bed-[[spoiler: finally manifests powers of her own: to create a FlyingBrick body to inhabit while her real body is sleeping-and she's gorgeous like this by the way-she proceeds to fly to Basil's bedroom and try seduce him, except he refuses on account of the fact that she's essentially drunk on power and not thinking straight. She reluctantly agreed and leaves]]...and he begins banging his against the wall in regret.

* Implied at the end of the Doby Gillis story "Her Face Was Familiar, But...", in which Doby is constantly interrupted every time he tries to find out the name of the girl he started dating (she doesn't realize he hasn't learned her name, and he's too proud to come right out and ask). He finally gets his chance when they go on a date to the radio studio, and he's chosen to participate in a trivia contest. He lets her take his place so that he can hear her give her name at the end, even though he is very upset to learn that not only was the trivia on a topic he knew very well (the meanings of names, of all things), but the prize money was triple what it normally would have been. He's still cheered up when he learns that her name is Mary Alice. Then, he takes her home and she gives the last line of the story:
--> "[[spoiler:Why, you know perfectly well I didn't give my real name.]] Doby! Why are you beating your head against the wall?"
* In ''That Meanie Jim's Birthday'' from the ''Literature/JunieBJones'' books, Junie B.'s father resorts to this after he and her mother try to console Junie B. about not being invited to Jim's birthday party and Junie B. says that she's going to move to the "It's a Small World" ride in Disney World.
* ''Literature/KittyNorville'' sometimes takes advantage of her radio talk show's format to indulge in this during or after a paricularly inane[=/=]fustrating call. Needless to say, when a [[AnimalWrongsGroup PETA shill]] gets through during her (voluntary) TV debut complete with studio audience in ''Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand''....

* Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'': ''One Good Knight'' has a referenced one where a [[ItMakesSenseInContext cross-dressing knight]] and rescued princess (who are both virgins) encounter a quartet of (related) talking unicorns that want to accompany them. The knight is... less than happy about this.

* ''Literature/TortallUniverse'': In the ''Literature/TrickstersDuet'', protagonist Aly is acting as TheSpymaster for a rebellion against a corrupt court. To get information from the palace, she hides a whole bunch of magical creatures called darkings; little, sentient black black blobs that are excellent at hiding and eavesdropping. Less than an hour after doing so, she's confronted by a FriendlyEnemy who discovered the youngest darking when it decided to go and play with the three-year-old king it was spying on. It's all Aly can do to stay in character and not immediately start banging her head against a wall.

** In ''Series/HellsKitchen'', repeatedly, when Jason from Season 4 kept messing up soufflés and then told Gordon that he was going to try brushing sugar and cocoa powder around the rims of the ramekins to keep them from sticking. For non-chefs among readers, this is one of the '''first''' things you should do when making a soufflé. This may be why, in the next scene, he is complaining that he's got a fucking headache.

* ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'': In "[[Recap/BlackadderS4E2CorporalPunishment Corporal Punishment]]", Blackadder is on trial and, when Baldrick is called as a witness, tells him "Deny everything!" Baldrick [[LiteralMinded takes him literally]] and denies his own name and position within the British army. Cut to Blackadder bashing his head against the table.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E16BewitchedBotheredAndBewildered Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered]]", Xander Harris, when he unwittingly unleashed a love spell on the entire female community of Sunnydale, tried to seek refuge inside Buffy's home while getting Cordy out of harm's way. When Joyce suddenly tries to lead him on, he bangs his head on the table.

** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E2IntoTheDalek Into the Dalek]]": After schoolteacher Danny Pink messes up his chance to [[NotADate go with Clara Oswald to a party]], he bemoans his mistake out loud and repeatedly bangs his head on the desk [[HowMuchDidYouHear until he realises Clara is standing in the doorway]], watching with amusement.

* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': In the "Sectionals" episode, Artie does a full-body version of this in a wheelchair when [[spoiler: the club realizes their set list's been stolen]]. [[spoiler: Emma]] even mentions on the phone that it's been going on for a few minutes.
* ''The Life and Loves of a She-Devil'' TV series has a very drunken priest seemingly hitting his head on the table to clear it enough to string sentences together.

* In ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'', when given the idea that Mikoto could contract the stripper lady disease, Kuroko [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4YIs4gcQ8U does this.]] It tends to be her default response to stresses of any nature.
** Given Kuroko's... fondness for Mikoto it may also be a case of trying to (ahem) head off StupidSexyFlanders.
* ''Franchise/DanganRonpa The Animation'': Monokuma bangs his head against his desk and his chalkboard after Makoto is saved from being executed by [[spoiler: Chihiro's AI Alter Ego.]]
* In ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'', Dr. Mikoto Itoshiki, along with the rest of his family, has an UnfortunateName which can, in his case, be read as ''zetsumei'' ("death"), thus making him ''zetsumei-sensei'' ([[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Dr. Death]]) and discouraging patients from visiting him. Calling him this results in his banging his head against the wall for several minutes ([[CantYouReadTheSign in one instance, this was near a poster warning about cranial injury]]).
* Kyon of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' can be seen doing this in the [[AnimeThemeSong opening theme song]], ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMwo8PbjoE Bouken Desho Desho]]'', cementing his [[DeadpanSnarker personality]] and his [[OnlySaneMan role]] in the [[TrueCompanions SOS Brigade]].

* The ending of the UsefulNotes/{{P|layStation}}S1 ''VideoGame/SpiderMan'' sees ComicBook/DoctorOctopus start banging his head against the bars of his cell while Rhino erroneously gloats about beating ComicBook/{{Mysterio}}, [[ComicBook/MacGargan Scorpion]], and a bank robber at Go Fish. One of the things that shows ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2EnterElectro'' is an ImmediateSequel is that Ock is ''still'' doing this when Hammerhead and Shocker, in the cell across from them with Electro, asks Ock and ''his'' cellmates if they know Go Fish.

** In ''Series/HellsKitchen'', repeatedly, when a chef kept messing up soufflés told Gordon that he was going to try brushing sugar and cocoa powder around the rims of the ramekins to keep them from sticking. For non-chefs among readers, this is one of the '''first''' things you should do when making a soufflé. This may be why, in the next scene, he is complaining that he's got a fucking headache.

* A completely serious example in one of ComicBook/TheJoker's stories; he's been arrested and is going to trial, and the possibility of an insanity defence has (unsurprisingly) been raised by his attorney. While getting exasperated with his client, the lawyer sarcastically asks [[RhetoricalQuestionBlunder "and getting declared insane is that easy, is it?"]] The Joker calmly slams his own face down on the table he's sitting at, sits up with his face covered in blood, and says [[BadassBoast "It's that easy."]]

** ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'' takes the head-banging-on-a-piano scene from ''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' (see Western Animation, below) and redubs it to add plenty of ComicallyMissingThePoint.
--->'''Sweetie Belle:''' Yeah, I just sold your scooter and bought some cheap knockoffs at the store.\\
'''Scootaloo:''' <Really?>\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' Yeah.\\
'''Scootaloo:''' <Will you please excuse me for a moment?>\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' Sure, okay.\\
''[Scootaloo smashes her face into the piano keyboard repeatedly]''\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' What'd you do that for?\\
'''Scootaloo:''' <Being in this group makes me want to cry.>\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' Well, maybe you wouldn't feel so bad if you didn't hit your head on the piano.\\
''[beat]''\\
''[Sweetie Belle smiles at Scootaloo]''\\
''[Scootaloo resumes smashing her head against the keyboard]''\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' I like that noise, though. Totally brutal.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'': This is Twilight's reaction after she sees the embarrassing video made by Sunset Shimmer, and she says that no-one is going to vote for her now.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': In "Space Madness" Ren bangs his head on the table after seeing the FoodPills Stimpy presents.
-->"THAT'S IT! I NEED SOME ''REAL FOOD!''"

[[folder:Web Comics]]