History Main / StrawmanBall

* ComicBook/CivilWar was meant to be a takeoff on the Patriot Act, where occasional characters such as ComicBook/IronMan are given the pro-registration side while being made to appear as fascists or dupes. Bizarrely, the writer apparently thought he was writing the pro-reg heroes as basically right and reasonable but forced to extremes, and since the writing staff in general didn't agree beforehand on which side they were going to support, it led to other writers deliberately amping up the {{Jerkass}} quotient on Iron Man. Thus making it an interesting example of meta-fiction due to reflecting a 'civil war' [[ArmedWithCanon among the writers themselves]].

** It didn't even have to be ''[[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman human]]''. If the episode centered around an animal ''other'' than a dog, then you could guarantee that said animal (and even said animal's owner) would be portrayed in a negative light. Taken to [[ExaggeratedTrope ridiculous extremes]] in "The Petriot Act": Bill is portrayed as being happy, successful, and popular with woman after he decides to look after a very friendly dog that belongs to an army officer for a few days. Hank ends up looking after a cat, who is [[CatsAreMean vicious and nasty]] and makes Hank's life miserable.

** It didn't even have to be ''[[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman human]]''. If the episode centered around an animal ''other'' than a dog, then you could guarantee that said animal (and even said animal's owner) would be portrayed in a negative light. Taken to ridiculous extremes with the episode ''The Petriot Act''. Bill is portrayed as being happy, successful, and popular with woman after he decides to look after a very friendly dog that belongs to an army officer for a few days. Hank ends up looking after a cat, who is [[CatsAreMean vicious and nasty]] and makes Hank's life miserable.

* Done a few times with varying characters in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', the main cast generally take turns representing a negative method of dealing with the current episode's obstacle or conflict and have to learn an Aesop about it. This is mostly rotated around rather evenly, though [[GrumpyBear Twilight Sparkle]] and [[LeeroyJenkins Rainbow Dash]], [[CommanderContrarian being the more cynical and abrasive thinking of the team]], arguably get it slightly more.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' didn't do this every week. However, if it was a group that existed outside of Hank's comfort zone or value system (RPGers and/or Pagans, New-age birthing techniques, Alternative spirituality, Hippies), you can bet that that particular [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] wouldn't even have a chance to make a point before the show went right ahead in "proving" how wrong they were.

* ComicBook/CivilWar was meant to be a takeoff on the Patriot Act, where occasional characters such as IronMan are given the pro-registration side while being made to appear as fascists or dupes. Bizarrely, the writer apparently thought he was writing the pro-reg heroes as basically right and reasonable but forced to extremes, and since the writing staff in general didn't agree beforehand on which side they were going to support, it led to other writers deliberately amping up the {{Jerkass}} quotient on Iron Man. Thus making it an interesting example of meta-fiction due to reflecting a 'civil war' [[ArmedWithCanon among the writers themselves]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' would generally use [[KnightInSourArmor Sokka]] when it needed a SrawMisogynist to be proved wrong in favor of girl power. These attitudes would be brought up ''only'' when there was a specific point to be made, and not as part of his general characterization in most episodes.

* ComicBook/CivilWar was meant to be a takeoff on the Patriot Act, where occasional characters such as IronMan are given the pro-registration side while being made to appear fascists or dupes. Bizarrely, the writer apparently thought he was writing the pro-reg heroes as basically right and reasonable but forced to extremes. The fans disagreed. Also, the writing staff in general didn't agree beforehand on which side they were going to support, which led to other writers deliberately amping up the {{Jerkass}} quotient on Iron Man. Thus making it an interesting example of meta-fiction due to reflecting a 'civil war' among the writers themselves.

* In the Michael Crichton novel ''Literature/StateOfFear'', the characters fall into three distinct categories: smart educated good characters, who don't believe human-caused global warming is an immediate threat and can quote entire geological surveys in their defense; smart uneducated good characters who start out believing in global warming but change their minds when confronted with facts; and bad characters who believe human-caused global warming and defend themselves with loud, pissy, easily-refuted propaganda. In one memorable instance, a minor character is effectively used as a concern troll by Crichton as she displays graph after graph -- which the reader gets to see too -- that "prove" global warming doesn't exist, and is pretty much lost on how to deal with the problem.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' would generally use [[KnightInSourArmor Sokka]] when it needed a "bad sexist" to be proved wrong in favor of girl power. These attitudes would be brought up ''only'' when there was a specific point to be made, and not as part of his general characterization in most episodes.

* Subverted in the similarly themed ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' comics, where both reach the same conclusions on what they should do, but the thought process that got them there is as different as Night and Day.

* In the Michael Crichton novel ''Literature/StateOfFear'', the characters fall into three distinct categories: smart educated good characters, who don't believe human-caused global warming is an immediate threat and can quote entire geological surveys in their defense; smart uneducated good characters who start out believing in global warming but change their minds when confronted with facts; and bad characters who believe human-caused global warming and defend themselves with loud, pissy, easily-refuted propaganda. In one memorable instance, a minor character is effectively used as a concern troll by Crichton as she displays graph after graph - which the reader gets to see too - that "prove" global warming doesn't exist, and is pretty much lost on how to deal with the problem.

* Numerous episodes of the original ''Series/{{CSI}}''. On this show, Grissom is ''never'' the Idiot of the Week. He's always the one lecturing about alternative lifestyles to one of the other investigators -- or at the very least being curious, receptive and respectful while it's explained to him. Nick is usually the one that's handed the {{Idiot Ball}} or sometimes the Bigot Ball in the early seasons - notably his rather offensive remarks about the smaller folks.
* Mild example on ''Series/{{NCIS}}''. In an episode about the relationship between Muslims and terrorism, Palmer, the most minor character, makes some vaguely intolerant remarks. He doesn't say anything too ridiculous, but it does present Ducky with an opportunity to soap box about tolerance and such what.

* ComicBook/CivilWar was meant to be a takeoff on the Patriot Act, where occasional characters such as IronMan are given the pro-registration side while being made to appear fascists or dupes. Bizarrely, the writer apparently thought he was writing the pro-reg heroes as basically right and reasonable but forced to extremes. The fans disagreed. Also, the writing staff in general didn't agree beforehand on which side they were going to support, which led to other writers deliberately amping up the JerkAss quotient on Iron Man. Thus making it an interesting example of meta-fiction due to reflecting a 'civil war' among the writers themselves.

* PlayedForLaughs in WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's crossover with NeedsMoreGay: while Nella is excited to fangirl with Lindsay and Rantasmo, Lindsay insists that they need a strawman and even provides a script for Nella to begrudgingly read. Made more ridiculous if you know that Nella is bisexual in RealLife.

* This was essentially Wheeler's place on ''WesternAnimation/{{Captain Planet|and the Planeteers}}'', being the [[{{Eagleland}} unenlightened American pig]]. Even when he makes perfectly valid points, [[WriterOnBoard the show]] [[AuthorTract refuses to let him be right]]. Often, it fell to the sage communist girl to correct his incorrect opinions, especially when Wheeler's plans involved ANY violence. Gaea forbid the kid with the flamethrower should use his flamethrower. The ''one'' time he was allowed to be right, he was right for ''the wrong reason''. He was the only Planeteer who believed Dr. Blight's sister wasn't evil, but he believed it because she was an attractive Hollywood actress. At least he got to share the IdiotBall with his friends that week -- a nice change from his normal "It's my Idiot Ball and you can't play!" status.
** One of the worst examples is when Wheeler points out (''quite rightly'') that it's really not a good thing to be taking random wildlife back to their HQ. But nope, who cares? It's cute!
** What Wheeler Learned About Overpopulation: "no matter which side of an issue you choose, you're wrong". Whichever opinion Wheeler chose, the others would oppose it... even if it was the opinion THEY were behind earlier in the episode. It seemed they simply refused to agree with the [[{{Eagleland}} ignorant American swine]], even if it meant changing their opinion, just so long as they held a different one from him.

The ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and ''Series/{{CSI}}'' shows, with their ensemble casts, are prime offenders.

* Hal Jordan, the titular Franchise/GreenLantern was often reduced to this in ''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', to give ComicBook/GreenArrow someone to argue with. A particularly {{egregious}} example was arguing against fighting a slaver, because he was the legitimate authority in the area. That isn't to say Green Arrow isn't given this role. He was a real {{Jerkass}} when he found out his sidekick Speedy was doing heroin, and Green Lantern had to lecture him.

* There was a particularly {{egregious}} example in one episode of ''Series/AllInTheFamily.'' The issue: Sexism. The Idiot of the Week? The extremely liberal Michael, for whom this viewpoint was completely out of character (at least at the time: as the series went on, it became increasingly clear that for all of Michael's liberal views, he was quite chauvinistic).

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

* Hal Jordan, the titular GreenLantern was often reduced to this in ''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', to give ComicBook/GreenArrow someone to argue with. A particularly {{egregious}} example was arguing against fighting a slaver, because he was the legitimate authority in the area.
** That isn't to say Green Arrow isn't given this role. He was a real {{Jerkass}} when he found out his sidekick Speedy was doing heroin, and Green Lantern had to lecture him. Subverted in the similarly themed ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' comics, where they both reach the same conclusions on what they should do, but the thought process that got them there is as different as Night and Day.