Line #46 Main/AttentionWhore


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5	[[quoteright:324:[[Webcomic/{{Sinfest}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/attention_5.png]]]]
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7	->'''Kyle:''' Why are you looking at ''me?''\
8	'''Stan:''' Why are ''you'' looking at ''me?''\
9	'''Cartman:''' Why isn't ''anyone'' looking at ''me?''
10	-->-- ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark,'' "[[Recap/SouthParkS19E9TruthAndAdvertising Truth and Advertising]]"
11
12	Whatever the cost, these characters have to be the center of attention. They don't even care about embarrassing themselves. That would just get them more attention... [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity negative or positive]], as long as all eyes are on them.
13
14	But isn't this page what they want? Maybe, but the only thing we can be certain of is that these people are only out for themselves. They don't really care about any side, and if you think they do, you are actually giving them what they want. May be deconstructed if their attention-seeking behavior is the result of ParentalNeglect and they seek attention from other people to compensate.
15
16	Usually an attribute of the AlphaBitch. A few {{Upper Class Twit}}s do this. Often goes hand-in-hand with a SmallNameBigEgo. Children who are this are the BrattyHalfPint. A {{Troll}} thrives as long as this trope is in effect. These types of characters are likely to become OffendedByAnEnemysIndifference since they would rather be hated than ignored.
17
18	A pathological form of this in RealLife is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histrionic_Personality_Disorder Histrionic Personality Disorder.]] It's also a trait of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder.]] The key difference being how they react to personal criticism; a Histrionic will spin it in their favor, while a narcissist will become extremely offended. AcquiredSituationalNarcissism is a more benign form — where the situation the person is in is driving the behavior, and which usually ends when the situation does. Of course, not all Attention Whore behavior is pathological — some of it is intentional and used for PR or promotional purposes. The pathological forms are also generally more extreme and more personal — for example, an Attention Whore who is relatively harmless toward other people or themselves in their attempts to get attention or celebrity (e.g. a noticeably gaudy fashion style, giving everyone business cards possibly for some made up business) is probably ''not'' suffering from a personality disorder, but is simply a bit of a ShamelessSelfPromoter.
19
20	A SisterTrope to DramaQueen, ShamelessSelfPromoter.
21
22	See FameThroughInfamy for this trope [[MoralEventHorizon at its]] [[DarkerAndEdgier darkest]].
23
24	Contrast ShrinkingViolet.
25
26	While this is clearly TruthInTelevision (and a Trope that's almost synonymous with "celebrity"), '''Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease''' - As it's an Administrivia/EditWar waiting to happen. [[noreallife]]
27	----
28	!!Example subpages:
29
30	[[index]]
31	* AttentionWhore/AnimeAndManga
32	* AttentionWhore/ComicBooks
33	* AttentionWhore/FanWorks
34	* [[AttentionWhore/AnimatedFilms Films — Animated]]
35	* [[AttentionWhore/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
36	* AttentionWhore/{{Literature}}
37	* AttentionWhore/LiveActionTV
38	* AttentionWhore/VideoGames
39	* AttentionWhore/{{Webcomics}}
40	* AttentionWhore/WebOriginal
41	* AttentionWhore/WesternAnimation
42	[[/index]]
43
44	!!Other examples:
45	[[foldercontrol]]
46
47	[[folder: Audio Drama]]
48	* Deconstructed in the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' story "Infamy of the Zaross". Jess Ellmore is introduced as determined to appear on a reality show, but it quickly becomes apparent that this is her way of dealing with being the UnFavorite to her mother; she needs external validation, and she's not going to get it there. Her belief that she needs to be famous reaches the point where she takes the side of the alien ImmoralRealityShow ''even when they're going to kill her'', because being dead and famous is better than the alternative. Rose is horrified, tells her it is always better to be alive and everyone is important whether they're famous or not, and later gives Marge Ellmore an epic TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Music]]
52	* Subject of a song by Music/ThatHandsomeDevil, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbENj2pN_mQ "Powderbomb"]]
53	-->''Guilt don't stop you anymore; Attention whore, attention whore''
54	* {{Deconstructed}} in [[https://youtu.be/Yy-IkJddrX4?list=PLjACqN5i5sDWU8BGL5afu1ynDxAMPX2rH "Save Me,"]] by Music/PoetsOfTheFall: the singer is developing self-destructive tendencies in his quest for attention. {{Lampshaded}} in the chorus:
55	-->''Save me\
56	I'm my own worst enemy\
57	Running headlong to the wall\
58	'Cause I want my freebie.''
59	* The subject of "Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" by Music/{{Morrissey}}, in which the title girl, in need of attention, feigns drowning to gain the attention of a lifeguard, but ultimately gets pulled out in the tide and drowns.
60	* Music/CarlySimon's "You're So Vain" is an example and a meta-example.
61	-->''You probably think this song is about you...''
62	* The narrator in {{Music/Amaranthe}}'s "Drop Dead Cynical".
63	-->''I need attention, feed on my addiction''\
64	''I want the action, satisfaction''
65	* "Angel On Fire", from {{Music/Halsey}}'s second album, is a somewhat tragic example, presumably drawing from Ashley's struggles with bipolar disorder.
66	-->Nobody seems to ask about me anymore\
67	And nobody ever cares about anything I think\
68	Nobody seems to recognize me in the crowd\
69	In the background screaming, ''everybody look at me!''
70	* The subject of "Tommy Gun" by Music/TheClash, which mocks terrorists who get a kick reading about their exploits in the news.
71	* Music/BillyJoel's "Big Shot" is a sneering [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Reason You Suck Speech]] directed at an AttentionWhore.
72	* "Here Comes Bob" by Music/{{Sparks}}, which details a man so desperate to have friends, he crashes his car into others. And Buses. And mobile homes. And passenger trains.
73	* In the subculture and genre of VisualKei, attention whoring is used as an artist promotion tactic. It was more common with early artists and artists from that era, as, in TheEighties and early in TheNineties, artists ''had'' to promote themselves rather than work via established labels, establishment PR agencies, and the like -- and it became common in the era to do stuff like appear in public fully costumed, stage a public unlicensed live solely for the purpose of attracting media attention and controversy, start a BarBrawl with another band or trash a hotel or venue, get on the news, real life spam your band's stickers and name everywhere you could, claim to be a supernatural creature, do something offensive in public, etcetera. It's become less common as of the TurnOfTheMillennium and TheNewTens, as then, visual kei artists (especially established acts) don't have to self-promote as much, can be promoted by established agencies if they can afford it, and the like, and that such behavior is far more often shunned ''even by fans'' than it used to be.
74	* Used word by word in Suicide Commando's song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baY03yOJmGo Attention Whore]] and is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
75	* Music/AliceCooper's "Headlines" is from the perspective of one, detailing various crazy things he does to make the front page.
76	* Music/CharliePuth's appropriately title "Attention" is all about him tearing down one, when he realizes his ex-girlfriend is going around bad mouthing him to get a rise out of him and trying to get him to pay attention to her, when he knows she doesn't care about him at all, and she's just doing it for her own vanity.
77	--> You just want Attention, you don't want my heart\
78	You just hate the thought of me with someone new\
79	Yeah, you just want Attention, I knew that from the start\
80	You're just making sure, I won't get over you!
81	* Murdoc Niccals of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}}, who is both their founder and the band's bassist, is this trope to the extreme, as he is fully willing to do practically anything and everything to get the attention he desires. This is including but not limited to ''making an actual DealWithTheDevil'' just so that he can get more popular.
82	* Music/{{Deftones}}' song "Elite" from their hit album ''Music/WhitePony'' contains verses that call out those who desperatley seek attention.
83	--> You like attention\
84	It proves to you you're alive\
85	Stop parading your angles\
86	Confused? You'll know when you're ripe
87	* Brynn Elliott's "Tell Me I'm Pretty." She gussies herself to look like a magazine model then goes out into the open expecting people to do what the title says. Subverted in that she comes to an epiphany that she doesn't need anyone to tell her how she looks.
88	* "My Party Now" by Irish comedy band Dead C.A.T. Bounce details various scenarios in which people shine the spotlight on themselves in various social functions, such as a guy turning off the dance music at a party to put on a performance with his guitar, or a man hijacking his wife's get-together with her friends to show funny [=YouTube=] videos when one of them raises a concern about the future of her marriage. At the end, they posit that, if you've never encountered this happening yourself, perhaps ''you're'' the dickhead who does this kind of thing.
89	->"Hi, we're two girls, and we're not gay but we're kissing! Oh no, all the boys are looking at us!"\
90	"Hey, I can swing dance a little bit, so how about I dance with everybody's girlfriends all night?"\
91	"Hi girls! So, a slumber party, that's nice. What're we talking about? Boys?"
92	[[/folder]]
93
94
95	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
96	* Most [[{{Heel}} heels]] have this a character trait.
97	* Wrestling/JeffJarrett, at least in the early years of Wrestling/{{TNA}}'s existence. By 2007 he got most of it out of his system.
98	* Wrestling/HulkHogan, both onscreen and in RealLife. Yes, he is the biggest name in the history of ProfessionalWrestling. But the general consensus amongst modern wrestling fans is that Hogan is also the '''biggest''' AttentionWhore in all of ProfessionalWrestling -- he is absolutely ''desperate'' to keep the spotlight on himself, to the point of obsession. This led to him holding down younger talent in Wrestling/{{WCW}} so he and his friends could still be at the top, and was part of why the second biggest wrestling promotion in history eventually folded. He would then repeat the phenomenon with TNA, which is ''very'' close to folding for similar reasons. And to add to that, in 2010, Hogan would interrupt the aforementioned Jeff Jarrett, who was making a heartfelt speech to the audience, and accuse him of [[{{Hypocrite}} shunting aside the younger talent to keep the spotlight on himself]] -- a legitimate criticism of Jarrett, had it not come from Hogan. The fans of the Impact Zone, knowing full well the hypocrisy of that statement, didn't hesitate to boo Hogan out of the building.
99	** Reportedly, the reason Wrestling/BobbyRoode's big face win at ''Wrestling/BoundForGlory 2011'' didn't happen is because it would've eclipsed Hogan's big HeelFaceTurn that night. While it did eventually work out for the better, most generally agree that Bobby should've won that night.
100	* Wrestling/MattHardy. Matt went into a personal ''and'' professional downward spiral after Wrestling/{{Lita}} cheated on him with Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}. It completely derailed his career, and the last couple of years during his WWE run had him squandering in the midcard before making attempts to get fired. It's effect on him, however, wouldn't really show up until after he was released from TNA -- Matt posted cryptic messages insinuating that he was going to commit suicide, many of whom believed that and were genuinely afraid for his safety, to the point of calling the police on him. As it turns out, it was a ''work'' to "test his fans" and advertise his "rebirth" -- there was '''massive''' backlash from this that destroyed his reputation on top of upsetting several of his friends and his sister-in-law. In fact, for many years afterwards, the previously derided drug-addled Wrestling/JeffHardy, Matt's little brother of whom Matt was always considered more professional than, ended up being considered the ''more responsible Hardy brother'', especially after Jeff took responsibility for his actions and stayed clean. This is the same Hardy who got convicted for drug trafficking. To Matt's credit, he's worked to get his life cleaned up since then and has gotten most of it out of his system.
101	* Teddy Hart. A member of the famous Hart family, his own uncle Wrestling/BretHart noted his talent at a young age. So did the then-WWF, who signed Teddy at the tender age of eighteen to a developmental contract. The problem? It [[SmallNameBigEgo bloated his ego well beyond what his family name would allow]]. He got released in 2002 due to "attitude problems", and entered the indies, where he showcased exactly ''why'' he got fired. In the fledgling ROH, after a cage match, Teddy started to do unplanned high-risk high-flying moves off the top of the cage, forcing several wrestlers to catch him and endangering not only him but them as well. It was a blatant attempt to show off and severely diminished the story of the match. He got blackballed from ROH as a result. As the years have gone by similar stories of Teddy's backstage issues have surfaced, and many companies have admitted to firing him for his own safety since many of his coworkers were very close to murdering him.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Podcasts]]
105	* A few of the teens in the ''Podcast/CoolKidsTable'' game ''Creepy Town''. Spencer's compulsion is looking cool, and Veronica's is just attention in general.
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
109	* In ''Series/LesGuignolsDeLInfo'', the puppet caricaturing Nicolas Sarkozy is very much an Attention Whore. Whenever he tries to tone it down, because it's making him unpopular, it causes him considerable amount of stress.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Religion]]
113	* In ''Literature/TheBible'': Jesus deals with this problem among the religious people in His Sermon on the Mount in [[Literature/TheFourGospels the gospel of Matthew]] by pointing out three things: (1) don't announce your doing good deeds before men with trumpets or "let your left hand know what your right hand does" because the only reward you'll get is from men, not from God; (2) don't pray in public in order to garner public attention unto yourself, for the same reason; and (3) don't draw attention unto yourself to the fact that you are fasting, also for the same reason.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Roleplay]]
117	* In ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'', [[CardCarryingVillain Daigo]] wants to have all eyes on him, and creates grand spectacles to draw people's attention to him. Benedict criticises Sebastian for calling the police on Daigo precisely because that's what Daigo wants.
118	* ''Roleplay/DestroyTheGodmodder'': The godmodder. The players threw a flash mob party that was meant to be an attack on the godmodder. The godmodder was not aware and thought they were ignoring him and trashed it the round it started.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
122	* The reigar in the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' are a whole species like this, as they ''always'' have to be center of attention. They dress in flamboyant, colorful clothes, have dyed, oddly cut hair, and extreme amounts of piercings and tattoos. They act the same way, giving an expression of exotic otherworldliness. Being artists (often {{Mad Artist}}s) they simply don't believe in subtlety.
123	* ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'':
124	** Guise is extremely prone to elaborate showboating and trying to make everything revolve around him. It's one of ''several'' reasons why, among heroes, he is TheFriendNobodyLikes.
125	** Guise's archenemy, Wager Master, may be even worse, which is kind of impressive in a terrible sort of way. Per WordOfGod, his appearances during the [=OblivAeon=] event, a titanic battle against an evil godlike entity planning to destroy all of reality, were motivated by irritation that the heroes were paying more attention to said evil godlike entity than him.
126	** Ambuscade/Stuntman, especially in, ironically enough, his heroic incarnation, where a fair few of his abilities actually get bonuses for him popping up in other people's turns to use them. He even has a card called "Steal the Scene" to let him do so. That being said, [[AwesomeEgo you'll appreciate it when he pops up and bypasses the villain turn entirely]].
127	* ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful'': Each Princess of Mirrors believes herself to be [[TheChosenOne the True Heir]], the one destined to drive back the Darkness and restore the Kingdom, and Mirrors Charms are specially designed for empowering the Princess herself and making her the center of attention. This is even {{Enforced}}: If someone takes the spotlight from a Princess of Mirrors and she doesn't or cannot take it back, she loses her powers for the rest of the day.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Theatre]]
131	* ''Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac'': Ragueneau is one at Act II Scene IV, [[FalseFriend Ragueneau's friends, the poets, don't make much of an attempt to conceal that they are there not to hear Ragueneau's poetry, but to eat his pastries]]. But he is too charmed by the attention they give to him to care:
132	-->'''Lise:''' (''entering, to Ragueneau'') Here they come, your mud-bespattered friends!\
133	'''First Poet:''' (''entering, to Ragueneau'') Brother in art!...\
134	'''Second Poet:''' (''to Ragueneau, shaking his hands'') Dear brother!\
135	'''Third Poet:''' High soaring eagle among pastry-cooks!\
136	(''he sniffs'') Marry! it smells good here in your eyrie!\
137	'''Fourth Poet:''' 'Tis at Phoebus' own rays that thy roasts turn!\
138	'''Fifth Poet:''' Apollo among master-cooks—\
139	'''Ragueneau:''' (''whom they surround and embrace'') Ah! how quick a man feels at his ease with them!...
140	* ''Theatre/{{Chicago}}'': Roxie Hart, so much. From her eponymous song:
141	-->'''Roxie:''' I love the Audience!\
142	'''Chorus:''' And we love her!\
143	'''Roxie:''' And I love the audience for loving me!\
144	'''Chorus:''' And we love her for loving us!\
145	'''Roxie:''' And we love each other. Because none of us got enough loving in our childhoods.
146	* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'': Aaron Burr shows a tendency towards this, most visible in the song "The Schuyler Sisters":
147	-->'''Angelica Schuyler:''' Burr, you disgust me!\
148	'''Aaron Burr:''' Ah, so you've discussed me.
149	* In Christopher Durang's ''Vanya and Sonya Masha and Spike'', Masha's [[MayDecemberRomance much younger boyfriend]], "craves attention as all actors do." He leaps all over the furniture and [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl strips down to his underwear for no reason]]. He even does a reverse strip tease and puts on his clothes on in an incredibly sexual way.
150	* Violet Beauregarde in the 2013 West End musical ''Theatre/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' is a ShamelessSelfPromoter starlet encouraged and managed by her {{Slimeball}} dad. All they want is fame and fortune, and by hyping up her ability to chew a piece of gum for a long time she's become a CashCowFranchise. When she makes the mistake of trying Willy Wonka's flawed experimental gum, she becomes the center of attention in a way she ''doesn't'' want...
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
154	* In ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework,'' Morgan suspects that Lauren is this, and Lauren herself admits it on her romantic path: she started dating the protagonist for the recognition of dating of celebrity, and invited Daniela to the club to take a picture of them on their first date.
155	* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations'' features the self-styled "Ace Detective" [[MeaningfulName Luke Atmey]]. Even better, his [[{{Leitmotif}} theme song]] is titled ''"I Just Want Love..."'', and his Japanese name is ''Aiga Hoshiidake'' which translates to ''"I just want love"''.
156	* In ''VisualNovel/TheFruitOfGrisaia'' and The Prologue of Grisaia from ''VisualNovel/TheEdenOfGrisaia'' Michiru acts (badly) like a tsundere because she wants to stand out. Mostly, it just makes people want to punch her, but she's fine with that.
157	* ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' gives us [[spoiler:Mikan Tsumiki. The reason she started learning medicine was because no one else would treat her injuries when she was abused, and the reason she learned enough to be considered the Ultimate Nurse was because if someone is helpless, they would depend on her absolutely. She also implies that she would rather be literally tortured than ignored.]]
158	* Yuika from ''VisualNovel/EveryDaysDifferent'' very much wants all eyes on her and dresses and acts to attract attention. This is likely due to [[ParentalNeglect how little her parents bother with her.]]
159	[[/folder]]
160	----
161	%%
162	%% No real life examples, please.

Context Main / AttentionWhore