History Main / BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord

* In ''DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'', after we find out the real reason of '''[[CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth CAPTAIN GORDON, DEFENDER OF EARTH!]]''''s mission to the Netherworld, this conversation takes place:

* Creed Bratton uses the trope name directly in the webisodes for ''TheOffice''.

'''Xander:''' Yeah, but I'm about to blackmail you, so I thought I'd bring it up.

* In ''DannyPhantom'' when Danny calls Vlad a Green Bay Packers fanatic. Vlad openly admits it.

* In Literature/SpocksWorld, [=McCoy=] insists on his hacking brewing called "borrowing" rather than "stealing."

** Also:
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' I negotiated an exchange with three gentlemen from... other planes of existence. Those in the ventral position.\\

*** Though that one isn't a distinction without a difference- the fiends ''don't'' get V permanently as "sold" would imply. Whether it's ''enough'' of a difference is a matter of opinion. [[spoiler:Inkyrius didn't think so.]]

'''Jameson:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Slander is spoken. In print, it's libel]].

''[beat]''

->'''Ed''': ''Are you bribing me?''
->'''Yoki''': ''"Bribe" is such an ugly word. Let's call this a gift from me to you.''
->[[BrickJoke later in the episode]]
->'''Yoki''': ''You swindled me!''
->'''Ed''': ''[[IronicEcho "Swindle" is such an ugly word, let's call it a gift from you to me.]]''

-->'''Skunk:''' Don't worry. Skunks only spray musk when scared.
-->'''Dilbert:''' Then why is your tail twitching?
-->'''Skunk:''' I'm scared you won't fix me a big bowl of strawberry ice cream.
-->'''Dilbert:''' This is blackmail!
-->'''Skunk:''' No it's not. I'm just easily frightened...Now I'm scared you won't sing the entire score from ''{{Cats}}'' while I eat.

-->'''Alan:''' "Flynn, are you embezzling?"\\
'''Flynn:''' "Embezzling is such an ugly word."\\

-->"It may become necessary..."
-->"To kill?"
-->"Persuade."
-->"But it is deeply embedded within Hari. To change it may cause him serious harm."
-->(Beat) The robot said "Regrettable." Then it croaked out "Necessary..." and left the room.

-->'''Wayne Meyerson''': Wait. Are you ''blackmailing'' me?
-->'''Jesse''': Yeah. But... let's not call it that. Let's call it 'a potential win-win'.

-->'''Sir Humphrey:''' It's blackmail!
-->'''General Selim Mohammed:''' Are you referring to me or my proposal?
-->'''Jim Hacker:''' Your proposal, obviously! No, wait, not ''even'' your proposal!

-->'''Allison Taylor:''' What you're proposing is blackmail.
-->'''Jonas Hodges:''' Well, that's putting it in the worst possible light.

-->'''Caryn''': You know, Dr. Solomon, this could be interpreted as blackmail.
-->'''Dick''': No, Caryn, it's extortion.

-->'''Peter Parker:''' Spider Man wasn't trying to attack the city… he was trying to save it. That's slander.
-->'''J. Jonah Jameson:''' It is not. I resent that. Slander is spoken. In print, it's libel.

-->'''Virginia:''' I said this is called entrapment.
-->'''Mac:''' No, this is blackmail. Entrapment is what cops do to thieves.

-->'''Will''': We're going to steal a ship? [looks at the ''Endeavour''] ''That'' ship?
-->'''Jack''': ''Commandeer''; nautical term. We're going to commandeer...''that'' ship. [points at the ''Interceptor'']

-->'''Melchett:''' "Security" isn't a dirty word, Blackadder. "Crevice" is a dirty word, but not "security".
-->(later)
-->'''Blackadder:''' Well, good thing your job[[note]]frisking[[/note]] is also your hobby.
-->'''Melchett:''' Now there's another dirty word: "job".
-->(even later)
-->'''Darling:''' We've found a leak.
-->'''Melchett:''' Now "leak" is a positively ''disgusting'' word.

-->'''Buffy:''' So...am I crazy?
-->'''Willow:''' Well, "crazy" is such a strong word...
-->'''Giles:''' Let's not rule it out, though.

-->'''Penny:''' Does NASA know you're using that thing as a napkin holder?
-->'''Howard:''' Are you kidding? They still think it's in a secure locker at JPL.
-->''' Penny:''' You ''stole'' it?
-->'''Howard:''' ''Borrowed!'' The trick is to [[BavarianFireDrill carry it out to your car like you own it]].

--> Carter: You hacked into his company?
--> Finch: 'Hacked' is such an ugly word.

-->'''Courier:''' In the meantime, you'd rule Vegas as some kind of dictator?
-->'''Mr. House:''' I prefer the term 'autocrat'.

--> Cale Oosha: TREASON!
--> Dragit: Revolution.

-->'''Amber:''' "Extortion" is such an ugly word. I prefer..."extortion".
-->'''Dan:''' That's the same word.
-->'''Amber:''' I said it nicer the second time.

-->'''Blackadder:''' Well, good thing your job[[hottip:*:frisking]] is also your hobby.

* In ''KindHeartsAndCoronets'', Louis sees through one of Sibella's schemes: "Not only are you trying to blackmail me -- an ugly word, but the right one, I think -- but you're trying to bluff me as well."

* ''[[{{Batman}} Joker's Asylum:]] ComicBook/TheRiddler'':

* Inverted in ''{{Entrapment}}'', where CatherineZetaJones's character is shown the evidence of [[spoiler:her theft of the Rembrandt]] by SeanConnery's character. She claims it's "entrapment". Connery's character counters that entrapment is when a cop does this to a thief. When a thief does it to another thief, it's just blackmail. [[spoiler:Then it turns out that Connery's character is an FBI informant]].
* From ''{{Tron}}'':

* Played entirely straight in [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=32408#123757 this]] ''{{Narbonic}}'' strip.

-->'''Margo''':No I have not finished, Miss Mountshaft. Furthermore, let us remember that it is I who supply the gingerbread men for rehearsal teas. (pause) Ha ha ha ha ha, blackmail is an ugly word, Miss Mountshaft."

* An episode of ''Series/TheGoodLife'' ("Pagan Rights" in series 1) has Margo on the telephone giving her choir mistress a long list of reasons why she should be allowed to stand in the front row for their upcoming performance. She gets her way:

--->'''Margo''':No I have not finished, Miss Mountshaft. Furthermore, let us remember that it is I who supply the gingerbread men for rehearsal teas. (pause) Ha ha ha ha ha, blackmail is an ugly word, Miss Mountshaft."

* An episode of ''Series/TheGoodLife'' ("Pagan Rights" in series 1) has Margo on the telephone giving her choir mistress a long list of reasons why she should be allowed to stand in the front row for their upcoming performance. "No I have not finished, Miss Mountshaft. Furthermore, let us remember that it is I who supply the gingerbread men for rehearsal teas. (pause) Ha ha ha ha ha, blackmail is an ugly word, Miss Mountshaft." She gets her way.

* An episode of ''Series/TheGoodLife'' ("Pagan Rights" in series 1) has Margo on the telephone persuading her choir mistress with a long list of reasons why she should be allowed to stand in the front row for the performance. "No I have not finished, Miss Mountshaft. Furthermore, let us remember that it is I who supply the gingerbread men for rehearsal teas. (pause) Ha ha ha ha ha, blackmail is an ugly word, Miss Mountshaft." She gets her way.

* Subverted on ''{{Arrow}}''.
-->'''Oliver:''' Felicity, are you hacking into the Merlyn Global mainframe?
-->'''Felicity:''' Hacking is such an ugly word. No, I'm... ''(pauses, can't come up with a better word)'' Yeah, totally hacking into the Merlyn Global mainframe.

* In ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/102008/an-unepic-pony-war-in-the-nondistant-future An Unepic Pony War In The Nondistant Future]]'', too keep Shining from taking sides in her little war with Cadance, Twilight writes him a letter threatening him with humiliating pictures (though they would be equally humiliating to her) and ends it with:

** In ''Literature/TheHobbit'', Gloin tells Bilbo, "You can say 'Expert Treasure-hunter' instead of 'Burglar' if you like."

* In [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/102008/an-unepic-pony-war-in-the-nondistant-future An Unepic Pony War In The Nondistant Future]], too keep Shining from taking sides in her little war with Cadance, Twilight writes him a letter threatening him with humiliating pictures (though they would be equally humiliating to her) and ends it with: