History Main / WorldOfHam

* ''Film/ThePrincessBride''. Cary Elwes, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Wrestling/AndreTheGiant and Billy Crystal in one film. It's as beautiful as it sounds.
** Hey, what about Creator/MandyPatinkin? He's got the coolest line of all time! JustForFun/{{Hello}}. MyNameIsInigoMontoya. YouKilledMyFather. PrepareToDie.

* Frequently played for fun in the ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' trilogy. Few things are more delightful than Tom Wilson picking on Crispin Glover.
** And Creator/ChristopherLloyd. ''1.21 GIGAWATTS!'' ''[[CatchPhrase GREAT SCOTT!]]''

* During UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}, pretty much every comic book storyline happened in a World Of Ham, probably the best example being [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]] [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Asgard]]: an entire ''Dimension'' of Ham!

* And UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}} brought us Creator/JackKirby's ComicBook/NewGods Saga, a senses-shattering cosmic god-war between ''two'' Worlds of Ham! With Earth, the Doomed Dominion, caught in-between!!! As a tribute to Kirby, Creator/JohnByrne penned ''Comicbook/{{Darkseid}} vs Comicbook/{{Galactus}}: The Hunger'', where all parties spoke as if performing in ''Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung''. In this setting, it's quite appropriate.

** Creator/DavidLetterman once did a TopTenList of "things that sound cooler when being spoken by a giant robot." [[Film/{{Transformers}} Movieverse]] Optimus Prime puts in an appearance. How well does it work? Even his "David, nice to be here" is awesome.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonVietnameseCrystal'' is an extremely poorly translated bootleg of ''Pokemon Crystal Version''. Everyone in the game speaks in all caps, has very poor grammar, and comes off as very hammy.
** There are little gems like this all throughout the game: "I AM VERY DISGUSTED WITH THE TRASHY MAN. IN SPITE OF THE MONSTER, AND THE COACH, ONLY TRASHY, I WILL BEAT DOWN THEM ALL. FOR THIS I MUST STRENGTHEN MYSELF. THE MONSTER IS THE SAME TOO. COLLECT ALL THE TRASHY, RIGHTEOUS FELLOW ALL ARE UNPARDONABLE! YOU DON'T AFFECT ME. THE TRASHY STROLLING IS AN EYESORE!"

* Following trend set by their [[VideoGame/KidIcarus game of origin]], every character in ''WebAnimation/HadesMisguidance'' gets at lest one hammy moment. Even characters from other games get in on the ham when they guest star.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerPuffGirls'' has quite the bit of amped up volume from quite the amount of characters, even side ones, considering the show parodies the superhero genre. Heroes, villains, it'd be easier to list characters who DON'T show at least a slight bit of ham.

** This especially applies during Creator/TomBaker's era as the Doctor. Part of this was because the two genres that formed the bulk of his tenure were GothicHorror and witty character-focused comedy, both of which reward unsubtle characterisation. Mostly it was because he was such a catastrophically powerful ham black hole that he would (and occasionally did) derail the show if he didn't have an outrageous and three-dimensional supporting cast to provide some balance. Creator/RobertHolmes went on record as saying that the writers had to spend a lot of time and effort providing these for him, and if Tom hadn't been so over the top, the era wouldn't have been one of the show's characterisation high points. The wilder he gets, the wilder everyone else gets, culminating in "The Horns of Nimon" where the entire cast reaches swivel-eyed {{panto}} levels of acting (and Tom ''still'' blows everyone else off-screen without making a visible effort).

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has every villain of the week trying to out-ham the last, with the Doctor themself out-hamming them all.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* [[FantasyKitchenSink The]] [[CityOfAdventure world]] [[WeirdnessMagnet of]] ''Literature/TheQuestportChronicles''.

* ''Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses'', where lots of geeks got known for their over-the-top reviews of... well, everything. Even more in the anniversary specials...

[[folder:Real Life]]
* In some sections of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, the use of intense speech patterns and a theatric eloquence at parties, among friends, or even during family squabbles is the norm.
** "Young MAN, if I EVER see BEFORE ME this kind of MANIFESTATION of INSOLENCE from my own FLESH AND BLOOD again, you will regret the HONOR your parents GAVE YOU in ALLOWING YOU To! Be! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORN!"
%%* Maracaibo and to a lesser extend San Cristobal of Venezuela count as this.
* UsefulNotes/NaziGermany: for an example, just watch ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill''. Hitler himself deliberately ate tons of Wagnerian ham for his propaganda techniques. In democratic countries you politely say hello; in the Reich you shout "HEIL HITLER!!! HEIL MEIN FÜHRER! SIEG HEIL! DEUTSCHLAND ÜBER ALLES! FÜR DAS VATERLAND!" as loud as possible. All speeches are as much as ostentatious theatrical rants of the FÜHRER praising the DESTINY OF THE ÜBERMENSCH. All architecture is decorated in SigilSpam of swastikas, Imperial Eagles and generally Neoclassical aesthetics on steroid overdose, while everyday the earth itself is shaken by [[MillionMookMarch marches of a million]] {{Badass Longcoat}}s goose-stepping and stomping the ground with their hardened jackboots, followed by [[TankGoodness supersized castles-on-tracks]]. Weapons design is based on [[HerrDoktor Mad]] [[StupidJetpackHitler Science]] and BiggerIsBetter (see also: Panzer tanks, the Schwerer Gustav artillery etc) and everyone is expected to express in the most ostentatious manner their storm of LOYALTY to the FÜHRER and the GLORY of the ÜBERMENSCH to CONQUER first EUROPA, tomorrow THE WORLD!!!
** This was responsible for the stereotype that in Germany, [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench everything sounds like]] WebVideo/HitlerRants.
* UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}, especially southern Italy, and with the habit to mock everything, [[SelfDeprecation themselves included]], combine this with WorldOfSnark.
* UsefulNotes/{{Argentina}}.
** Now imagine Music/IronMaiden [[VideoGame/RockBand live]] in Argentina: "[''(relatively) somber''] Fear of the Dark [''ham''] ARGENTINA!! [[EvilLaugh Muhahahaha]]! [''somber again''] I have a constant fear that something's always near."
** Also UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}} and UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}. Italians are so hammy they tend to ''not realize when not-Italians are being hammy''.
** '''''[[UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} VIVA MÉXICO, GÜEY!!!!]]'''''
** It's fair to say that pretty much ''every'' southern European country (or country colonized/influenced by a southern European country) is a World of Ham. This is especially prevalent in football matches.
* Sarmatism, a cultural movement in the 17th and 18th centuries among the ''szlachta'', the nobility of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In theory, it was meant to emulate the customs of ancient Sarmatians (from whom the Polish and Lithuanian nobility claimed descent), but in practice, it was a nationwide exercise in creating a World of Ham. Heavy cavalry? Have them wear leopard skins and giant metal wings. A speech? Infuse it with so much Gratuitous Latin there's hardly any Polish left, and don't forget to cry. Political protest? Fall to the ground, block the door with your body, rip your shirt and shout [[YouShallNotPass you'll let no one pass]]. Funeral? Doesn't count if there's no fully-armed Hussar riding into the church in full gallop and breaking his lance against the coffin stand, and ritual demolition of the dead man's insignia of office.
* OlderThanFeudalism: The fashion in Roman courts for opening and closing speeches in the 1st century BCE was the "Asiatic style", a long, thrilling LargeHam performance lasting several days, complete with [[MilkingTheGiantCow florid hand gestures]] and ManlyTears. Every lawyer was supposed to do this at trial, meaning that the Roman courts were veritable festivals of ham for several decades. Then Creator/{{Cicero}} showed up in the trial of Verres with [[SimpleCountryLawyer a different plan]]...
** Ancient Rome itself is often considered by contemporary media to be a World of Ham, what with AltumVidetur, grandiose architectural projects, and a "Master Morality" ethics which puts emphasis on Ambition, Conquest and the acquisition of Glory. Conquerors such as Julius Caesar are celebrated in bombastic Triumphs.
** Incidentally, the Italians, mentioned above, live in the ancient Roman heartland and claim to be the heirs of Rome. As far as hamminess goes, they're right. They were the culture from where {{Romanticism|VersusEnlightenment}} was named after all.
* The Māori people of UsefulNotes/NewZealand, especially historically. [[DueToTheDead Funerals were dramatic affairs]], with ManlyTears and InelegantBlubbering galore, [[CharacterFilibuster long, eloquent speeches]] were (and still are) a major art form, delivered either [[NoIndoorVoice bombastically]] or [[ColdHam stoically]] depending on the situation. The ''haka'', a multi-function performing art, often involves {{Walking Shirtless Scene}}s, MilkingTheGiantCow, and depending on the context and type of ''haka'' performed, can also involve [[MetalScream shouting]], the OneWomanWail, and when opposing ''haka'' groups perform against each other, HamToHamCombat.
* The UsefulNotes/{{Philippines}}. Dear god, in that country, ''everyone is emotional'' and ''everything is SeriousBusiness''.
* ''Bergen'', second greatest city in Norway, may be considered this, courtesy of the big percentage of LargeHam actors ''and some reporters'' coming from the area. On the actor side, Bergen houses the oldest theatre in Norway, and the city has served ham on the menu at least since 1849. It is not always wise to put more than two of them in the same production, because of their HamToHamCombat tendencies, and when an entire crime show covering five episodes was set in Bergen... hoo boy.
** As for the reporters — well, some of them managed to break the sound barrier all by themselves.
** When Norwegian Broadcasting Company (NRK) produced a four-episode historical drama telling the story of the UsefulNotes/NorwegianConstituentAssembly in 1814, one particular scene presented no less than FOUR Bergensian actors hamming it up in a priceless HamToHamCombat. It is fair to say that one scene was the most noisy one in the entire episode, and the one person in the room who was ''not'' Bergensian (a LargeHam in his own right), almost faded out of the picture. That said, Northern Norway is a good runner-up for being an example in its own right.
* In Japan, people from Tokyo stereotype people from the Kansai region, such as Osaka, to be this. While Tokyo is a serene utopia wherein [[JapanesePoliteness strict order, stoicism and etiquette are of utmost importance]], in Osaka people tend to be loud, passionate, boisterous and express themselves freely. See also TheIdiotFromOsaka for this.
[[/folder]]

-->You point...I PUNCH!\\

-->'''[[BlackKnight Dorn]]:''' Hah! I'll '''rip you apart''', you whey-faced cur!\\

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' likes this trope in its settings. The ''Tiberium'' universe is less blatant about it, but it's a very hammy CrapsackWorld once you get past the in-progress apocalypse. The ''Red Alert'' universe, on the other hand... ''Red Alert 1'' was hammy but sane. ''Red Alert 2'' embraced the pork and experimented with some zany ideas. ''VideoGame/RedAlert3'' has Tim Curry, Jonathan Pryce, J.K. Simmons, and George Takei as major characters. It's worth noting that the Ham Acting is entirely intentional in the later game. You can see the big-name actors are having a lot of fun with it.
*** And with Creator/TimCurry's character deceased in ''Uprising'', Creator/MalcolmMcDowell and Wrestling/RicFlair are right there to yank the ham from his jowls.
** By ''Tiberium Wars'' the Tiberium setting has upped the ham. [[EvilIsHammy Kane]] himself is hammy enough, but then you get [[Franchise/StarWars Billy Dee]] Williams as the director of GDI and you know it's gonna be awesome.
** ''Generals'' was relatively sedate, but the ''Zero Hour'' expansion was extra hammy to make up for it.

* With the exception of Rachel {{Alucard}}, who is too busy being the {{Ojou}} to get hammy, every other character in ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' is hammy to the umpth degree. And they come in all possible kinds of flavors, too, from [[AntiHero Ragna]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Bloodedge's]] cocky, shounen-heroic ham; [[EldritchAbomination Arakune's]] [[LaughingMad insane]], [[TheUnintelligible gibbering]] ham and [[KnightTemplar Hakumen's]] sheer badass ham to [[IdiotHero Bang]] who is simply a walking LargeHam scene (so much, in fact, that his SuperMode comes complete with a ThemeMusicPowerUp about how awesome he is)... And then there's [[FauxAffablyEvil Hazama]] / [[{{Troll}} Terumi Yuuki]], [[EvilIsHammy who outhams them all]]. Go ahead and look up a match on Website/YouTube to get an idea. Just be sure to turn your headphones down before you do so.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
%%* Nothing, absolutely NOTHING qualifies more for this trope than Webcomic/AxeCop.

* ''Manga/BoboboboBobobo''. ''' It's a show based on Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar but about hair. [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs That is all]]'''.

* ''Film/MoulinRouge'' {{Melodrama}} and [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs absinthe trip-like]] [[DisneyAcidSequence musical numbers]] where the [[SceneryPorn (wonderful)]] scenery is gleefully chewed.

* ''Franchise/TouhouProject''. No voice track, but loads of over-the-top posturing. Special mention goes to ''Hisoutensoku'', which has actual spriting for the cutscenes. Very theatrical spriting. Print works tone it down, though.

** "OI! TRESPASSAHZ! INVADAHZ! ‘OOLIGANS AN’ NE'ER-DO-WELLS! NOBODY, BU’ NOBODY, JUS’ POPS OU’ O’ THIN AIR ON THIS 'ERE SPACE 'ULK, WIFOU’ ME SAY-SO! NOW, PISS-OFF, OR I’M LIKE TO SAY-SO TO SOMEFIN’ NASTY!"
*** "Dem Orkz got a Mek for a boss! Dat's just sad, dat is."

* ''Manga/OnePiece''. The only show in which characters will treat '''declaring war on the entire world''' as a ''matter of fact''. We're kidding you not: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5zQpL25PtQ they actually did that]]. Usopp (sorry, Sogeking) even took the opportunity to brag about his new slingshot.

--> I'm in pain, and I'm wet...AND I'M STILL HYSTERICAL!

In such a world, you cannot merely ''act'' — [[SuddenlyShouting YOU MUST]] ''[[NoIndoorVoice OVERACT!]]'' Scenery[[DramaticPause …]] will be ''{{chew|ingTheScenery}}ed'' — ground to ''fine dust''. [[MilkingTheGiantCow Giant cows will be milked]] to ''desiccation''. ''Every single line'' of dialogue will be given as if it were a pronouncement from '''Heaven''' itself, or ''[[RageAgainstTheHeavens unto the Heavens]]'' ''[[SkywardScream themselves]]'' — '''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis WITH! ADDED! EMPHASIS!]]''' Every villain will '''roar''', or perhaps ''[[ColdHam sneer]]'', at the ''{{pitiful worms}}'' who '''[[WhoDares dare]]''' to ''crawl'' in their '''[[AGodAmI divine presence]]'''. Furthermore, there's a '''good''' chance that '''[[Creator/BrianBlessed BRIAN BLESSED]]''' can be found STOMPING around somewhere. In this kind of world, it may seem like everyone's [[DoingItForTheArt having a ball]] being as [[LargeHam over the top]] as possible, but, in fact, it is the setting that ''requires'', nay, '''''DEMANDS''''' it… and by '''GOD''', its demands will be ''met!''

* As the SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'', it should come as no surprise that ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' makes prodigious use of this trope as well.