History Main / TheyCallMeMisterTibbs

* Momma Bosco in the ''SamAndMax games'', being a StrawFeminist, is very particular about how she is addressed. When Sam and Max first meet her, she insists on being called ''Ms.'' Momma Bosco. In Season 3, after she got a [=PhD=], she will correct you if you don't call her ''Dr.'' Momma Bosco.
** The trope namer is also given a shout-out in the Season 2 finale.

[[TropeCodifier The trope is named]] for Creator/SidneyPoitier's famous line from ''InTheHeatOfTheNight'', where an educated black Philadelphia detective, Virgil Tibbs, is in a bigoted part of the South, and is asked what people call him where he comes from with the asker using multiple racial diminutives and slurs. ''Mister'' Tibbs responds with affirmation of his experience and value.

* In a ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode, Brian Griffin (the dog) is made the teacher of Chris' class. Brian tells the class not to call him "Mr. Griffin" because "that's my father's name". Chris speaks up and says, "I thought your dad's name was Coco (a dog), and he got hit by a milk truck!", [[LampshadeHanging lampshading]] the fact that Brian is a dog who took the last name Griffin from his owner.

** In GrahamMcNeill's Literature/{{Ultramarines}} novel ''Dead Sky, Black Sun'', when Pasanius calls Uriel "Captain" in the beginning, Uriel says that does not apply while they are under the death oath; at the end, he calls him it again, and reminds him that they have fulfilled their death oath, and so Uriel is his captain again.

* In the film ''Ice Station Zebra'' Main/RockHudson explains it thus: "We operate on a first-name basis here. My first name is "Captain."

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* Until the late 18th Century, surgeons learned their trade as apprentices, rather than through a university education. As they didn't have medical degrees, they were not entitled to call themselves "Doctor". Nowadays, an aspiring surgeon must first graduate from medical school (gaining the title "Doctor"), then complete at least four more years of training in surgery. After successfully completing their postgraduate training, they revert to using the traditional "Mister" as a badge of honour to distinguish themselves from ordinary doctors.

** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS2E2ToothAndClaw Tooth and Claw]]": "The correct form of address is ''[[QueenVicky Your Majesty!]]''"
** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E6TheInvasionOfTime The Invasion Of Time]]'', Leela is quite insistent that she is Leela and not "madame."

-->'''Harriet Jones''': Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister.
-->'''Dalek''': YES - WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

* In ''HeatGuyJ'', a young girl (about 14 years old) appears in a {{Filler}} episode from a nearby village. She insists on being called by her title, Hime([[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses "Princess"]]), because in her culture, only immediate family members and spouses have the right to know each other's real names.
* {{Manga/Gintama}}: "Zura janai, Katsura da!".

* In ''{{Breaking Bad}}'', Jesse consistently refers to Walt as "Mr. White", what with Walt being his old chemistry teacher. Later on, when Hank and Steve bring Mike in for questioning, Hank does a faux amicability act, asking "Michael? Mike?"; Mike, annoyed, informs him that it's '"Mr. Ehrmentraut."

* ''SpittingImage''

* Applied ''accidentally'' to the lich darklord whose real name is [[spoiler: Firan Zal'honen]], but who is now known throughout {{Ravenloft}} as "Azalin". When he first arrived in Darkon, he used his title "Wizard-King", in the dialect of his homeland, to introduce himself; for the natives of the Land of Mists, "Azalin" was the closest they could come to pronouncing it, and they latched on it as his name. Just to make things [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment more awkward]], he's formally referred to in court documents as "Azalin Rex", or "Wizard-King King".

** For added fun, Launcelot repeatedly calls Gobbo "father," and Gobbo still doesn't recognize him, because at the time "father" was a general term of address to old men, used by the peasant classes. After Gobbo recognizes Launcelot as his son, he ceases to refer to him with the words "you" and "your", using the more familiar "thou" and "thy."

* The second variant is played for humor in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo''. Not knowing the sea turtle's name, Marlin calls him "mister turtle". As it turns out, [[SpeciesSurname "Turtle" ]]''[[SpeciesSurname is ]]''[[SpeciesSurname his surname]] - "Dude, Mr. Turtle is my ''father''. Name's Crush."

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** It's perfectly acceptable in the Air Force for an enlisted to refer to a lieutenant as "L.T.". No so in the corps.

* Bob Backlund, during his mid-1990s heel gimmick as a highly volatile, out-of-touch elder wrestler who considered "the new generation" rude and disrespectful, often demanded that fans and interviewers address him "Mr. Backlund," and there'd be hell to pay if they refused. On television, several segments aired where he was seen interacting with young fans and – among other comically ridiculous stipulations that included such things as naming all the presidents in chronological order within 45 seconds (and no "ums" or "ahs" – refusing to sign his autograph if they didn't comply with his requests.

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* Used in ''DragonBallZ'', though not in the American dub of the anime, just the Japanese versions (and the translated manga). Piccolo mentions Kaio can help them, to which Kaio says "It's Kaio-sama..." or Lord Kaio.

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* [[DragonBallAbridged "That's Super Kami Guruuu!"]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

** Some girls under 30 like to be called Miss rather than Ms. because they feel Ms. makes them look old.

* In the courtroom, in addition to attorneys referring to adult litigants, witnesses and defendants (and sometimes, minors over a certain age) by a courtesy title and last name, everyone is expected to refer to judges as "Your Honor" or, short of that, "Judge (last name)."