History Main / DismissingACompliment

* Body Dismorphic Disorder means that the person with it automatically believers that the compliment is false because they know that what is being complimented is ugly and the person giving the compliment cannot possibly mean it.

* In Webcomic/GirlGenius, during the {{Cinderella}} story, Gil admires Agatha's entrance. She calls him a flatterer -- rather flirtatiously.

* ''[[Literature/TortallUniverse Protector of the Small's]]'' Keladry of Mindelan will insist that she's only doing what she's been trained to do, or that she's had plenty of help, whenever a friend compliments her for doing something {{Badass}}.

* An interesting variant in ''TheSimpsons'' episode [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E18BrushWithGreatness Brush With Greatness]] when Marge tells her art teacher [[JohnLovitz Mr. Lombardo]] he's very supportive. He immediately says, "Marge, please, I don't take praise VERY WELL!"

* In Webcomic/GirlGenius, during the {{Cinderella}} story, Gil admires Agatha's entrance. She calls him a flatterer.

The compliment can be sincere; Jill can even know it. It's a ploy to avoid having to take the compliment at face value, and respond accordingly -- assuming it's not fishing for more compliments.

* ''{{Friends}}'': While comforting Monica over her single status, Chandler tells her: "Who wouldn't want you?" but she jokes the comment off. Later subverted when he tells her she was the most beautiful woman in the room...and she asks if he's serious.(RelationshipUpgrade ensues).

* In ''Webcomic/GoGetARoomie'', Lillian evades a compliment from Roomie [[http://www.gogetaroomie.com/index.php?id=153 here]] (which the latter lampshades in [[www.gogetaroomie.com/index.php?id=154 the next strip]]):

* Body Dimorphism Disorder means that the person with it automatically believers that the compliment is false because they know that what is being complimented is ugly and the person giving the compliment cannot possibly mean it.

* ''{{Friends}}'': While comforting Monica over her single status, Chandler tells her: "Who wouldn't want you?" but she jokes the comment off. Later subverted when he tells her she was the most beautiful woman in the room...and she asks if he's serious and kisses him. (RelationshipUpgrade ensues).

A character hears a compliment -- of any type and quite possibly sincere -- from a friend or a partner and says that it was not sincere, such as doubting they meant it for them particularly, or calling them a charmer, or a rogue, a silver-tongued devil or other less than honest characterization, or it flattery, or telling them to stop it, or describing it as an exaggeration.

The compliment can be sincere; and the person who is praised can even know it. It's a ploy to avoid having to take the compliment at face value, and respond accordingly -- assuming it's not fishing for more compliments.

A socially awkward person who gave the compliment will often make only semi-coherent protests of sincerity, which never ends well in that scene. Many characters will be frustrated. Some will regard it as a challenge. When it's banter, the other character may banter back.

* ''HeyArnold'', "Married".
-->'''Arnold''': You are the most beautiful girl in the world. Your eyes are like shining diamonds.
-->'''Helga''': Aww, go on.
-->'''Arnold''': All right, I'll stop.
-->'''Helga''': No, I mean go on, go on.
-->'''Arnold''': Your eyes are like two diamonds, shining brightly amidst a sky of pale blue heaven...
-->'''Helga''': Ohhh! Go on, my love. Go on, go on...

* "Guardian Angels" in ''House M.D.''

* "Miss Red" in ''The Mentalist''

* "Hell-Bound" in {{Angel}}

* "Angels on the Street" in ''Charlie's Angels''

* ''HeyArnold'', "Married."

Jill hears a compliment -- of any type and quite possibly sincere -- from Jack and says that it was not sincere, such as doubting he meant it for her particularly, or calling him a charmer, or a rogue, a silver-tongued devil or other less than honest characterization, or it flattery, or telling him to stop it, or describing it as an exaggeration.

The compliment can be sincere; Jill can even know it. It's a ploy to avoid having to take the compliment at face value, and respond accordingly -- assuming it's not fishing for more compliments.

A socially awkward Jack will often make only semi-coherent protests of sincerity, which never ends well in that scene. Many characters will be frustrated. Some will regard it as a challenge. When it's banter, the other character may banter back.

Ranges from a simple form of banter or flirtation -- common with {{UST}} -- or even trying to avoid appearing [[{{Pride}} stuck up]], through indicating that the character is not to be won over by flattery or manipulation, or a way to joke about YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame, to [[IWorkAlone a belligerent repulse of sociability]], to a crushing lack of confidence.

->Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining
->Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying
->She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day
->Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me
->And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see

Ranges from a simple form of banter or flirtation -- common with {{UST}} -- or even trying to avoid appearing [[{{Pride}} stuck up]], through indicating that the character is not to be won over by flattery or manipulation, to [[IWorkAlone a belligerent repulse of sociability]], to a crushing lack of confidence.

Ranges from a simple form of banter or flirtation, or even trying to avoid appearing [[{{Pride}} stuck up]], through indicating that the character is not to be won over by flattery or manipulation and a MomentKiller to preserve {{UST}}, to [[IWorkAlone a belligerent repulse of sociability]], to a crushing lack of confidence.

Jill hears a compliment -- of any type and quite possibly sincere -- from Jack and says that it was not sincere, such as doubting he meant it for her particularly, or calling him a charmer, or a rogue, a silver-tongued devil or other less than honest characterization, or it flattery, or telling him to stop it.

Ranges from a simple form of banter or flirtation, or even trying to avoid appearing stuck up, through indicating that the character is not to be won over by flattery or manipulation, to [[IWorkAlone a belligerent repulse of sociability]], to a crushing lack of confidence.