Line #67 Main/CardCarryingJerkass


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5	[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/DanVs https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmju0mdmymdkyn15bml5banbnxkftztgwmzq1mdu1mje_v1.png]]]]
6	[[caption-width-right:350:[[FunTShirt It's even written on the front of his shirt]].]]
7
8	->''Senior sales representative Mark Seversen, already notorious at Aqua-Dek Water Filtration Systems for being an asshole, made the ultimate asshole move Monday when he triumphantly admitted to being an asshole.''
9
10	->''"Look, I know you all think I'm an asshole," Seversen, 32, told a roomful of fellow employees. "Well, that may be true, but I moved more units for this company last year than any three of you combined. News flash: Nice guys finish last."''
11
12	->''"So I'm an asshole," Seversen added. "Deal with it."''
13	-->-- ''Website/TheOnion'', "[[https://local.theonion.com/asshole-admits-to-being-asshole-in-supreme-asshole-move-1819567374 Asshole Admits To Being Asshole In Supreme Asshole Move]]"
14
15	{{Jerkass}}es come in [[TheJerkIndex all shapes and sizes]], and run the [[JerkJustifications gamut of motivations]]. They may be TheFriendNobodyLikes, or they may be a JerkWithAHeartOfGold (even if that heart is [[HiddenHeartOfGold very well hidden]]), or they may be a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk. They may have an IncitingIncident that made them this way, they may be a hero with [[GoodIsNotNice reason to act like a belligerent boor]], or they may just be [[JerkassWoobie insecure, bitter, lonely, angry or confused]], and are lashing out at other people as a form of release. [[InnocentlyInsensitive Some may not even realize]] how they come across to others, and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone feel remorseful]] when made aware of their jerkassery (and may even [[JerkassRealization realize it themselves]]).
16
17	And then there's ''[[WellThisIsNotThatTrope this]]'' asshole.
18
19	The Card-Carrying Jerkass doesn't need to be told that they're a nasty piece of work; they're self-aware enough to know it already. The problem isn't that they're ''ignorant'' of their jerkassery, it's that they're ''proud'' of it, or at least ''[[TheUnapologetic unrepentant]]''. This character actually considers "being a jerk" a part of their identity and will openly boast it without the slightest hint of shame, seeing no reason to change -- or, at least, not ''caring'' enough to change. Despite this, the Card-Carrying Jerkass is not incapable of kindness or doing what's right, nor do they necessarily go out of their way to screw other people over.
20
21	This trope can be played in a number of different ways. It's mostly used as comic relief, especially in its more exaggerated forms, or used deliberately to make the audience [[HateSink hate a specific character]]. Exploring this trope can also be used to add nuance or depth to an underdeveloped character: for example, a character may be a Card-Carrying Jerkass because they genuinely believe that ''everyone'' is secretly mean and nasty inside, and they're [[AtLeastIAdmitIt one of the few willing to openly cop to it]].
22
23	Compare CardCarryingVillain, who takes a similar attitude towards being ''evil'' but [[AffablyEvil isn't necessarily]] a ''jerk'', just as a person represented by this trope [[GoodIsNotNice isn't necessarily a villain]]. For an Internet-specific form of this trope, see the {{Troll}}. For a downplayed version of this trope whose motivation is being ''funny'' and sees a difference between it and being ''cruel'', see TheGadfly. See also ItAmusedMe, for characters whose motivation for jerkassery is personal amusement.
24
25	'''''This trope is about the jerk's attitude towards their own behavior, not necessarily the nature, frequency, or severity of their dickish deeds. If they do not show any self-awareness towards their jerkish ways, then they're just a plain old {{Jerkass}}.'''''
26
27	----
28	!!Examples:
29
30	[[foldercontrol]]
31
32	[[folder:Advertising]]
33	* ''Advertising/BigBillHells'': The advertiser openly admits that their business is run by scummy people, stating that they are home to "the meanest sons of bitches in the state of Maryland".
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
37	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': [[BigBad Tokinada Tsunayashiro]] of the ''[[Literature/BleachCantFearYourOwnWorld Can't Fear Your Own World]]'' novel goes out of his way to be the biggest, pettiest, most mean-spirited jerkass you will ever meet, simply because he believes he has no reason ''not'' to be. No matter who he encounters, he repeatedly pushes their {{Berserk Button}}s and uses [[MyGreatestFailure their own failures]] to [[KickTheDog taunt them]], [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections using his status]] as [[AristocratsAreEvil a member of one of the Four Noble Families]] to [[KarmaHoudini get away with complete impunity]] and absolutely enjoying every second of it. Rather tellingly, [[TheDogBitesBack when someone finally kills him]], he expresses relief that he will die without regretting being such a colossally evil jerk.
38	* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'': "Jerkass" may be pushing it, but Shigure Sohma is nonetheless a sly, [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]] ManipulativeBastard and makes no effort to hide it, freely referring to himself as "the dirtiest one of all" and "the worst kind of man."
39	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': All For One is not only narcissistic, megalomaniac and lacking any semblance of empathy; he revels in it. It goes a long way when, in Japanese, he's the only character whom the normally polite All Might refers to with the extremely hostile pronoun [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns kisama]].
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': In high school, Carl King was an even more vicious bully to Peter Parker than Flash Thompson; in the present, he revels in the memory of how much he made Peter's life miserable and freely admits he was a "rotten kid." As [[TheWormThatWalks the]] [[SpiderSwarm Thousand]], he's crossed the thin line into CardCarryingVillain.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Comedy]]
47	* Perhaps no comedian embodies this trope more than the stand-up persona of one Creator/AndrewDiceClay. Clay's greaser persona spouted all manner of sexist, racist, homophobic, misanthropic, and downright nasty banter while on stage, and was absolutely, unrepentantly ''proud'' of it. His insistence on [[AlterEgoActing never publicly breaking character]] ended up damaging his career, as most people assumed his "Diceman" character was a real guy.
48	* This is Creator/TuckerMax's entire gimmick as a comedian; his first two books were titled ''I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell'' and ''Assholes Finish First'', and consisted mainly of stories about frat-boy drunkenness, promiscuity, and douchebaggery.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Fan Works]]
52	* ''Fanfic/GuysBeingDudes'': Arlo literally has business cards reading "Professional Douchebag". Apparently Sierra printed them as a joke, but he keeps them around, implying that he doesn't find the title incorrect. His official reason is that they're well-made and accurately list his credentials and contact information, so he's not going to waste them.
53	* ''Fanfic/WarOfRemnantARWBYAnthology'': Dr. Arthur Watts is an openly antagonistic asshole and seems to pride himself on being as unlikable as possible. He's rude to his allies and even ruder to his enemies, not caring at all what people think of his behavior due to his [[{{Narcissist}} massive ego]]. Even when Cinder admits that she doesn't like him, he retorts by saying "Join the party of people I couldn't give less of a shit about." Salem is the only person who can get him to behave nicely and that's only because [[TheDreaded he's afraid of her]]. The only person he is ever genuinely nice to is Jacques Schnee, who is as much of a monstrous, sociopathic {{narcissist}} as him.[[note]]What stops him from being a CardCarryingVillain is the fact that the thing he boasts about more is his unpleasant behavior rather than his horrific actions.[[/note]]
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
57	* Creator/DenisLeary's character "Edgar Friendly" in ''Film/DemolitionMan'' is proudly both a jerk and one of the closest things to a criminal in San Angeles...but he's not actually ''evil'' as he's just fighting for the right to eat real food, have real sex, and have something resembling free will. He also delivers a speech that is very similar to the rant in the middle of Leary's song "Asshole."
58	* ''Film/{{Downsizing}}'' has Dusan Mirkovic, who admits, "Okay, maybe sometimes I'm a little bit asshole, but the world needs assholes. Otherwise where would shit go out?"
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Literature]]
62	* In ''Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'', the centipede is proud of being a "pest"-- this partly refers to his being a pest species, but also to his arrogant attitude. For instance, when the other bugs were talking about beneficial things their species do, the centipede gloats that his species does nothing good and he's a pest.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
66	* The titular character of ''Series/{{House}}'' will remind other characters that he is a jerk, in an InsultBackfire to their list of his flaws. He believes that his intelligence and skill means his attitude is justified.
67	* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' gives us Frank Reynolds. While all the main characters are rude, vulgar, obnoxious, loud, greedy, self-destructive, bigoted, misanthropic jerks, the rest of the Gang seem completely unable to recognise this and come up with elaborate justifications for their actions. Not so much Frank, who's happy to admit he's a manipulative scumbag and takes open delight in his jerkassery.
68	* Mona-Lisa Saperstein from ''Series/ParksAndRecreation''. She gleefully admits to being a terrible person who only cares for herself, as along with being obnoxious, she's destructive, being more than willing to [[TantrumThrowing break things if she's annoyed]].
69	* Q from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' is a humanoid RealityWarper with a fixation on the ''Enterprise'' in general, and on Captain Jean-Luc Picard in particular. He is purposefully thorny, brash and difficult, yet he manages to teach important lessons to the ''Enterprise'' crew. In "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E1EncounterAtFarpoint Encounter at Farpoint]]", Q put them on trial for the past murderous savagery of the human race, tested them by forcing them to decide whether to kill one of the creatures that was attacking Deneb 4, and later exposed them to the Borg collective. As Captain Picard notes: "[Q] gave us a kick in our collective complacency."
70	* Alex Russo in ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace''. Whenever someone refers to her as evil, dark, or scary, she just grins and/or giggles. She actively encourages her unpopularity at school and deliberately provokes fights with her brother, Justin, because "that's how things are supposed to be".
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Music]]
74	* Creator/AdamSandler's song "Steve (Motherfucking) Polychronopolous" is a first-person manifesto of a guy who likes to be a dick to everyone for nothing more than the love of being a dick.
75	* Creator/DenisLeary's song, "Asshole" is about how he likes to do things which annoy people, such as deliberately peeing on toilet seats and driving slowly in the fast lane, simply because he's an asshole and he's proud of it.
76	* Music/{{Eminem}}:
77	** Em's Slim Shady [[KayfabeMusic alter-ego]] boasts about writing abusive letters to his fans, assaulting people at random, masturbating to barely-legal starlets, gratuitously swearing and using slurs, [[AntiRoleModel and brainwashing your kids so they end up just like him]].
78	** Eminem himself is also proud to be an asshole, because - although he doesn't literally believe everything that Slim says or do what he does - he still takes pleasure in using his evil twin to wind people up. Many of the songs on ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'' deal with this, particularly "Asshole".
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Theatre]]
82	* ''Theatre/AvenueQ'': Mrs. Thistletwat, when called a "crabby old bitch", replies "Crabby Old Bitches are the bedrock of this nation!"
83	[[/folder]]
84
85	[[folder:Video Games]]
86	* ''VideoGame/ExtrapowerAttackOfDarkforce'': Charuyama Yazuro, the shady landlord trying to evict Toyama's village early in the game. A ruthless man who is willing to bully the villagers and resort to violence and subterfuge to chase them out of their homes and sell the land for golf course development, he relishes in the reputation that earned him the nickname of Yazuro the Suppon.
87	* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'': Ryder is the rudest member of the Grove Street Families gang and proudly shows off his gangster attitude during most missions he participates in. [[spoiler:Even after he betrays you, he still calls himself a "motherfucking genius".]]
88	* Halara Nightmare from ''VideoGame/MasterDetectiveArchivesRainCode'' admits repeatedly that they don't trust humans and will only do their job as a detective if they're paid what they think they're worth.
89	* Characters from ''Creator/NipponIchi'' games to tend this, [[CardCarryingVillain Card Carrying Villains]], or [[NobleDemon Noble Demons]]. Helps that most of the time, they're so self-aware that they [[BreakingTheFourthWall know they're in a video game]].
90	* [[spoiler:Tohru Adachi]] of ''VideoGame/Persona4'' is well known for being a complete asshole and revels in it, although [[spoiler:only after he's revealed as being the killer]]. He spares no opportunity to mock the Investigation Team time and again. Even in a crossover video game like ''Videogame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle'', he acts like a dick, even to beings far more powerful than him.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
94	* Dennis from ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' doesn’t care if gets called a pervert, or an asshole, or a psychopath. He knows what he wants, and if that makes him anything bad, so be it.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Web Animation]]
98	* ''WebAnimation/TheAmazingDigitalCircus'' has Jax, a purple rabbit trapped in the same virtual world as the other characters who proudly and gleefully treats others badly and shows no guilt about it, even admitting to it himself.
99	* ''WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity'' has Knife who proudly takes the moniker of "The Jerk" by being a bit of a bully, and states it clear to Trophy that Trophy's the Jock, and he's the Jerk. He's ultimately more of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, though.
100	* WebAnimation/SuctionCupMan. He's loud, he's obnoxious, he'll climb up your tower for shits and giggles, and he revels in every second of it all.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Web Comics]]
104	* In ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}'', Lyle is a Registered Asshole in the state of California.
105	* Mike Warner, a recurring character from the comics of Creator/DavidWillis, is some degree of this in every story he appears in. However, his characterization has varied from title to title; in ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'', he was canonically the biggest {{Jerkass}} alive for no particular reason. In ''Webcomic/DumbingOfAge'', however, Mike more closely embodies the JerkassHasAPoint trope, as he regularly forces characters to acknowledge hypocrisies or stop avoiding difficult situations.
106	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has many {{Card Carrying Villain}}s, but only one evil character who is a self-proclaimed Jerkass; Belkar Bitterleaf. Even when he's trying to help his team, he has to do it the nastiest way possible. In his own words, "Hurting people is the only thing I am good at."
107	* ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' has a recurring character, discernible by his black hat, who exists for the sole reason of showcasing ComedicSociopathy in every panel he appears in. When another character expresses awe at Hat Guy's offensive ingenuity, the latter feels flattered and explains that he aspires to be more than a simple asshole - he seeks to be a classy asshole, or "[[{{Portmanteau}} classhole]]". While he occasionally displays a semblance of [[EvenEvilHasStandards standards]], he inevitably resorts to DisproportionateRetribution when someone crosses him.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Web Original]]
111	* Randy Carmesian from ''WebVideo/AdventuresInJediSchool'' openly identifies as a jerk, confirming that while you don't have to be pure evil to wield the Dark Side, you don't have to be a NiceGuy to wield the Light Side either.
112	* Parodied by ''Website/TheOnion'' in "[[https://local.theonion.com/asshole-admits-to-being-asshole-in-supreme-asshole-move-1819567374 Asshole Admits To Being Asshole In Supreme Asshole Move]]."
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Western Animation]]
116	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Magic Man has been this since his debut in "Freak City," when he rewarded Finn for [[OldBeggarTest giving him sugar when he was disguised as a hobo]] by turning him into a giant foot, claiming he will change back when he learns an important lesson: [[spoiler: Don't give your sugar to Magic Man, [[SpoofAesop because he's a jerk.]]]]
117	-->[[spoiler:'''Finn:''' I wish I had never been nice to you, 'cause you're a big jerk!]]
118	-->[[spoiler:'''Magic Man:''' Oh, that's it! You've finally learned your lesson!]]
119	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': [[Characters/AmericanDadRogerSmith Roger Smith]] openly takes great delight in messing with others for his own enjoyment, although his antics often go well beyond "Jerkass" and well into some pretty extreme [[ComedicSociopathy sociopathy played for laughs]]. He's even gone so far as to bury Francine alive and take a dump into someone's open chest cavity during a surgery.
120	* ''WesternAnimation/DanVS'': The entire show is based around Dan [[BlackComedy exacting revenge]] on [[KnightTemplar various things that have wronged him]], or just [[DisproportionateRetribution happen to be annoying him at the time]]. While Dan's wrath is occasionally somewhat justified, as often as not, he's just being a dick. Interestingly for a kid's property, the show never attempts to redeem Dan, nor treat him as anything other than a proud jerk running on BlueAndOrangeMorality with few-but-far-between moments of decency -- it's even printed on his T-shirt.
121	* [[Characters/FuturamaBenderBendingRodriguez Bender]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' is this when not an all-out CardCarryingVillain. When Fry has a JerkassRealization in the episode, "I, Roommate," he consoles him with his philosophy that "[[WorldOfJerkass everyone's a jerk]]."
122	* ''WesternAnimation/TheGarfieldShow'' has a minor villain in EgomaniacHunter Dirk Dinkum, who openly prides himself in being a horrible person and even gets a song about it titled "Bad Boy" in the "Lion Queen" special.
123	* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Stan is actually a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, but even on his best day, he's a ConsummateLiar and a [[TheBarnum shameless scam artist]], and at worst, he will gleefully prioritize profits over people. (Though he does have limits in that regard; he's perfectly happy to force his niece and nephew to work in his shop and do humiliating stunts to make more money, but he'd never actually allow them to be hurt.) He freely admits he's a criminal and total sleaze, [[EveryoneHasStandards though he bristles at being called a genuinely]] ''[[EveryoneHasStandards bad]]'' [[EveryoneHasStandards guy]].
124	-->'''Stan:''' That's right, I'm a jerk.
125	* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
126	** In his earliest incarnations, WesternAnimation/BugsBunny really ''was'' a Card-Carrying Jerkass, and he would torment whoever his nemesis was for ''virtually no reason'', as in ''WesternAnimation/ElmersPetRabbit''. Before long, though, his personality was toned down into a much more likable (and marketable) character. [[note]]DependingOnTheWriter, at least. He was rather nasty in his trilogy of shorts with Cecil Turtle, though Cecil wasn't really any better.[[/note]]
127	*** Even in later cartoons, Bugs sometimes invokes this by wryly saying "Ain't I a stinker?". In most cases, however, his jerkassery is usually provoked by the [[LaserGuidedKarma antagonist's attempts to]] ''[[LaserGuidedKarma kill]]'' [[LaserGuidedKarma him]].
128	** WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck also started off as a rather extreme hyperactive {{Cloudcuckoolander}} with a cruel streak. While his obnoxiousness and cruelty would vary from time to time, he never completely lost his tendency towards being selfish and mean; in fact, today he's most famous for being the openly conniving (if ineffective) {{Foil}} for Bugs Bunny.
129	--->'''Daffy:''' Oh, sure, I know I'm a louse. But I'm a ''live'' louse.
130	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Flim and Flam in are a pair of ConArtist brothers who shamelessly swindle other ponies for a living, and generally act as {{Smug Snake}}s to those who try to stop their scams, gleefully taunting them about their successes. In "Viva Las Pegasus", they [[EnemyMine worked together with the good guys]] to get rid of another villain, then [[RedemptionRejection rejected]] all notions of turning over a new leaf and went right back to conning others.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'': [[MeaningfulName Red Herring]] is a proud [[TheBully bully]] and delights in being mean, especially to Fred; it's part of the reason why Fred accuses Red of being the MonsterOfTheWeek in [[OnceAnEpisode every single episode]]. In "Scooby Dude," Red approaches Mystery Inc. because he's been accused of a crime and needs them to [[ClearMyName prove his innocence]] to restore his "good name"; they point out that he's never ''had'' a "good name" since he's always been a jerk, and he agrees, but [[EveryoneHasStandards he draws the line at actually committing crimes]].
132	* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': [[Characters/RickAndMortyRickSanchez Rick Sanchez]] frequently owns his sociopathy, most notably in "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS3E9TheABCsOfBeth The ABCs of Beth]]", when he owns up to being a bad father while reminding Beth how [[LikeFatherLikeSon terrible she was as a child]].
133	* Angelica Pickles of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' often takes pleasure in bragging about what a rotten brat she is. In the ChristmasSpecial this comes back to bite her, however, since shortly after she boasts about playing an especially cruel trick on Phil and Lil ("I'm bad, Cynthia, real bad!") [[OhCrap she hears the stipulations of what Santa delivers to bad little kids]].
134	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Virtually the entire population of Springfield is this, to the point where they advertise their town as the "Meanest City in America".
135	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': [[Characters/SpongeBobSquarePantsMrKrabs Mr. Krabs]] is well aware of what a [[PennyPinchingCrab cheap, penny-pinching miser]] he is, and takes open pride in it. In "The Play's the Thing," when Squidward laments being underpaid during his play, Krabs laughs and remarks, "It's funny 'cause it's true!"
136	* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'', [[Characters/TotalDramaDuncan Duncan]] started out as a LovableRogue and a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, but in later seasons got {{flanderized}} to the point where he remorselessly bullies other contestants, brags about cheating on his girlfriend, and overall [[IJustWantToBeBadass is so desperate to be seen as a rebellious badass]] that he's deeply embarrassed to find out that he's actually capable of being nice.
137	[[/folder]]

Context Main / CardCarryingJerkass