# Embarrassment for Fictional Characters

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 21, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551 "2005-03-21T13:57:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551/41 "2005-03-22T16:30:48Z")

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I thought I was the only one. That’s one reason I hate most sitcoms, the humor is supposed to be in humilation for somebody a lot of the time. I don’t find that funny, I find it uncomfortable!

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**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551/42 "2005-03-22T22:33:52Z")

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The worst scenes of embarassment, for me, are in the brilliant and lamented TV show **My So Called Life**.  
(1) Brian un-asks Delia to the dance  
(2) Rayanne gets up on stage and can’t sing _I wanna be sedated_.  
Both make me physically cringe.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551/43 "2005-03-22T23:19:38Z")

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Count me in. When I was younger, I used to have to leave the room during embarassing scenes, and then suffer double humiliation when my mother would ask me where I was going, “uh…to the bathroom?”

Now I don’t have as much of a problem since I usually watch television alone and can just change the channel, etc. I still get a little creeped out if I know I have to watch T.V. with other people – especially my parents. I tend to get giggly or talk loudly over scenes to compensate for that icky feeling.

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**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassment-for-fictional-characters/295551/44 "2005-03-22T23:56:23Z")

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The only embarrassed fictional character that embarrasses me is Carrie. I cringe not only when the blood splashes on her, but also right before it happens, when she’s standing on top of the world and everyone’s clapping. That’s my cue to look away.

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