History Main / CryLaughing

* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': When Simon thinks he's [[spoiler:killed Grace]], [[VillainousBreakdown he has total mental breakdown]], Crying while [[LaughingMad laughing maniacally]] as [[spoiler:his passenger number rapidly climbs up far enough to completely cover his face.]] The laughter stops ''really'' fast when he realizes [[spoiler:Grace survived]].

** In the ''Merrie Melodies'' short "Rocket Bye Baby", a lecturer laughs about people believing in LittleGreenMen, but when one flies by on a FlyingSaucer, his laughs turn to tears.

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', Eren bursts into this after [[spoiler:witnessing Hannes' death by the jaws of the smiling titan, the very same one that ate his mother all those years ago, lamenting on how he's still the same weak brat who couldn't save anybody. He does the exact same thing after Sasha’s death 4 years later.]]

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', Eren bursts into this after [[spoiler:witnessing Hannes' death by the jaws of the smiling titan, the very same one that ate his mother all those years ago, lamenting on how he's still the same weak brat who couldn't save anybody.]]

* This happens in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'' at the start of mission 20, after Lady finishes off [[spoiler:[[{{Patricide}} her father]]]] Arkham. After unloading a whole clip from her gun in him, she drops to her side, laughing into the air before being overcome with tears mid-laughter.

* In VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys, Freddy makes a deep, demonic laughter as he moves. However, listening closely makes it clear it's a mixture of sobbing and laughter. [[spoiler:As of ''[[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 2,]]'' this is {{foreshadowing}}; Freddy and the others are {{tragic monster}}s, in that they tried to stop the murders, but failed, and are now butchering every single night guard they come across. And they're probably not in control anymore, too. [[AndIMustScream They have to watch as they subject innocent people to]] [[CruelAndUnusualDeath genuinely horrifying deaths]] ''[[AndIMustScream for the rest of their lifetimes.]]'']]

* [[Creator/FrankSinatra Frank Sinatra's "Glad to Be Unhappy"]]:

** In ''Steven Universe: Future'', when [[spoiler:Steven reverts to his original form after accidentally corrupting himself into a colossal, [[OneWingedAngel Kaiju sized monster]], he has difficulty even [[HeroicBSOD forming coherent sentences.]] Soon he begins laughing, only to break down quickly into some of the most [[BreakTheCutie gut-wrenching]] sobs in animation.]] It's so powerful that the remainder of the portion of that episode (itself the penultimate installment in a four-part finale) '''has no dialogue.'''

** In Steven Universe Future, when [[spoiler:Steven reverts to his original form after accidentally corrupting himself into a colossal, [[OneWingedAngel Kaiju sized monster]], he has difficulty even [[HeroicBSOD forming coherent sentences.]] Soon he begins laughing, only to break down quickly into some of the most [[BreakTheCutie gut-wrenching]] sobs in animation.]] It's so powerful that the remainder of the portion of that episode (itself the penultimate installment in a four-part finale) '''has no dialogue.'''

* ZigZagged at times with [[ComicBook/TheJoker Arthur Fleck]] in ''Film/Joker2019''. Arthur's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudobulbar_affect Pseudobulbar affect] caused him to laugh compulsively through the film, even when he breaks down in distress. Creator/JoaquinPhoenix does a good job of making his laughs look like they're genuine if you're unfamiliar with Arthur's character, and at the same time conveying that he's under terrible duress if you are.

* In season three of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Nora has a moment of [[MadeMyselfSad making herself depressed by describing how her team's lives could be ruined by losing in the Vytal Festival Tournament]] that's capped off with some manic laughter that turns into a sob right into a {{Headdesk}}.

** In Steven Universe Future, when [[spoiler:Steven reverts to his original form after corrupted himself into a colossal, [[OneWingedAngel Kaiju sized monster]], he has difficulty even [[HeroicBSOD forming coherent sentences.]] Soon he begins laughing, only to break down quickly into some of the most [[BreakTheCutie gut-wrenching]] sobs in animation.]] It's so powerful that the remainder of the portion of that episode (itself the penultimate installment in a four-part finale) '''has no dialogue.'''

It is said that laughing and crying are very close actions, despite usually expressing opposite emotions. So close that, in fiction, a character faced with a dreadful situation may start laughing out loud, before that laugh progressively melts into sobs. When this happens, the initial laughter is usually just there to mask the distress, and isn't so much genuine as it is a hysterical reaction. It's sort of a way to say, "My emotions are out of control; not even my body knows what to do right now."

** In TheMovie, [[spoiler: Spinel does this during her VillainousBreakdown, giggling sadly with tears in her eyes at how broken and toxic she's allowed herself to become and how horribly she's treated the one person who actually tried to help her]].

!!Examples

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverseTheMovie'': Near the end, [[spoiler: when Steven finally gets through to Spinel that he wants to help her and wasn't planning to abandon her like Pink Diamond, she has a HeelRealization that leads to an outburst of MirthlessLaughter, followed by her bursting into tears as she admits that all she wanted was to complete the purpose she was made for and [[IJustWantToHaveFriends be somebody's friend]].]]

* The December 5, 1986 telecast of ''[[Series/{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'' had host Dick Clark playfully pressuring Vicki Lawrence into selecting the category with the Mystery 7 as a car was up for grabs. Vicki just glared at Clark and called him a bleeped-out name. We can only guess what was bleeped as Vicki selected the category "Loosen Up," and Clark read what the subject matter was: Things that are stiff. The studio broke down laughing; Dick and Vicki were both crying laughing.

[[folder:Visual Novel]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** During the WholeEpisodeFlashback "We Need to Talk", a young Greg has this reaction (which provides the page image) when he realizes that he and Rose are still worlds apart from understanding each other.

** In "Catch and Release", Peridot does this after Steven is unable to fix the Homeworld Warp, meaning she's stranded on Earth, which is in danger from "The Cluster" she keeps going on about, [[spoiler: which turns out to be a Gem superweapon buried deep beneath the Earth's surface that will [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destroy the Earth]] if it activates]].
** In "Stuck Together", Lars and Steven are in dire straits, [[spoiler:as both were captured and being flown off to Homeworld]]. By talking to each other, their frustrated and despondent moods mildly ''improve'' to anxious tears, and then laughing on top of that.
** In "Change Your Mind," Steven sheds tears and laughs while [[spoiler:re-fusing with his Gem half, causing Gem Steven to laugh too.]]

* In ''Film/EverAfter'', this is Danielle's reaction after Henry finally [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments proposes to her]].
* Brilliantly done by Creator/GaryOldman in ''Film/TheFifthElement'' when he opens the chest that he thought contained the alien [[MacGuffin elemental stones]] and [[spoiler: it's empty]].

* Dr. Tenma from ''Manga/{{Monster}}'' has a moment doing this after [[spoiler: the director and two other doctors are murdered and he gets promoted as a result]]. Later on, it's implied that [[spoiler: ''Johan'']] of all people does this after he finds out [[spoiler: he wasn't the one who was really sent to the Red Rose Mansion]].
* Creator/OsamuTezuka's ''Manga/{{Adolf}}'': Adolf Kaufman enters into this moment toward the end of the story. By this point, [[FaceHeelTurn He's become a violently fanatic Nazi]], [[spoiler: even murdering his Jewish friend's father]]. He finally uncovers the documents that could expose [[spoiler: Hitler's Jewish ancestry]]. Then he learns that the war is over, and Hitler is dead, [[ShaggyDogStory meaning he sacrificed his life for worthless paper]]. He starts cackling over the irony, but then breaks down in tears.
* During the scene where the unnamed female champion of one of "The Programs" is shown on TV, the manga version of ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' combined this trope with LaughingMad for a terrifying mixture of NightmareFuel and {{Tearjerker}}. The girl doesn't even look human anymore!
* In ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' ''Jack'', [[spoiler: Minami]] does this in their final moments as [[spoiler: she complains that she studied so hard for her final exams]].
* Inverted in the Italian dub of ''Manga/DeathNote''. After [[spoiler:Near exposes him as Kira]], Light sounds like he's about to cry, only to break into psychotic laughter.
* In ''Manga/TerraFormars'' Alex finds out Yaeko is older than him and laughs because her immaturity made her seem younger. Alex had spent the night acting like [[spoiler: he was not upset over his friend Sheila's death]], which Yaeko was trying to comfort him for. Alex continues to laugh as tears start falling from his eyes, showing that he had actually been TryingNotToCry the entire time.

[[folder:Comics Book]]
* In one ''ComicBook/XMen Annual'', ComicBook/{{Mystique}} goes on a cruise to scatter Destiny's ashes at sea, recalling the exact instructions that she was given for disposing of the ashes (including precise date and time), their long relationship, and the time that Destiny swore that she would make Mystique laugh if it was the last thing she ever did. After reminiscing, she throws the ashes out onto the water... only to have them blown back in her face. She starts crying over having failed to carry out Irene's last wishes, until she realizes that Destiny planned the whole thing, knowing the wind would send the ashes back in her face. She then starts laughing.

* In ''ComicBook/StrangersInParadise'', after one of their (many) fights, [[BrokenBird Katchoo]] goes to David's apartment only to realize he's already moved away. She finds a funny picture he drew of them and Francine and starts to laugh, which then turn into tears after she realizes she's pushed away [[DoggedNiceGuy the only man who stuck by her side]].

* ''Film/StreetAngel'': Gino, when he is told that the woman he loved had disappeared because she was in a jail for prostitution.
* At the end of ''Film/InTheMouthOfMadness'', when John Trent finally watches the movie adaptation of Cane's book ''In the Mouth of Madness'' and [[spoiler:realizes that it was just a novelisation of everything he did in the last few days and that he may just be a fictional character]], he breaks down laughing for a minute before crying.

* In ''Film/EverAfter'', this is Danielle's reaction after Henry finally [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments proposes to her]].

* In ''Film/MidnightMary'', a woman faints after being turned away from the mere opportunity of ''applying'' for a job. Mary cry/laughs at her own despair; her options aren't much, either.
* ''Film/{{Adrift 2018}}'': Tami, after returning to Richard's boat and finding the dried-up flower he gave her months ago, starts laughing while breaking down in tears.
* In ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', an angel, Bartleby, has his wings shot off. He touches the stump of one of his wings, licks the blood from his fingers, and breaks into hysterics, wavering between laughing and sobbing.
* ''Film/TheFugitive''. Richard Kimble does this after Gerard tells him that [[spoiler: Nichols used his keys to let his wife's killer into his house, realizing that but for the mundane act of loaning his friend his car, his wife might still be alive.]]

* On ''Series/BreakingBad'', near the end of Season 4, after Walter White frantically searches his basement for money needed to hide himself and his family from Gus Fring (who threatened to kill them all), only to be told by his wife Skyler that she [[ItMakesSenseInContext gave it to Ted Beneke]], he screams and breaks down into tears, which turns into a fit of [[LaughingMad mad laughter]].

* In VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys, Freddy makes a deep, demonic laughter as he moves. However, listening closely makes it clear it's a mixture of sobbing and laughter. [[spoiler:As of ''[[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 2,]]'' this is {{foreshadowing}}; Freddy and the others are ''{{tragic monster}}s,'' in that they [[FallenHero tried to stop the murders, but failed, and are]] [[DisproportionateRetribution now butchering every single nightguard they come across]]. [[BrainwashedAndCrazy And they're probably not in control anymore, too.]] [[AndIMustScream They have to watch as they subject innocent people to]] [[CruelAndUnusualDeath genuinely horrifying deaths]] [[FridgeHorror (if you think about it enough, at any rate)]] ''[[AndIMustScream for the rest of their lifetimes.]]'']]

* When afflicted, the Jester in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' will occasionally undercut his LaughingMad spurts with sobbing. This is best seen when he is Irrational, where he laughs and weeps seemingly nonstop and [[TearJerker cause stress to the other party members listening]].

* In season three of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Nora has a moment of [[MadeMyselfSad depressing herself describing how her team's lives could be ruined by losing in the Vytal Festival Tournament]] that's capped off with some manic laughter that turns into a sob right into a {{Headdesk}}.

* In chapter six of ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', Annie is laughing at her own joke when she starts to cry. The reason? She misses her mother after she died a long, slow death in the hospital.
* In chapter 9 of ''Webcomic/{{Archipelago}}'', [[spoiler: Lucinda does this right before her BerserkerRage.]]
* Near the end of ''Webcomic/AliceGrove'', Alice starts to do this as she learns that everything she's tried to accomplish for the last few hundred years is all going to be for naught thanks to [[spoiler:the reintroduction of nanite-based technology into the world]].

* In WebVideo/BennettTheSage's ''Anime Abandon'' review of ''Anime/InuYashaTheMovieAffectionsTouchingAcrossTime'', the consequences of a very gross SightGag lead Sage's co-worker's smile at the end of the video to break down into sobs of humiliated rage.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** In WesternAnimation/KnightyKnightBugs, the king orders Bugs Bunny to retrieve the Singing Sword from the Black Knight (Yosemite Sam) or else Bugs will be "[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill put to the rack, burned at the stake, and beheaded]]". Bugs' reaction is mirthless laughter, followed by gross sobbing.
** {{Zig Zagg|ingTrope}}ed in ''Porky's Bear Facts''. When the lazy bear farmer loses the only food in the house to a mouse, [[InvertedTrope he starts crying, which turns into maniacal laughter]], before going back to crying.
** In the ''Merrie Melodies'' short "Rocket Bye Baby", a lecturer laughs about people believing in LittleGreenMen, but when one flies by on a FlyingSaucer, his laughs turn to tears.
* Done by Tom at the end of the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short "Is There a Doctor in the Mouse?" when he faces a [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever giant Jerry]].
* Meg from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' has done this at least once or twice.
** Lois did this in a cutaway flashback to when she was pregnant.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'' had the gang try to put on a ballet recital with [[AlphaBitch Pretty]] as the star. When [[TheDitz Stumpy]] accidentally causes Pretty to break her leg, it becomes clear that Eugly is the only person to fill in the role. Kaeloo starts laughing, which then turns into sobbing.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Krusty switches between laughing and crying [[HollywoodPsych after he reveals he's bipolar]].
** {{Inverted|Trope}} in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted". When asked about Krusty and if he's enjoying it now that he's in jail, Sideshow Bob, who now runs the show, [[CrocodileTears breaks into tears,]] but when the reporters are out, his "crying" [[EvilLaugh turns into maniacal laughter]].

-->'''Mascot:''' Hello, sir! I'm Craterface! I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to confiscate that alcohol!
-->'''Bender:''' Better mascots have tried. [''drinks beer and shoves bottle into mascot's eye'']
-->'''Mascot:''' At least I still have my self-respect! Hahahah...[''breaks into sobbing'']
* [[WesternAnimation/TheHuckleberryHoundShow Huckleberry Hound]] does this at the end of "Huck's Hack", when he realizes the consequences of leaving his taxi meter running.