My Card
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Grytpype: My Card. |
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The scene plays out as follows: Character #1 meets character #2 for the first time. Character #2 gives their name... their occupation... their credentials... and then "let me give you..." You guessed it, "My Card." Now it's official. Everything they said about themselves must be true. There's the proof in black and white. It's the thing that makes a villain a Card-Carrying Villain.
This is a compound trope at best; sometimes there's a card, sometimes not. Sometimes it's just a membership card or other form of identification that's presented, but not given. Sometimes they say something else when it's presented... but you get the idea. If the card itself is important it occasionally becomes Chekhov's Gun if the recipient discovers later they need its information.
Some variations to consider:
- "Let me give you my card", the abbreviated version "My card", or the incredibly formal "Allow me to introduce myself" accompanies some physical device, usually a business card in the trope's purest form, to remember them by.
- "Call Me" is often the dating version of the above business-like version. There is often a card, but just as often a phone number on any piece of paper.
- "If you should happen to remember anything else", and its many variants, are distinctly reserved for detectives or other government agents finishing primary questioning of a witness that seems incomplete.
- "I'm with" or "I'm from" followed by some company name usually precedes the displaying of identification, which may or may not be genuine.
- There is an entire formalized etiquette to giving/trading business cards in Japan, quite unlike the casual manner in which they are usually exchanged in the West. This will almost always be demonstrated in any anime or dorama which has a scene involving business cards, such as the Ah! My Goddess example below.
See also Calling Card and Membership Token.
Examples of My Card include:
Anime and Manga
- Belldandy gives her business card to Keichii when they first meet in Ah! My Goddess.
- In Paprika, the title character kisses her business card and then hands it to a man, which starts the Opening Theme.
- The middle brother Shinonome of The Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer fame has two different sorts of cards he hands out. One of them describes his occupation as "HERO OF JUSTICE".
- The protagonist of Special Duty Combat Unit Shinesman is observed to hand out his business card like he's performing a finishing move.
- In Bakuman｡, Akira Hattori gives the main characters his business card and e-mail address after his first meeting with the protagonists, asking them to submit any future work to Jump. He notes that they impressed him enough to get his e-mail address, but the truly impressive ones get his cell phone number.
Comic Books
- The Joker likes to use a literal Joker card, with or without useful information. Watch it though, it could be booby trapped with acid or poison, or it could simply explode.
- An issue of the Malibu Mortal Kombat comic features an out-of-uniform Sub-Zero presenting his Lin Kuei membership card. I don't make this stuff up.
- It wasn't in the Malibu comic series, but in the Mortal Kombat 2 official prequel comic (which is more unbelievable).
- The Question used to have the shtick that when he was asked to identify himself, he gave the questioner an apparently blank card, which then would smoke and a "?" would appear.
Fan Works
- Sirius Black's business card in Harry Potter and the Invincible Technomage:
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Sirius Black |
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- Spring-Heel'd Jackie of The Teraverse actually says this line while giving a physical card to a thug at the door of a criminal hideout she and Batwoman are about to crash in the story Bat by the Bay. The card reads:
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Lady Jacqueline Dacre |
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Film
- Men in Black: The MIB card is as vague and mysterious as the agents who carry it.
- In U.S. Marshals, after letting his subordinates badger their fugitive's girlfriend for a few minutes, Girard calls them off... then hands her a business card, asking her to call him if she had any information.
- Most of the characters in American Psycho have very nice business cards, and are quite devoted to them. More so in the film than the book.
- It's worth noting that they each only carry the one business card in their card holders, which makes their use of the card holders at all even more conspicuous.
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back has the United Brotherhood of Dealers union member cards prominently displayed, followed by a discussion of a lack of dental insurance benefits and a possible strike in New Jersey.
- Abused within an inch of its life in Hello, Dolly!: Dolly Levi is able to produce a business card proclaiming her expertise in just about anything at a moment's notice, usually one comically specific to the situation at hand.
- Fight Club: Tyler Durden gives the narrator his card when they first meet on the plane; the narrator uses it to call him after his apartment blows up.
- In the film Oh God, God gives the main character His card. The card says, simply: God
- Same with God from Bruce Almighty.
- Apparently, deities from the Lowest Cosmic Denominator like this one, because the Devil in the remake of Bedazzled gives Elliot the card as an attempt to convince him that she is, in fact, the Princess of Darkness. Similarly to the Oh God example, the card simply says "The Devil."
- You'd think she'd put something on the card, like the fact that she has offices in Hell, Purgatory, and Los Angeles.
- In Harvey, Elwood P. Dowd goes through the same routine with everyone he meets, including giving them his card. This applies even to the doctors at the mental asylum.
- Felicity Huffman's character in The Spanish Prisoner leaves behind a business card that turns out to be an important part of a larger Plan.
- In Cast a Deadly Spell Lovecraft gives a butler his card but it turns out to be the wrong one (the one his witch landlady gave him earlier). He then pulls out and gives his real card.
- Happens twice in Dr. No.
- The messenger M sends to get James Bond in the club asks the attendant to give Bond his card.
- While in the club Bond gives Sylvia Trench his card (which has his phone number on it) and asks her to call him if she'd like to go out with him.
- "So, why don't you give me a call when you wanna start taking this a little more seriously? Here's...my...card."
- It's a Joker from a deck of playing cards.
- The Laurel and Hardy short Another Fine Mess has Lord Leopold Plumtree, who insists on giving Hardy his card each time he gets his name wrong. At one point, Hardy actually takes out the cards he already has, and sorts in the one he just got.
- Stargate SG-1 has Daniel create a box of relevant information to give to any peaceful aliens they found on their trips through the Star Gate. Its one of the reasons why he's The Face of the team.
- Water (1985). After blowing up his well and nearly throttling Michael Caine to death, the mercenary commander leaves him his card.
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"If you are in need of an army, just call." |
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Literature
- Claire in the Keepers Chronicles series by Tanya Huff has a magical version of this, which changes slogan every time you look at it.
- Common in Sherlock Holmes stories (as it was common in Real Life in that period). For example, Charles Augustus Milverton leaves his calling card.
- Played with in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" with a visitor who visits Baker Street when Holmes and Watson are out and instead of leaving a card forgets his stick . Holmes then challenges Watson to figure out who the visitor is based on that. By combined efforts they manage to figure out that the person both walks a lot in the country, has a dog, is a doctor and his name and career before he comes back.
- In "The Illustrious Client", Watson assumes the alias of Dr Hill Barton in order to get information from the villain. Holmes already has a card printed with the name and an address.
- Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently has a collection of cards with various aliases and professions. In The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul, he ends up giving Kate his real card, after debating for a while which alias he should use.
- Cassanunda's card in Lords and Ladies:
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Giamo Casanunda |
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- The title character in Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's The Godmother presents her business card by way of introduction: "Dame Felicity Fortune, Godmother. Fair Fortunes Facilitated, Questers Accommodated, Virtue Vindicated."
- RCN Series: Daniel Leary gives his card to Adele Mundy in the first book, With the Lightnings. It's got his current address written on the back in case she wishes to challenge him to a duel, which at that point in their acquaintance seems quite likely.
Live-Action TV
- In the Doctor Who episode "The Happiness Patrol", people who are unhappy (which is punishable by death) are befriended by a man, who says he understands them. He gives them his card: Silas P. He says, "Other side." Undercover Agent, Happiness Patrol.
- The Doctor's card (as seen in "Remembrance of the Daleks") just has a stylized question mark on it and is just used to make the Daleks angry.
- The new series Doctor often does this, albeit with psychic paper that shows the recipient what he wants and they expect to see.
- Well, one or the other- he has notably failed to think of a specific cover once and turned out later to have accidentally passed for the King of Belgium for about five seconds.
- Within certain limits; when he tries to use it to claim he's a mature and responsible adult, it shorts out, showing a mass of squiggly lines instead - this is apparently one lie that's too big for it to handle.
- In the Sherlock Holmes crossover spin-off novel All-Consuming Fire, the Doctor leaves a card with Mrs Hudson that simply reads "The Doctor - Travelling". Holmes deduces firstly that the card was printed especially for the purpose (because it hasn't the imprint of another card on the back, and was clearly printed recently), and secondly that he was meant to make the first deduction (because the card is deliberately uninformative, left just for the sake of leaving a card).
- Played with in The Vampires of Venice. When the Doctor attempts to flash his psychic paper (forgetting he left it with Rory), he ends up flashing his slightly out of date library card instead.
- In Law and Order, CSI, etc., the investigators will often give a witness their card and say "call me if you remember anything."
- An episode of Law and Order Special Victims Unit had Stabler give a child (who they suspected was being abused by his mother) his card. He calls for help in the night and ends up being murdered by his mother and over-compliant brother. Olivia does it for practically every victim.
- In an episode of CSI New York, one of the CSIs gives a relative of the Victim of the Week his card; a detective criticises him and says "You can't afford to have the lab's phone ringing off the hook".
- In Heroes, Pinehearst and Primatech give out cards like any good shadowy mysterious organization. URLs on the cards lead to a website for the ARG.
- The Two Ronnies serial "The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town":
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Phantom: ... please to give him my card. |
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- Played with on an episode of Cheers. Carla's ex-husband Nick drops by and shows Sam the card for his latest business. As Sam starts to put it into his shirt, Nick asks for it back saying "Only got one."
- An episode of Sanford and Son had someone introducing himself with a variation on this. Fred Sanford responds in obvious fashion.
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Timmy: "I'm Timmy, the sign man! My sign!" holds up a sign which looks like a gigantic business card |
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- Used hilariously in In Living Color with Funky Finger Productions, two shady entrepreneurs who would burst into meetings, trying to sell whatever they had at the time. David Alan Grier's character would offer his card and start rummaging around in his coat, then all of a sudden Tommy Davidson would whip out a card inches from the target's face and shout "BAM!!"
- In at least one episode of The Rockford Files the Private Detective had a small printing press on the back seat of his car, producing cards as the situation required (with occupations such as funeral director and psychiatrist).
- Gus from Psych has a tendency to give his business card to hot girls involved in their cases, writing his home phone number on the back "in case they need anything" to show off his neat handwriting. Shawn finds this incredibly strange.
- In one episode of The Avengers, Steed "goes undercover" by strolling into the villain's office, producing a large collection of business cards, sorting through them and finally handing one over.
- Classic western Have Gun — Will Travel was named for the advertisement on the main character's business card.
- In one episode of Scrubs the Janitor offers to paint Eliot's new office, handing her a card that says "PAINTER - Call Janitor".
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Eliot: Thank you! Now I just have to find someone who can replace this rug. |
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- Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In "Something Blue" D'Hoffryn offers Willow the chance to become a vengeance demon. When she refuses he leaves her his talisman. "You change your mind, give us a chant."
- Angel. Cordelia has some cards done up for Angel Investigations, leading to a Running Gag where people keep trying to work out what the stylised angel is supposed to be.
- In 'Allo 'Allo! The undertaker Monsieur Alphonse's "Swiftly and With Style. My Card"
Radio
- The Goon Show parodies this a few more times, eg:
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Moriarty: My Card. |
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Tabletop Games
- Parodied in the Clue VCR game. Mr. Green hands Professor Plum a card that says "Lyman Green, business."
Theatre
- In the musical Lucky Stiff, Annabelle (the eventual Love Interest) introduces herself to Harry (the protagonist) this way.
- In Thespis, Jupiter introduces himself to the title character this way.
- This is a running gag in Hello, Dolly!. Originally, the cards say something about Dolly's matchmaking service, but gradually expand to things such as financial consultation and dancing lessons.
Video Games
- Suikoden V: Oboro does this to promote his detective agency, though it doesn't really seem to have caught on...
- In Raidou Kuzunoha VS King Abaddon, demons may give Raidou their card upon being recruited or fused; this makes it less expensive to summon them from the Demonic Compendium. Demons met in random encounters may also comment on the cards Raidou has. (The idea of enemies pausing mid-battle to flip through Raidou's demonic Rolodex doesn't make that much sense if you think about it, but it's pretty amusing.)
- In the previous game, it is revealed Tae often gives Narumi her card. He's tired of them.
- Done humorously in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice For All. In the first case, Phoenix Wright eventually presents his own business card to the court; the judge thanks him and gives him his business card before remembering there's a trial going on.
- Also done (less humorously) in Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, where Edgeworth and Shi-Long Lang exchange cards with each other in case 3.
- In the fan game, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Case 5: Turnabout Substitution, Rhea gives Apollo her card for her funeral home, which has a skeleton on it.
- In Katawa Shoujo, on Shizune's route, her father gives Hisao his card when they meet, prompting Hisao to note how prepared he is.
Web Comics
- In Darths and Droids, Maul says he'd give Obi-Wan his card, but Obi-Wan's too busy holding on for dear life.
- In Girl Genius, Carson produces his card...for a position that hasn't had any meaning in years, the Doom Bell Ringer.
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Oh I'm not saying business hasn't been slow ... but the pay isn't bad ... and there're signs (sidelong glance at Agatha) that things could be picking up. |
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- Unwinder: Career Criminal (and indie musician). MEET ME AT THE DOCK!!!
- In this Xkcd strip, the man in the beret has a business card which just says, "This is my business card."
Western Animation
- In the very first scene of The Batman, Joker sneaks into Arkham Asylum and offers a surprised orderly "my card" while advancing him on. Next time we see the guy, he's been given the classic Joker smile treatment.
- Wile E. Coyote's "Super Genius" card.
- "Operation: Rabbit", the short in which Wile E. Coyote tries to catch and eat Bugs Bunny. Wile E. gives Bugs his card, which says "Wile E. Coyote, Genius".
- In Porky Pig's Feat, a hotel manager presents Daffy Duck with his card after glove-slapping him and challenging him to a duel. Daffy takes the card and punches it full of holes, telling him, "You've had your coffee ration for this week, Robespierre!" Daffy then hands him his own card - a piece of flypaper, which he sticks right in the manager's face.
- Bart Simpson once gave his sister a card. She then points out that he lives in the same house and he makes a note to order fewer cards in future.
- In another episode where Bart becomes an emancipated minor, he meets Tony Hawk, who offers his card by tossing it forward and having it weave impossibly through the air until it reaches Bart's hand. Then Hawk realizes it was an outdated card and recalls it in a reverse playback of the event.
- In yet another episode, Homer and some of his buddies become celebrated firemen. Because of this, Moe prints himself new business cards, stating "Moe Szyslak, Hero" - onto the backside of his old cards, which say "Moe Szyslak, Villain", complete with a picture of Moe as Dastardly Whiplash.
- In Shrek 2, the Fairy Godmother's business card is also a means of communicating with her, although when they try to use it they are connected to her answering service.
- To show what a refined Brazilian gentleman he is, José Carioca introduces himself to Donald with a card. Donald mispronounces the entire thing, requiring José to read it out loud for him.
- Donald then gives José his card: an ace of spades with "Donald Duck, Hollywood" written on the back.
- The card of an complaining executive on an episode of U.S. Acres:
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Aloysius Pig |
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- Crosses into Fourth Wall territory in an old Raggedy Ann Christmas special, where antagonist Alexander Graham Wolf introduces himself directly to the viewer, with a closeup of his business card.
- When first meeting Mikey Simon in Kappa Mikey, Ozu presents him with a card that says, "I HATE CARDS!!"
- Futurama: Zoidberg's business card is just a chunk of cardboard with ZOIDBERG written on it.
Real Life
- In Japan, people often exchange business cards when they first meet. This is because of how the Japanese language is structured—a name could be written using several different characters. Without seeing it written, it's difficult to know how to write someone's name.
- Which lead to this...
- When not shunning the person you are receiving the card from; take with both hands, read, put in card carrier or wallet.
- Also featured in the "Taiyo ga Moete Iru" stage of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, where the giant mouse monster offers his card to try and distract heroic Salaryman Ichirou. If you fail that part of the stage, Ichirou falls for it and gets sucker-punched; if you succeed, he doesn't buy it and punches out the mouse.
- Which lead to this...
- As noted above for Sherlock Holmes, it was very fashionable during the Victorian era to have printed cards with your name and title. Laura Ingalls Wilder described in her books how upon being introduced to her future husband Almanzo Wilder, they exchanged cards.
- Philip Jose Farmer had a business card that described him as an "Unreal Estate Agent and Stock Baroquer", claimed to have choice lots available in "Ruritania, Poictesme, Illium, R'lyeh, Barsoom, Middle Earth, Hallamshire, and Oz", offered shares in the "Hidaglo Trading Company", and said he could be reached care of "Lord Greystoke, Nairobi, Kenya".