| 1 | %% |
| 2 | %% |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | %% |
| 5 | %% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. |
| 6 | %% Add context to the entries before un-commenting them. |
| 7 | %% |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | %% |
| 10 | %% |
| 11 | %% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1572646141011708300 |
| 12 | %% Please start a new thread if you'd like to suggest an image. |
| 13 | %% |
| 14 | -> '''Elliot:''' It doesn't really bother me that much.\ |
| 15 | '''Tedd:''' Then ''why'' did you try to weasel out of the party?\ |
| 16 | '''Elliot:''' Because it sounds like one big awkward moment. |
| 17 | -->-- ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-28 2005-01-28]] |
| 18 | |
| 19 | A trend in comedy where the humour mostly comes from placing characters in the most embarrassing situations possible, or having them [[NoSocialSkills say the most awkward or offensive thing possible at all times]]. Often uses documentary feel to heighten the naturalism and increase the cringe, or has actors in character interacting with an unsuspecting public. Comedy that gives you second-hand shame. Comedy you have to watch through the gaps between your fingers. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Often this is mollified by the characters being [[ComicallyMissingThePoint oblivious to the embarrassment]] they should be feeling. Sometimes though, all the characters are acutely aware of their humiliation, which can make it so much worse (which is how DiggingYourselfDeeper works when the attempts to improve the situation just cause further awkwardness). Or worse yet, there's a single AudienceSurrogate character who realizes how humiliated everyone should be feeling, while everyone else remains oblivious. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | Some shows specialize in this sort of humor. Others include a scene of it here or there, largely avoiding it. Still others make this sort of thing a sort of RunningGag, as with taking a character who can't act and requiring them to play a part for the good of the team -- repeatedly. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | German, the [[UsefulNotes/GermanLanguage language]] that brought you [[ComedicSociopathy "Schadenfreude"]], has developed the term "Fremdschämen" (basically "secondhand embarrassment") to cover this phenomenon. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | For a specific type of cringe related mainly to being in a small, confined space with a stranger, see UncomfortableElevatorMoment. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | EmbarrassmentPlot is a closely related category where the story revolves around someone experiencing an embarrassing moment. The main distinction is that such plots aren't always intended to be comical. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | Compare and contrast HumiliationConga, where it's still the goal to laugh at the expense of the character's embarrassment, but the cringe is less painful because they're an AssholeVictim getting a [[BreakTheHaughty well-deserved comeuppance]]. |
| 32 | |
| 33 | Raising the suffering from embarrassment to outright cruelty results in a SadistShow. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | See also CrossesTheLineTwice, where the same basic material is used, but more to make people laugh than to make them uncomfortable. If the show is partially or wholly unscripted (as in RealityTV or a TalkShow), it may be a PointAndLaughShow. Viewers who find the cringe too embarrassing to be amusing may deliver a DudeNotFunny rebuke. Of course, if viewers end up saying the EightDeadlyWords, nobody cares anyway. |
| 36 | |
| 37 | ---- |
| 38 | !!Examples: |
| 39 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 40 | |
| 41 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 42 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkJy0Z2P_1k This]] "Choose Your Own (Mis)Adventure" ad for Poo-pourri. |
| 43 | [[/folder]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 46 | * ''Manga/{{Hinamatsuri}}'': |
| 47 | ** After Ikaruga finally decides to take Hina back home, Hina and Nitta have a heartfelt goodbye. But after Nitta leaves Hina reveals to Ikaruga that she no longer has her travel bead; without it an esper can't survive travel through space/time. Hina runs home to tell Nitta the great news only to run into him having a solo party about no longer having Hina. The home life becomes awkward for a while. |
| 48 | ** When Naito, Nitta's old boss, gets out of prison Nitta's subordinates become convinced that Hina is Naito's child and set up a big reveal. Nitta tries to tell everyone it's not true and Hina is his own daughter, but no one believes him and Nitta decides it might be entertaining just to watch. |
| 49 | * ''Manga/ItsToughBeingNeeko'' is about a 23-year-old {{NEET}} with crippling social anxiety who lives with her parents. Much of the humor comes at the protagonist's expense. |
| 50 | * ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' briefly turns into cringe comedy during Joseph and Avdol's fight against Mariah. Her Stand can turn a person's body magnetic, causing all sorts of embarrassing problems for them as the magnetism pulls up womens' skirts, opens bathroom stall doors, and gets them stuck in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEMMemFXV-8 embarrassingly suggestive positions]]. |
| 51 | * Chapter 79 of ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is this in its entirety, as Kaguya is baffled as to why love sickness caused her to faint in school and pretty much professes her love of Shirogane to her doctors (in denial, of course) while Hayasaka spends the whole time red-faced with embarassment. |
| 52 | -->(After Kaguya insists that she's not lovesick) "I use this hospital too, but I'll never be able to show my face here again."\ |
| 53 | (After Kaguya is hooked up to a heart scanner) "Stop it! Stop using the latest technology to expose my mistress' emotions!"\ |
| 54 | (After Kaguya loudly protesting that her AlmostKiss with Shirogane has nothing to do with her hospitalization) "It has everything to do with it!" \ |
| 55 | (After Kaguya insists on visiting another hospital for a second opinion) "Please, don't humiliate me anymore."\ |
| 56 | '''Narrator:''' Today's battle result... Hayasaka loses. |
| 57 | %%* ''Literature/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' can be this if you can relate to Yuuta [[spoiler:and Shinka]]'s OldShame. |
| 58 | * ''Manga/MyDadsTheQueenOfAllVTubers'': The plot kicks off when Takashi finds out that the nation's #1 [=VTuber=] who he's been fawning over is actually a middle-aged man.... and ''his own father''. |
| 59 | * ''[[Literature/MyMentalChoicesAre My Mental Choices Are Completely Interfering with My School Romantic Comedy]]'' has the protagonist cursed with the "Absolute Choice" and he must abide by this and no, he cannot TakeAThirdOption. Most of these choices are going to end up embarrassing him so much that he became part of the "Rejected Five" because of his bizarre actions. |
| 60 | * ''Manga/NoMatterHowILookAtItItsYouGuysFaultImNotPopular'' often uses this trope with many fans talking about how the comedy [[ThisLoserIsYou hits a little too close to home at times.]] |
| 61 | * In ''Literature/{{Overlord|2012}}'', Ainz is repeatedly put in situations where a normal person would welcome spontaneous combustion, thanks to his inability to show shame. It's entirely possible to read the series as a comedy in which a bumbling moron accidentally takes over the world, slaughtering anyone in his path largely by accident. |
| 62 | %%* Episodes 7 and 8 of ''Anime/Persona4TheAnimation''. |
| 63 | * ''Manga/PrisonSchool'' makes sure the guys' shenanigans ''always'' end up in the most humiliating situations possible for them, usually for a completely trivial goal. With a generous help from the underground student council members guarding them in their prison. This goes for the Chairman of the school, whose attempts at hiding his love of asses from his daughter Mari inevitably fails. |
| 64 | %%* ''Manga/SchoolRumble''. Especially after [[SpotlightStealingSquad Harima became the main character]]. |
| 65 | * ''Manga/SorryButImNotIntoYuri'' involves the main character, Itsumi Toudou, buying a shady LovePotion to get her homeroom teacher's affection. The primary comedy involves Itsumi's female classmates drinking it instead, leading to increasingly awkward situations for our main lead. |
| 66 | * ''Manga/ToLoveRu'' loves this, especially since Rito's an [[AccidentalPervert Accidental Pervert]]. |
| 67 | [[/folder]] |
| 68 | |
| 69 | [[folder:Comedy]] |
| 70 | * Creator/BenStiller; look at every role he's played dating back to his own show, both as host and in every one of his skits. |
| 71 | * In the late '60s and the '70s, German comedian Creator/{{Loriot}} basically created his entire career completely on sketches about uptight middle class people who get into awkward situations and make everything worse by being completely oblivious about it. It becomes much more bearable by the fact, that usually nobody seems to be aware that the situations should be awkward and everyone continues as if everything would be fine. As a parody of how people of those decades refused to allow any loss of face to the point where it got painful, his show got massively popular. As an example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRhf98aKsto&NR=1 "German for Foreigners"]], or known to most people as [[MemeticMutation "This is my briefcase"]], or "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtibYjww8Eg&feature=related People on a plane]]". |
| 72 | * Creator/LouisCK; Don't even try to watch any of his shows if you are even slightly sensitive to this kind of thing. |
| 73 | * Maria Bamford's style of comedy is always weird, but special mention goes to ''The Special Special Special,'' which is an entire stand-up special performed in a living room, with an audience of two: Maria's parents. It's as awkward as you're thinking, if not more. |
| 74 | [[/folder]] |
| 75 | |
| 76 | [[folder:Comic Book]] |
| 77 | * ''[[ComicBook/RatMan1989 Rat-Man]]'' often makes use of it. The most notable example is in the "Il Grande Magazzi" story arc (a ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' parody), where the key to defeating [[SorcerousOverlord Carlo Pelagatti (AKA Valdifass)]] is finding and unleashing a "Philosopher's Woman"... That is, a woman whose combination of horrible personality and low IQ can drive people to suicide and [[ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful gets away with it by being gorgeous]]. Our heroes find the exact one who once dated Carlo... And she flat-out tells him she told all her friends that he has a small penis (and that they laughed), among other things. And ''then'' she starts reading a love poem to his best friend (that got her pregnant) that humiliates Carlo so much he starts spontaneously ''electrocuting himself''. |
| 78 | [[/folder]] |
| 79 | |
| 80 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 81 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12642602/1/Caught Caught]]'' revolves around one of Lincoln's sisters accidentally walking in on him "[[SexualEuphemism handling his business]]". It then devolves into this as the older sisters find out that the younger sisters are listening in on the impromptu meeting. |
| 82 | * The ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fic ''Fanfic/NakedSingularity''. It's about Twilight writing a pornographic story involving expys of her and a few of her friends. A lot of the humor comes from the science allusions and technobabble that makes the story indecipherable. Then she [[spoiler:reads it to a coffee shop with Celestia, Twilight's parents, a class of schoolchildren...]] |
| 83 | * ''Fanfic/ThePartyIncidentAndOtherEmbarrassingAnecdotes'' starts with the main character crashing a party and, when asked by Sans how she knows Papyrus, tells him that she's dating [[ActuallyIAmHim his brother]]. It goes downhill from there. |
| 84 | [[/folder]] |
| 85 | |
| 86 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 87 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'': |
| 88 | ** In ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks Rainbow Rocks]]'', The Mane Five and Twilight attempting to defeat the Dazzlings with a ByThePowerOfGrayskull move is one of the most embarrassing moments for the main characters in either universe. |
| 89 | --->'''Rainbow Dash:''' Uh, weren't there rainbows and lasers and stuff last time?\ |
| 90 | '''Twilight Sparkle:''' I don't understand. We're all together again. Why isn't this working?\ |
| 91 | '''Spike:''' You uh, really need to go ahead and do that whole "Magic of Friendship" thing now. |
| 92 | ** Also in the same movie, the "Bad Counter Spell" Twilight wrote is considered this. |
| 93 | ** In ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames Friendship Games]]'', Human Twilight's short speech to the other Crystal Prep students in the bus, while not on par with the "Friendship is Magic!" moment above, is still quite high on the awkwardness quotient. |
| 94 | --->'''Sugarcoat:''' That was a really bad speech. You should consider not speaking in public. |
| 95 | ** In ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsForgottenFriendship Forgotten Friendship]]'', Twilight Sparkle tries to "smooth up" the reunion between Sunset Shimmer and Princess Celestia, and ends up making it even more awkward. |
| 96 | --->'''Princess Twilight:''' Sooo, Princess Celestia... ''[nervous laugh]'' You'll never guess who's back! Actually, maybe you can guess, 'cause she's right here. But, um...\ |
| 97 | '''Princess Celestia:''' ''[stern glare down at Sunset and Twilight]''\ |
| 98 | '''Princess Twilight:''' ''[whispering to Sunset]'' Am I helping? |
| 99 | * A lot of the humor in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' is of this kind. |
| 100 | ** Especially in the beginning, with most of Miles' interactions at his new school, which can be summed up with "How much can Morales humiliate himself in front of his schoolmates?" Starting with his father bringing him to school in a police car and forcing his son to say "I love you..." before the other students. |
| 101 | ** This gets worse when Miles' superpowers are starting to awaken, and he blames it at first on puberty... out loud. The cringe factor only goes up when talking to Gwen (who manages to embarrass herself in turn with a poorly chosen, obviously fake name), and Miles' PowerIncontinence leads to a StickySituation between the two, in front of the whole school. |
| 102 | ** Peter B. Parker's lame attempts at trying to charm Olivia to distract her while Miles breaks into her computer, and not really noticing that she's more fascinated by him being from another dimension. |
| 103 | ** When Peter B. Parker spots Mary Jane, he's compelled to go and talk to her, even as the rest of the Spider-Gang realizes it's a bad idea. Mary Jane has no idea who he is, as he begins babbling like a fool while pretending to be a waiter. She asks him for more bread and he just launches into a grand apology using "bread" as an analogy for their relationship. |
| 104 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'': The movie begins with [=SpongeBob=] exuberantly thanking Mr. Krabs in front of an enormous crowd for making him the manager of the new Krusty Krab, entirely oblivious to the fact that Mr. Krabs named "Squidward" and there's a giant poster of Squidward's face unrolling behind them. |
| 105 | * ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'': The movie is riddled with hilarious and cringe-inducing moments that reflect the life of a pre-teen middle schooler going through puberty. One notable example (after Mei first transforms into a red panda and is hiding out in the bathroom) is Ming mistakenly thinking that Mei had her first period and awkwardly having TheTalk with her. There's also the scene where Ming finds Mei's drawings of Devon, assumes that he's a child molester, and ''takes Mei with her to the convenience store where he works'' where she verbally assaults Devon and shows him (and the rest of the store) Mei's drawings. However, both of these pale in comparison to Mei's ''entire class'' seeing Ming get into a confrontation with their school's security guard...''and then yelling that Mei forgot her sanitary pads''. |
| 106 | |
| 107 | [[/folder]] |
| 108 | |
| 109 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 110 | * ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'' does this with Lorraine's crush on Marty. ''She'' doesn't know that he's her son from the future, but Marty and the audience ''do''. |
| 111 | * ''Film/BeingThere'' is about a mentally handicapped gardener named Chance whose quiet, polite demeanor is [[MistakenForProfound mistaken for intellect]] by those around him, including a billionaire investor and the President of the United States. In scene after scene, it seems that the reality of Chance's true identity and nature is about to (finally) become apparent to those who respect and admire him. However, thanks to Chance's good luck and the other characters' self-deception, the big reveal never happens. |
| 112 | * ''Film/{{Bridesmaids}}'': when the main character is getting the attention of a cop who doesn't want to acknowledge her, among numerous other examples. |
| 113 | * ''Film/TheKingOfComedy'' is about Rupert and Masha, two delusional and socially awkward individuals stalking a celebrity late night talk show host. They never let reality get in the way of their obsession, with unpleasant if darkly comedic results. |
| 114 | %%* ''Film/MeetTheParents''; the entire movie and most of the sequels. |
| 115 | * Similarly, ''Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary'' fits the bill as well, especially [[GroinAttack the infamous]] [[ShareTheMalePain zipper scene]]. |
| 116 | * ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' as it is a raunchy comedy produced by Creator/JuddApatow has many moments that happen to the male lead. Like the scene where he finds out his girlfriend is breaking up with him and to makes things worse he is naked. The dialogue in the film also counts like all the things that come out of Aldous Snow"s mouth like the dinner scene. |
| 117 | * ''Film/DeathAtAFuneral''. Alan Tudyk at a funeral + acid - clothing = cringe comedy gold. |
| 118 | * ''Film/FrancesHa'' is fairly low-key Cringe Comedy, but much of the film's humour nevertheless consists of this. The main character enacts her eccentricities in inappropriate situations, e.g. by trying to inaugurate someone as a new BFF by one-sidedly play-fighting with her. In general, Frances' failure to fit in with the adult world is a source of much of the film's comedy. |
| 119 | * Any Creator/SachaBaronCohen film lives on this trope. They have the added bonus that most of the "characters" are real people [[CandidCameraPrank who don't know they're dealing with an actor]], and are therefore cringing even more than we are. First made famous by ''Film/{{Borat}}'', where the titular character does things like ask a car dealer whether a car is good for running over Jews, sings the lyrics to his national anthem to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner (at a rodeo!), and defecates in the river in public view. |
| 120 | * Ron Burgundy in the ''[[Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy Anchorman]]'' series. He cannot shut up to save his life, no matter how awkward the atmosphere gets while he's talking. |
| 121 | * ''Franchise/SpiderMan'': |
| 122 | ** ''Film/SpiderMan2'': God help you if your name is Spider-Man and a failure to produce web sends you into an elevator ''[[UncomfortableElevatorMoment in full costume]]''. |
| 123 | ** A particularly infamous example of this trope comes in ''Film/SpiderMan3'', when Peter messes his hair, dresses in black, and does a [[MemeticMutation ridiculous dance.]] |
| 124 | ** ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' has at least two big scenes, one where Peter discovers the father of his homecoming date is the villainous Vulture, and another where as soon as Peter is going to talk to Happy Hogan, they [[MomentKiller hear a flush]] and have to awkwardly stand there waiting for the other person in the bathroom to leave. |
| 125 | ** ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' continues from the above by downright opening in a corny homage to the fallen heroes of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', one of Peter's classmates entering a bathroom to find him [[NotWhatItLooksLike with his pants down in front of a tall Aryan beauty dressed in tight leather]], and Happy saying he discovered that during Spider-Man's [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar first Avengers team-up]], Peter used Tony's credit card to watch porn in the hotel. |
| 126 | * ''Film/AmericanPie'': effectively all episodes involving Jim Levestein. The first movie has him prematurely ejaculating in front of a hot exchange student broadcast all over the internet. |
| 127 | * ''Film/OfficeSpace'' is a slightly more realistic example. The constant misanthropic, un-PC humor, which would be farcical in a less sober film, [[ThisLoserIsYou rings surprisingly true here]]. |
| 128 | * ''Film/BirdmanOrTheUnexpectedVirtueOfIgnorance'' has a real gem: Rigg Thompson (Creator/MichaelKeaton) having to walk around an entire city block in nothing but his white underpants because [[NakedPeopleTrappedOutside he got locked out of the theater's back door and his bathrobe got stuck in the doorway]]. And that block happens to back right up to Times Square at its busiest hour. [[FromBadToWorse And somebody records the Times Square part on a videophone.]] [[OhCrap And posts it.]] ''And'' [[InstantHumiliationJustAddYoutube it trends immediately]]. |
| 129 | * Much of the beginning of ''Film/StepBrothers'', where Creator/WillFerrell and Creator/JohnCReilly play a pair of middle-aged {{Man Child}}ren. Particularly the moment where they burst into their parents' bedroom and ask for permission to build a bunk bed. |
| 130 | * ''Film/SunshineCleaning'' features some of this, since the protagonists are sisters who clean up after murders and crime scenes. The famous scene involves one of them falling face-first onto a mattress that someone had died on. |
| 131 | * ''Film/MissCongeniality'' has several scenes where the protagonist - the most uncouth and {{Tomboy}}ish FBI agent imaginable - has to impersonate a pageant queen. |
| 132 | * ''Film/AFewBestMen'' has David invite his three best friends to UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} for his wedding. A combination of bad luck, personality traits, and drugs leads to them doing everything from delivering a racist tirade about Australia's history as a penal colony as the best man speech, sending a huge flower ball rolling through the service, crushing the guests and tables below it, luring a violent drug dealer onto the premises where he proceeds to shoot up the location, and stealing the bride's father's lucky sheep and dressing it up in lingerie. |
| 133 | * ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' has a few examples for the audience (such as Iron Man accidentally teaching his daughter how to swear) and one that is mostly for the characters: as Captain America, Ant-Man, Iron Man and the Hulk return to the events of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', they look stupefied once they see how the "Savage Hulk" of 2012 is a stark contrast to the controlled "Smart Hulk" that time-traveled, as the Hulk violently jumps up-and-down on a car like a broken trampoline screaming like a five-year-old after using it to smash a Chitauri to death, leading the future Banner [[IHatePastMe to do a humiliated]] {{Facepalm}}. |
| 134 | * ''Film/YouAreSoNotInvitedToMyBatMitzvah'': Much of the film's humor relies on the awkwardness inherent to being thirteen. |
| 135 | [[/folder]] |
| 136 | |
| 137 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 138 | %%* The ''Literature/BridgetJones'' newspaper columns and subsequent book compilations. |
| 139 | * ''Literature/TheManyHorrorsOfBeingATokyoWaitress'' is almost entirely this, from Jonas getting a job as a transvestite hostess at a gay bar, to his interactions with his girlfriend's roommate. While drunk, he tries to show a [[TheChikan chikan]] how to properly molest train-passengers. Peak cringe is reached in the Ms. Hibiki scenes. |
| 140 | [[/folder]] |
| 141 | |
| 142 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 143 | %%* Some episodes of the UK version of ''Series/TheApprentice'' are full of this. |
| 144 | %%* ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' has always done a lot of this, but season four ramps it up. |
| 145 | %%* A fair share of the humour in ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' is this. |
| 146 | * ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'': A fair amount of the humour of the show is watching the disastrous consequences that come from Gordon Brittas' poor social and management skills. A stand-out example comes from "Mums and Dads", which ends with Brittas playing a hilariously disastrous rendition of "Knock Three Times" that cringes out the audience watching. |
| 147 | * Charlie Runkle's role on ''Series/{{Californication}}''. Examples include his masturbation at work habit becoming known through a viral video and was taken to a new low (or high perhaps) with his season 6 plot about pretending to be gay to sign a client. |
| 148 | * ''Colin's Sandwich'' the embarrassment came partly from Colin's horrible bad luck and partly from his reactions to it which invariably made things worse. |
| 149 | * Much of the humor of ''Series/TheComeback'', Lisa Kudrow's short-lived Creator/{{HBO}} SitCom, is this. It's used to show Valerie as so desperate to get herself back in the spotlight that she'll do anything for fame. |
| 150 | * An episode of ''Series/{{Community}}'' when Creator/JackBlack tries to join the study group. His usual antics lend this to his scenes. |
| 151 | * ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' can be like this at times, especially when Rebecca is trying to get Josh (or other people) to like her. The worst was during "I'm Going to the Beach With Josh and His Friends!" when she did an ''entire'' strip dance on a party bus. |
| 152 | * ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'' is all about Creator/LarryDavid (or rather, his AuthorAvatar) ending up in embarrassing situations. This is occasionally due to bad luck, but more often than not it's because of Larry's {{Jerkass}} tendencies. |
| 153 | %%* ''Series/ImAlanPartridge'' |
| 154 | %%* ''Series/DaAliGShow'' |
| 155 | %%* The celebrity interviews on ''Series/BrassEye''. |
| 156 | * The Ted and Ralph sketches from ''Series/TheFastShow''. [[TheWoobie Ralph]] is the socially awkward upper-class proprietor of an English estate, while [[WorkingClassHero Ted]] is an elderly Irish man who tends to the estate's gardens. [[HoYay Ralph is in love with Ted]]. HilarityEnsues. |
| 157 | -->"I'll get me coat." |
| 158 | * ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'' dabbled in this from time to time, like in the episode where Ray sat with his daughter on the school bus, and in another where Marie faxed a letter to someone interviewing Robert for a job. The crowning example though, is the episode "The Faux Pas," where Ray accidentally embarrasses a young boy, by unintentionally insulting his father's occupation. The family's attempts to fix the problem, only result in the situation only getting worse and more humiliating. |
| 159 | * ''Series/{{Extras}}'' is particularly brutal with this. When one woman on the set brings her sister (who has Cerebral Palsy) to the set, Andy makes a joke that she looks drunk and "mental", right in front of her sister. He manages to save this one, though. There are other scenes that are much, much worse. |
| 160 | * ''Series/FawltyTowers'': Creator Creator/JohnCleese has said in interviews how he felt like a little god, looming over these characters and thinking up of new ways of making them suffer. Of course, the character who suffered the most was always [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist his own]]. |
| 161 | * Sometimes happened on ''Series/FatherTed'', most notably in Season 1. |
| 162 | * Most episodes of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' run on this trope, often due to the SnowballLie or MistakenForIndex exploding out of proportion, and the characters continuously digging themselves deeper. Hell, one episode even had Frasier obliviously dating [[LikeParentLikeSpouse a woman who looks like his mother]] and they milked the Oedipal humor for all it's awkwardness. |
| 163 | * ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'' has a goodly amount of this. Some of the situations the characters find themselves in include: [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes showing up to school in a leisure suit]], [[NakedPeopleAreFunny streaking through the school]], getting egged on Halloween [[EtTuBrute by your own sister]], [[ImprobableInfantSurvival running over the shy Jesus freak's dog]], getting "drunk" and emotionally wrecked on [[FakeHigh non-alcoholic beer]] and [[BadNewsInAGoodWay getting dumped by proxy by your girlfriend's mom]]. And nobody is spared. |
| 164 | %%* ''Series/{{Coupling}}'', especially storylines involving either Jeff or Jane. |
| 165 | %%* ''Series/TheWorstWeekOfMyLife'' |
| 166 | %%* ''Series/TheDailyShow'' correspondant interviews, as well as many ''Series/TheColbertReport'' interviews. |
| 167 | %%* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', especially George Costanza (even more for what he does than what happens to him). |
| 168 | %%* About half the humor in ''Series/{{Monk}}'' comes from this. |
| 169 | %%* Short-lived Creator/SethMacFarlane series ''Series/TheWinner''. |
| 170 | %%* ''Series/TheThickOfIt'' |
| 171 | %%* On ''Series/MisterEd'', Wilbur Post |
| 172 | * ''Series/{{Friends}}'' dabbled in this from time to time, usually at Ross's expense. |
| 173 | * ''Series/{{Girls}}'' has never been a series to shy away from cringe humor, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mSrfztaNM0 Marnie's cover of Kanye West's "Stronger"]] is one of the most uncomfortable points of comedy in the series. All the more so due to the fact that she's completely unaware of what a complete ass she's made of herself. |
| 174 | * A episode of ''Series/{{House}}'' had Chase making a YourMom joke to Foreman as a [[EpicFail witty comeback]]. Some fans couldn't even watch the ensuing train wreck. |
| 175 | * Several episodes of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' tend to fall on this kind of comedy. It usually happens to Barney due to his attempt to make his pick-up techniques work or when Ted or Robin go on a date. |
| 176 | * ''Series/ImpracticalJokers'' has a lot of this. Half of the show is the guys laughing at what they've come up with, and their victim's reaction to what he has to do, which are mostly funny. When they are actually going through with it, however, awkwardness galore. |
| 177 | * ''Series/TheIncreasinglyPoorDecisionsOfToddMargaret'' relies on how [[ButtMonkey Todd]] tries to bluff his way through the world when transferred to London, and his attempts to dig himself out of trouble. |
| 178 | * ''Series/TheInbetweeners'' makes you cringe very often. Even in the first episode, where Will doesn't have ID in a pub surrounded by nearly his whole school year. [[spoiler: He goes on a rant about how everyone in the pub is under-aged, and gets them all kicked out]]. |
| 179 | * ''Series/TheITCrowd'': One episode has Roy go underneath a woman's desk to plug in her computer. She comes back to sit at her desk and he ends up trapped since he couldn't possibly get out without looking like a pervert. |
| 180 | * ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' is all about this trope. Given how the main characters are a group of [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonists]] who more or less ruin everything they touch, it's not hard to see why. The best examples are episodes like "The Nightman Cometh", "Frank Reynolds' Little Beauties", "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops" |
| 181 | * In ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger Sosuke Esumi's]] speech about heroism to Machalcon in an attempt to guilt-trip him into helping the Gokaigers in #36 very neatly falls into this after it becomes obvious [[BlatantLies what it's hinging on]], followed by everyone in the Gokai Galleon's crow's nest latching onto Sosuke and audibly protesting over him [[DiggingYourselfDeeper as Sosuke's speech only infuriates Machalcon even more.]] |
| 182 | * ''Series/TheLastManOnEarth'' has Phil constantly thrashing around socially and failing in the most humiliating way(s) possible in his every scheme to escape Carol or have sex with Melissa/Gail/Erica. |
| 183 | * ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle''. One famous example is Malcolm flipping out in front of a bunch of his friends and the girl he likes at his mother who was the 'chaperone' for them at a bowling alley, because he sucks at the game. He walks down the lane to the pins, throws it and still misses. |
| 184 | * ''Series/TheMichaelJFoxShow'', though possibly unintentionally. One notable example is Mike's neighbor saying that he "doesn't know what it's like to struggle" as Mike is in the background, struggling to open a jar that his 10 year old opens with ease. |
| 185 | * ''Series/ModernFamily'' definitely has its cringe-inducing moments, although it's not built around that type of humor exclusively. |
| 186 | %%* ''Series/MrBean'', both the series and the movies. Creator/RowanAtkinson often uses this trope. |
| 187 | %%* ''Series/NewGirl'' uses this trope a few times in the PilotEpisode. |
| 188 | * Most iterations of ''The Office'' feature this type of humor, as the show is meant to portray an otherwise-mundane office environment where the inhabitants attempt to liven things up (usually for the camera) only for it to go very poorly. Examples from the most famous versions of the series include: |
| 189 | ** ''Series/TheOfficeUK'': David Brent's so-called [[http://www.downvids.net/david-brent-motivational-speech-159089.html motivational speech]] is so utterly uncomfortable that it must be seen to believed. |
| 190 | ** ''Series/TheOfficeUS'': Ten years prior to the series, Michael Scott promised a group of inner-city youths that he would pay for their college educations if they would make the necessary grades. Ten years later, Michael must go to these inner-city youths and tell them he's not able to pay for their educations. But before he can do that, they [[http://video.vulture.com/video/The-Office-Scotts-Tots;TV-Clips#c=ZZG2DD1B0XBVT2N1&t=The%20Office:%20Scott%27s%20Tots sing a song about how he will make their dreams come true.]] |
| 191 | * ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' is usually upbeat, but the moment where Leslie (along with several members of her team) walks out onto an ice skating rink, only to find her red carpet isn't long enough is this. It also involves a three legged dog that starts to pee on Ron, everyone slipping and falling, and then when she gets to the stage, it has no stairs. As this happens, the song "Get on your feet" by Gloria Estefan starts and repeats several times. |
| 192 | * ''Series/PeepShow'' is this when it's not being a BlackComedy. |
| 193 | * Quite a bit of the humour of ''Series/PleaseLikeMe'' comes from people (usually Josh) being unintentionally insensitive or getting into embarrassing situations because of their bad choices. |
| 194 | * ''Series/QuantumLeap'', whenever Sam jumps into the middle of an inopportune situation. Cue "oooooh boy". |
| 195 | * As the series ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' progressed, the main source of humour of the show seems to shift to this, with Sabrina embarrassing herself for various reasons in front of everybody who isn't aware she is a witch – such as her boyfriends Josh and Aaron, roommates Roxie, Morgan and Miles, teachers and schoolmates in the college, or her co-workers at the Scorch Magazine. |
| 196 | * ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', especially from the 1990s to now (the '70s and '80s episodes often drift in and out of cringe comedy). Some examples include: the "Canteen Boy Gets Molested" sketch, a lot of the sketches based on real world awkward situations, and, of course, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t3OAHuVasI this]]. |
| 197 | * ''Series/SchittsCreek'': Given that it was co-created and stars Creator/EugeneLevy, the show often relies on cringe humor as the Roses navigate life in a small, rural town. This can include when patriarch Johnny puts his foot in his mouth, when Moira performs "The Number" or when Alexis auditions for the town's community theatre. A noteworthy episode features adult David wetting the bed and the video ending up shared many times on the internet and with several townspeople, although David seemingly never learns about that part. |
| 198 | * The ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' episode "Duet" has Rodney [=McKay=] on a dinner date. Doesn't sound so bad, except: a) Rodney is naturally awkward in social situations, especially when there is a woman involved; and b) Rodney has a female consciousness in his head at this point, giving him dating advice in a voice only he can hear. |
| 199 | * ''Series/{{Succession}}'' does this a lot, mainly when one of the Roys (particularly Connor or Roman) says something completely inappropriate to the situation apropos of nothing whatsoever. |
| 200 | * ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': For a [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks supposedly]] serious show, ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' indulges in this. For whatever reason, about half of them are Clark's painfully awkward interactions with women, and half of those are with [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Chloe]]. |
| 201 | * An iron stomach is required to get through an episode of ''Series/TimAndEricAwesomeShowGreatJob'' without looking away in embarrassment. |
| 202 | * A large part of the appeal of ''Series/{{Taskmaster}}'' is seeing how badly the contestants screw up while trying to perform the tasks. A specifically invoked example is the prize task from the Champion of Champions special, which was to bring in the most cringeworthy/embarrassing item. The winner brought in a clip of himself giving an interview on a political talk show that he had clearly not prepared for. |
| 203 | * ''Series/TheTomGreenShow''; Blending BlackComedy and SurrealHumor, Tom would go out of his way to create the most embarrassing, and often disturbing, situations possible for his sidekick Glenn Humplik, random people on the street, audience members, and even his own parents. Examples including airbrushing two very NotSafeForWork lesbians on the hood of his dad's car, and hiding an elaborate contraption under his lab coat while claiming that he was converting grape juice to pee...on a public bench. |
| 204 | * ''Series/{{Trollied}}'' has a bit of this, most notably Julie's job interview. |
| 205 | * While not necessarily a comedy, ''Series/TwinPeaks'' sometimes dives into this during the show's more awkward moments. |
| 206 | * ''Series/{{Yellowjackets}}'': In the Season 1 finale, adult [[TheTeamWannabe Allie]] at the class reunion. She presents a photo montage of the 1996 WHS Yellowjackets soccer team and blathers on about healing and "their" trauma bond. Never mind that she was a poor player and that due to her injury, she was not on the plane with her teammates when it crashed and has no idea about the ordeal they went through. |
| 207 | * ''Series/{{Ziwe}}'', a pseudo-"talk show" in which celebrities are confronted (sometimes more earnestly than others) about their problematic behavior, thrives on mining the insecurity and white fragility of its guests for hilariously awkward cringiness. |
| 208 | [[/folder]] |
| 209 | |
| 210 | [[folder:Magazines]] |
| 211 | * The main point of all those "Tell Your Most Embarrassing Moment" sections in ''every'' teenage girl's magazine ever. |
| 212 | * [[InvokedTrope Referenced]] in relation to UsefulNotes/SarahPalin 's Katie Couric interview in the book ''Going Rogue''. |
| 213 | [[/folder]] |
| 214 | |
| 215 | %%[[folder:Music]] |
| 216 | %%* Music/FlightOfTheConchords. The song "Jenny" is probably the most awkward conversation ever set to music. |
| 217 | %%[[/folder]] |
| 218 | |
| 219 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 220 | * ''Podcast/{{Frootch}}'': Most of the humor is related to Sarah's unsuccessful jokes and some of her remarks which could leave quite a {{Beat}} during a party. Other times, it's about how she gets herself in ridiculous situations. |
| 221 | [[/folder]] |
| 222 | |
| 223 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 224 | * ''[[Radio/OpieAndAnthony The Opie & Anthony Show]]'': Everything from stomping on a homeless man's cake to playing laugh tracks behind a caller mentioning the death of a relative. They even embraced the term "Cringe Radio" for their type of show. |
| 225 | [[/folder]] |
| 226 | |
| 227 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 228 | * In ''VideoGame/Persona5 [[UpdatedRerelease Royal]]'', while at a summer festival, Ryuji makes rather cringey comments to a news team on-camera in the hopes that they won't use the footage. Yusuke's response to Ryuji after this, where he says that his behavior was "truly cringeworthy". A later text from Mishima shows that Ryuji's plan failed. |
| 229 | [[/folder]] |
| 230 | |
| 231 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 232 | * The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' wakes up from a sexual dream, late for work and sporting morning wood. Amanda is the one who wakes him up. Among the choices for what that thing sticking out of his sheets is are his car keys, a banana, and a ''dildo''. |
| 233 | -->'''Amanda:''' I'll choose to believe that. |
| 234 | * The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' once finds Henry working enthusiastically with Dennis to create a site where the protagonist and Henry will do "boy-boy stuff" together. To make matters worse, Amy and Ms. Walsh both buy memberships. |
| 235 | * In ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', the protagonist and title character make a series of accidental double entendres at Amy's birthday dinner. It is particularly awkward if Arnold is there, not least when he storms off to the bar in a huff. |
| 236 | * ''VisualNovel/ShinyDays'' has some truly awkward comical moments from time to time, such as Makoto sleeping with Mai and then her daughter coming home early with Makoto not realizing that Mai is even old enough to have a daughter who is not only his age, but one of his friends and someone he has a crush on. Mai's frantic efforts barely keep Setsuna from noticing, but the sheer horrible possibilities of this scene are quite obvious. |
| 237 | * ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' has this as its main source of humour during the first half, particularly due to the main character, Okabe Rintaro, being a massive chuuni and behaving ten years younger than you'd expect a college student his age to act. |
| 238 | [[/folder]] |
| 239 | |
| 240 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 241 | * The MLP fan video ''WebAnimation/ElementsOfCringe'' obviously has its moments. Like Twilight trying to blast her way out of a glass box, only for it to ricochet and knock her out. |
| 242 | * ''WebAnimation/{{hololive}}'': Koseki Bijou makes this one of the main sources of comedy on her streams, happily doing or saying things that make her viewers or other streamers uncomfortable and revelling in it. Perhaps best exemplified by her "Gyatt for Nerizzler" song, which when played in front of the rest of Hololive caused the English-speaking ones to want to die. |
| 243 | -->'''Hakos Baelz''': Oh God... I'm experiencing second-hand embarrassment! |
| 244 | [[/folder]] |
| 245 | |
| 246 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 247 | * ''Webcomic/{{Asperchu}}'' becomes this once you realize that [[Webcomic/{{Sonichu}} CWC]] becomes a rampaging self-parody when he's turned into a fictional drawing, with literally no exaggeration whatsoever. |
| 248 | * ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', despite providing the page quote, averts this in the end. The party discussed turns out to be one big heartwarming scene in the end. |
| 249 | * [[http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.ca/2010/09/party.html This story]] from ''Webcomic/HyperboleAndAHalf'' becomes this trope the closer to the end you get, until it becomes full-blown embarrassing. |
| 250 | * ''[[http://www.patheticgeekstories.com/ Pathetic Geek Stories]]'' runs on it, as it's based on real life embarrassing stories sent in by readers. |
| 251 | * Much of the humor in ''Webcomic/{{Whomp}}'' is centered around the main character Ronnie and his debilitating social awkwardness, as indicated [[http://www.whompcomic.com/2012/10/15/peck-your-battles/ here]]. |
| 252 | [[/folder]] |
| 253 | |
| 254 | [[folder:Websites]] |
| 255 | * Cringe Channel, to be found [[http://www.cringechannel.com here,]] aggregates unintentional cringe comedy from all corners of the internet. Even though this is a definite case of laughing at the given subject in almost all instances, certain postings and many commentators take a more aggressive and transparently mean-spirited approach towards their subjects. |
| 256 | * The [[http://www.reddit.com/r/cringe /r/cringe]] [[Website/{{Reddit}} subreddit]] is almost identical, right down to the accusations of bullying. |
| 257 | * ''Website/KnowYourMeme'' has a meme and [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cringeworthy/photos image gallery]] called "Cringeworthy" that collected various instances of embarrassing and stupid things, but the addition of new images was locked after people started using it for Administrivia/ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontLike (by adding images that were only the logo of things they disliked) and spamming the gallery with several parodies of other images (of note are the many, many parodies of a poor drawing of Literature/TheRake saying "Time to killed people!" and of some Franchise/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}} {{Original Character}}s called Jake and Maribelle. While the original images ''were'' cringeworthy, the parodies were not) |
| 258 | * There's no shortage of horror stories in which kids, who [[NoSocialSkills often completely lack a filter for any of their words or deeds]], embarrass the living hell out of their parents. Of course, there is now a good portion of the Internet devoted to exchanging these stories, such as [[http://www.circleofmoms.com/question/whats-most-embarrassing-thing-your-child-has-done-public-1702053 this forum]]. |
| 259 | [[/folder]] |
| 260 | |
| 261 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 262 | %%* ''WebVideo/Mega64'' has this in most of the public video game imitations. |
| 263 | %%* ''WebVideo/TheGuild'' |
| 264 | * While ''Website/ChannelAwesome'' doesn't usually have this, WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's first "Thanks for the Feedback" -- where she goes on a date with the Critic -- is horrifying in awkwardness. |
| 265 | * Daxflame's videos tend to evoke cringing in viewers through his recounts of awkward social interactions and his total obliviousness to his own social insensitivities. |
| 266 | %%* ''Webvideo/TheSwagLifeOfJustinYargenschmargol'' full stop. It's the whole point of its creation. |
| 267 | * ''WebVideo/GameGrumps'' can delve into this when talking about Dan's past, especially [[NoSocialSkills dating]]. |
| 268 | * Any of Website/Vat19's videos involving Confection Perfection are examples of this. |
| 269 | * ''Many'' a Website/{{YouTube}}r has done a "'Try Not to Cringe' Challenge" video, in which he/she tries to not react to cringe-worthy video clips that are usually sent in by their subscribers. The humor largely comes from their reactions, which usually end up with a lot of cringing or worse. |
| 270 | -->'''Mini Ladd:''' I'M UNCOMFORTABLLLLLLLE! |
| 271 | [[/folder]] |
| 272 | |
| 273 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 274 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' often goes here -- most notably in "Too Young", with Finn and Princess Bubblegum's more painful (literally causing physical pain) ways of pranking Lemongrab. Two of the pranks weren't pranks so much as they were humorous physical assaults. One involved punching LG in the belly and pushing him onto the floor. The other involved lacing his food with burning-hot chemicals and causing him to fall out of a window. It's hilarious. |
| 275 | -->'''Peppermint Butler:''' He's eating the dirt! ''Spice it now!'' |
| 276 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': |
| 277 | ** In "The Gi", Gumball and Darwin wear their karate uniforms to school and get soundly mocked by their peers (the duo's nickname is the "Karate Weiners") when they start doing low-grade karate in front of everyone, much to their obliviousness. Nicole is the "cringe-ee" here, as she keeps trying to discourage them without outright saying they're making fools of themselves, just like what happened to Richard when he went to school wearing a superhero cape. At the end Gumball gets a hard dose of reality when he realizes what's really going on, which is a little sad (although the episode ends on a heartwarming moment right afterwards). |
| 278 | ** The entirety of "The Hug", in which Gumball hugs a complete stranger at school, Hot Dog Guy, just to be unpredictable. They keep meeting each other afterwards and neither of them have any idea how to react to each other. Special mention goes to the scene when Gumball tries to get away from the Hot Dog Guy during their sleepover in the tent. |
| 279 | ** In the aptly-named SequelEpisode, "The Awkwardness", Gumball runs into Hot Dog Guy again when both of them are on the way to the store and their memories of "The Hug" come flooding right back. |
| 280 | ** In "The Cringe", Gumball and Hot Dog Guy plot to get rid of their cringe around each other to only make things worse. One notable scene has them go on a parody of ''Series/BritainsGotTalent''; their audition is such a disaster that when they watch it, they cringe so hard that they end up in the hospital. |
| 281 | ** A moment of startlingly dark comedy in the episode "The Job", wherein Gumball and Darwin deliver a pizza to a married couple of sentient pizza-people, who react as though it were a brand-new baby. Then Gumball drops the "baby" cheese-down on the porch steps. Then Darwin slips on it as they flee the scene. |
| 282 | * ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'': In one infamous episode, Ginger confesses that she has a crush on her teacher, who is also her quiz team coach and the host of an upcoming school quiz competition that will be televised on public access. One of her best friends convinces her that the teacher loves her back and that she should ask him out. She agrees to do so, but has trouble finding the right moment. The temptation distracts her for the entire competition until she finally asks him out on a movie date during a question... on stage... in front of an entire audience... and on local TV. To add salt to the wound, the competing team answers the next and final question and wins the game by one point. |
| 283 | -->'''Lois:''' You're not the first to make a fool of yourself over a teacher. You're just the first to do it on public access. |
| 284 | * ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'': A lot of the show's humor comes from the embarrassingly idiotic things the titular duo say and do. Of course, Beavis and Butthead themselves lack any self-awareness and are shameless perverts who will do anything in order to score. |
| 285 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow'' |
| 286 | * ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'': You can count the amount of jokes that aren't RefugeInAudacity, based on racial stereotypes, or [[NauseaFuel related to bodily functions]] on one hand. The entire show is incredibly divisive because depending on who you ask it is either hilarious or an AnimatedShockComedy-style adult comedy that relies way too much on trying to be offensive on purpose and [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot is disinterested in exploring its premise for anything deeper]]. [[TakeAThirdOption Or you might find people who find it hilarious precisely because it doesn't try to be much more than over-the-top offensive]]. |
| 287 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' goes into this all the time. One of the most infamous examples is the CutawayGag "[[Literature/HortonHearsAWho Horton Hears Domestic Violence In The Next Apartment And Doesn't Call 911]]." |
| 288 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' does a lot of this. One incident involves Wilma being pregnant with Pebbles and Fred has to be certain he can get her to the hospital in time, so he enlists Barney to help him. She has contractions so they rush her to the hospital, more-or-less in a panic. They arrive at the hospital, Barney rushes Wilma through the revolving door so fast it spins Fred out of the building, and across the street through the revolving door of another building, which Fred does not realize isn't the hospital, but a hotel. HilarityEnsues when Fred, wanting to know where in the hospital Wilma is, innocently says to the desk clerk, "I'm looking for my wife. She just came in here with my best friend." |
| 289 | * ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn'': Classic villain [[Characters/BatmanClayface Clayface]] is portrayed in this show as described exactly in the trope description above -- a character who can't act to save his life (or anyone else's) despite being able to physically become anyone, yet insists on being the team's "MasterOfDisguise". The show makes other frequent use of cringe comedy, including [[Characters/BatmanTheCharacter Bruce Wayne's]] desperately clingy relationship with [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]], and [[Characters/WonderWomanVillains Dr. Psycho's]] inability to stop using [[CountryMatters a word]] considered beyond the pale even by the cheerfully depraved psychotic murderers of Gotham. |
| 290 | * ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'': Hank once told his boss Mr. Strickland that he loves him... straight to his face... in front of a crowd. |
| 291 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfTim'' somehow succeeds in making every second fit this trope. |
| 292 | * Most of Creator/DonHertzfeldt's works are [[BlackComedy dark comedies]], or [[SurrealHumor surreal]] {{dramed|y}}ies. One film, however, is "Lily and Jim", telling the story of a blind date from the perspective of both people. It is complete Cringe Comedy. |
| 293 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' occasionally delves into this: |
| 294 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E18AFriendInDeed A Friend in Deed]]" is this to people who have had to deal with an annoying hanger-on, or realized too late that they were that hanger-on -- or both. Same with "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E25PartyOfOne Party of One]]", with an added dose of social anxiety. Most Pinkie Pie episodes have at least a little of this. |
| 295 | ** In "Maud Pie", Pinkie's sister visits town and the cast has a horrendously difficult time attempting to get to know her better due to her extreme [[TheStoic stoicism]]. |
| 296 | ** Perhaps the most extreme example is from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E24EquestriaGames Equestria Games]]", where Spike interrupts a medal ceremony to insist on singing the winning team's anthem. Only after Shining Armor announces this to the crowd does Spike realize that Cloudsdale (not Ponyville) won the gold for that particular event. Spike doesn't know any of the words to Cloudsdale's anthem. As he ad-libs, the camera cuts multiple times to the audience, who are just as embarrassed as Spike is. One unicorn even yanks his top hat down to cover his entire head. Only Pinkie Pie is [[ComicallyMissingThePoint completely oblivious]] to how bad it is. |
| 297 | ** Episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E7MakeNewFriendsButKeepDiscord Make New Friends but Keep Discord]]" has Discord trying, and [[EpicFail epically failing]], to do stand-up comedy. Even a comment from [[EmotionlessGirl Maud]] of all ponies gets a bigger laugh than him. |
| 298 | --->'''Discord:''' ''[after a failed knock-knock joke]'' It's the most basic of jokes!\ |
| 299 | '''Maud:''' You're the most basic of jokes. |
| 300 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E7NewbieDash Newbie Dash]]" is full of this. First, Rainbow Dash makes a bad first impression on her first day as an official member of the Wonderbolts, earning her the EmbarrassingNickname "Rainbow Crash". Then she goes through increasingly awkward attempts to erase that bad first impression by impersonating her friends. |
| 301 | * ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'': Skips' cousin Quips is a walking example of this, with his dialogue consisting primarily of horrible jokes that only he finds funny. |
| 302 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'' often goes into this territory. |
| 303 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has the outrageously funny scene where Principal Skinner treats Superintendent Chalmers to dinner in the episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E2122ShortFilmsAboutSpringfield 22 Short Films About Springfield]]". |
| 304 | * Older ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episodes, and some newer ones rely on this heavily. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in "Funnybot", where the title character even uses "Awkward!" as his catchphrase. The boys have to stop him from telling the "Last Joke Ever," in which he destroys the entire human race because it's the most awkward thing possible. Appropriately enough, Funnybot was designed by the gallows-humor-obsessed Germans. |
| 305 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' in its later seasons. |
| 306 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' utilizes this several times a season, mostly with the main character Rusty Venture, though other characters are also occasionally subject to this trope. |
| 307 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Main / CringeComedy
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
