History Main / FeeFiFauxPas

* ''Fanfic/UsAndThem'': In a side story, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Cid and Sephiroth]] are eager to work with a new stock of adamantium they traded with a tribe on dwarves for. Seph is surprised that they were willing to trade after Cid called their chief "Little Guy", but they brush it off. Later, after hours of fruitlessly trying to so much as dent the metal, they both admit the dwarves got them back for the insult. ''Hard''.

* In Disney's ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid'', literal FishOutOfWater Ariel, at her first dinner with Eric, uses a dinglehopper (a fork) to comb her hair (based on faulty information provided by Scuttle the seagull). She also grabs Grimsby's pipe and blows into it believing that it is a snarfblatt, which Scuttle blows like a trumpet.

* Creator/RossNoble once borrowed sunglasses from a woman in the crowd and used them to hold a piece of ham to his face. The woman was Muslim; Islam teaches that contact with pig's flesh is ''very'' sinful. Ross promptly offered to buy her new sunglasses.
* Half the fun of Basic Training for new military recruits is learning the entirely new (and often entirely arbitrary) rules and social standards that they must live by, including addressing some of their superiors as sir, [[DontCallMeSir but not others]], standing at attention while speaking, learning specific required protocols (such as the correct way to report to an officer, the correct thing to do when the National Anthem plays, and what they should do differently if they are indoors versus outdoors), and countless other important rules big and small. For those who complete their training and go into the "real" military, it's still possible for them to end up in trouble for failing to salute officers, being disrespectful to superiors, wearing their uniforms incorrectly, etc.

* When Australian stand up comedian Fiona O'Loughlin met the queen with a few other residents of Alice Springs, she noticed that her husband went to shake Her Majesty's hand. Without looking to whom she was talking to, she asked the person standing next to her "Did he just fuck up?" A voice replied "Not as much as you just did, dear". She turned around to find that she just addressed the Duke of Edinburgh [[note]]as in, Prince Philip, the Queen's husband/consort[[/note]] (although, given his track record of this sort of thing, this may count as praise from Caesar).

* Creator/PiersAnthony's ''{{Literature/Xanth}}'' has a location called the "Faux Pass" (har de har; the entire series is essentially a HurricaneOfPuns). Anyone crossing through this pass is fated to commit a faux pas in the near future. As an accidental bonus for the trope name it was created by an incredibly huge giant literally tripping over the mountain range.

* In ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'', the narrator, having broken an ancient explorer's code, shows his uncle how the code is written. Unfortunately, he has his love for his uncle's ward on the brain, and the phrase he codes is that he loves her... Thankfully for everyone, his uncle's response amounts to, "Huh. Well, we'll talk about that later."
* In Ellen Raskin's ''Figgs and Phantoms'' Mona Lisa Figg unthinkingly requests a book by its title and (racist) subtitle while speaking to a black librarian.

-->'''Ellie:''' [[spoiler: Thanks Frank.]]
* The embarrassing faux pas is the single driving narrative force in ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm''. Some fans even use the term "Larry David moment" to it.
* Pretty much every character in ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'' has said or done something after forgetting that Matt is blind. The real estate agent tells him that he and Foggy can fight over the office with the better view. Karen holds a newspaper to his face to show an article about how terrible Wilson Fisk is. Ben Urich shrugs instead of verbally answering. Matt isn't bothered by it and seems to prefer the odd faux pas to people treating him like he's made of glass.

--->'''The Doctor:''' But then [the [[MultipleHeadCase Aplans]][=]=] banned self-marrying! I mean, what's that all about? But then that's the church for you! No offence... bishop.\\

** In the first season, Admiral Lindy, wishing to make Nanoha more comfortable and show her appreciation for Nanoha's culture, invites the title character to a [[SpotOfTea tea ceremony]]. She then proceeds to prepare her green tea by dropping lumps of sugar in it and adding milk, a Japanese no-no (Lindy's doing it British-style with Japanese aesthetics) that caused Nanoha to [[http://www.katamari.com.br/ontherocks/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Nanoha_Horrifying.png be horrified.]] This later turned into a running gag. The fourth ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]'' sound stage revealed that she introduced it to Mary. Ginga, who also drinks her tea this way, asks her father, who is suggested to be of Japanese descent, if he would like to try it, and he politely refuses.

* In the AnimatedAdaptation of ''Discworld/SoulMusic'', Imp y Celyn is prone to putting his foot in it.

* In ''Discworld/SoulMusic'', Imp y Celyn is sitting in a waiting room with a dwarf and a troll, and they casually mention that he looks a bit "druidish" (he is). Imp worries that a troll (a stone-based creature) would take offense at people who drag innocent boulders across the country and arrange them in circles, and vehemently denies it, adding "I hate rocks!" for emphasis. The troll, Cliff, patiently explains that "rock" is a derogatory term for troll. Fortunately he's willing to forgive Imp, seeing as he's a fellow musician and clearly didn't mean to offend, and the whole incident ends up breaking the ice for all three.
** Mr. Nutt has NoSocialSkills at the beginning of ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'', so he frequently says things he shouldn't, e.g. calling Glenda "fecund".

* In the first season of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', Admiral Lindy, wishing to make Nanoha more comfortable and show her appreciation for Nanoha's culture, invites the title character to a [[SpotOfTea tea ceremony]]. She then proceeds to prepare her green tea by dropping lumps of sugar in it and adding milk, a Japanese no-no (Lindy's doing it British-style with Japanese aesthetics) that caused Nanoha to [[http://www.katamari.com.br/ontherocks/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Nanoha_Horrifying.png be horrified.]] This later turned into a running gag.
** In the fourth ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]'' sound stage, it is revealed that she introduced it to Mary. Ginga, who also drinks her tea this way, asks her father, who is suggested to be of Japanese descent, if he would like to try it, and he politely refuses.

* The main character in Ellen Raskin's ''Figgs and Phantoms'' unthinkingly requested a book by its title and (racist) subtitle while speaking to a black librarian.

** It even carries into ''Series/TheDefenders2017'', as in one scene, Matt and Series/{{Jessica Jones}} are walking and Jessica makes a slip-up. She quickly apologizes, but Matt laughs it off.

->'''Southerner:''' Looks like we need to teach y' all a little lesson about how to behave in polite society!\\
'''Jim West:''' Never drum on a white lady's boobies at a big redneck dance. Got it. Phew, I'm sure glad we got that cleared up.
-->-- ''Film/WildWildWest'' (1999)

This trope has no connection whatsoever to the webcomic ''Webcomic/FauxPas'' (which is actually pronounced "Fox Paws", unlike the French, which is more to the effect of "foe pa").

* In TheFilmOfTheBook of the first novel in the Literature/EarthsChildren series, ''[[http://jabootu.net/?p=556 Clan Of The Cave Bear]]'', lead character Ayla must, within sight of her tribe, save a child from a wolf using her advanced hunting skills, skills which it is not lawful for a woman in her society to have.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': From [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels "The Time of Angels"]]:
-->'''The Doctor:''' But then [the [[MultipleHeadCase Aplans]][=]=] banned self-marrying! I mean, what's that all about? But then that's the church for you! No offence... bishop.\\

* Andy, in ''Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns'', is accidentally misled into confusing the naive and prudish Ruby with her sister, the ex-porn star Amber. Even so, giving Ruby a cock ring as a date gift, and then asking her in public when she discovered that she enjoyed taking her clothes off for the camera, is crass by any standard. Fortunately for him, Ruby doesn't recognise the gift and suffers a [[HeroicBSOD total freeze-up]] at the question.

This trope has no connection whatsoever to the webcomic ''Webcomic/FauxPas'' (which is actually pronounced "Fox Paws," unlike the French, which is more to the effect of "foe pa")

[[folder:VideoGame]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Comics]]

-->'''Woman''': Say, when are you expecting...
-->'''Heavyset woman''': I'm not pregnant!
-->'''Woman''': ...this stupid bus to arrive? It's been almost an hour!
* In the first issue of the new ''[[Comicbook/{{Batgirl2011}} Batgirl]]'' series, Barbara Gordon's new roommate sees the wheelchair lift on Barbara's van and makes a comment about how being "trapped in a chair" is her worst fear, since it would be "like prison." Barbara's internal narration says that she knows her roommate didn't mean anything by it, and she's not ready to correct her and that she has no way of knowing that ''Barbara herself'' used to need it, and when she was in the chair she was [[VoiceWithAnInternetConnection Oracle]].

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]

** Mr. Nutt has NoSocialSkills at the beginning of ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'', so he frequently says things he shouldn't, e.g. calling Glenda "fecund."
-->'''Mr. Nutt''': Have I made another faux pas?
-->'''Glenda''': Is this "faux pas" that [[NoPronunciationGuide looks like it should be pronounced]] "forks pass"?

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/TheNanny'''s Chastity Claire once wore a lamb wool coat in front of Lamb Chop. Fran chastises her for it, saying, "Hello! Maybe she had ''people'' there?!" in the ensuing freak out from the famous lamb.

* ''Series/RedDwarf'' - Rimmer claims he got passed up for a promotion because, at an important dinner with an admiral, his soup was cold. So he demanded it be heated up nice and hot. It was done so. Unfortunately, it was Gazpacho soup (which is meant to be served cold)... However, Rimmer claims he could have been an admiral by the time Series/RedDwarf had its disaster, even though he was the second lowest crewmember on the ship and the dinner was less than a year before he died.
** This was very nearly Truth in Television. The creators went out to dinner in a fancy restaurant and were served gazpacho soup - they were about to send it back when one of the other diners explained.
* On ''Series/TopGear'', while in America filming a "factual documentary" which is getting dangerously close to becoming entertaining, the presenters are [[{{Kayfabe}} stopped by a patrolman]]. Jeremy Clarkson takes it upon himself to explain the situation, with helpful hand gestures.... and in the process flips the cop off three or four times.
* On ''Series/{{Castle}}'', an actress visits Rick Castle at home, thanking him for their relationship and her part in Castle's new movie. She walks out the door:
-->'''Ellie:''' [[spoiler: Thanks Frank.]]

* Matthew Crawley makes quite a few missteps early on in his tenure on ''Series/DowntonAbbey'', including commenting that being a valet "seems rather a silly profession for a grown man." ... to his ''valet''. The man flees the room in shame.
** Another notable one shows up when SelfMadeMan Sir Richard Carlisle runs into Lord Grantham's sister on the Abbey grounds:
-->'''Carlisle''': Ah, Lady Painswick.\\
'''Rosamund''': *smiling, stamping her walking stick into the ground with a grandiosity befitting her mother* Lady ''Rosamund''.
* In ''Series/TheWestWing'' episode "The Midterms", Doctor Jenna Jacobs, a conservative radio talkshow host, is publicly humiliated by the President of the United States (he draws her into clarifying that she [[MDEnvy is not an MD]], but rather has a [[NotThatKindOfDoctor PhD in English]], and then after she defends her stance that homosexuality is a sin by quoting the [[Literature/TheBible Book of Leviticus]], asks her a serious of rapid-fire questions about whether he could sell his daughter into slavery, have his chief of staff executed for working on the Sabbath Day, etc. [[AsTheGoodBookSays all while citing different verses of Leviticus]] (President Bartlett being [[BadassBookworm a very well-studied Catholic]]), before finally pointing out what drew his wrath upon her.
-->'''President Bartlett:''' "One last thing: [[WhereDoYouThinkYouAre While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club]], in this building, when the President stands, ''nobody sits''."

-->'''Shelby:''' Tell me, Commander, is serving aboard the Enterprise as extraordinary an experience as I've heard?
-->'''Riker:''' Every bit of it.
-->'''Shelby:''' (''grinning'') Good, Because I intend to convince Captain Picard that I'm the right choice for the job.
-->'''Riker:''' Job? Which job?
-->'''Shelby:''' Yours, of course...
-->(''Riker glares at her'')
-->'''Shelby:''' I'm sorry... I heard you were leaving.
-->'''Riker:''' [[DeadpanSnarker If I am... I'm sure you'll be the first to know, Commander.]]
* ''Series/{{Orange is the New Black}}'' uses this to drive one of its first story arcs. On Piper's first day in prison, an inmate comes by and gives her a yogurt cup at the mess hall, as a welcome gift. Piper thanks her profusely, adding that she's happy to get the yogurt because "the food here is disgusting." It turns out that the woman who gave her the yogurt is the head cook, one of the most powerful inmates in the prison. And she takes the insult ''very'' personally.
* Pretty much every character in ''Series/{{Daredevil 2015}}'' has said or done something after forgetting that Matt is blind. The real estate agent tells him that he and Foggy can fight over the office with the better view. Karen holds a newspaper to his face to show an article about how terrible Wilson Fisk is. Ben Urich shrugs instead of verbally answering. Matt isn't bothered by it and seems to prefer the odd faux pas to people treating him like he's made of glass.
** It even carries into ''Series/TheDefenders2017'', as in one scene, Matt and Series/{{Jessica Jones}} are walking and Jessica makes a slip-up. She quickly apologizes, but Matt laughs it off.

* ''Series/GentlemanJack'': While in Denmark, Anne makes a visit to the Danish court and is told to introduce herself to the queen. She approaches a well-dressed older woman and politely curtsies to "Her Majesty"... only to be informed that the queen is actually the younger woman standing next to her. Luckily, the queen takes it in stride and is quite friendly to Anne, and everyone laughs about it later.

[[folder:WebComics]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

[[folder:Western Comics]]
* One ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' story arc features Suzie getting into trouble for such things as passing notes and talking in class (all instigated by Calvin, of course).
* Happens quite often in the Norwegian comic ''Pondus''. The usual scenario is Pondus and his wife, Beate, chatting with a friend (mostly Beate's friends). Beate makes a Faux Pas, tries to correct it and makes matter worse. Pondus usually praises Beate for this.
* In the comic strip ''Drabble'', the title character is introduced to sushi, whereupon he announces, "I'll have mine well done, please!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:RealLife]]

* ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'': When the team meets the angara and invites one (Jaal) aboard the ship, Liam and Jaal decide to ''deliberately'' engage in this with each other. Liam says they're doing it so they can figure out what is offensive to each other and thereby avoid unintentional insults in the future. Ryder is confused by this but it seems to work between them.

** Or the equivalent in ''Pygmalion'', "Me? Walk? Not bloody likely!".

* In the first season of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', Admiral Lindy, wishing to make Nanoha more comfortable and show her appreciation for Nanoha's culture, invites the title character to a [[SpotOfTea tea ceremony]]. She then proceeds to prepare her green tea by dropping lumps of sugar in it and adding milk, a Japanese no-no (Lindy's doing it British-style with Japanese aesthetics) that caused Nanoha to [[http://www.katamari.com.br/ontherocks/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Nanoha_Horrifying.png be horrified]]. This later turned into a running gag.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'' movie, Shrek eats dinner with Fiona's parents and mistakes a finger bowl for soup.

* In the second ''{{WesternAnimation/Shrek}}'' movie, Shrek eats dinner with Fiona's parents and mistakes a finger bowl for soup.

* [[FragileFlower Latvia]] of ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'', despite being [[ShrinkingViolet shy]] and [[NervousWreck nervous]], lacks tact and has a tendency to just blurt out whatever's on his mind, no matter how insensitive or insulting it may be, especially in front of his former boss [[PsychopathicManchild Russia]]...and [[AndCallHimGeorge he often has to face the consequences for it]].

See also ForgotAboutTheMindReader, where the character doesn't even have to speak. IMeantToDoThat is when the character pretends the blunder was in fact done on purpose in order to mitigate the embarrassment. Compare ProtocolPeril, which is what happens when a particular faux pas is treated as a life or death matter and with FumblingTheGauntlet, where the faux pas is [[LetsYouAndHimFight an invitation to fight]].

* When Australian stand up comedian Fiona O'Loughlin met the queen with a few other residents of Alice Springs, she noticed that her husband went to shake Her Majesty's hand. Without looking to whom she was talking to, she asked the person standing next to her "Did he just fuck up?" A voice replied "Not as much as you just did, dear". She turned around to find that she just addressed the Duke of Edinburgh (although, given his track record of this sort of thing, this may count as praise from Caesar).