A person you would expect to be a big
Jerkass turns out to be the nicest person you've ever met, or at the very least has some redeeming qualities behind their tough demeanor. Occasionally, they'll actively try to make it a
Hidden Heart of Gold.
In a romance series a female character filling this role is usually a
Tsundere instead of a
Jerk with a Heart of Gold, (occasionally she's both). A male
Jerk with a Heart of Gold is usually
Troubled, but Cute, and his heart of gold should never outweigh his inner jerk because
All Girls Want Bad Boys — though it can if
Single Woman Seeks Good Man. If his jerkishness threatens to overshadow his good qualities, he's likely to attract a
Love Martyr.
Sometimes
Truth in Television, though you can expect
Real Life examples of this to be far more subtle than fictional ones. Often this is
Played for Laughs, but not always. They are just as common in drama, suspense, horror and other genres as they are in comedy. One reason for this is that they make an convenient
Plot Device. After all, the supposed
Jerk Ass turning out to save the family from their
real stalker, instead of being said stalker, can be a source of
Heartwarming Moments when done right.
If he's a manly-man who pursues an unexpectedly delicate hobby, it may be a case of
Real Men Wear Pink. Audiences may also sympathize more with the JWAHOG if he's shown to frequently have a good reason to act angry or annoyed. Even the most patient of souls can only endure being the
Only Sane Man when they're
Surrounded by Idiots for so long, after all. One or two
Pet the Dog moments scattered around for character depth does not grant a heart of gold. A true JWAHOG has many
Pet the Dog moments. Or maybe those moments are rare, but powerful. Either way, ultimately they manage to balance out the Jerk in them. If it doesn't balance out, they're just a regular
Jerk Ass, or worse, a
Jerk With A Heart Of Jerk.
Not to be confused with
a certain jerk whose spaceship is
named "The Heart of Gold." Even if he is an example. Or
a group of people who helped
defend the
Heart of Gold, even though - again - they include at least two examples.
Compare/contrast with
Jerkass Façade,
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing,
Noble Demon,
Bruiser with a Soft Center,
Hero with an F in Good, and
Innocently Insensitive. Sometimes subverted as
Jerk With A Heart Of Jerk.
The Lancer and
Loveable Rogue are often, but not always, portrayed in this light. One half of the
Belligerent Sexual Tension couple. Also compare
Good Is Not Nice.
Truth in Television: Most of the jerks you'll meet in your life will have some redeeming qualities to them. Few people are such jerks that they don't care about
anyone, and cynical people tend to handle bad situations better, so having one as a friend can be useful when things go downhill. Given that this trope would still call
Real Life people jerks,
please do not add real life examples.
See, this page is just a big ol' softie.
