History Main / SelfProclaimedLiar

---> America, if I were your president, I'd have the guts to lie right to your face. And you'd love it.

%%* ''Film/TheInventionOfLying'' (Zero-Context Example)

!!Examples

* Usopp in ''Manga/OnePiece'' uses this as a battle tactic. Usually it's not blatantly obvious that he's lying, but then he continues in his fight against his ''captain''. However, the lies are always used as a distraction. The "Uso" in Usopp's name [[PunnyName is Japanese for "lie."]], so an early joke soon after he joined the crew was for his introducing himself to sound as if he was saying "I am a liar."
* Motoharu Tsuchimikado calls himself a liar in ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'' right before [[spoiler:faking a HeroicSacrifice]].
* Utsuho, the protagonist of ''Manga/{{Itsuwaribito}},'' will openly declare himself a liar and/or will proclaim that living honestly is not the way to live. He even incorporates it into his fighting, his battle in the first chapter alone has him openly admitting to lying so much it's impossible to keep track of which statements, if any, are actually true.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''Film/{{Bedazzled 1967}}'' (at least the original version) Peter Cook's Mr Spigot (the Devil) tells Dudley Moore's character "I'm a terrible liar, believe me."
%%* ''Film/TheInventionOfLying'' (Zero-Context Example)

* Allison from ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', who admits she's a liar, and is in Saturday detention because she "had nothing better to do." Allsion is portrayed as a CloudCuckoolander, however, so it's hard to tell what she's making up.

%%* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimenides_paradox The Epimenides paradox]]. From Literature/TheBible, Titus 1:12 (St. Paul's letter to Titus): (Zero-Context: Entry is just a name and a quote)
%%-->One of Crete's own prophets has said it: 'Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons'.\\
[[DramaticallyMissingthePoint He has surely told the truth.]]
* In ''Literature/{{Illuminatus}}'', one of Hagbard Celine's advices to Geroge Dorn was "Never trust anyone who has the initials H. C." He's a TricksterMentor to George, as well as the crew of his submarine.
* Thomas Raith in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' tells Harry in ''Grave Peril'' that he's a liar and can't be trusted. Nevertheless, he nearly always tells him the truth. His sister Lara, on the other hand...
* Adding to the Literature/{{Dragaera}} series' use of MindScrew via UnreliableNarrator, ''Literature/{{Orca}}'' is narrated by Vlad's friend Kiera as a conversation with Vlad's wife, Cawti. Kiera starts out by telling Cawti explicitly that she can't tell the whole truth, and will be altering some things for her own purposes. Then at another point in the story, Kiera describes Vlad, the narrator of most of the other books, as pretty much a pathological liar but also essentially implies the same about herself.
* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': Vergere, with one of the earliest lessons she imparts being "Everything I tell you is a lie." Including, apparently, [[spoiler:not being a Sith.]]

* Cadrach of ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'' is a self-admitted liar, cheat, and DirtyCoward. Unlike most examples, though, he's not trying to pull a con on anyone; he really is sunk so deep into self-loathing that he cares nothing of what people think of him. Beneath the ShellShockedVeteran exterior is a man who knows he betrayed the world to its ultimate doom, and would do so again, out of sheer terror. Miriamele tries to befriend him anyway, which ultimately leads to his redemption.
* Fireflyer, the fairy stand-in for Tinkerbell in the book ''Literature/PeterPanInScarlet'', is a notorious liar to whom being called a liar is the greatest compliment of all. He openly and proudly claims that he ''never'' tells the truth -- though this is revealed to be a lie.
* In ''Literature/AlcatrazVersusTheEvilLibrarians'', Al mentions repeatedly throughout the narrative how dishonest he is, occasionally saying [[UnreliableNarrator obviously false things to the reader]] to prove his point. Justified by the fact that he claims later that he has mostly stopped being such a liar and just lies to prove his point.
* ''Literature/CatsCradle:'' When Bokonon writes the books detailing his self-created religion, the very first line is "All of the true facts I am about to tell you are shameless lies."

%% *** Weyoun also declares himself an expert on lies, both telling and spotting them. (Zero-Context: Entry is just a name/"Trope is here")
%%* Ben Linus from ''Series/{{Lost}}''. His most effective manipulations have all taken place well after everyone knows he's a dirty, stinking liar. (Low-Context: Entry is mostly "Trope is here")
* Urataros from ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'' boasts about his ability to lie, primarily to [[ChivalrousPervert charm cute girls]]. He even says his main goal in sticking with the good guys is teaching [[TheHero Ryotaro]] to be a better liar.
* Jen from ''Series/TheITCrowd'' will sometimes admit to it, usually ''after'' she lied her way into a job that she is hopelessly unqualified to hold.
* From ''Series/DoctorWho'', we have "Rule One: The Doctor lies." Initially said by River Song in the series 5 finale, we later see that she heard it from the Doctor himself.
%%** River herself is this: (Zero-Context: Name is just a name and a quote)
%%--->I lied. I lie all the time. Have to. Spoilers.
* ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'''s title character refers to himself as a ConsummateLiar in the episode "Money", managing to convince [[TheFool Percy]] that a giant hummingbird is eating his hat and cloak.
* From ''Series/GameOfThrones'', in the middle of his "[[ColdBloodedTorture game]]" with Theon, [[AxCrazy Ramsay]] makes Theon think that he's correctly answered the question that Ramsay wanted, meaning that the torture ends for the moment, [[HopeSpot giving Theon relief]]. After a few seconds of silence, Ramsay abruptly stands up and says this:
-->Of course, you forgot to ask one question. You forgot to ask if I'm a liar! I'm afraid I am.

%%* To state the obvious, "Liar" by [[Music/HenryRollins the Rollins Band]]. (Zero-Context: It's not obvious)

-->'''Carolyn:''' Douglas. Have you been drinking?
-->'''Douglas:''' I cannot tell a lie. What am I saying? I'm ''terrific'' at telling lies. I mean I'm not ''going'' to tell a lie. Yes.

* The Scorpion Clan in ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' all wear masks, so that the other clans know not to trust them. This works on many, many different levels. One level is that if someone falls for one of their schemes, other people are more likely to blame the victim than the Scorpion perpetrator, because duh, you trusted a shifty-looking guy in a mask!

* Kreia of ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords''. She encourages the Exile to distrust people, even herself, you even gain [[RelationshipValues influence]] with her (that oddly works as "trust" for everyone else) if you say you don't trust her.
%%* Played for laughs in ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam and Max: The Penal Zone]]'': (Zero-Context: Entry is just a quote)

'''Sam''': I can, little buddy. (To Flint) Nope, not a thing.

%%* Varric of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' is a self-proclaimed pathological liar. He's also [[UnreliableNarrator the game's narrator]]. (Low-Context: Entry is mainly 'trope is here')
* Deacon of ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' comes up with all sorts of contradictory lies about his backstory, some of them more blatantly false than others. He's also a MasterOfDisguise who frequently changes his appearance. This need to constantly reinvent himself is due to [[TheAtoner his profound shame]] over the kind of person he used to be.
-->'''Deacon:''' I'm a liar. Everyone knows it. I make no secret of it.
* On the fourth night of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSisterLocation'' Circus Baby tells you that she has learned a very important skill: She can pretend. This comes to fruition if you obey her directions on the fifth night and [[spoiler:go into the Scooping Room where the animatronic Ennard, speaking in Baby's voice, explains that they need you to escape the facility. Specifically, they need your body as a disguise and needed the Scooper to get rid of all the stuff already in there.]]
* In ''VideoGame/NancyDrew'' ''Danger By Design'' Jing-Jing "JJ" Ling is this. She has managed to convince several people she's won the lottery despite blatantly saying she lies.
* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' Beatrice doesn't care whether or not Battler thinks she's lying because he can't prove it. And because he can't find an alternate reality with which to fight with her own, she wins by default, telling fantastical stories about wild magic battles.
* [[ConsummateLiar Kokichi Oma]] from ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'' invokes this trope from the word go, making it nearly impossible for the other DeadlyGame contestants to tell whether anything he says is true. When suspicion occasionally falls on Kokichi, he'll immediately [[BlatantLies "confess"]] to being the culprit, even ''arguing against his own innocence'' a few times. His trickery quickly reaches a point where the game's protagonist considers him the AnthropomorphicPersonification of lying itself. [[spoiler:He even inverts it in Chapter 4, where Kokichi gets fed up and announces that he's going to be [[BrutalHonesty brutally honest]] about the AwfulTruth behind the current case. As he lays things out, the other students are desperate to believe that he's lying again, leaving Shuichi to convince everyone that the evidence irrefutably proves that Kokichi is, for once, being completely honest.]]

* Tom of ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' shouts that he's a fantastic liar... however in this case it works against him because Susan was calling him out on being a (not-so-good) ManipulativeBastard, which means his declaration was an AccidentalPublicConfession.
%%* ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}'' features the aptly named Liebot. (Zero-Context: Entry is just a name)

* ''Website/SCPFoundation's'' Dr. Alto Clef is more than happy to declare himself a compulsive liar, though [[LogicBomb he might be lying about that one]]; he also gives his name as a chord on a ukelele, making him a compulsive [[{{Pun}} lyre.]]

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SushiPack'', the Pack face down a villain known as the Prevaricator, who can only lie. He gets away with this because most people don't know what "prevaricate" means. However, since his method of lying is just to say the opposite of what he means, Tako is able to easily get him to surrender by [[LogicBomb asking him to tell a lie]].
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' has Roy state, in no uncertain terms, that he is about to lie to Wade. He even asks Wade if he understands this fact. Then he tells Wade "The bull is loose." Cue panic by Wade.
* Angelica from ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', especially in the ''All Grown Up'' sequel series. She even describes lying as an art.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': [[MagnificentBastard Azula]] is a pretty good liar. (Zero-Context: Entry is just a name and a quote)
%%-->'''Zuko''': You lied to me!\\
'''Azula''': Like I've never done that before.

Your tears are all the company I need

* ''Website/SCPFoundation's'' Dr. Alto Clef is more than happy to declare himself a compulsive liar, though [[LogicBomb he might be lying about that one]]; he also gives his name as a chord on a ukelele, making him a compulsive [[IncrediblyLamePun lyre.]]

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SushiPack'', the Pack face down a villain known as The Prevaricator, who can only lie. He gets away with this because most people don't know what "prevaricate" means. However, since his method of lying is just to say the opposite of what he means, Tako is able to easily get him to surrender by [[LogicBomb asking him to tell a lie]].
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' has Roy state, in no uncertain terms, that he is about to lie to Wade. He even asks Wade if he understands this fact. Then he tells Wade "The bull is loose." Cue panic.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': [[MagnificentBastard Azula]] is a pretty good liar.
-->'''Zuko''': You lied to me!\\

* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Loki is the self proclaimed ''god'' of Mischief and Lies. Loki admits he's an untrustworthy jerk, everyone knows he's an untrustworthy jerk, and he is ''still'' able to play them like a fiddle.

--> America, if I were your president, I'd have the guts to lie right to your face. And you'd love it.

* ''Film/TheInventionOfLying''

* Petyr Baelish from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''
-->'''Petyr Baelish:''' Distrusting me was the wisest thing you’ve done since you climbed down off your horse.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimenides_paradox The Epimenides paradox]]. From Literature/TheBible, Titus 1:12 (St. Paul's letter to Titus):
-->One of Crete's own prophets has said it: 'Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons'.\\

* Vergere of the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse, with one of the earliest lessons she imparts being "Everything I tell you is a lie." [[spoiler:Including, apparently, not being a Sith.]]
** Vestara Khai has a great one as well:
--->'''Vestara''': I will only lie. That or tell the truth.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Played with in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E8IMudd I, Mudd]]". When Kirk convinces Norman that everything Harry Mudd says is a lie, Harry drops a LogicBomb on him [[LiarsParadox by simply saying "I'm lying"]].
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Elim Garak is probably this show's most triumphant example, to such a degree that on one occasion Odo realizes that Garak is telling the truth precisely because his response to a question is a simple "I don't know" rather than a convoluted and eloquent tale of extravagance. His reputation for obfuscation is legend not just in the fandom, but in-universe as well.
-->'''Bashir:''' Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?\\

** When Bashir tells him of the fable of ''The Boy Who Cried Wolf'', what Garak takes away from it is: Never Tell the Same Lie Twice.
** Weyoun also declares himself an expert on lies, both telling and spotting them.
* Ben Linus from ''Series/{{Lost}}''. His most effective manipulations have all taken place well after everyone knows he's a dirty, stinking liar.

** River herself is this:
--->I lied. I lie all the time. Have to. Spoilers.
* ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II''[='s=] title character refers to himself as a ConsummateLiar in the episode "Money", managing to convince [[TheFool Percy]] that a giant hummingbird is eating his hat and cloak.

* To state the obvious, "Liar" by [[Music/HenryRollins the Rollins Band]].

-->'''Douglas:''' I cannot tell a lie. What am I saying? I'm ''terrific'' at telling lies. I mean I'm not ''going'' to tell a lie. Yes.\\\
This is, of course, a lie.

* Kreia of ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords''. She encourages The Exile to distrust people, even herself, you even gain [[RelationshipValues influence]] with her (that oddly works as "trust" for everyone else) if you say you don't trust her.
* Played for laughs in ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam and Max: The Penal Zone]]'':
-->'''Flint''': You wouldn't know anything about these toys, would 'ya?\\

* Varric of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' is a self-proclaimed pathological liar. He's also [[UnreliableNarrator the game's narrator]].

* ''Webcomic/KoanOfTheDay'': The guru frequently claims he is a liar and is sometimes [[http://www.koanoftheday.com/18/ called out on it]].

* ''WebVideo/TsubasaAbridged'': "Hi. My name's Fay and I'm a compulsive liar."

* ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}''. Hiruma lies. ALL THE TIME.
-->'''Achilles:''' EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS A LIE!
-->'''Players who've played Hiruma's team:''' You just noticed?

* ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}'' features the aptly named Liebot.

* Motoharu Tsuchimikado calls himself a liar in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' right before [[spoiler:faking a Heroic Sacrifice.]]

* The Jackal from ComicBook/TheCloneSaga in the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' comics. He shamelessly piles lies on top of lies in the clone saga, at various times leading Spider-Man, the Scarlet Spider and Spidercide each to believe they are the real Peter Parker. In the end even he didn't know the truth.
* ComicBook/{{Loki}}. He's the self proclaimed ''god'' of Mischief and Lies. Loki admits he's an untrustworthy jerk, everyone knows he's an untrustworthy jerk, and he is ''still'' able to play them like a fiddle.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': ''PlayedWith'' in the episode "I, Mudd", when Kirk convinces Norman that everything Harry Mudd says is a lie, Harry drops a ''LogicBomb'' on him by simply saying "I'm lying".
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Elim Garak is probably this show's most triumphant example, to such a degree that on one occasion Odo realises Garak is telling the truth precisely because his response to a question is a simple "I don't know" rather than a convoluted and eloquent tale of extravagence. His reputation for obfuscation is legend not just in the fandom, but in-universe as well.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation's'' Dr. Alto Clef is more than happy to declare himself a compulsive liar, though [[LogicBomb he might be lying about that one]]; he also gives his name as a chord on a ukelele, making him a compulsive [[IncrediblyLamePun lyre.]]

* The Jackal from ComicBook/TheCloneSaga in the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' comics. He shamelessly piles lies on top of lies in the clone saga at various times leading Spider-Man, the Scarlet Spider and Spidercide each to believe they are the real Peter Parker. In the end even he didn't know the truth.

* A famous quote of Captain Jack Sparrow of the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' movies

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Elim Garak is probably this show's most triumphant example, to such a degree that on one occasion Odo realises Garak is telling the truth precisely because his response to a question is a simple "I don't know" rather than a convoluted and eloquant tale of extravagence. His reputation for obfuscation is legend not just in the fandom but in-universe as well.

* [[ConsummateLiar Kokichi Oma]] from ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'' invokes this trope from the word go, making it nearly impossible for the other DeadlyGame contestants to tell whether anything he says is true. His trickery quickly reaches a point where the game's protagonist considers him the AnthropomorphicPersonification of lying itself.

Paradoxically, by taking RefugeInAudacity in this way, the [[ILied outright lie]] sometimes manages to become ''more'' effective than trying to hide it. It may be because a person simply doesn't believe that someone trying to lie to them would ''tell'' them they're lying. Or perhaps the open lie is actually a way of hiding a second lie. Or it could be that their M.O. is to flood the zone with so much bullshit that no one can sort out fact from fiction. Regardless, a typical reaction to this scenario can be for the victim to go through the circular logic of "[[IKnowYouKnowIKnow If he was lying, then that statement was a lie, so he was telling the truth...]]" and so on. This also lays the ideal groundwork for running a KansasCityShuffle - a scam in which the victim knows they're being conned, but is deceived into guessing wrong about ''how'' they're being conned.

In any case, despite making everyone around them aware of the fact they are not to be trusted, they somehow still manage to get away with the deception. Compare SarcasticConfession, in which a character bluffs by telling the exact, if unbelievable, truth. See also LiarsParadox.

* Deacon of ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' comes up with all sorts of contradictory lies about his backstory, some of them more blatant than others. He's also a MasterOfDisguise who frequently changes his appearance. This need to constantly reinvent himself is apparently due to [[TheAtoner his profound shame]] over the kind of person he used to be.

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[[folder:Comics]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

Paradoxically, by taking RefugeInAudacity in this way, the [[ILied outright lie]] sometimes manages to become ''more'' effective than trying to hide it. It may be because a person simply doesn't believe that someone trying to lie to them would ''tell'' them they're lying. Or perhaps the open lie is actually a way of hiding a second lie. Regardless, a typical reaction to this scenario can be for the victim to go through the circular logic of "[[IKnowYouKnowIKnow If he was lying, then that statement was a lie, so he was telling the truth...]]" and so on. This also lays the ideal groundwork for running a KansasCityShuffle - a scam in which the victim knows they're being conned, but is deceived into guessing wrong about ''how'' they're being conned.

-->-- ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad''

** Also, Reacher Gilt, the BigBad of ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', a CorruptCorporateExecutive who ''[[DevilInPlainSight advertises]]'' the fact by going around resembling a pirate, complete with a bird on his shoulder screaming "[[StealthPun Twelve and a half percent]]."
** Moist Von Lipwig notes in ''Discworld/MakingMoney'' that if you tell the masses you want to take their money, you'll just gain a reputation as an honest man.