# Guys: Does this (sexist) TV/Movie trope annoy you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002 "2014-08-20T15:04:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/1 "2014-08-20T15:04:31Z")
I’m putting this here instead of the pit because this doesn’t exactly fill me with the rage of a thousand burning suns. However, it does elicit a big giant eye roll every time I see it. Basically, what it boils down to, is all a woman has to do is act a little bit sultry towards a man and he’ll suddenly turn into a big pile of goo, ready and willing to do, whatever the woman commands. As an example, a show I was watching the other day, (I think it was 24): Some lady needs to get past security so she can get into some dude’s locker. The security gaurd at first is like: “Are you crazy? I can’t let you in here!” After much back and forth, she finally realized _talking_ was getting her nowhere,m she starts making sexual advances as in “Hey, I’ll fuck you right here and now if you give me access to dude’s locker.” And of course, the security guard acquiesces. As in: “Duh, okay sure, let me fuck you here _at work_ and risk losing my job and my livelihood all over a quick piece of ass.” I’m not bothered when this trope plays out in comedies, but when I see this played out in dramas or action adventure shows, I thinks it’s a wee bit ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/2 "2014-08-20T15:20:27Z")
Yes. I like the subversions where he tells her to take her comeon’s and go take a hike. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/3 "2014-08-20T15:23:36Z")
I’m not sure it’s sexist, but it’s lazy and cliche. That’s annoying. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/4 "2014-08-20T15:31:43Z")
Saw this one on _Rizzoli and Isles_ last night. Korsak wanted to retrieve an item from the evidence locker, and the guy in charge of it wouldn’t give it to him without the proper paperwork, which for various reasons he wasn’t able to get. Rozzoli, having noticed the pictures of hot librarians on the guy’s wall, dresses (in)appropriately, and gets the file. I didn’t make much of a note at it at the time, but, yeah, now that you mention it, it does tick me off a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/5 "2014-08-20T15:44:26Z")
Like all tropes, if it’s overdone, poorly-done, or simply insults my (middle-brow) intelligence, then yes it annoys me. That said, I don’t want to live in a world where there is no place for [Whatever Lola Wants](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kjQmgm0r4g) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/6 "2014-08-20T15:45:14Z")
I found that bit on\* Rizzoli and Isles\* to be completely beyond credibility. And definitely lazy and cliche. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/7 "2014-08-20T15:46:17Z")
Very clearly sexist, and very insulting. It’s one thing if it’s made clear that the specific target is That Kind of Guy. But usually there’s no such characterization, implying that there’s a good chance any random dude will go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/8 "2014-08-20T15:47:42Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > It’s one thing if it’s made clear that the specific target is That Kind of Guy. But usually there’s no such characterization, implying that there’s a good chance any random dude will go for it. They’re not random dudes. My vague impression is that it’s always fat, dumb, blue collar type guys. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/9 "2014-08-20T16:03:04Z")
I really am nicer to attractive women, so it doesn’t bother me if there’s at least a plausibly discretionary exception being made. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/10 "2014-08-20T16:09:09Z")
Yeah, James Bond would never do this. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/11 "2014-08-20T16:10:15Z")
Captain Kirk says “Yeahhh! That’s just silly.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/12 "2014-08-20T16:10:35Z")
It’s also plausible if the woman is just creating a distraction, rather than setting it up as a straight tit for tat (I almost typed “quid pro quo” there). And it can work if the guy is already established as a sleazebag who will do anything for a bit of action. But yeah, it’s really easy to overdo it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/13 "2014-08-20T16:25:29Z")
It bugs me a lot. On the one hand, I think it demeans guys to think they would be so easy to manipulate by a pretty smile an a bit of cleavage, especially when they never actually get sex! Fuckin’ idiot losers don’t even get a fair trade for selling out their job/country/whatever! On the other hand, I’ve know guys who were actually that dumb, who do go googly-eyed at pretty women, and might actually “sell out” to one. But they weren’t security guards. I became aware of the trope in the last seasons of _Mission: Impossible_, when the writing got lazy and it seemed every job required the bad guys to fall hopelessly for Casey. Since I was not at all attracted to Linda Day George\*, I got annoyed at the endless line of bad guys who would throw away their entire plan because of a “pretty” face. \*On the other hand, it’s a good thing they never sic’d Lesley Anne Warren on me. I might be singing a different tune. Hubba hubba. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/14 "2014-08-20T16:39:39Z")
Yeah, it’s pretty obnoxious in places. These things happen in real life, of course, but it’s typically a long con where the pretty gal hooks up with the Marine/spy/consulate worker and slowly works the secrets out starting with something little and working up and getting the mark stuck deeper and deeper in the trap. This was a staple of noir films in years past with the femme fatale getting her hooks on some poor shlub. There was a great flick with Edward G. Robinson that did this. I cannot remember it’s name. Another good scene was in Sneakers with Stephen Toblowsky where he’s being conned out of the code words for access. I guess in movies now you have to have the quick story to build to the action set pieces to work towards the cataclysmic ending so there really isn’t time to slow build a honey pot trap. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/15 "2014-08-20T16:40:39Z")
But wait – sometimes it works. Which is why I am not a security guard. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/16 "2014-08-20T16:52:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > They’re not random dudes. My vague impression is that it’s always fat, dumb, blue collar type guys. I meant “random” in the sense that they were not a previously established character. They might not even be named. They’re “Security Guy #2” or something similar. I agree that it seems to be a trope applied primarily to blue collar men, especially out of shape security guards. Incidentally, the television show “White Collar” sometimes has the lead character, a mostly-reformed con man, bat his baby blue eyes and convince a woman to give him some information or allow him access to somewhere he really shouldn’t be. It’s never a fat or dumb woman either - usually they are reasonably attractive (often very much so) and often intelligent or at least educated. I don’t know if that means anything, but it’s an interesting inversion of the trope. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/17 "2014-08-20T16:53:06Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > But wait – sometimes it works. Which is why I am not a security guard. I think for some people, depending on the request, would go for it, which is sad in itself. There are plenty out there that would refuse it as well, which should be noted. For me, since I know SOME guys that may take the bait in real life, I’m not going to say it’s “sexist”. Lame and overused, very much so. I would like to see the other side of humanity for once… Unless it’s Beavis and Butt-head. I loved that movie, and the whole thing revolved around them thinking that they’re gunna score! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/18 "2014-08-20T16:54:35Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Like all tropes, if it’s overdone, poorly-done, or simply insults my (middle-brow) intelligence, then yes it annoys me. > > That said, I don’t want to live in a world where there is no place for [Whatever Lola Wants](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kjQmgm0r4g) I wonder what Lola would have done if she knew she was trying to seduce a gay man? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/19 "2014-08-20T17:02:06Z")
it wouldn’t annoy me if she took her clothes off and alloewd the guy to go around the world with her right then and there. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002/20 "2014-08-20T17:14:34Z")
Okay wait wait. Waiwaiwaiwaiwaiwaiwait. Wait. Wait wait wait. Waaaaaaaaaaaait. Wait. Okay so you guys are telling me that it’s possible to think about the message sent in works of mass culture without thereby necessarily overthinking it? I’m flummoxed to the point of nonplussal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-does-this-sexist-tv-movie-trope-annoy-you/696002.md?page=2)