History Main / TheBarnum

* Grunkle Stan from ''GravityFalls''. His idea of a "Family Bonding Day" is forcing his niece and nephew to forge counterfeit hundred-dollar bills.

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* Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck from ''[=~The A-Team~=]'' genuinely and unrepentantly ''enjoyed'' being a ConMan. He would occasionally gush and revel in explaining his latest scheme to the other members of the A-Team. For instance, he once started telling Hannibal about how he was starting his career as a movie producer by taking a student film, dubbing it over in another language, and then adding subtitles so that he could market it as a foreign film. Another time, the A-Team had to live in a suburban house for a few days to protect a client, and as soon as they get there, Face goes on a tangent about how he bought the house with a certain type of mortgage specifically so he could make more money when he sold it. He also loved living the high life by scamming his way into hotel penthouses and fancy beach houses, mostly because he could. Face also enjoyed seducing women by pretending to be a high-ranking film executive or director or even a neurologist and never, ever felt bad about it.

* [[spoiler: Kyubey]] from PuellaMagiMadokaMagica follows shades of this. If people are willing to [[spoiler: make a contract without reading the fine-print, as it were]], why on earth would he say no? It's not his fault that [[spoiler: the fine print YouDidntAsk about says that you'll turn into a [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]] when the contract is made, and that you'll [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie eventually turn into]] [[EldritchAbomination a witch]].]]

* Moist von Lipwig from ''Discworld/GoingPostal'' starts out as one of these, but when confronted by one of the innocent victims of his scams he decides to stick with government service. He still misses the ''excitement'' of the con in ''Discworld/MakingMoney'', but not the actual taking advantage of people.

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* [[spoiler: Kyubey]] from PuellaMagiMadokaMagica follows shades of this. If people are willing to [[spoiler: make a contract without reading the fine-print, as it were]], why on earth would he say no? It's not his fault that [[spoiler: the fine print YouDidntAsk about says that you'll turn into a [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]] when the contract is made, and that you'll [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie eventually turn into]] [[EldritchAbomination a witch]].]]

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* Sylvester McMonkey McBean from The Sneetches.

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* Basi from the Nigerian TV show ''Basi And Company'' was a man whose goal in life was to become a millionaire without ever doing work. (His CatchPhrase was "To be a millionaire, think like a millionaire!") As a point of honor, he pulled all of his scams while unemployed and living in a crumbling boarding house, which didn't hurt his spirits at all.

* Don Draper on ''MadMen'' will happily sell any product, if there is money in it. In the first episode he comes up with a new ad campaign for Lucky Strike cigarettes after promoting safer cigarettes is outlawed. [[BasedOnATrueStory Don Draper is based off of the character who invented the Marlboro Man]] His solution being, Lucky Strike: It's Toasted, Lucky Strikes' slogan in RealLife.

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* The EvelynEvelyn song "A Campaign Of Shock And Awe".
--> "Behold, the eighth wonder of the natural world! Come one and come all, see the two-headed girl. Stupendous! Revolting! You’ll be shocked, you’ll be awed! A true freak of nature, a blunder of God! But possessing such talents, hear them sing, see them dance. As seen in the highest class parlors of France. Just ten bucks a photograph, get your seats while they last. We take Visa and Master Card, debit or cash."

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** In the episode "B.O.T." His Combaticon comrades were blown to their component parts, and Swindle took the opportunity to sell them to both USSR ''and'' Middle Eastern stereotypes. When a predictably enraged Megatron made him get them back, it is generally assumed that he didn't return their money.

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* 19th-century gambler & con artist "Canada Bill" Johnson was fond of saying "It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money."
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** Professor Monty Bladder, [[TheGhost mentioned]] in ''Discworld/AHatFullOfSky'', appears to be one, since the advertisment for his Three Ring Circus declares "See The Egress!" He had a man with a dictionary standing by to prove people had got exactly what they paid for.

* [[spoiler: Kyubey]] from PuellaMagiMadokaMagica follows shades of this. If people are willing to [[spoiler: make a contract without reading the fine-print, as it were]], why on earth would he say no? It's not his fault that [[spoiler: the fine print YouDidntAsk about says that you'll turn into a [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]] when the contract is made, and that you'll [[YouAreTheDemons eventually turn into]] [[EldritchAbomination a witch]].]]

* Bender from ''{{Futurama}}'' sometimes channels TheBarnum. Leela and Amy have both told him, "Bender, you should be more ashamed of yourself than usual!"
* Master Shake from ''AquaTeenHungerForce'', being the incredible JerkAss that he is. Although considering his success rate, it may be more accurate to call him a Barnum Wannabe.

* Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck from ''[=~The A-Team~=]'' genuinely and unrepentantly ''enjoyed'' being a ConMan. He would occasionally gush and revel in explaining his latest scheme to the other members of the A-Team. For instance, he once started telling Hannibal about how he was starting his career as a movie producer by taking a student film, dubbing it over in another language, and then adding subtitles so that he could market it as a foreign film. Another time, the A-Team had to live in a suburban house for a few days to protect a client, and as soon as they get there, Face goes on a tangent about how he bought the house with a certain type of mortgage specifically so he could make more money when he sold it. He also loved living the high life by scamming his way into hotel penthouses and fancy beach houses, mostly because he could. Face also enjoyed seducing women by pretending to a high-ranking film executive or director or even a neurologist and never, ever felt bad about it.

* {{Homestuck}}: Doc Scratch.

* Nabiki Tendo from ''[=~Ranma ½~=]'' survives by taking advantage of people who would never actually attack her and being a [[ManipulativeBastard expert actress]]. Her ticks include selling non-working merchandise and unreliable information, using blackmail where needed. On occasion she has engaged in more complex schemes. She is not above using family members.

* TheWizardOfOz is portrayed as this is {{Theatre/Wicked}}, although he tricks people into believing he's magical for political power rather than money.

* M. Thenardier from ''[[{{Theatre/ptitlenjisnv3p}} Les Misérables]]'', following his persona from the book, though he's not entirely serene. (Depending on the actor) he is shown as delighting in tricking and scamming his guests, but hungry to move his predatory activities to more savory prey.

* Oddly averted in ''Barnum! IN Secret Service To The USA'': P.T. Barnum here may be a bit of a flim-flammer, but he gets most of his joy from entertaining the crowd rather than conning them

* Mr. Humphries of ''[[AreYouBeingServed Are You Being Served?]]''. Mr. Humphries knew how ridiculous his job was, and did it just as absurdly as he was supposed to. After all, he was never the one who had to face the consequences -- that was the boss or the customers.

* Sam Starfall in ''{{Freefall}}'' prides himself on being a trickster and at one point has to convince himself that there's nothing inherently wrong with taking a well-paying but completely legal job. He has claimed that his habits are because his race evolved from scavengers who stole food from under the noses of predators. He's also on the run from his own race.

* Obviously, Phineas Taylor Barnum of the musical "Barnum", epitomizes this trope as he quite literally IS THE BARNUM- and perhaps this character is even more so than the real-life counterpart after which he is modeled. He is constantly scheming ideas for new sideshows, looking for ways to take advantage of people, and views his audience as little more than walking bags of money.

* Im a fourth season episode of ''SeaPatrol'', an old friend of TwoDads joins the crew. It turns out that not only is he using his position to send info to a gang of pirates, he's also scamming another crewmember into an online romance. TwoDads eventually turns him in.