# Who's your favorite hapless loser? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2023, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276 "2023-02-24T05:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/41 "2023-02-24T19:21:28Z")
From the same anti-Hero thread: Rincewind! Poor bastard. I should say, a solidy 70-80% of the various anime male protagonists (and a smaller percentage of female) in rom-coms especially are various flavors of this trope, although many of them due to plot armor or background continue to fail upward with women! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/42 "2023-02-24T19:57:42Z")
The Washington Generals: 3 wins - 17,000 losses And they fall for that “ball on a string” trick every damn time! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/43 "2023-02-25T01:54:37Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z6shdtY-aA8/hqdefault.jpg "Xander Harris - no more butt monkey!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6shdtY-aA8) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/44 "2023-02-25T02:12:01Z")
Walter Mitty Especially the version in the original Thurber short story. (In fact, as he portrayed himself in his essays, Thurber was a bit of a hapless loser) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/45 "2023-02-25T02:25:32Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > My favorite hapless loser is Toby Flenderson from **The Office**. Michael Scott always disliked him and had it in for him, for no obvious reason other than to have someone lower than himself on the totem pole to pick on. Toby never seemed to have done anything to deserve his rank, but seemed resigned to accept it nonetheless. And eventually even embraced it. > > Anyone else? Real life as well as fiction? To fight the hypothetical, a point of order. Tody Flenderson was Human Resources, his job was to prevent the company from being liable for any work crap. Since work crap is all Michael does Toby is naturally an obstacle for fun, or a vital company asset for preventing lawsuits, depending on your perspective. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/46 "2023-02-25T02:32:32Z")
And likewise Susan Lucci, for getting something like 16 Emmy nominations before finally winning. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/47 "2023-02-25T06:03:38Z")
I’d like to say Eric Trump, for being the pathetic hapless loser lesser son of a father who hates at least 2 of his sons, but the word “favorite” associated with any of them is creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/48 "2023-02-25T20:26:33Z")
Al Bundy from married with children Butters from South Park. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/49 "2023-02-25T20:44:31Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Topher Grace has made a career out of playing a milquetoast, Charlie Brown-esque archetype. On _That 70’s Show_ and on _Home Economics_ he’s basically played the same character. And of course, he reprised the role of Eric Forman for _That 90’s Show_, and the character has not developed at all. Still the same timid, nerdy, nebbish. Even more so, the original Casper Milquetoast. Nothing has ever topped this: [![](https://humorinamerica.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/milquetoast.jpg?w=450) ](https://humorinamerica.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/milquetoast.jpg?w=450) ---
**Author:** ![ZamboniAce1000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f19dbf/32.png) [@ZamboniAce1000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZamboniAce1000)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/50 "2023-02-26T00:15:30Z")
Luftwaffe Colonel Wilhelm Klink, even though no one ever escaped from Stalag 13. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/51 "2023-02-26T12:43:03Z")
I think Matthew Brock (Andy Dick) from Newsradio would fit. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/52 "2023-02-26T12:51:56Z")
And to think I once read an article after he left That 70’s Show that due to a dearth of actors (?) at that time, he was being thought of as having a GREAT future ahead of him. A ‘savior’! (Same thing they said of Tatum Channing - Mr. Potato Head. Another who will never join the Pantheon of the Greats.). To be honest, he was ok as Eric Foreman in that he was the bowl of oatmeal holding the show together. Bland and unremarkable. His parents - in fact almost everyone else on the show - was more charismatic, funny, or interesting in their sit-com way than Topher Grace. They were the sugar, fruit and nuts on the porridge. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/53 "2023-02-26T12:55:13Z")
Isn’t Phil a successful real estate agent? And he takes part of fun activities. Granted he has some dreams dashed but doesn’t seem sad about it. Brian ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/54 "2023-02-26T15:52:06Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > I think Matthew Brock (Andy Dick) from Newsradio would fit. “For the last time, Matthew, the name is pronounced Joey ButtaFOOco!” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/55 "2023-02-26T16:33:14Z")
> [@ZamboniAce1000](#): > > Luftwaffe Colonel Wilhelm Klink, even though no one ever escaped from Stalag 13. Good one, yes. A bit of trivia — those Hogan’s Heroes cast members Werner Klemperer, John Banner, Leon Askin, and Robert Clary, they all were Jewish. Robert Clary survived his Holocaust internment at Buchenwald concentration camp. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/56 "2023-02-26T16:34:09Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Isn’t Phil a successful real estate agent? And he takes part of fun activities. Granted he has some dreams dashed but doesn’t seem sad about it. > > Brian He is. He plays the lovable loser role well, though. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/57 "2023-02-26T17:40:31Z")
The clueless kid in the Flo commercials (Jamie?) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/58 "2023-02-26T18:02:06Z")
[Richard Kind](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454236/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1) has built a prolific career playing a disproportionate share of hapless, sad-sack losers. > [@Sitnam](#): > > To fight the hypothetical, a point of order. Tody Flenderson was Human Resources, his job was to prevent the company from being liable for any work crap. Since work crap is all Michael does Toby is naturally an obstacle for fun, or a vital company asset for preventing lawsuits, depending on your perspective. “Toby is in HR, which technically means he works for corporate so he’s really not a part of our family. Also, he’s divorced so he’s really not a part of his family.” – Michael ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/59 "2023-02-26T18:11:18Z")
I greatly enjoyed when he would stand up for himself and rein Michael in. Also…some questions: Toby is HIGHER then Michael right? Why is Toby in The Office? I mean literally. Is he the only HR employee? What does he do all day?? That q of course could be asked millions of workers. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276/60 "2023-02-26T18:12:31Z")
Broccoli…i mean Barclay. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-hapless-loser/980276.md?page=4)