History Main / PointyHairedBoss

Very often such a boss is not merely incompetent but [[BadBoss evil]]; the kind of guy who takes all the credit for his employees' success but blames them for his own failures. In these cases he can be ''more'' contemptible than the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive CEO]] whom he serves: while the CEO is only concerned with padding the bottom line (thereby keeping the company humming along), the Pointy-Haired Boss will sink to any depths to protect his job--a job little better than that of his subordinates, yet one the PHB is completely unqualified for--and will cut the knees out from under employees to [[NeverMyFault make themselves look competent.]]

Occasionally he'll also hold the title of BenevolentBoss as well if he's not too competent at handling the actual work yet has the social intelligence to deal wisely with his workers.

* Preben, the owner of the titular radio station in the Norwegian comic strip ''Radio Gaga'', has never had to work a single shift his entire life, partly thanks to his filthy rich father, and partly because that's what his staff's there to save him from. He is usually already [[TheAlcoholic drunk]] by the time he arrives in the morning, a [[HandsomeLech shallow and incorrigible skirt chaser]] who has no problem whatsoever with {{Gold Digger}}s even while he's on the clock, and is so massively out-of-touch with the life of the everyman that he's not even aware of the fact that cars need refuelling. He just buys a new car every time his old one runs out of gas and assumes everyone else can put up with those kinds of outrageous expenses. Heck, he's barely even aware of what a ''radio'' is, let alone that he's the supposed owner of a radio station.

* Dr. Venture from ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' considers super-science to be a more productive use for the future. After becoming the CEO of JJ's company, Rusty immediately fired the entire board of directors, ignoring how much more [[MundaneUtility profitable and easier]] JJ's setup was, causing the company's stocks to plummet. There's a reason why nearly everyone calls him the world's dumbest scientist.
* Mr. Larrity from ''WesternAnimation/CodeMonkeys'' outdoes perhaps even the {{trope namer|s}}; the man has no clue how to run a video game company (other than knowing that Games = $$$), generally treats his staff like crap, displays unapologetic [[StayInTheKitchen sexism]], has been known to do such outrageous things as bet Gameavision on a ''clearly'' bad Poker hand (that includes cards ''not even found in a standard deck of cards, like a blue Uno Reverse'')... one could go on forever and not even ''scratch'' the surface.
* Principal Pixiefrog from ''WesternAnimation/MyGymPartnersAMonkey'' is hampered by his perpetual fear of lawsuits and his difficulties getting students and staff alike to take him seriously.
%%* The AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/TakAndThePowerOfJuju'' had the Chief of Tak's village.
* ''WesternAnimation/CatDog'': Rancid Rabbit at his least villainous is this. Otherwise, he's a MeanBoss or even a full-out BadBoss.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
** Major Monogram drifts into this sometimes. While in most cases Doofenshmirtz is usually doing something to warrant sending Perry to stop him, there are a few instances where Doofenshmirtz is usually taking an off day such as going on a blind date, meeting an old teacher, going to a convention, ''actually being sick'', etc., but Monogram doesn't really bother to look into these case and send Perry to "stop him" anyway. Then again, even in those occasions, Doofenshmirtz was doing something that should be stopped. In the blind date, Doof had developed a device to deprive people of their emotions if his date failed; to impress the "old teacher", he tried to blow up the moon; the convention was for evil scientists so, there was a reason to think someone (even if it wasn't Doofenshmirtz) would do something Perry should stop; when he got run over by an ice cream truck, he tried to hit the truck with a giant tire. Even when Major Monogram sent Perry to Doofenshmirtz because Doof was picking up empty bottles for recycling, it turned out it was for some plot ("It's green ''and'' evil! I call it 'greevil'!"). On top of that, it's sometimes implied that Perry is OWCA's best agent, while Doofenshmirtz is their least serious threat.
** Doofenshmirtz himself proves to be this for Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated; both [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter his daughter]] and his MinionWithAnFInEvil proved to be more competent than him.
* Richard De Longpre from ''WesternAnimation/AllenGregory'', a sexually depraved {{Manchild}} who prides himself on being the seemingly successful CEO of the corporation he inherited from his father; In fact, he is so dysfunctional on every level that his own board of directors assume most of the actual work in running the company, with Richard relegated to carrying a worthless title while maintaining the illusion that he's the one in charge. And that's to say nothing of his heir apparent, Allen Gregory...

* Pops from ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' is this. He's the boss at the park, but he's incompetent, childish, clueless, and very naive. However, unlike most examples of this trope, he's a BenevolentBoss. He's an incredibly sweet man, and always has a kind word for everyone. Everyone at the park really likes him, even though he's an oddball. Benson is the opposite, frequently threatening to fire Mordecai and Rigby over unfair or mundane reasons.
* Heavily lampshaded with Randy Marsh in the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode, "A Nightmare on Facetime". Years later, he came back to be this when running his pot farm, Tegirdy Farms.
* Lucius Heinous VII from ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', although he is technically a Pointy-Horned Boss, being {{Satan}} and all. If it wasn't for [[OnlySaneEmployee Heloise]], Misery Inc. would completely fail to live up to its name.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'':
** Mallory, Archer's boss/mom, whose mind tends to fly on missions and who sometimes becomes an emotional wreck.
** Happens to the KGB as well in season 3. Not that Major Jakov was especially competent, but he is eventually replaced by [[spoiler:Barry Dylan, a former ODIN agent rebuilt as a cyborg]]. Which might be fine, as [[spoiler:Barry]] was good at his job, but becoming a cyborg seems to have exaggerated his BunnyEarsLawyer tendencies into full-blown insanity. He has since been replaced by [[spoiler:Katya Kasanova]] (also a cyborg and former agent), and it remains to be seen how competent she is.
* Nestor from ''WesternAnimation/ScaredySquirrel'' is the manager of [[BadJobWorseUniform The Stash n' Hoard]], but doesn't even know how to run the place right.
* Robin on ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' is literally ''and'' figuratively a Pointy-Haired Boss.
* Pumpers from ''WesternAnimation/{{Breadwinners}}'' due to [[FakeUltimateHero thinking as himself as]] TheAce and for having a [[SmallNameBigEgo massive ego]].
* Stan Pines in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', a shady grifter and cheapskate who runs a tourist trap called the MYSTERY (S)HACK, and uses every trick in the book to make a quick buck, Dipper even marks him as mediocre boss. However, Stan has a very [[DarkAndTroubledPast deep and dark past]] which explains how and why he got to be who he is.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' has GCPD Chief Angel Rojas in its first two seasons. The man is incompetent, a glory hog, petty, an UngratefulBastard, and refuses to learn from his mistakes. He couldn't solve some of the Riddler's easiest riddles. On a couple of occasions, he's trying to take credit for Batman's work. He's a MeanBoss, openly belittling detective Ethan Bennett in front of his other subordinates just because Bennett supported Batman; this, along with the Joker's MindRape, drove Bennett to become the show's first Clayface. Even after Batman saved Rojas from Clayface and later Mr. Freeze and Firefly, he's still a jackass to him and when he learns Bennett's partner, Ellen Yin, was in an alliance with Batman, he fired her and used her as a hostage to get Batman to come to him, so he could capture him. Karma then bit him in the ass in [[Recap/TheBatmanS2E13NightAndTheCity the episode he pulled that last stunt]], as the TropeNamer for TheCommissionerGordon had just debuted and became Commissioner, ergo outranking Rojas, and proceed to both end Rojas's manhunt for Batman and force Rojas to release and reinstate Yin.
* Mary Gibbons from ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyB'' is a sadist of the [[SuckySchool Honey Bee Academy]] but doesn't even know how to run a school properly.
* Professor Pamplemoose from ''WesternAnimation/{{Sidekick}}'' thinks he knows how to run a school right, despite being a total idiot.

* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': Harley is new to running her own crew since she broke up with Joker. Her desire to fast-track herself to recognition and overall immaturity mean that her crew have to deal with her schemes frequently escalating to extreme proportions.

* ''Series/KenanAndKel'': Chris Potter is the owner of Rigby's and the superior to Kenan (and later Sharla). However, he is frequently shown to be very weak-willed, as he is unable to take care of his store which is constantly vandalized by Kenan and Kel's shenanigans.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}}'' TV series. See the Comics Strips section for more on ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' in general. The TV incarnation of the Boss focuses more on him being a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} rather than a flat-out MeanBoss, though in [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness he was much more outwardly evil]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}}'' TV series. See the Comics Strips section for more on ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' in general. The TV incarnation of the Boss focuses more on him being a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} rather than a flat-out MeanBoss.

* Mr. Larrity from ''WesternAnimation/CodeMonkeys'' outdoes perhaps even the {{trope namer|s}}; the man has no clue how to run a video game company (other than knowing that Games = $$$), generally treats his staff like crap, displays unapologetic [[StayInTheKitchen sexism]], has been known to do such outrageous things as bet Gameavision on a ''clearly'' bad Poker hand (that includes cards ''[[WhatAnIdiot not even found in a standard deck of cards, like a blue Uno Reverse]]'')... one could go on forever and not even ''scratch'' the surface.

-->'''Burgerpants:''' Yeah, because [[SarcasmMode humans are always eating burgers made of]] ''[[IAteWhat sequins and glue!]]''

* Mr. Kornada from ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'' takes [[ExaggeratedTrope this trope to extremes]]: he was repeatedly KickedUpstairs despite his rampant incompetence in the vain hopes that another company might try to hire him. Not only does he follow the MeanBoss archetype in general, he makes it a ''point of pride'' not to know anything about his work, let alone anyone else's -- which nearly leads to the entire colony collapsing. [[spoiler:When he's on trial, his lawyer - who is attempting to

* Richard De Longpre from ''WesternAnimation/AllenGregory'', a sexually depraved Manchild who prides himself on being the seemingly successful CEO of the corporation he inherited from his father; In fact, he is so dysfunctional on every level that his own board of directors assume most of the actual work in running the company, with Richard relegated to carrying a worthless title while maintaining the illusion that he's the one in charge. And that's to say nothing of his heir apparent, Allen Gregory...

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', Mages Guild Archmage Trebonius Artorius is a shining example. He actually is an incredibly talented [[MagicKnight Battlemage]], which helped him to rise through the ranks of the Guild. However, he quickly proved hopelessly incompetent at managing Guild affairs. His mainland superiors responded by promoting him further (in the KickedUpstairs fashion) and putting him in charge of the Guild branch in [[ReassignedToAntarctica the most backwater district in the Empire]] where he could cause the least amount of trouble. He let in a [[TheMole badly disguised spy]] (whose credentials even had High Chancellor Ocato's ''signature'' [[YouMakeMeSic spelled wrong]]), spends his time giving his underlings {{Impossible Task}}s and sending them on {{Snipe Hunt}}s, all while generally acting petty and immature to those who offend him. When the PlayerCharacter comes to him for assignments, he sends you on a task to [[RiddleForTheAges learn about the disappearance of the]] [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer]] and is shocked when you actually manage to find a plausible answer. Then he sends you on a mission to [[SuicideMission kill all of the Telvanni councilors]]. While there is a peaceful way to deal with him, it leaves you as the ''co''-head of the Guild with Trebonious, which is obviously less desirable. You can instead [[ChallengingTheChief challenge him in a duel to the death for his position]], receiving it as a KlingonPromotion if you win. However, need we remind you that he ''is'', despite his other flaws, a very talented Battlemage? (Ironically for this trope, he is also completely bald.)

* ''Film/{{Ted}}'': Ted's boss at the Bay Colony grocery store. He hires Ted after he claims to have slept with his wife. When he finds Ted [[MakingLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces having sex with his girlfriend on top of the produce]], his response is to ''promote'' him. Even Ted points out the guy has problems.

* Bill Lumbergh in ''Film/OfficeSpace'' doesn't do much besides orchestrate useless events and badger his employees, who universally dislike him. He puts up a veneer of affability, but reveals himself to be a MeanBoss in the only time he has to actually do something - namely, instead of informing Milton that he's being let go due to downsizing, he quietly moves his office to the basement and has him kill cockroaches after he's already been removed from the company payroll.

* Bill Lumbergh in ''Film/OfficeSpace'' doesn't do much besides orchestrate useless events and badger his employees, who universally dislike him. He puts up a veneer of affability, but reveals himself to be a MeanBoss in the only time he has to actually do something - namely, instead of letting Milton go, he moves his office to the basement and has him kill cockroaches.

* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Mr. Conklin, the Principal of Madison High School, is a competent administrator, albeit in the RepressiveButEfficient mold. He is also very pompous, for example being known to answer his phone "Principal's Office, Osgood Conklin himself speaking!". He also likes to take credit for his teacher's good ideas ("Public Property on Parade"), force them to type his reports ("Aunt Mattie Boynton"), and of course blame his teachers when something goes wrong ("The Dancer"). He also abuses his position for petty gains; in "Carelessness Code" he fines students and uses the money to place a bust of himself in the library in place of the bust of Julius Caesar. In "Home Cooked Meal" he simply breaks school rules to secretly store his family's meat in the cafeteria freezer. Still, on occasion he shows himself to have a HeartOfGold. In "Hobby Show", for example, his hobby is shown to be fixing broken toys to donate to underpriviledged children. Therefore, other than a outright villian, he's more of a {{Frenemy}} to Miss Brooks.

* Mr. Kornada from ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'' takes [[ExaggeratedTrope this trope to extremes]]: he was repeatedly KickedUpstairs despite his rampant incompetence in the vain hopes that another company might try to hire him. Not only does he follow the MeanBoss archetype in general, he makes it a ''point of pride'' not to know anything about his work, let alone anyone else's -- which nearly leads to the entire colony collapsing.

* Nobles in ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' tend to be like this. For instance, nobles will periodically ban and unban the export of their favorite types of materials (like iron). So, if the noble has recently unbanned the export of iron, you might take the chance to sell some iron items to a caravan... only to have the noble re-ban iron ''after the caravan has packed up and is heading off'', but before they disappear off the edge of your settlement. Once that caravan disappears off the edge of your settlement, whoever helped export the iron will be punished. They will also mandate the production of goods according to their preferences, with zero respect for feasibility or even physical possibililty. Glass items will be mandated in locations with no sand to speak of, beds will be demanded made out of metal (outside of strange moods, wood is the only material that you can make beds with) and occasionally you'll get mandates for things made of slade, which is incredibly rare and cannot be mined or worked. Nobles with inconvenient preferences thus tend to sufffer Unfortunate Accidents, like being given a room that turns out to be a drowning chamber.

* The {{trope namer|s}} comes from the original [[http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/the_characters/ Pointy-Haired Boss]] in the daily comic strip and former animated TV series ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'', seen above playing chess against a pineapple -- and ''[[EpicFail losing]]''. (Count the captured pieces!)
** According to Scott Adams's 1996 book ''The Dilbert Principle'', the truly Pointy-Haired Boss is a reflection of the ''abandonment'' of the aforementioned Peter Principle. In the past, competent people were promoted until they reached a position just barely overreaching their talents; now, however, the ''absolutely'' incompetent are ''immediately'' KickedUpstairs -- where, kept out of contact with the customer base and daily workload, they will do the least harm.
** Adams draws just about ''every'' manager with pointy hair. A minimum of 99% of them are lesser reflections of the original. Interestingly the PHB was originally an unnamed balding manager who was more [[CharacterizationMarchesOn cruel than stupid]]. Then one day Adams accidentally drew the hair on the sides of his head slightly pointy and thought the resemblance to devil horns to be eerily appropriate. Then he started making him [[{{Flanderization}} gradually more stupid while his hair kept getting pointier]]. And the rest is history. There's been the odd strip that actually ''sympathizes'' with the PHB and have him getting angry or frustrated for good reason. Presumably such instances come from the occasions when Adams solicits ideas from his readers, and a boss or manager was the one who got his attention.
** Most strips actually are reasonably sympathetic to the PHB, inasmuch as it's not ''his'' fault he's woefully incompetent. Catbert is more explicitly antagonistic; the PHB is just trying to be a manager and failing horribly at it. Then there's the CEO of the company - the guy who the Pointy-Haired Boss reports to - who's just as incompetent as he is, if not more so. In strips where the PHB has to deal with one of his engineers ''and'' people from other departments or companies he is often cast as the OnlySaneMan since none of them have any social skills whatsoever.
** [[http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2006-10-06/ Of course, he manages to get some pretty good evil moments in too.]]
** [[http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2004-08-29/ And some useful moments as well.]]
** Adams himself, when running a restaurant, realized that he was becoming a Pointy-Haired Boss himself.

* Kenzou Momoi, the section chief of the Welfare Division, from ''Manga/ServantXService'' is more benevolent that the usual example, but no less incompetent. Appearing in the form of a remote-controlled stuffed rabbit, he is never seen doing any office work and is as prone to slacking off as the BrilliantButLazy Hasebe. He seems concerned about his subordinates' well-being, but usually expresses this by pestering them while they need to focus on their jobs and becoming their HeadPet. When he was accidentally kidnapped/sold by a kid who thought he was a normal stuffed animal, his subordinates agree that they're not missing anything in his absence. They only get him back out of obligation rather than any sort of urgency.