Lickspittle: Difference between revisions

Pretty much the lowest of the low, the '''Lickspittle''' is someone who willingly makes themselves the whipping boy of someone with power and/or fame. More than a [[Yes-Man]], more even than a [[Professional Butt-Kisser]], the '''Lickspittle''' sets no limits to the depths to which he will abase himself in order to curry favor with the object of his adoration. If they have an opinion, he'll copy it. If they're in an argument, he'll take their side. If they ever suffer a moment of self-doubt, he'll be there to cheer them up with some assurances of how great they are. He'll eagerly sacrifice friends, family and dignity to prove his complete and utter worship. Further, he'll eagerly act as their attack dog -- lashing out, insulting and dragging down anyone who dares express anything but utter worship for them.

Compare [[Professional Butt-Kisser]], [[Sycophantic Servant]], and [[Yes-Man]]. Where the Yes-Man agrees with the boss's opinions and decisions, the Lickspittle agrees with ''everything'' about the boss. Where the Professional Butt-Kisser is obsequious, the Lickspittle is ''disgustingly obvious'' about it, to the point of having no pride or self-respect, while at the same time [[Undying Loyalty|unswervingly loyal]] to his "master". Further, this behavior is obvious ''in-universe'', leading other characters to view the Lickspittle with no small amount of disgust and/or pity.

Interestingly, the Lickspittle doesn't necessarily have to ''like'' the target of his fawning sycophancy; it's common to find a Lickspittle who actually ''loathes'' his "master" -- but he continues his behavior because he's riding the master's coattails into a position of privilege, wealth anand/or power.

"Lickspittle" isn't one of those [[Esoteric Trope Names]] we're famous for, by the way --; it's a standard English word dating back to 1825, meaning an obsequious brown-nosing toady -- in case we haven't already made that clear enough.

== Literature[[Film]] ==

* Hollister, the salesman during the "shopping for Vivian" sequence in ''[[Pretty Woman]]'', who very eagerly acceptedacceded to Edward's request for "major sucking up".

== Western Animation[[Literature]] ==

== [[Video Games]] ==

* Elliot, assistant to the evil queen in ''[[Jagged Alliance]] 2'' remains loyal despite repeatedly taking physical abuse from her up to and including '''being shot in the head''', even offering to clean up the mess left by it.