History Main / ManChild

* PeterIIIOfRussia was said to be this by his enemies. Instead of consummating his marriage immediately with his German wife he would play with toy soldiers in the wedding bed, and once hanged a mouse for treason. He also had a very child-like fascination with his hero, Frederick the Great, which ruined Russia's successes in the Seven Years' War. Unfortunately for Peter, his wife turned out to be Catherine the Great, and he was deposed by her and her lovers in a very smooth coup.

* Luanne Platter from the later episodes of {{KingoftheHill}} when she began dating and eventually married a moronic, middle aged, hillbilly "Lucky" to the point where she acts like a five year old most of the time.

* Pee-Wee Herman takes this to the extreme, particularly in ''Pee-Wee's Big Adventure'' where for the most part, the rest of the world accommodates his strange ways without question. He is apparently a homeowner with lots of friends. He even has a rival ManChild in Francis, an adult spoiled brat who only has slightly more street smarts.

Although the causes might not be clear, the effects are. The ManChild is usually an adult who possesses a very childlike or childish demeanor. He's emotionally both simple and fragile; he prefers (although does not always ''need'') to have a parent figure to look after him. He usually [[WideEyedIdealist isn't very worldly]] and is typically pretty [[TheIngenue gullible]]. The ManChild's interests are usually what most people consider to be immature or childish, even in comparison to actual children.

* StephenColbert's onscreen persona is like this, especially at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

* Cupid on {{Supernatural}}.

* Step Brothers take this trope and [[UpToEleven turns it up to eleven]].

* Step Brothers take this trope and [[UpToEleven | turns it up to eleven]].

* Buddy from ''{{Elf}}'' is over 35 years old and still acts like a six year old and has a very infantile view of the world; this is due to being raised by elves from infanthood.

* Guitarist {{Buckethead}} could be considered one. His stage persona is very child-like in behaviour. He also seems to enjoy toys and scary puppets.

** They give the reason for his sitting position being that the brain gets the most oxygen from that posture. His liking of sugary foods has been explained is special material as being necessary for his brain, which burns calories like nothing.

** Seattle is the city of Man Children. Loads of tech and engineering related companies dot the landscape, among them Microsoft, Nintendo and Boeing, and much of their recruitment draws grads straight from college. Granting tech geeks who had previously been subsisting on ramen a six-figure sallary, far away from their family? Sounds like man-child soup to me.

** Has he though? ("You've got ink on your forehead.")

[[caption-width-right:350:Isn't he a little old to be in the fifth grade? [[TheFairlyOddparents Yes, yes he is]].]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Isn't he a little old to be in the fifth grade? [[PhineasAndFerb Yes, yes he is]].]]