History Main / PublicHaterPrivateFan

Compare the Obsessed Hater subset of HateDumb, which may sound a lot like this.\\
Contrast ClosetGeek where the fan simply hides their interest as opposed to pretending to hate the franchise. Also compare IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam, where someone ''assumes'' they'll hate something they've never experienced, only to love it once they actually try it.

Contrast ClosetGeek where the fan simply hides their interest as opposed to pretending to hate the franchise.

* ''Series/CoopAndCamiAskTheWorld'': Charlotte insists Cami should invest her time more productively then watching some trashy reality tv dating show, then mentions that the two-timing love cheater Mitchell is such a jerk, followed by her claiming that she caught a few episodes in passing.

* Diana from ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'' publicly derides the witch Shiny Chariot to hide that she was a massive fan as a kid, and still secretly looks up to her to this day.

* On ''Series/Brooklyn99'' Captain Holt ridicules Gina for playing a phone game called ''Kwazy Kupcakes'' only to become secretly addicted to the game himself.

Then they make a verbal gaff, making a reference [[INeverSaidItWasPoison only a fan would know]], revealing that despite professing to hate the franchise, they were a fan all along. Usually followed by a lame attempt to pass off their knowledge as casual interest. Of course, nobody believes them.

* In ''LightNovel/EromangaSensei'', [[TheProtagonist Masamune Izumi]] is a light novel writer with problems to get success with his novels, when he knows [[TheOjou Elf Yamada]], a more successsful and famous light novelist who rivals Masamune and even he hates in some moments. After passing some time writing together, Masamune admits he's fan of Elf's novels and even they were an inspiration to be a light novelist like her.

* ''Series/{{Jessie}}'': Emma and Ravi receive advance copies of a much desired novel. When Luke learns they are fans, he relentlessly mocks them until they mention a plot development which he doesn't approve off, followed by instantly checking the book to verify it for himself. Revealing he is also a fan.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'': In "The Grasp of the Gnome", a man who says he hates pirates is shown to be dressing and acting like one when nobody's around.

* ''Series/HunterStreet'': Sal spends all episode saying how unrealistic [[MacGyver McMacho]] is and challenges Max to prove it by having each of them construct two traps to find out which one is superior. When Max quotes a line from a [=McMacho=] episode after his trap is effective, Sal instantly cites the episode name and number that the quote originated from. Then he tries to claim he only watched a few episodes.

[[AC:Music]]
* In TheSeventies, it was de rigeur for anyone wanting to be seen as having street cred to despise pop music and "froth" of the Music/{{Abba}} variety whilst expressing enthusiasm for Punk Rock in all its forms. ProgRock also suffered from the same "either-or" dichotomy. Yet many fans and practitioners of punk and New Wave have since revealed that they actually ''liked and respected'' Abba and the despised hippy old timer bands for qualities like showmanship, musical and lyrical competence, and -- yes -- for some nice tunes. They just weren't able to say so in public, and those acts remained a guilty private pleasure.

!Examples

* Series/HunterStreet: Sal spends all episode saying how unrealistic [[MacGyver McMacho]] is and challenges Max to prove it by having each of them construct two traps to find out which one is superior. When Max quotes a line from a [=McMacho=] episode after his trap is effective, Sal instantly cites the episode name and number that the quote originated from. Then he tries to claim he only watched a few episodes.
* Series/Jessie: Emma and Ravi receive advance copies of a much desired novel. When Luke learns they are fans, he relentlessly mocks them until they mention a plot development which he doesn't approve off, followed by instantly checking the book to verify it for himself. Revealing he is also a fan.
* Series/LivAndMaddie: Parker's friends relentlessly mock him for watching a girly comedy show, but while doing so, they use an obscure catchphrase that only a fan would be aware of. This immediately gives him the realisation that his friends also watch the show.

* In the ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' storyline "My House is Me", Nick hates the [[BlandNameProduct Whimsy]] [[Franchise/DisneyPrincesses Princesses]] franchise with a passion. And he has a whole load of Whimsy Princesses media on his hard drive, so he can hate it more conveniently. He ends up ''becoming'' a Whimsy Princess, protesting (too much) the whole way. (There was going to be a scene where he's pressured into admitting he ''doesn't'' hate Whimsy, but Shaenon and Jeff decided it was clear enough what was going on, without spelling it out.)

* In the ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' storyline "My House is Me", Nick hates the Whimsy Princesses franchise with a passion. And he has a whole load of Whimsy Princesses media on his hard drive, so he can hate it more conveniently. He ends up ''becoming'' a Whimsy Princess, protesting (too much) the whole way. (There was going to be a scene where he's pressured into admitting he ''doesn't'' hate Whimsy, but Shaenon and Jeff decided it was clear enough what was going on, without spelling it out.)

Then they make a verbal gaff, making a reference [[INeverSaidItWasPoison only a fan would know]], revealing that despite professing to hate the franchise, they were a fan all along. Usually followed by a lame attempt to pass off their knowledge as casual interest. Usually, nobody believes them.

Compare the Obsessed Hater subset of HateDumb, which may sound a lot like this. Contrast ClosetGeek where the fan simply hides their interest as opposed to pretending to hate the franchise.

Then they make a verbal gaff, making a reference [[INeverSaidItWasPoison only a fan would know]], maybe revealing that despite professing to hate the franchise, they were a fan all along. Usually followed by a lame attempt to pass off their knowledge as casual interest. Usually, nobody believes them. Might be justified if they ''used'' to be a fan of it until something bad happened to it which turns all of his fanaticism into hatred.

See also the other "hating but secretly loving" tropes: ArmoredClosetGay, LovingBully and {{Tsundere}}. Compare IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam when someone claimed to hate a certain food, but then becomes addicted to it after trying it.

Compare the Obsessed Hater subset of HateDumb, which may sound a lot like this. Contrast ClosetGeek where the fan simply hides their interest as opposed to pretending to hate the franchise; this trope to ClosetGeek is like ArmoredClosetGay to regular closeted gays.

Then they make a verbal gaff, making a reference [[INeverSaidItWasPoison only a fan would know]], maybe revealing that despite professing to hate the franchise, they were a fan all along. Usually followed by a lame attempt to pass off their knowledge as casual interest. Usually, nobody believes them. Might be justified in that they ''used'' to be a fan of it until something bad happened to it which turns all of his fanaticism into hatred.

A character spends a significant amount of time telling another character that their favorite in-universe fictional franchise is completely idiotic and cites examples.
At no point does it ever occur to wonder how exactly the detractor is so well informed.

Then they make a verbal gaff, making a reference [[INeverSaidItWasPoison only a fan would know]].
Revealing that despite professing to hate the franchise, they were a fan all along.
Usually followed by a lame attempt to pass off their knowledge as casual interest.
Nobody believes them.

Contrast ClosetGeek where the fan simply hides their interest as opposed to pretending to hate the franchise.

A character spends a significant amount of time telling another character that their favorite inuniverse fictional franchise is completely idiotic and cites examples.

* Played with in ''Webcomic/UnwindersTallComics'': [[http://tallcomics.com/comic/119 "One of these characters is a brony"]]. Unwinder talks about how he doesn't understand the ''My Little Pony'' PeripheryFandom at all, and his friend Barbecue Sauce agrees with everything he says. Then Sauce goes home and immediately starts playing with his own MLP dolls. And then it's AllJustADream--in the waking world, Unwinder is a very outspoken ''MLP'' fan, while Barbecue sauce doesn't like it at all.

* WesternAnimation/BeastWars: For all of Dinobot's bluster about Predacon virtues, he actually holds a great deal of respect for the Maximals. Largely due to Dinobot being an honorable warrior, while the remaining Predacons are not so honorable. Which the Maximals are.

* In TheSeventies, it was de riguer for anyone wanting to be seen as having street cred to despise pop music and "froth" of the Music/{{Abba}} variety whilst expressing enthusiasm for Punk Rock in all its forms. ProgRock also suffered from the same "either-or" dichotomy. Yet many fans and practitioners of punk and New Wave have since revealed that they actually ''liked and respected'' Abba and the despised hippy old timer bands for qualities like showmanship, musical and lyrical competence, and -- yes -- for some nice tunes. They just weren't able to say so in public, and those acts remained a guilty private pleasure.

Music
* In TheSeventies, it was de riguer for anyone wanting to be seen as having street cred to despise pop music and "froth" of the Music/{{Abba}} variety whilst expressing enthusiasm for Punk Rock in all its forms. ProgRock also suffered from the same "either-or" dichotomy. Yet many fans and practitioners of punk and New Wave have since revealed that they actually ''liked and respected'' Abba and the despised hippy old timer bands for qualities like showmanship, musical and lyrical competence, and - yes - for some nice tunes. They just weren't able to say so in public, and those acts remained a guilty private pleasure.