History Main / HighSchoolHustler

* ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'': Freddy, in the ComicBook/New52 reboot. Not only is it near-character assassination compared to his [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] self but he's not even good at it (having sold a forged doctor's note for a gynecological disease to a boy).

* Zeke Tyler in ''Film/TheFaculty'', a delinquent with a CoolCar who sells his classmates such items as condoms, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]] tapes containing nude scenes of popular teen actresses (or so he claims), and most critically for the purposes of the story, a homemade drug that, as it turns out, is highly toxic to the aliens.

* ''VideoGame/{{Kindergarten}}'':

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[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Recess}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hustler_kid.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Need an ID? Or a better report card?"]]

The High School Hustler may use some friendly DumbMuscle to deal with problems their brains can't beat. Other times they're the KarmicTrickster, using their brains to dish out poetic vengeance to bullies and protecting the weak. But they're also the kid running the betting pool and [[BlackMarket discreetly selling term papers, old exams and six-packs of beer]].

* Whenever he's not on a job he's about to be fired from, Jonesy from ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'' comes up with "get rich quick" schemes, which often fail.

* ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'': Joey Jeremiah from the various series, although his schemes fail as often as they succeed. In ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', it is revealed that he became a [[HonestJohnsDealership used-car salesman]] when he grew up.

%%* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'': Marty [=McFly=] is a variant of this trope. Note that he is less of a trickster but no less lucky and helpful. The earlier drafts did make him more of this type of character, though. (Administrivia/ZeroContextExample; we know what he ''isn't'', but what does he do that ''does'' fit the trope?)

* When he was in middle school, Orihara Izaya of ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' was the bookie of the school's betting pool for baseball. It didn't run so smoothly when [[spoiler:a better who had bet using stolen money from his father's wallet threatened Izaya with a knife. Shinra stepped in to receive the blow. In return for telling people that it was actually Izaya who did it, Izaya vowed to make the stabber regret his move for his entire life. Knowing Izaya, it probably worked. All too well.]]

The High School Hustler may use some friendly DumbMuscle to deal with problems their brains can't beat. Other times they're the KarmicTrickster, using their brains to dish out poetic vengeance to bullies and protecting the weak. But they're also the kid running the betting pool and selling term papers.

* [[http://nomimushi.livejournal.com/4423.html In the novel]], a precocious middle school hustler!Orihara Izaya of ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' was the bookie of the school's betting pool for baseball. It didn't run so smoothly when [[spoiler:a better who had bet using stolen money from his father's wallet threatened Izaya with a knife. Shinra stepped in to receive the blow. In return for telling people that it was actually Izaya who did it, Izaya vowed to make the stabber regret his move for his entire life. Knowing Izaya, it probably worked. All too well.]]

* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'': One of Haruhi Suzumiya's many strengths is the ability to get away with practically anything, up to and including extortion, indecent exposure, commandeering an entire room, and press-ganging members, and make the [[FiveManBand SOS Brigade]] end up in a ''better'' situation by the end of the episode. Her peculiar brand of [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold conscientious amorality]] tends to help with this. The fact that [[spoiler:she is possibly ''{{God}}'']] probably helps a lot more. However, this trope is probably played straight. [[spoiler:Her "recruiting" of Asahina in ''Disappearance'' (where she can't [[RealityWarper cheat]]) is a good example: She flings the door open, claims to be from the ''Student Council Intelligence Agency''... and drags an upperclassman out. No problem.]]

They are the ideological nemesis of DeanBitterman. If they grow up and joins a FiveManBand they'll either be TheLeader (a type 1: mastermind) or if the TheLeader is TheHero they'll be TheLancer to foil their purity. Other possibilities are TheFace or TheSmartGuy who comes up with the sneaky {{plan}}s. When they graduate high school, they ''may'' become a FratBro upon entering college, but any fraternity they join will usually see them preside over a bunch of dorky outcasts as their charismatically rebellious trouble-making leader rather than the bullying {{Jerk Jock}}s who make up the other fraternities.

They can arrange a ChainOfDeals and make it work for everybody. They can pull off a BavarianFireDrill without getting his bluff called. Often they're out for themselves, but they're frequently willing to help those in need.

* Creepy example: Creator/RogerCorman's ''Film/RockAndRollHighSchool'' features Creator/ClintHoward (at 20, an unfortunate mix of DawsonCasting and YoungerThanTheyLook) as the enterprising Eaglebauer, who resides in a BiggerOnTheInside office that is accessed through a stall door in the boys' bathroom (leading to massive lines for that one stall) which includes a receptionist with her own klaxons (a girl approaching inspires a red alert). Eaglebauer's ability to sell students' needs borders on the satanic, with many references to selling touchdowns in football games to the male protagonist and a plot revolving around characters paying to become sexually involved with their desired love interests.

[[folder:Film]]

** In the episode "Progress," Nog partners with Jake to make a profit on some unwanted [[AlienLunch Yamok sauce]]. The pair execute a ChainOfDeals, but each exchange earns them only another seemingly worthless product. After trading for some semingly worthless Bajoran land, they discover that their land has suddenly become desireable, so they sell it to Quark at a hefty profit.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Nog, a Ferengi character. Here are a few examples:
** In one episode, he helps Chief O'Brien find a much-needed graviton stabilizer through a [[ChainOfDeals series of bizarre exchanges]], trading Captain Sisko's desk for an induction modulator from the USS Musashi, for a phaser emitter, which is finally traded for a graviton stabilizer.
** In another episode from the first season, Nog is told to get rid of some Cardassian packaged food that has been delivered to the bar, since there are no more Cardassians on the station who would order that food. Jake Sisko and Nog sell the food to a trader who gives them self-sealing stembolts that a Bajoran farmer had ordered but had been unable to pay for.\\\
Jake and Nog contact the farmer to try and get money from him in exchange for the stembolts, but the farmer can only pay them in land. Meanwhile, the land has become prime because the Bajoran government wants to build something on it but doesn't know who owns it. Jake and Nog approach Quark (who had mentioned that he wanted the land so he could sell it at an inflated price), saying that they have something to sell him, and that's the end of the episode.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Fred and George Weasley, particularly in their later years at school. ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'' reveals that they're not the only ones on campus, and seem to have better morals that some of the others when Hermione has to go around confiscating black market brain stimulants sold by some of the others, none of which work and at least one of which was somewhat toxic.

* Griff Hawkins on ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' takes this trope UpToEleven, organizing pro wresting matches in the school's gymnasium in one episode. He also gets Creator/RobertGoulet to sing at his ensuing detention.

* Veronica in ''Theatre/{{Heathers}}'' offers her services forging documents so she can join the titular GirlPosse ([[Film/{{Heathers}} the original film]] only implies this). In a subversion, she does it for popularity and security rather than money, and soon gets tired with her talents being exploited for petty pranks. Then taken to much darker extremes when [[BastardBoyfriend J.D.]] starts employing her skills to cover up actual ''murder''.

->''"A: You can never go too far. B: If I'm gonna get busted, it is *not* gonna be by a guy like *that*."''

%%* The main character from ''WesternAnimation/WhatsWithAndy'', who is also a PrinceOfPranksters. (Administrivia/ZeroContextExamples; other tropes aside, how does he fit ''this'' one?)

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Recess}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hustler_kid.jpg]]]]

The high school {{hustler}} effortlessly outfoxes authority figures -- particularly those who are irrational and hidebound. He's just packed full of brainpower, connections, chutzpah, and luck.

He can arrange a ChainOfDeals and make it work for everybody. He can pull off a BavarianFireDrill without getting his bluff called. Often he's out for himself, but he's frequently willing to help those in need.

The High School Hustler may use some friendly DumbMuscle to deal with problems his brains can't beat. Other times he's the KarmicTrickster, using his brains to dish out poetic vengeance to bullies and protecting the weak. But he's also the guy running the betting pool and selling term papers.

He is not a straightforward young hero. He lusts for payment in return for his good deeds. Popularity might be his deepest motivation. He won't demand payment from those who can't pay though, or run out on his friends. He just likes to take the easy and stylish road to success. In general he is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold good guy]].

The High School Hustler is the positive adolescent version of the MouthyKid. Usually he's regarded as a good kid by almost all adults save those whose authority he directly challenges -- and he can maintain that camouflage even under fire.

The character type is predominantly male. He is the ideological nemesis of DeanBitterman. If he grows up and joins a FiveManBand he'll either be TheLeader (a type 1: mastermind) or if the TheLeader is TheHero he'll be TheLancer to foil his purity. Other possibilities are TheFace or TheSmartGuy who comes up with the sneaky {{plan}}s. When he graduates high school, he ''may'' become a FratBro upon entering college, but any fraternity he joins will usually see him preside over a bunch of dorky outcasts as their charismatically rebellious trouble-making leader rather than the bullying {{Jerk Jock}}s who make up the other fraternities.