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!
The Washington Generals: 3 wins - 17,000 losses
And they fall for that “ball on a string” trick every damn time!
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)
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.
And likewise Susan Lucci, for getting something like 16 Emmy nominations before finally winning.
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.
Al Bundy from married with children
Butters from South Park.
Even more so, the original Casper Milquetoast. Nothing has ever topped this:
Luftwaffe Colonel Wilhelm Klink, even though no one ever escaped from Stalag 13.
I think Matthew Brock (Andy Dick) from Newsradio would fit.
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.
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
“For the last time, Matthew, the name is pronounced Joey ButtaFOOco!”
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.
He is. He plays the lovable loser role well, though.
The clueless kid in the Flo commercials (Jamie?)
Richard Kind has built a prolific career playing a disproportionate share of hapless, sad-sack losers.
“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
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.
Broccoli…i mean Barclay.