History Main / JerkAss

A [[TitleDrop Jerkass]] is a character who is so completely obnoxious that it is unbelievable anyone would willingly interact with them. They may have fans, but in most cases the appeal of their character is that they are walking [[ComedicSociopathy schadenfreude]] -- you know [[AssholeVictim it'll eventually end badly for them]], and you can't wait to see it.

On the off chance that something happens to [[PygmalionPlot nice-ify or remove]] the Jerkass, the other characters will be relieved at first, but will proclaim "WeWantOurJerkBack" by episode's end. If the protagonist starts as a Jerkass and learns their lesson, it may be a JerkToNiceGuyPlot.

Characters can be Jerkasses in many ways -- some may be polite, intelligent, charming, handsome and/or brave, [[BitchInSheepsClothing but still give off a basic air of snobby, sneering, self-centered prickery]] that makes them such a nasty little punk that you wonder why people put up with them. Others are more obvious assholes who may be crass, sleazy, or otherwise repulsive. Either way, it's usually their status on the team of "good guy" that results in them never being called out on it. After all, if they were an asshole on team "bad guy", they'd just be another villain. This is especially disconcerting in any series following a team that needs to be coordinated and would realistically not put up with this kind of behavior. This can also happen with a hardass or [[GrumpyBear grouchy]] character who becomes an obstacle to others rather than [[CommanderContrarian providing pragmatic, but perhaps unpopular, advice]].

->''[[SarcasmMode Great]]! [[JustForFun/TvTropesWillRuinYourLife I bet enough worthless assholes somewhere finally wasted their useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page]]! [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and may all these bitch-ass punks never bring their bitch asses back!]]''

Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease Needless to say, they are all too common in RealLife, and listing examples would cause trouble on the [[Wiki/TVTropes site]].

** ''Jerkass/MarvelCinematicUniverse''
** ''Jerkass/StarWars''

Not to be confused with the reality stunt show ''Series/{{Jackass}}''.Though the cast can definitely get into this territory at points.

Not to be confused with the reality stunt show ''Series/{{Jackass}}''.

->''[[SarcasmMode Great!]] [[JustForFun/TvTropesWillRuinYourLife I bet enough worthless assholes somewhere finally wasted their useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page!]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and may all these bitch-ass punks never bring their bitch asses back!]]''

->''[[SarcasmMode Great]]! [[JustForFun/TvTropesWillRuinYourLife I bet enough worthless assholes somewhere finally wasted their useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page]]! [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and may all these bitch-ass punks never bring their bitch asses back!]]''

If absolutely ''everyone'' acts like this, you're looking at a WorldOfJerkass. If the character knows they're a jerk and revels in it, they're a CardCarryingJerkass. {{Hate Sink}}s, characters intended to be hated, are almost always Jerks of some kind.

->''[[SarcasmMode Great]]! [[JustForFun/TvTropesWillRuinYourLife I bet enough worthless assholes somewhere finally wasted their useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page]]! [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and may all these bitch-ass punks never bring their bitch asses back]]!''

%%SuperTrope states that JerkWithAHeartOfJerk and JerkWithAHeartOfGold are [[SubTrope Sub-Tropes]] of Jerkass.
A SuperTrope to JerkWithAHeartOfGold and JerkWithAHeartOfJerk. See TheJerkIndex for variations on different types of Jerks. Contrast with InnocentlyInsensitive, who ''acts'' like a jerk because they don't know any better, but will be quick to correct their behavior once it is pointed out to them. The inversion is NiceGuy, obviously. If you want to see the hero who is the Jerkass despite their good intentions, see GoodIsNotNice.

The single factor that pushes a merely annoying character over the line into full-time Jerkass status is their absolute obliviousness to other people's perceptions of them. [[MoralMyopia Nothing they do ever strikes them]] as [[DisproportionateRetribution out of proportion]]; [[LackOfEmpathy they never realize that anything they are doing might]] ''ever'' be considered inappropriate, excessive, or cruel; indeed, they believe [[ItsAllAboutMe they are actually right and everyone around them is in the wrong]]. If anyone ever does call them out on their Jerkassery, expect them to [[JerkJustifications just rationalize it or shrug the accusation off]]. If the writers don't put it in check and just keep trying to one-up the character's assholishness, the character can deteriorate into TheSociopath, or [[JerksAreWorseThanVillains earn more of the audience's ire than the actual villains]]. Often the result of {{Flanderization}} or MaddenIntoMisanthropy.

[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/{{Blazen}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/12ccdab13d21b69d97ad08878d608a3b-1_7756.png]]]]

The single factor that pushes a merely annoying character over the line into full-time Jerkass status is their absolute obliviousness to other people's perceptions of them. [[MoralMyopia Nothing they do ever strikes them]] as [[DisproportionateRetribution out of proportion]]; [[LackOfEmpathy they never realize that anything they are doing might]] ''ever'' be considered inappropriate, excessive, or cruel; indeed, they believe [[ItsAllAboutMe they are actually right and everyone around them is in the wrong]]. If anyone ever does call them out on their Jerkassery, expect them to [[JerkJustifications just rationalize it or shrug the accusation off]]. If the writers don't put it in check and just keep trying to one-up the character's assholishness, the character can deteriorate into TheSociopath. Often the result of {{Flanderization}} or MaddenIntoMisanthropy.

What makes them entertaining is the fact that you don't have to deal with them yourself in real life. Usually, the [[RuleOfFunny Rule of Funny]] enables the people around the person to be able to tolerate them. Sometimes, the Jerkass is the PluckyComicRelief who's stepped off the beam and become TheScrappy, in which case the [[RuleOfFunny Rule of Funny]] fades away; they may be okay in the other characters' eyes, but the audience, not so much. Because of this, it's hard to feel sorry for them when something bad does happen to them, and it is often seen as comeuppance which will be applauded by the audience.

->''[[SarcasmMode Great]]! [[JustForFun/TvTropesWillRuinYourLife Your worthless ass finally wasted your useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page]]! [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and never bring your bitch ass back, punk]]!''

-->-- '''Creator/DenisLeary''', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrgpZ0fUixs Asshole]]"

See TheJerkIndex for variations on different types of Jerks. Contrast with InnocentlyInsensitive, who ''acts'' like a jerk because they don't know any better, but will be quick to correct their behavior once it is pointed out to them. The inversion is NiceGuy, obviously. If you want to see the hero who is the Jerkass despite their good intentions, see GoodIsNotNice.

A Jerkass is a character who is so completely obnoxious that it is unbelievable anyone would willingly interact with them. They may have fans, but in most cases the appeal of their character is that they are walking [[ComedicSociopathy schadenfreude]] -- you know [[AssholeVictim it'll eventually end badly for them]], and you can't wait to see it.

The single factor that pushes a merely annoying character over the line into full-time Jerkass status is their absolute obliviousness to other people's perceptions of them. [[MoralMyopia Nothing they do ever strikes them]] as [[DisproportionateRetribution out of proportion]]; [[LackOfEmpathy they never realize that anything they are doing might]] ''ever'' be considered inappropriate, excessive, or cruel; in fact, they believe [[ItsAllAboutMe they are actually right and everyone around them is in the wrong]]. If anyone ever does call them out on their Jerkassery, expect them to [[JerkJustifications just rationalize it or shrug the accusation off]]. If the writers don't put it in check and just keep trying to one-up the character's assholishness, the character can deteriorate into TheSociopath. Often the result of {{Flanderization}} or MaddenIntoMisanthropy.

On the off chance that something happens to [[PygmalionPlot nice-ify or remove]] the Jerkass, the other characters will be relieved at first, but will proclaim "WeWantOurJerkBack" by episode's end. If the protagonist starts as a Jerkass and learns his lesson, it may be a JerkToNiceGuyPlot.

Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease Needless to say, they are all too common in real life, and listing examples would cause trouble on the site.

->''[[TvTropesWillRuinYourLife Great! Your worthless ass finally wasted your useless time browsing every goddamn article on this page!]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now get the fuck out of here and never bring your bitch ass back, punk!]]''

** ''Jerkass/{{Supernoobs}}''

The single factor that pushes a merely annoying character over the line into full-time Jerkass status is their absolute obliviousness to other people's perceptions of them. [[MoralMyopia Nothing they do ever strikes them]] as [[DisproportionateRetribution out of proportion]]; [[LackOfEmpathy they never realize that anything they are doing might]] ''ever'' be considered inappropriate, excessive, or cruel; in fact, they believe [[ItsAllAboutMe they are actually right and everyone around them is in the wrong]]. If anyone ever does call them out on their Jerkassery, expect them to [[JerkJustifications just rationalize it or shrug the accusation off]]. If the writers don't put it in check and just keep trying to one-up the character's assholishness, it can deteriorate into TheSociopath. Often the result of {{Flanderization}} or MaddenIntoMisanthropy.

If absolutely ''everyone'' acts like this, you're looking at a WorldOfJerkass. If the character knows they're a jerk and revels in it, they're a CardCarryingJerkass.

See TheJerkIndex for variations on different types of Jerks. Contrast with InnocentlyInsensitive, who ''acts'' like a jerk because they don't know any better, but will be quick to correct their behavior once it is pointed out to them. The inversion is NiceGuy, obviously. If you want to see the hero who is the Jerkass despite their good intentions, see GoodIsNotNice. {{Hate Sink}}s, characters intended to be hated, are almost always Jerks of some kind.