# Pop Culture tropes that infuriate you. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269 "2018-06-17T17:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/1 "2018-06-17T17:13:03Z")
This thread was inspired by my answer to the other one in this forum about offensive ads. Something I have always found annoying is the Big Dumb Average Guy, who appears in both the sitcoms and ads. This is a very old thing, going all the way back to _The Honeymooners_, which makes me wonder just how old it really is (perhaps vaudeville?) Homer Simpson is the current archetype, but it appeared in\* The King of Queens\*, _According to Jim_, _Home Improvement_, and any number of others I can’t think of right now. The corollary to the Big Dumb Average Guy is his Smart Wife, who is always right/always knows best, and is usually more attractive than her husband. Perhaps I’d be less offended by this if I were not a) a man, and b) bigger than average. But I am. For tropes that are less personal and not necessarily my gender, I’ve noticed many shows include some version of The Slut, who is usually talking about with whom/when/where/how often they have sex. If the Slut is a man, a reference to being with prostitutes will usually be made sooner or later. As an adult, I can’t seem to find much humor in people who are perpetually disgusting (this would be John Larroquette in _Night Court_, or the big dude in _Wings_) or who think his penis/her vagina is a superhighway (Blanche in _Golden Girls_). ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/2 "2018-06-17T17:34:55Z")
I absolutely agree with you about shows (and commercials) which make out men to be overgrown idiot-children who are constantly berated or eye-rolled by their partners. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/3 "2018-06-17T17:53:34Z")
> [@Lizard](#): > > As an adult, I can’t seem to find much humor in people who are perpetually disgusting But, without people who are perpetually disgusting, there would be no comedy! [/overstatement] ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/4 "2018-06-17T19:02:14Z")
> [@Lizard](#): > > This is a very old thing, going all the way back to _The Honeymooners_, which makes me wonder just how old it really is (perhaps vaudeville?) I don’t know about vaudeville, but it goes back at least to [_The Life of Riley_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_of_Riley), which started on radio in 1944 (where Jackie Gleason played Riley first, later replaced by William Bendix) and then moved to TV and movies. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/5 "2018-06-17T19:12:47Z")
There is also the smart bratty kid, who lips off to his or her parents all the time. Kids who are both smart and polite do indeed exist, just not on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/6 "2018-06-17T19:53:27Z")
How about the angry Mother-in-law? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/7 "2018-06-17T20:41:45Z")
Thread relocated from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/8 "2018-06-17T21:04:39Z")
And then there’s the “grouchy old guy” who really has a heart of gold. :rolleyes: The reason I can’t watch sitcoms anymore is because every goddamn one is the same. Smartass remarks and sexual innuendos. That’s it. How anyone can watch these things time after time is beyond me. And don’t get me started on laugh tracks. Grrrrr! ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/9 "2018-06-17T21:13:04Z")
The helpess, pining, left behind girlfriend/wife to some action movie hero. Particularly egregious in Armageddon where Liv Tyler’s character starts out tough as nails and winds up pudding. Vomoji. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/10 "2018-06-17T21:35:13Z")
“Let’s get out of here!” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/11 "2018-06-17T21:55:08Z")
The first step in crime solving is asking a bartender or waitress, who remarkably recalls persons and timing! How convenient! Ask your friends that work in bars, this doesn’t happen like this. Even more egregious is the cop show format where the big break in the case involves throwing a guy up against a wall and threatening him. Awesome police work, it solves every case! ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/12 "2018-06-17T22:06:36Z")
Adventurers find a lost civilization or temple which ends up getting destroyed, usually by earthquake and/or flooding, for no good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/13 "2018-06-18T00:54:19Z")
“You’ve got to believe me!” Oh? Why is that? ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/14 "2018-06-18T01:29:23Z")
Nothing new to contribute but a hearty seconding of the fat, dopey husband kept from disaster by his unrealistically hotter and smarter wife. Always bugged me. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/15 "2018-06-18T01:42:17Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The first step in crime solving is asking a bartender or waitress, who remarkably recalls persons and timing! > > How convenient! Ask your friends that work in bars, this doesn’t happen like this. Oh, the bartender always explains that they’re just so busy and he can’t be expected to remember faces. Then he looks at the picture and remembers the name, date of birth, address, social security number, and mother’s maiden name. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/16 "2018-06-18T04:12:36Z")
Whenever somebody is caught in just their underwear, they act as if they’re completely naked and instantly cover themselves up with their hands. Granted you may do that as a reflex initially but a lot of fiction have the characters continue to act like they’re completely naked and awkwardly walk around covering themselves up with just their hands. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/17 "2018-06-18T04:35:23Z")
I’m always annoyed by the socially inept, badly groomed, haphazardly dressed IT person. There’s a huge number of people in the IT profession! We don’t all have sticky hair, nor do we all look down on those who don’t have a deep understanding of technology. I’ve been in the field for almost 20 years. I don’t have a neckbeard; I have only a passing interest in science fiction; I’ve seen zero Marvel movies; and my wardrobe consists of smart slacks, solid color longsleeve shirts or polos, and conservative sport coats and ties. Also, while I lean toward the introverted side, I’m generally a pleasant guy who can make my way through most social situations without incident. The “IT geek” character is just lazy. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/18 "2018-06-18T04:41:34Z")
What I enjoyed about King of Queens is that the ‘hot wife’ was _also_ a mess. I think she started out as the attractive, stable voice of wisdom, but, as the show progressed, it was clear how much they deserved each other. She wasn’t out of his league at all. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/19 "2018-06-18T04:52:59Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The first step in crime solving is asking a bartender or waitress, who remarkably recalls persons and timing! > > How convenient! Ask your friends that work in bars, this doesn’t happen like this. > > Even more egregious is the cop show format where the big break in the case involves throwing a guy up against a wall and threatening him. Awesome police work, it solves every case! Not to mention going into a store where all of their customers’ records are kept on hand written cards in a filing cabinet with the customer’s name, address, and phone number. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269/20 "2018-06-18T05:04:52Z")
Polls that ask internet denizens what their opinions of mundane meaningless things are. That, and recreational outrage. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-tropes-that-infuriate-you/816269.md?page=2)