History Main / AwkwardCollarPull

** Britta is mocked for doing this as part of a low quality Creator/JohnnyCarson impression, to which she confusedly responds that she was mimicking [[Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart Jon Stewart]]. It's unclear if she knows who Carson is.
** Later Allan does it, to which the ever oblivious Troy responds "Man, you've got Britta ''down''."

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Teen Titans|2003}}'': Robin does this a lot in "[[Recap/TeenTitansS4E8Stranded Stranded]]" after offending Starfire due to PoorCommunicationKills. He sure acts like her boyfriend despite not actually being so.

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic:
** During his "Top 11 Fuck-Ups" video, when showing a clip where he was mocking a guy's voice, and didn't know at the time that the guy was dying of esophageal cancer, the present Critic nervously pulls his collar, as he is really ashamed watching that clip.
** In the 2015 commercial special, Critic watches an ad for an appetite-suppressing candy called Ayds... pronounced exactly like "AIDS." Disturbed that it would have such an unfortunate name (during the 1980s, no less!), he remarks that the candy "now comes with a sweaty collar to tug at" and posts a stock photo of a man awkwardly tugging his collar.

** During his "Top 11 fuck-ups" video, when showing a clip where he was mocking a guy's voice, and didn't know at the time that the guy was dying of esophageal cancer, the present Critic nervously pulls his collar, as he is really ashamed watching that clip.

* ''WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment''. Dr. Insano nervously pulls at his collar in Spoony's review of ''Film/TheDungeonmaster'' when admitting that he's had the "girlfriend thinks you love your computer more than her" conversation a few times. -

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': In "Recap/AsterixInSpain", the Roman officer Spurius Brontosaurus tugs the collar of his uniform (complete with his face turning red and some nervous sweat) when he sees Asterix and Obelix brought Pepe, the son of Iberian chief Huevos y Bacon, back to Spain (the boy was supposed to be in Gaul as a hostage of the Romans).

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'', a dog who wore a red tie, would obsessively tug at and straighten the tie like his namesake and voice actor Creator/RodneyDangerfield.

-->"What am I going to do? [[HaveAGayOldTime I never made love]] [[MediumAwareness in Technicolor before.]]"
* Doctor Anrak from ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal'' addresses the Joint Chiefs and a Congressional windbag during a meeting at the Pentagon concerning a spate of peculiar mutations nationwide. Anrak starts out fine, reassuring the room that humanity is the only intelligent life in the universe, and that the mutations are an aberration. Unfortunately, Anrak chooses "phenomenon" rather than "aberration," and fumbles this word repeatedly, which leads to an index finger worming around his shirt collar.

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': Dallas demonstrates AggressiveNegotiations, one guard asks where he learned to negotiate like that to the guy with an open mic. Cut to the president snarking "I wonder." [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TyxxLHfBwE while Dallas' superior looks distinctly uncomfortable and pulls at the collar of his uniform]].
* Forced example (pun intended): in ''Film/StarWarsANewHope'', Admiral Motti jeers at Darth Vader's claim that the Force is a greater power than the Death Star, but is cut off mid-sentence by Vader using the Force to choke him. Motti's fingers pull at his collar the whole time until Grand Moff Tarkin orders Vader to stand down.

[[folder:Live-Action Television]]

* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Britta is mocked for doing this as part of a low quality Creator/JohnnyCarson impression, to which she confusedly responds that she was mimicking [[Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart Jon Stewart]]. It's unclear if she knows who Carson is.

* In ''Series/{{Healer}}'' Jung Hoo pulls at his collar while [[ClarkKenting acting as]] the awkward Bong Soo. He also ends up doing it himself when things between him and Young Shin start getting uncomfortable as they learn about their biological parents and discover his father was [[{{Frameup}} supposedly]] [[spoiler:her father's murderer]]. -
* The protagonist of the German show ''Series/{{Stromberg}}'' tugs his tie whenever he's in deep waters (which [[CringeComedy happens quite often]]).

[[folder:Recorded and Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Nervously tugging at and straightening his tie was one of Creator/RodneyDangerfield's signatures.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment''. Dr. Insano nervously pulls at his collar in Spoony's review of ''Film/TheDungeonmaster'' when admitting that he's had the "girlfriend thinks you love your computer more than her" conversation a few times. -

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Classic Disney Short|s}}'':

* In the ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' episode "A Day in the Life of a Classroom," Mr. Robert Simmons pulls his collar when he realizes that the titular documentary on his class will be viewed by millions of people and that he will be humiliated if his students misbehave.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'': In "The Magic School Bus Sees Stars", Horace Scope nervously pulls at his collar when he's confronted by the kids.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'': Robin does this a lot in "[[Recap/TeenTitansS4E8Stranded Stranded]]" after offending Starfire due to PoorCommunicationKills. He sure acts like her boyfriend despite not actually being so.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': In "[[Recap/YoungJusticeS1E19Misplaced Misplaced]]", the members of the Justice League learn Captain Marvel's secret that he is actually a kid with an adult-body alter ego. Thus, in "[[Recap/YoungJusticeS1E22Agendas Agendas]]", when the league is discussing potential new members, Captain Marvel gets quite nervous and pulls his collar when Superman claims they will not let children into the league.

A character who is nervous or embarrassed tugs on the collar of their shirt, perhaps to give themselves a little more air. This gesture is often accompanied by a bizarre, gibbering vocal tic or a LoudGulp and an exaggerated facial expression.

* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': In "Prom-ise Her Anything", Bugs, enamoured by how [[SheCleansUpNicely Babs looks in her prom outfit]], tugs at his collar (with a jet of steam shooting out of the gap).

* ''Series/Community'': Britta is mocked for doing this as part of a low quality Creator/JohnnyCarson impression, to which she confusedly responds that she was mimicking [[Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart Jon Stewart]]. It's unclear if she knows who Carson is.

-->"What am I going to do? [[MediumAwareness I never made love in Technicolor before.]]"

* ''Film/StarWarsANewHope'': Aboard the Death Star, Admiral Motti jeers at Darth Vader's claim that the Force is a greater power than the Death Star. "Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance to find the rebels' hidden fort..." Motti cannot continue, as Vader is Force choking him. Motti's fingers pull at his collar the whole time until Grand Moff Tarkin orders Vader to stand down.

* ''WesternAnimation/JosieAndThePussycats'': Not wanting Professor Belfour's formula to be taken by Mister X's henchmen, Alexandra eats the page on which the formula is written. It goes down rough, causing her to cough. Melody gives her a smack on the back to help, and Alexandra recovers with a pull on her collar.

** In "Knight for a Day", a knight who is getting tired pulls on his shirt collar and steam comes out.

[[folder:Film - Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': after Carpet beats him in a game of chess, Genie, copying Creator/RodneyDangerfield, pulls at a collar around his neck and proclaims "I can't believe it; I'm losing to a rug!"
* ''WesternAnimation/MakeMineMusic''. In the "Casey at the Bat" segment the pitcher is so nervous and anxious about pitching the game-deciding pitch to Casey that he not only pulls his collar, but his sweat and nervous fever combined to make a puff of steam to come out of the collar. Watch [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erfSed2MUsA&t=5m8s here]].
* ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'', a dog who wore a red tie, would obsessively tug at and straighten the tie like his namesake and voice actor Creator/RodneyDangerfield .
* ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} nervously pulls at his collar in the two-reel special ''Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp''.
-->"What am I going to do? [[MediumAwareness I never made love in Technicolor before.]]"
* Doctor Anrak from ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal'' addresses the Joint Chiefs and a Congressional windbag during a meeting at the Pentagon concerning a spate of peculiar mutations nationwide. Anrak starts out fine, reassuring the room that humanity is the only intelligent life in the universe, and that the mutations are an aberration. Unfortunately, Anrak chooses "phenomenon" rather than "aberration," and fumbles this word repeatedly, which leads to an index finger worming around his shirt collar.

[[folder: Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': In "Recap/AsterixInSpain", the Roman officer Spurius Brontosaurus tugs the collar of his uniform (complete with his face turning red and some nervous sweat) when he sees Asterix and Obelix brought Pepe, the son of Iberian chief Huevos y Bacon, back to Spain (the boy was supposed to be in Gaul as a hostage of the Romans).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

* ''Film/StarWarsANewHope'': Aboard the Death Star, Admiral Motti jeers at Darth Vader's claim that the Force is a greater power than the Death Star. "Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance to find the rebels' hidden fort..." Motti cannot continue, as Vader is Force choking him. Motti's fingers pull at his collar the whole time, until Grand Moff Tarkin orders Vader to stand down.

[[folder:Video games]]

** During his "Top 11 fuck-ups" video, when showing a clip where he was mocking a guy's voice, and didn't know at the time that the guy was dying of esophageal cancer, The present Critic nervously pulls hic collar, as he is really ashamed watching that clip.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBeanoVideo'': The new music teacher tells ''The Bash Street Kids'' how to use their musical instruments property while he's pulling his shirt collar out of nervousness.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' episode "A Day in the Life of a Classroom," Mr. Robert Simmons pulls his collar when he realizes that the titular documentary on his class will be viewed by millions of people, and that he will be humiliated if his students misbehave.

** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS10E11WildBartsCantBeBroken Wild Barts can't be broken]]", the Springfield Kids set up a pirate radio station in which they expose the adults' secrets all through Springfield. When Lisa announces she will reveal the name of someone who has been practicing medicine without a license, Dr. Julius Hibbert is seen nervously pulling his collar. Fortunately for him, [[BaitAndSwitch Lisa was talking about Homer]].
** [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E14TalesFromThePublicDomain ''The Simpsons: Tales From the Public Domain'']], in the "Joan of Arc" segment, Lisa, as Joan, nervously tugs her collar when God reveals himself to her. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6dElMIgSoU&feature=youtu.be Watch it here]].

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': In "[[Recap/YoungJusticeS1E19Misplaced Misplaced]]", the members of the justice league learn Captain Marvel's secret that he is actually a kid with an adult-body alter ego. Thus, in "[[Recap/YoungJusticeS1E22Agendas Agendas]]", when the league is discussing potential new members, Captain Marvel gets quite nervous and pulls his collar when Superman claims they will not let children into the league.

A character who is nervous or embarrassed tugs on the collar of his or her shirt, perhaps to give themselves a little more air. This gesture is often accompanied by a bizarre, gibbering vocal tic or a LoudGulp and an exaggerated facial expression.