History Main / DamnedByFaintPraise

* In an episode of ''MurphyBrown'', Frank Murphy and Jim attend the premier of a movie made by Corky's husband, and come out having utterly hated it. Frank then tells Murphy and Jim that in these circumstances he usually complements the movie's cinematography. Phil then walks in:

** Which is just silly given [[DidNotDoTheResearch he wrote three of their songs]] ("Don't Pass Me By", "Octopus's Garden", "Good Night"). Ringo just didn't ''write'' songs very often.

* Parodied in ''[=~The Emperor's New Groove~=]'', where Kuzco insults a row of girls with offhand remarks, the final one being "Let me guess: you have a great personality". The other girls have to restrain her from decking him one.

* In season one of ''{{Angel}}'' Angel and Westly describe Cordelia's action as having "good projection" and said that she had "taken the role and made it her own."

* Employees are generally not allowed to criticize product; therefore, if a restaurant or retail worker tells you a dish or item is "popular", what they mean is 'it's terrible and you should avoid it at all costs'. "Popular" is honestly the nicest thing they can say about it.

* [[http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/17/pope-astronomer-baptise-aliens A representative of the Vatican]], in response to Stephen Hawking claiming God was no longer needed: "Steven Hawking is a brilliant physicist and when it comes to theology I can say he's a brilliant physicist." (Minor variation, as by all indications he actually applauded Hawking's talents as a physicist.)

-> "''Kazakhstan greatest country in the world.''
-> ''All other countries are run by little girls.''
-> ''Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium.''
-> ''Other countries have inferior potassium.''"
--> --"Kazakh National Anthem," ''{{Borat}}''

Read more: What are the lyrics to Borat's Kazakhstani National Anthem? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/164327#ixzz16azWmZmf

-> ''Other countries have inferior potassium.''
--> "Kazakh National Anthem," ''{{Borat}}''

->''Oh, I envy you, Altair. Well, except for the part where you were beaten and stripped of your rank. Aside from that, I envy you. Oh, and except for all the horrible things the other Assassins say about you. But yes, aside from the hatred and humiliation, I envy you very much!''
-->'''Damascus Rafik''', ''AssassinsCreed''

->''Oh, I envy you, Altair. Well, except for the part where you were beaten and stripped of your rank. Aside fromt hat, I evny you. Oh, and except for all the horrible things the other Assassins say about you. But yes, aside from the humiliation and the hate, I envy you very much!''

* In ''AssassinsCreed'', the Rafik in charge of the Assassin Bureau in Damascus will tell Altair that he deeply envys him. Well, except for the fact that his arrogance got Altair stripped of his rank and equipment and got him stabbed in the gut, and every other Assassins hates him now....

* In ''[=~30 Rock~=]'', Liz compliments Jenna like this multiple times in the episode "The Rural Juror". Indeed, there are two sets of flashbacks in the episode, one from each of their perspectives (Liz's depicts her as attempting to be kind, while Jenna's emphasizes the insulting aspect.)

* The main premise of an ''{{iCarly}}'' episode: When a new type of wonder shoe fails to deliver, the {{iCarly}} team piles on "faint praise".

[[spoiler:-->'''Riker''': You're a good worker, reliable... punctual.]]

* Used a bit on ''TheSimpsons''. In one episode, after showing his friends and family the [[ShowWithinAShow cartoon]] he's voice acting for, Homer's guests all leave muttering incoherently and Carl says "You have a wonderful house. You should be very proud."

* In the ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Tapestry" [[spoiler:Picard changing the past and not getting involved in the fight that caused him to get his heart replaced with an artificial one has caused him to become a Lieutenant Junior Grade paper pusher instead of a legendary starship captain. When he goes to Troi and Riker asking for a command position, they end up falling into this: by not having gone through his near death experience, he took his life for granted and never risked doing anything noteworthy.]]

'''Hutz: "I'd say it's awfully ... cosy."\\

* In season one of ''{{Angel}}'' Angel and Westly describe Cordillia's action as having "good projection" and said that she had "taken the role and made it her own."

** Which does lead to the question of why it's popular if it sucks.
*** [[ItsPopularNowItSucks Maybe it didn't suck until it was popular.]]
*** Because the employees can only say "It's popular", so hapless customers buy it at least once and thus make it "popular".
*** Because [[ViewersAreMorons consumers are morons]]?
*** Because it's [[IncrediblyLamePun an Electrolux]]?
*** It means there's NoAccountingForTaste. As I constantly have to remind my mother, {{Twilight}} and [[GodwinsLaw the Nazi party]] prove that if something is popular, that ''only'' means it's popular, nothing more, nothing less.

** French [[StandUpComedy humorist]] Patrick Timsit had a field day with this.

* A FatherTed example, when Ted asks Mrs Doyle if she considered him to be one of the best priests in the counry (perhaps ''the'' best?) she says that he's probably the ''second'' best priest. This sends him into a HeroicBSOD.