The backhanded compliment for comedic effect

iamisaid — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:36:48 -0800

Can you think of any comedy sketches or scenes where a single character uses repeated backhanded compliments directed towards others for comedic effect? That is, scenes where the comedy comes from the secondary character not being sure whether they were just insulted or praised and not knowing how to respond. I'm thinking of something along the lines of SNL, Kids in the Hall or Monty Python sketches, but I am open to any such examples.

Calling all passive-aggressives

sfkiddo — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:37:17 -0800

What are some good examples of gifts that are anything but? I know the obvious classics--drums for a 2-year-old, liquor for an alcoholic--but am looking for ones that are more insidious. Oh yes, there's As the holiday season is upon us, I've been thinking of the ultimate "fuck you" gift: the one that keeps on giving anguish and annoyance. The ideal is one that does not insult upon opening, that, in fact, seems like a great gift until living with it for a couple months. Examples:

- For kids: a super-cute plush toy that they love and that incessantly repeats the same phrase (think Barney, "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family"), rendering the parents insane;
- For adults: an organizer that charts their successes and sends daily (hourly?) reminders on progress; the end result is that they feel like a loser.

Disclaimer: note that this is for a fiction project and that I do not intend to give any of these "gifts" to anyone nor do I accept responsibility if you do (unless the recipient really, really deserves it. In that case, hats off.).

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The backhanded compliment for comedic effect

Calling all passive-aggressives