History Main / ComeToGawk

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' is nasty about this.

* An interesting real-life subversion occurred in 1703 when [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Defoe Daniel Defoe]] (best known for writing ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'') was pilloried for the crime of seditious libel. because he was regarded as a hero by the crowd, they did not gawk, but pelted him with ''flowers''.

* In the ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'' books, Jack is pilloried. [[spoiler:However, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming sailors who've fought alongside him or respect him as a war hero, travel from all over the country to surround Jack from the mob]].]]

* In Creator/JRRTolkien's ''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Return of the King]]'', when the main characters meet him on the road, Saruman accuses Galadriel of having deliberately brought them "to gloat over my poverty." This a clear case of NeverMyFault, Saruman has committed countless atrocities and tried to enslave Rohan and his downfall and poverty was brought on first by his victims fighting back and defeating him (with the unforeseen inclusion of the Eds) and secondly by his prideful denial of accepting amnesty and his guilt in exchange for helping the winners against Sauron. All this does nothing to change his attitude about seeing himself as the victim through it all.

* The signal in the ''Series/BlackMirror'' episode ''[[Recap/BlackMirrorWhiteBear White Bear]]'' has transformed 9/10 people into "Observers" who do nothing but watch our lead female get tormented throughout the episode. [[spoiler: In a plot twist, the trope is played completely straight when it turns out the whole thing is an elaborate punishment for the lead and the audience is voluntarily there as a form of IronicHell.]]

* In ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'', there's a Magic Researcher on the second fall of Baroque Castle. If the player visits him after completing the Lament Mirror sequence (available only in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 UpdatedRerelease of the game), he will ask if the party has come to laugh at them and orders them "GetOut!" Polka and Frederic, however, note that he's studying magic, and quickly explain that they're both magic users, delighting him as he rarely gets to meet live magic users, and he reveals a lot of interesting information.

A character is exhibited for ridicule -- while still alive. Special garments, signs with the proclamation of the offense, or even [[ShamefulStrip nudity]] may be enforced. [[MadeASlave Menial labor may be required]]. [[ProducePelting Rotten fruit may be thrown]], but the character usually finds the staring humiliation enough (without a HumiliationConga to make it worse). Perhaps even a FateWorseThanDeath. {{Pride}} makes it worse, but no one really enjoys it.

In RealLife, [[StockPunishment the pillory and the stocks]] were designed for this, but cages, chains, and even just guards may be used to keep the prisoner in place, or on the route of his enforced procession. It was particularly common in colonial societies, who often couldn't afford the loss of human-power that would come with an extended imprisonment or execution. Though a PublicExecution may have this as an added blow to the death.

* ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'':

* When Quasimodo is chosen as King of Fools in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', at first the people celebrate him, but then a guard throws a tomato and the rest of the crowd turns against him. Frollo, angry that Quasi disobeyed him by leaving the cathedral, lets this go on until Esmeralda saves him.

* Quasimodo in the stocks in ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''.

** At the end of [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} the Scottish play]] Macduff threatens Macbeth with public humiliation if he won't fight. Macbeth's pride won't allow him to submit, so he has no choice but to fight even though [[YouCantFightFate it's been prophesied that it will mean his death]].

* In Creator/JRRTolkien's ''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Return of the King]]'', when the main characters meet him on the road, Saruman accuses Galadriel of having deliberately brought them "to gloat over my poverty."

* The signal in the ''Series/BlackMirror'' episode ''White Bear'' has transformed 9/10 people into "Observers" who do nothing but watch our lead female get tormented throughout the episode. [[spoiler: In a plot twist, the trope is played completely straight when it turns out the whole thing is an elaborate punishment for the lead and the audience is voluntarily there as a form of IronicHell.]]

* In ''[[Creator/ChuckPalahniuk Choke]]'', the main character and his buddy work in a Colonial Williamsburg-esque town which punishes loafing employees by making them sit in the stocks all day.

* Music/DeadKennedys have the song ''Jock-O-Rama'', from Music/{{Frankenchrist}} where high school sport funding and their spectators are compared to gladiator era massacre gawking: ''On the almighty football field/ Beerbellies of all ages/Come to watch the gladiators bleed''.

* Part of Creator/Muse's "Music/KnightsOfCydonia" video includes the hero being placed in stocks and having feces hurled at him.

* Part of the "Music/KnightsOfCydonia" video includes the hero being placed in stocks and having feces hurled at him.

-->'''[=GLaDOS=]:''' [[AC: [[HaveYouComeToGloat Come to gloat]]? Go on. Get a goooood, looooong look. Go on! [[YouAreFat Get a big fat eyeful! With your big fat eyes!]] That's right. [[spoiler: A potato]] just called your eyes fat. Now your fat eyes have seen everything.]]

* ''VideoGame/Portal2'' has an alternate version of the scene where Chell finds GLaDOS in Chapter 6 in which GLaDOS accuses Chell of this. "Come to gloat? Go on. [[YouAreFat Get a big fat eyeful. With your big fat eyes.]]"

* In Alan Moore's ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' story ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', Jim Gordon is locked naked in a cage with a bunch of carnival freaks staring at him while SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker makes a BreakingSpeech about how frail and pathetic man is, in an attempt to drive Gordon insane.

* ''VideoGame/Portal2'' has an alternate version of the scene where Chell finds GLaDOS in Chapter 6 in which GLaDOS accuses Chell of this. "Come to gloat? Go on. [[YouAreFat Get a big fat eyeful. With your big fat eyes.]]"

* ''FelixTheCat TheMovie'': [[PrincessesRule Princess Oriana]] is forced to work in a CircusOfFear after her uncle [[EvilOverlord The Duke of Zill]] conquers her kingdom. Doubles as TheNotSoHarmlessPunishment [[FridgeBrilliance if you think about it]], since there are few things worse for TheHighQueen than becoming a side show.

** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saartjie_Baartman Saartjie Baartman]] was forced to exhibit herself around Europe, often nude to show off her "inhuman features" (partially due to being born with a condition that prompted enlargement of the lower regions, but you get the idea). Her owner and his brother had sent her from colonial South Africa with a promise of half the profits. When the public lost interest, she was forced into prostitution, and died possibly of smallpox at age 26.

* In Alan Moore's ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' story ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', Jim Gordon is locked naked in a cage with a bunch of carnival freaks staring at him while SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker makes a speech about how frail and pathetic man is, in an attempt to drive Gordon insane.

* HL Mencken's savage little TakeThat:
-->'''Q:''' If you find so much that is unworthy of reverence in the United States, then why do you live here?\\
'''A:''' Why do men go to zoos?

** A recent Internet meme involves people doing this with their pets.

* In ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'', there's a Magic Researcher on the second fall of Baroque Castle. If the player visits him after completing the Lament Mirror sequence (available only in the PlayStation3 UpdatedRerelease of the game), he will ask if the party has come to laugh at them and orders them "GetOut!" Polka and Frederic, however, note that he's studying magic, and quickly explain that they're both magic users, delighting him as he rarely gets to meet live magic users, and he reveals a lot of interesting information.

* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', [[spoiler: Beatrice forces Battler in a HeroicBSOD to parade around nude and be used as furniture in front of a pack of goat-servants. Shortly afterwards, he's devoured.]]

'''[[GenreSavvy Phoenix:]]''' No, it's a trap. If we laugh, he'll get mad... [[StoicWoobie or burst into tears.]]