Line #15 Main/ProfessionalButtKisser


1	[[quoteright:579:[[ComicBook/KaykoAndKokosh https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zrzut_ekranu_2023_09_04_235214.png]]]]
2	->''"Looking for my husband, Nazeem? Check the Jarl's backside. That's usually where he stuffs himself these days."''
3	-->-- '''Ahlam''', ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''
4
5	As the name says, the Professional Butt-Kisser is a career sycophant and YesMan. They don't care who is in charge so long as they're the right-hand man. If their current boss were to meet an untimely end (or just get fired/demoted) they will [[LesCollaborateurs happily offer their services]] to their replacement, even if they just saw how the new boss killed the old one! Despite their desire to be close to the reins of power, they never harbor any [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitions]] of [[TheStarscream their own boss-hood]], much less [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder betraying their current boss]], at least until the new one pushes them out of the job, anyway.
6
7	Just like they lack ambition, they are also devoid of all malice; both because they, at times, qualify as a MinionWithAnFInEvil if their master is a villain, and are in no way sad or angry their last boss is gone. Kind of like a TrueNeutral bureaucrat. Interestingly, they are usually at least competent at their job as personal assistant, though rarely to HypercompetentSidekick levels. Where they ''do'' excel is at shmoozing their new boss into accepting them, even to the point of getting an AxCrazy villain to not just let them live, but convincing them they're more useful alive and working for them. Despite their boss' strange, abusive or incompetent behavior, they [[BeleagueredAssistant never feel put out]] and seem to derive some strange satisfaction from serving someone so powerful.
8
9	A common expression for such a sycophant is "brown nose", with the verb "brown nosing". It's probably not difficult [[{{Squick}} to figure out what that means]] [[PottyHumor without explicit explanation]]. It's worth mentioning that despite the utterly slimy nature of the character, they tend to get off fairly lightly in terms of [[CallItKarma divine]] [[LaserGuidedKarma retribution]]. It may be because of the StepfordSmiler-like lack of malice, or the lack of concrete evil deeds.
10
11	Often doubles as an ObstructiveBureaucrat and/or SmugSnake. See also PunchClockVillain, LoyalToThePosition (a more positive version), and BattleButler. Contrast ChronicBackstabbingDisorder; both have little loyalty to their allies, but the Professional Butt-Kisser never rebels. See TeachersPet for the Professional Butt-Kisser in training. See DispenseWithThePleasantries when the target isn't impressed by the attempt to butter them up.
12
13	Different from a SycophanticServant since those tend to be personally loyal to their master instead of professionally. See ServileSnarker for the {{inver\|tedTrope}}sion, where a character's usefulness allows them to make an occasional jab.
14
15	----
16	!!Examples:
17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Advertising]]
20	* Goody-Goody of the Advertising/{{Freakies}}. She constantly sucks up to [=BossMoss=], the leader of the Freakies, purely to get the other Freakies in trouble with him. It never really works, however.
21	[[/folder]]
22
23	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
25	** Diethard is one of these, a Britannian newshound who joins the Black Knights largely because he sees them as the winning party. [[spoiler:Later, once Lelouch is betrayed by the Black Knights, Diethard gleefully switches sides and joins Schneizel in his quest to conquer the world.]]
26	** Suzaku himself is this to Britannia in hopes of helping Japan by internal change.
27	* Demagawa in ''Manga/DeathNote'', to the point of being the self-appointed leader of the "Cult of Kira". [[spoiler:Until he gets DELETED by Mikami.]]
28	* Takayama's secretary in ''Anime/{{Witchblade}}''. [[spoiler:When Takayama resigns as CEO of Doji Corporation and NSWF's Wado takes over, he has no problems with shifting his loyalty to the new boss. He is, however, willing to help Takayama reprogram NSWF's weapons to buy Masane a little more time to defend Tokyo from an onslaught of berserk robots.]]
29	* ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'''s Thunderblast is this meets MyGirlIsASlut. She doesn't want to be the most powerful, unlike most of the serious villains - she wants to have the ear (and maybe more) of the most powerful. YMMV on whether she is also a parody of MsFanservice.
30	* One of Maho's nameless teammates in the "Little Army" prequel manga for ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'', telling Maho she's always waited for the day in which they can serve on the same tank together, but another teammate throws a water bottle at her head and tells her "Stop using flattery, you schemer!". Ironically, she looks a lot like Emi, who has the [[{{Foil}} opposite problem]] by being brutally honest even when it upsets others.
31	* The vice-principal in ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure''. His EstablishingCharacterMoment is to change opinions on a dime when speaking to the principal, who calls him out on saying what he thinks the principal wants to hear.
32	* The main character in ''Literature/TheSagaOfTanyaTheEvil'' is a little girl with the mind of a 30-something career man who is liable to say or do anything to get ahead.
33	* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'' Mugero, a rock demon, is this to the main villain Benares. He spends his entire introduction trying to pass himself as an important servant of the great Benares and gushing about how his domain was chosen to perform the Humanization Ritual and the return of the Kaiyanwang. Becomes visibly hurt when Pai sees him as the glorified minion he actually is.
34	* In ''Manga/TrashSkillGacha'', we have Duke Bahurst who shamelessly sucks up to anyone and everyone he thinks can benefit him. Despite hating the protagonist Crest for daring to survive his mother's DeathByChildbirth, the duke even sucked up to him because a prophetic dream indicated Crest would be getting an unusual skill [Gacha] never seen before and figured that would somehow personally benefit him. He ''immediately'' does a 180 when Crest couldn't use the skill on command and then sucked up to the king the very next day, only to learn, too late, that Crest was telling the truth, but now it's too late to suck up to Crest again as the boy was unjustly exiled to near-certain death...
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Comic Books]]
38	* ''ComicBook/ZipiYZape'': Peloto is built around this trope. Also Lechuzo, Peloto's crony is Peloto's very own butt-kisser.
39	* ComicBook/KaykoAndKokosh Kapral (Corporal) will go out of his way to suck up to his boss Hegemon and shower him with compliments, while personally will take every chance to overthrow his superior.
40	** This trait is such a big part of the character that in the stage musical adaptation he even gets an entire musical number about the art of sucking up to one's boss.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Fan Works]]
44	* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku's peers bullied him for years to avoid drawing the ire of Bakugou, who was the undisputed strongest, smartest, and bravest kid around. Once Izuku develops spider powers and becomes a local celebrity as the "Prowler Kid", [[FairWeatherFoe they quickly drift over to him in hopes of riding off his fame]], particularly after Izuku humiliated Bakugou twice by accident. Izuku is aware of this and doesn't intend to become friends with any of these butt-kissers.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
48	* In ''Film/{{Coneheads}}'', INS Agent Seedling's assistant Turnbull (David Spade) manages to become a confidant to the leader of the Coneheads' people after he and his boss are captured and enslaved.
49	* In ''Film/DemolitionMan'', associate Bob manages to survive Doctor Cocteau's death by working with Phoenix to [[HumanPopsicle defrost other convicts]], and after Phoenix bites it he manages to get employed by the rebel leader Edgar Friendly (who tells him to stop wearing the kimono because he thinks he looks like a couch with it, and pick a hair color).
50	* Gretchen Weiner, Regina's second-in-command in ''Film/MeanGirls''. After Regina's downfall, Gretchen attaches herself to another Queen Bee. We last see her brown-nosing in '''Vietnamese!'''
51	* Chad in ''Film/InTheLoop'' takes this trope and tries to turn it into an art form. Unfortunately, he combines it with being a SmugSnake with the result that the people he tries to suck up to barely pay him any attention and everyone else just thinks he's a creep.
52	* The B-movie ''Film/CircuitryMan'' features a female {{Mook}} who is loyal to her "Boss", but cheerfully switches allegiance the instant her current employer gets killed; this happens two or three times in the course of the movie, and at the end, she survives to drive off into the sunset with Boss #4 or #5...
53	* ''Film/Downfall2004'': UsefulNotes/HeinrichHimmler presents himself as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's most loyal henchman, to the point that Hitler calls him "Faithful Heinrich". However, Himmler's loyalty is conditional and when it becomes clear that Hitler is going to die in Berlin soon, Himmler secretly abandons Hitler to grovel before the Western Allies for mercy and a role in post-war Germany. When Hitler finds out, he flies into a massive VillainousBreakdown since he never considers that Himmler of all people would betray him to [[IFightForTheStrongestSide serve for the strongest side]].
54	* Comedian Larry Miller's sycophantic performance as the Dean in ''Film/TheNuttyProfessor1996'' and as Charlie's boss in ''Film/SuburbanCommando'' showed that he is to Professional Butt-Kisser roles what William Atherton and Christopher [=McDonald=] are to {{Smug Snake}}s; nobody does 'em better.
55	%%* James Spader plays one in ''Film/{{Mannequin}}''.
56	* ''Film/StingraySam''. Fredward has spent his entire life surrounded by sycophants praising everything he says. As a result, he thinks his thoughts are [[AGodAmI divinely inspired]].
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	[[folder:Literature]]
60	%%* Casper in ''The Story of Henri Tod'' (one of the ''Literature/BlackfordOakes'' series) gives the impression of this very much in the early part of the story.
61	%%* There is a character exactly like this in the trope-filled novel ''Literature/StolenFromGypsies''.
62	* The Igors in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' work like this -- perfectly loyal until the torch-and-pitchfork brigade comes calling, then it's out the back door to find a new master. Genre-savvy characters have taken advantage of this to ask them how to get in and out unobtrusively.
63	* In ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'', Dante puts them in the 2nd bolgia of the 8th circle (which punishes fraud), where their punishment is to be put in a giant open sewer.
64	* In one of the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' books, the gang encounters a computer with all the information they need. With every question they ask the computer, the computer responds with everything it knows, with an absolute bare minimum of four glorifications to Visser Three.
65	--> '''Tobias:''' How exactly do you program a computer to kiss butt like that?
66	* Mrs. Clay in ''Literature/{{Persuasion}}'' is out to flatter a baronet into marrying her. That's why she attaches herself to Elizabeth Elliot and becomes her very deferential "friend", hoping to make Elizabeth's father, Sir Walter, enter into a second marriage. When Sir Walter's distant male heir arrives to interfere with Mrs. Clay's plan, what falls out is that Mr. Elliot ''seduces'' her--but the narrator hints that Mrs. Clay has a pretty good shot at becoming Lady Elliot anyway by persuading Mr. Elliot into a marriage himself.
67	* Mr. Collins of ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'' is the Regency equivalent of this; while Lady Catherine de Bourgh is not exactly his boss, he does depend on her goodwill for future advancement and ensures this goodwill (or, given Lady Catherine's overall disagreeable character, something close to it) through shameless grovelling to the point where he's sucking up to her when she's not even in the local vicinity. [[spoiler:He even fulfills the 'switching allegiances when necessary' part of the trope; when Elizabeth and Darcy are rumored to be engaged to marry, he writes Elizabeth's father a letter expressing Lady Catherine's condemnation of the engagement. Mr. Bennet writes back once the engagement becomes a reality and points out that, if he was to get into Darcy's good books, things would be even better for him. Mr. Collins' objections suddenly cease.]]
68	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
69	** Percy Weasley becomes this in the later books after he joins the Ministry of Magic, sucking up to anyone who is at all important. At one point he bows so low that his glasses fall off and shatter. In the fourth book, he keeps standing up when the Minister greets important guests it looks like he's trying to sit on a hedgehog. He does come around at the end of the final book, reconciling with his family and acknowledging he was wrong in doing this.
70	** Dolores Umbridge is an even worse example. She doesn't care who is in charge of the Ministry of Magic as long as they keep her in a position of power and authority. Her Pottermore profile reveals that this is how she managed to rise through the ranks in the Ministry in the first place (with [[StealingTheCredit taking undeserved credit for herself]] thrown into the mix), rather than on real skill or merit.
71	* ''Literature/PaulSinclair:'' Bill Mahris and Sam Yarrow are weaselly sycophants who never show an ounce of independent thought or initiative.
72	* Happens in ''Literature/TheQuestForKarla''. In ''Literature/SmileysPeople'', Sam Collins, who was a bit of a devil-may-care in ''Literature/TinkerTailorSoldierSpy'', has become this to Circus boss Saul Enderby.
73	* ''Literature/SecretSanta2004'': Erik quickly agrees with every little thing his boss and former high school crony Dave Crowley says to distract Crowley from Erik's many flaws.
74	* In Literature/TheTomeOfBill, most vampires tend to be this. ''Sunset Strip'' actually explains this: true leaders are extremely rare, and they tend to want to lead, not follow. An entire society based around the best and the brightest would quickly devolve into civil war as they all vie for dominance, so it's the weak-minded but physically capable people who get turned more often than not.
75	* In ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' the Professional US military has become this, leading the heroes to many victories, because competence is rewarded less than political correctness.
76	* ''Literature/TheWitchOfKnightcharm'': One of the new rookies in Emily's class at her evil WizardingSchool, Brynne, spends a lot of time sucking up and pointlessly complimenting another student named Lily, who appears to be rich and claims to have extremely powerful magic on account of being descended from Myth/{{Merlin}}.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
80	* ''Series/HogansHeroes'':
81	** Colonel Wilhelm Klink tries to be this, but his efforts to butter up General Burkhalter and other superior officers tend to have the opposite effect.
82	** Sergeant Schultz is only a little better at this, usually to pacify Klink when he accidentally annoys him.
83	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Harald seems to play this role to Ramsay, supporting his actions even when they go against the wishes of Roose.
84	* Dr. Jeffrey Steadman from ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''.
85	* Dwight Schrute in ''Series/TheOfficeUS''. Aside from the few episodes, he's fired (and [[GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity promptly rehired]]) or trying to usurp Michael's job.
86	** Andy manages to outdo even ''Dwight'', if temporarily. When he's first transferred to Scranton, he mimics Michael so well that he basically completely takes over Dwight's position as his right-hand man, only to take it so far that even Michael finds him kind of annoying. Once that arc finishes, however, this proactive ambition is dropped, and he becomes more of an obliviously eccentric people-pleaser.
87	* Phil Smith on ''Series/TheThickOfIt''.
88	* An offscreen example from ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'': the family all know that their distant superior, The Big Giant Head, only got his position "by kissing The Big Giant Butt."
89	* PlayedForLaughs and subverted with Evaristo Espina, from the "La Oficina ("The Office") segment in the old-school Chilean humor show ''Jappening con Ja''. Personality-wise, he has almost all the markings of the trope... but also '''is''' [[UndyingLoyalty fiercely and genuinely loyal]] to his boss, Mr. Zañartu, and this is actually the reason why he is a buttlicker. He's such an iconic character that, in Spanish Chilean slang, the word "espinita" is actually used to define the trope itself.
90	** Lampshaded in the opening sequence for the skit: when Espina is shown, the background voices start chanting "chupa medias!" ("boot licker") all over. [[BreakingTheFourthWall Espina's exact reactions]] change depending on the episode: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2pTGbOlXh0 in this one]], he swats his hand at the audience while trying to protectively shield a picture of Zañartu.
91	* Weyoun on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' literally worships the Founders, the rulers of the Dominion. In fact, this trope is [[PlanetOfHats the hat]] of the entire Vorta race.
92	** Same for Liquidator Brunt (Who, coincidentally, is also played by Creator/JeffreyCombs) of the Ferengi Empire. In his own words when [[spoiler: Rom is made the Grand Nagus]]:
93	--->'''Brunt:''' It's never too late to suck up to the boss!
94	** This is a paraphrasing of Rule of Acquisition #33: "It never hurts to suck up to the boss." Since the Ferengi treat the Rules as their version of Literature/TheBible, it can be said that this trope is part of their religion.
95	* Hodges on ''Series/{{CSI}}''. He's always out to kiss up to the boss and doesn't really have any ambition, he wants to stay in the lab where he's happy. Grissom used to get terribly annoyed at him sometimes.
96	* Lieutenant Loren Singer on ''Series/{{JAG}}''.
97	* Milburn Drysdale, president of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, in ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies''.
98	* Advertising executive Larry Tate (at least toward his clients), in ''Series/{{Bewitched}}''.
99	* Bill [=McNeil=] on ''Series/{{Newsradio}}'', chiefly towards Jimmy.
100	* Dr. Lawrence Bingham in ''[[Series/DoctorInTheHouse Doctor at Large]]'' and ''Doctor in Charge'' is a shameless brown-noser, always grovelling to his superior, Professor of Surgery Sir Geoffrey Loftus, in an attempt to get ahead in his profession. However, he is not above switching his allegiance to other doctors or even other hospitals if he thinks it will help him further his career as a surgeon.
101	* This exchange in ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'';
102	-->'''Mr. Ashland:''' This is a disaster!
103	-->'''B.P. Richfield:''' But nothing a chief executive of your power and authority can't handle, right sir?
104	-->'''Mr. Ashland:''' Quit being a butt-kisser, Richfield.
105	-->'''Richfield:''' Yes, sir.
106	-->'''Mr. Ashland:''' You know what I do to butt-kissers, Richfield?
107	-->'''Richfield:''' No, sir.
108	-->''(Ashland points to a head mounted on a wall)''
109	* Carlton Banks from ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir''.
110	** His father Philip's one-time assistant, one-shot character Edward Haskell from the episode "Robbing the Banks", also fits -- he's so eager to stay in Philip's good graces he does such exhausting tasks as transcribing Philip's law notes to audiotape, a process that by Haskell's own admission takes three days, but one he says is "[[BlatantLies extremely satisfying, not to mention rewarding]]." Will lampshades this in one instance:
111	-->'''Edward Haskell:''' Oh! I almost forgot one thing!\
112	'''Will:''' If it's your nose, I think I know where you left it. ''[indicates Uncle Phil's butt]''
113	* Paulie from ''Series/TheSopranos'' is a servile brown noser who shows his [[{{Greed}} true allegiance]] the minute his boss Tony gets indisposed.
114	* Major Houlihan and Major Burns from ''{{MASH}}'' are often this whenever someone from the upper brass shows up at camp.
115	* Two nights before his finale on ''Series/TheDailyShow'', Jon Stewart took Fox News to the woodshed accusing them of more than this when that outlet accused Stewart of sucking up to then-President Obama:
116	-->I'd be willing to believe that this program has been harsher on this president and the Obama administration per capita than you guys ever were in your eight years of Bush finger-banging.
117	* Some time back, ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' did a sketch of a game show called "Whose Ass Should I Kiss?" Points were deducted for plain brown-nosing.
118	* In the first episode of ''Series/Rush1974'', Corporal Colvin tries to be this to Commissioner Fitzalan, who initially appreciates it due to his issues with Sergeant [=McKeller=] but quickly grows tired of it. "There's a difference between loyalty and sycophancy. I do wish you'd learn it."
119	* ''Series/HermansHead''. A movie star invites Herman to enjoy the services of his staff. This includes a beautiful mistress who flatters Herman shamelessly.
120	-->'''Angel:''' The woman's a sycophantic asskisser!
121	-->'''Animal:''' Yeah? So when are we going to start doing this [[ComicallyMissingThePoint sicko ass-kissing thing?]]
122	* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': David O. Selzer, head of 20th Century-Vole, expects unconditional approval of his ideas yet [[HypocriticalHumor he can't stand yes-men]].
123	* ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'': Amy Santiago is this to Chief Holt.
124	* ''Series/{{Cheers}}:'' Rebecca Howe, especially if her boss is a rich man she thinks she's in with a chance of marrying. There's probably a reason when we first see her she's wound up assigned to run Cheers on her own.
125	* ''Series/{{Friends}}'': Chandler reluctantly becomes this to his boss Doug. He develops a "work laugh" that he uses for his boss' terrible, unfunny jokes and deliberately loses when they play tennis together. Monica tries to encourage him to stand up for himself, but it backfires as Doug just starts badgering Chandler over why he didn't laugh at a joke. The HardTruthAesop being that keeping a corporate job like Chandler's unfortunately does require making nice to your boss even if he's a massive {{Jerkass}}.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Manhua]]
129	* In ''Manhua/GoddessCreationSystem'' Xiaxi leaps ahead in the hierarchy of the Wang Pu household servants by flattering and indirectly flirting with the Wang Pu brothers. They never really catch on to what she's doing, but the other servants and their sister Yixin certainly do; a servant Xiaxi snubbed and Yixin publicly reveal what she's been doing at one point, forcing her to start getting along with the other servants and be less obvious about her ass-kissing.
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	[[folder:Music]]
133	* The Venezuelan folkloric song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meM2CzEsseU El Jalabolas]]" is sung from the perspective of one of these. He proclaims to be the perfect YesMan and willing to do everything his patron wants of him and then going the extra mile, even claiming that he would betray his parents and let his boss have his wife, as long as it helps to keep him employed.
134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Pro-Wrestling]]
137	* Wrestling/MichaelCole on Monday Night RAW and Friday Night Smackdown usually kisses the butts of just about every heel, except for Daniel Bryan.
138	** After his HeelFaceTurn, though, he finally stops being this. But [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield JBL]] takes over as this, supporting every decision post-FaceHeelTurn Wrestling/TripleH makes even if it's bullying someone. The odd thing is that back in 2004-2005 when JBL was an active wrestler and both he and Triple H were heels, they still badmouthed each other.
139	** Wrestling/PaulHeyman openly admitted to being this while on the announce team at Wrestlemania X-Seven when Wrestling/JimRoss called him out on supporting Vince a little too much during his match with Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon.
140	* Wrestling/VinceMcMahon's "Kiss My Ass" club is a literal version of this.
141	[[/folder]]
142
143	[[folder:Sports]]
144	* The University of Kansas is one of these to the Big 12 Conference, especially during the recent departures of four charter members (possibly due to the fact that they lose teams that they easily beat in basketball).
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Theatre]]
148	* ''Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac'': This is a more realistic, non-villainous example: In Act II Scene VII, Cyrano [[DiscussedTrope discusses this trope]] with Le Bret, claiming that he will [[DefiedTrope defy it]]. It should be said that in TheCavalierYears and now, this is TruthInTelevision: An artist is always dependent on patronage.
149	-->'''Cyrano:''' What would you have me do?
150	-->Seek for the patronage of some great man,
151	-->And like a creeping vine on a tall tree
152	-->Crawl upward, where I cannot stand alone?
153	-->[[DefiedTrope No thank you!]] Dedicate, as others do,
154	-->Poems to pawnbrokers? Be a buffoon
155	-->In the vile hope of teasing out a smile
156	-->On some cold face ? No thank you ! Eat a toad
157	-->For breakfast every morning? Make my knees
158	-->Callous, and cultivate a supple spine,
159	-->Wear out my belly grovelling In the dust?
160	-->[[DefiedTrope No thank you !]] Scratch the back of any swine
161	-->That roots up gold for me? Tickle the horns
162	-->Of Mammon with my left hand, while my right
163	-->Too proud to know his partner's business,
164	-->Takes in the fee? [[DefiedTrope No thank you!]] Use the fire
165	-->God gave me to burn incense all day long
166	-->Under the nose of wood and stone? [[DefiedTrope No thank you! ]]
167	-->Shall I go leaping into ladies' laps
168	-->And licking fingers? or to change the form
169	-->Navigating with madrigals for oars,
170	-->My sails full of the sighs of dowagers?
171	-->[[DefiedTrope No thank you !]]
172	* The Beadle in ''Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet''. Even to the point of helping his boss rape a totally innocent woman. Sadly cut (to a large extent anyway) in the most recent film, "Ladies and their Sensitivities" shows Bamford blatantly grovelling and ass-kissing the Judge.
173	[[/folder]]
174
175	[[folder:Video Games]]
176	* In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', the third GM, Konishi, is outwardly the most polite and respectful toward Kitaniji, the Conductor, since she seems to be his assistant. [[spoiler:It's ultimately a subversion since she's actually TheStarscream and is plotting to overthrow him.]]
177	* Pious Augustus in ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness: Sanity's Requiem'' if he's working for Ulyaoth.
178	* Imperial Japanese engineers in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'' constantly kiss the commander's ass with overly sycophantic interactions, in an attempt to gain favor and move up in the Imperial hierarchy. In short, the stereotype of a {{Salaryman}} [[YesMan suck-up]] PlayedForComedy, like just about everything else in the game.
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
182	* In ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'', Inspector Gregson becomes a giggling mess around Iris Wilson, the author of "The Adventures of Herlock Sholmes" where he was indirectly able to gain popularity and a raise at Scotland Yard for being a character in it, so he does his best to stay on her good side...because he realized that she can make his life a living hell if she were ever to make his character in the hit series unlikable. [[spoiler:With the sequel revealing that he was actually [[SecretPolice a key figure in the Reaper conspiracy]], he was likely less concerned about his personal pride and more about the [[VillainWithGoodPublicity freedom to operate that his public image provided]].]]
183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Web Animation]]
186	* ''WebAnimation/MangaSoprano'':
187	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_5rOdLy_yg Junko]] plays up her cuteness on her male bosses to get out of work and Haru has to cover for her. Narita refuses to fall for her advances and is the first person to speak sternly to her.
188	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ25JRYSmS8 Yuka]] acts all cutesy around her boss Takeuchi despite [[GonkyFemme her unappealing looks]] to replace Haru for being prettier than her.
189	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJp1UCVpQpc Shiho]] acts cutesy to make her coworkers cover for her numerous mistakes. This is even more evident after Kinoshita-kun dumped her, as she kissed up to and even outright ''flirted'' with Chief Kairi, only for him to sternly tell her off.
190	* Simmons from ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', commonly referred to by Grif as a "kiss-ass". And not just Grif: pretty much anyone who's ever met Simmons is aware of his sycophancy. On one occasion, Sarge decided to forego commanding them to do something useful and just commanded them to do what they were going to do anyway (except for Grif, who made sarcastic remarks instead). Simmons' order was "kiss ass at will," which he did, with gusto.
191	-->'''Simmons:''' [[BlatantLies You're both an excellent leader and a handsome man, sir.]]\
192	'''Sarge:''' [[SmallNameBigEgo Excellent work, Simmons]].
193	** When Simmons got [[WetwareBody possessed by the Omega AI]], he promptly declared that "From now on, everyone will kiss ''my'' ass!" suggesting that to some extent Simmons views the world in terms of suck-ups and people to suck up to.
194	[[/folder]]
195
196	[[folder:Webcomics]]
197	* ''Webcomic/ILoveYoo'': The students surrounding Yeong-Gi at school. Of course, the minute he leaves the classroom, they start insulting him.
198	* Qarr TheImp from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has this as his personal motto. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0625.html As he phrased it]]--
199	-->'''Qarr:''' See, the first lesson of being 18 inches tall is: Find someone more powerful than you are, and glue your lips to their ass.
200	* ''Webcomic/WeakHero'':
201	** Tired of being Jimmy's underling, Helmet rats his defeat out to Donald and then switches over to Hyeongshin High, where he takes on any task they set him so that they don't kick him out again.
202	** Though Hugo normally acts like a stuck-up braggart, he's quick to pull a 180 and become a simpering sycophant to get into Helmet's good books.
203	* ''Webcomic/LovelyPeople'': Praising the World Council on social media is a known way to get social credit points, but there is an algorithm that can pick out posts that are too obviously made just for the points. Because of that, those who are serious about using that avenue for "easy" points need to put real work into their posts. Peony, the member of her group of friends who has the highest score, doesn't necessarily like the World Council; she's just best at saying what they want to hear.
204	[[/folder]]
205
206	[[folder:Web Original]]
207	* This is Colts QB Andrew Luck's character in ''Website/NFLQuarterbacksOnFacebook''; he gives thanks and is nice towards other quarterbacks, whether he wins or loses games.
208	[[/folder]]
209
210	[[folder:Western Animation]]
211	* Bernie from ''WesternAnimation/FatherOfThePride'' tends to refer to Sarmoti as "Boss" and agrees with everything he says to satisfy him.
212	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
213	** Averted by Waylon Smithers, whose devotion to Mr. Burns is genuine and absolute (and, well, [[SubordinateExcuse more than just professional]]). It's also implied in one episode to be quite literal in Smithers' case, as he asks Mr. Burns, when the latter claims during a meltdown that he has nothing left but to kiss his sorry ass goodbye, if he could kiss Mr. Burns' ass.
214	** Played straight with his lawyers though, who absolutely refused to inform him he was making bad decisions even when he was losing everything. Hell, when he did, they still said he made all the right moves and when he called them out, [[YesMan they agreed in the exact same way]].
215	** Chief Wiggum has been known to act like this towards Mayor Quimby (who called him a "glorified crossing guard" in one episode). For example, if Quimby is too afraid of Fat Tony to act on him, Wiggum and the other police leave Tony alone, but if Quimby changes his mind, so does Wiggum. (As seen in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS10E9MayoredToTheMob Mayored to the Mob]]".) Wiggum acts this way towards Mr. Burns sometimes too, in one episode ''complimenting'' him on his reckless driving.
216	** Skinner tries to be this to Superintendent Chalmers oh ''so'' hard, but being a high-quality buzz-kill, ''way'' too eager to please (to the point that in trying to please Chalmers he instead ruins things ''hard'' -- ex. in one episode, Chalmers and Skinner do the classic Creator/AbbottAndCostello "WhosOnFirst" sketch for a school fundraiser... and Skinner, obviously not getting how the sketch is supposed to go, answers in a totally unambiguous fashion and kills the gag in ''[[EpicFail five seconds]]'') and with his school being such a [[SuckySchool hell-hole]] (and DependingOnTheWriter, Chalmers being in favor or against this), Chalmers utterly ''hates'' Skinner's guts (to the point that Chalmers' catchphrase is him yelling Skinner's name... and on some episodes, he can't even say similar words or talk to people like Mrs. Skinner without yelling them).
217	** In a true fashion that would make Smithers proud, the family did it themselves for a special [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8wctVg9zS4 video announcing their arrival on Disney+]], which was made shortly after the Disney-Fox deal was finalized. Homer practically does his best to impress his new bosses.
218	-->'''Homer Simpson''': (whispering) This is our one chance to make a good first impression.
219	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'':
220	** Sunstorm (Sycophant Starscream) heaps praise and compliments on ''everyone''. He especially praises the original and most brilliant Starscream, [[spoiler:and later Megatron.]] Of course, he's not nearly as awesome as you, wonderful article reader. ''You're so cool!''
221	** Lugnut too, though only for Megatron. He seems to not only ''worship'' Megatron in the most literal sense of the term, but he actually ''swears by him'' -- and he doesn't hesitate to remind Megatron of this fact in person. Even the megalomaniacal leader of the Decepticons sometimes gets tired of it but keeps Lugnut around anyway because he's completely reliable.
222	* Wuya of ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' happily offers to work for whatever villain happens to be on the top of the evil heap at that particular moment, only to come crawling back to work for [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Jack Spicer]] when said villain gets defeated, or in Catnappe's case is too fickle and lazy to work with. Justified by the fact that, while Wuya is ''extremely'' competent herself when she's trapped in "spirit form", her inability to physically interact with anything leaves her no choice but to enlist a partner in crime by pretty much any means necessary.
223	* Holly Blue Agate of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse''. She's so much of one that even the Diamonds are annoyed with her. The Prosecuting Zircon is even worse.
224	* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Von Hamburger, the Miracle Pictures director in "Daffy Duck in Hollywood," has a staff of underlings who are collective grinning yes-men. Von Hamburger himself is this to studio head I.M. Stupendous.
225	* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', after Peter becomes president of El Dorado Cigarettes, he gets a robotic "company suck-up" who enthusiastically praises him and agrees with everything he says, quickly doing a 180 if Peter reveals that he has the opposite opinion. The suck-up ends up short-circuiting not long after Peter says he hates himself since he's programmed to agree with everything he says but also to respect the president.
226	%% Fred from the "Phoniest Home Videos" episode of ''WesternAnimation/QuackPack''. He pretty much EMBODIES this trope.
227	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicTwilightSparkle Twilight Sparkle]] is this when it comes to pleasing Princess Celestia. PlayedForLaughs, of course.
228	* In ''WesternAnimation/AllenGregory'', school superintendent Stuart Rossmeyer is this to the [=DeLongpre=] family which forces the school employees to tolerate [[VillainProtagonist Allen Gregory]].
229	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ProfessionalButtKisser