Sassy Secretary: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
[[File:14002-7175 5659.gif|link=Ghostbusters|rightframe]]
 
Cracking gum and cracking wise. Often with a ''very'' nasal voice, usually with a Joisey or Brooklyn accent.
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{{examples}}
 
== Film ==
 
* Moneypenny from the [[James Bond (film)|James Bond movies]]. She only fits the "cracking wise" personality though.
* Janine Melnitz in every incarnation of the original ''[[The Real Ghostbusters|Ghostbusters]]'' series, including both movies.
** On the other hand Kevin, her counterpart from [[Ghostbusters (2016 film)|the 2016 reboot]], doesn't have enough brainpower to understand what sass ''is'', let alone deliver any.
* ''[[Grosse Pointe Blank]]'' might be considered a subversion, as while John Cusack's character has such a secretary (played by his sister, Joan), he is an amoral assassin.
** Moreover she herself is an effective operative, rattling off info from dossiers, dressing down people over the phone, and nonchalantly dousing the office in gasoline when it's time to move on.
* Pamela Finklestein from ''[[UHF]]''.
* Skinner's secretary in ''[[Hot Fuzz]]''.
* Not a secretary, but Birdie from ''[[All About Eve]]'' acts as Margo's valet - and boy, is she a wisecracker...
* Rockwell's mayor's secretary in ''[[The Iron Giant]]''.
 
== Literature ==
 
* Classic literary example: Velda from Mickey Spillane's ''[[Mike Hammer]]'' novels.
* Cathy, John Taylor's secretary in the ''[[Nightside]]'' series of books.
* Connie in the ''[[Stephanie Plum]]'' series of novels. She has Mob connections, an impressive collection of weapons in her desk (on at least one occasion, she threatens to use one on lecherous boss Vinnie), and a "take no crap" attitude that serves her very well dealing with her colleagues.
* Effie Perine from the ''Sam Spade'' novels by [[Dashiell Hammett]]. Probably the [[Trope Maker]].
* [[Beleaguered Bureaucrat|Sir John's]] clerk Mrs Pound from ''[[Darkness Visible]]'' is sassy enough to deliberately wind up Lewis when she has information he needs to prevent the end of the world. Of course she's going to give it to him, but not until he realises how damned hard it was to get...
 
== Live Action TV ==
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* Carol from ''[[The Bob Newhart Show]]''.
* Jennifer from ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]''.
** Ahem... she is a ''receptionist'', not a secretary [[Insistent Terminology|thankyou very muchthankyouverymuch]].
* Sam (played by Mary Tyler Moore's legs and voice) in ''[[Richard Diamond, Private Detective]]''.
* Frannie Vecchio on ''[[Due South]]''.
* Christina Hendricks' character Joan on ''[[Mad Men]]''.
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** Oddly enough, Russell Dunbar (also Spade) has his own rare male example, Timmy, on ''[[Rules of Engagement (TV series)|Rules of Engagement]]''.
* John Inman in ''[[Take A Letter Mr Jones]]''
* Toby in ''[[Dream On]]''. Need we go on?
 
== Newspaper Comics ==
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{{quote|'''Manuel Calavera:''': Busy as ever, I see.
'''Eva:''': I'd have more work to do if you had more clients. }}
* ''[[World of Warcraft]]''; play as a Goblin, and your character starts out as something of an executive with a secretary whose very name - Sassy Hardwrench - emphasizes the Trope. Despite her snarkiness, however, she is the only employee who does not double-cross the Player, and the [[Only Sane Man| Only Sane Goblin]] in Kezan. Even if, like most of them, she has a thing for explosives.
 
== Western Animation ==
 
* ''[[Transformers Animated]]'' features a robot that has apparently been programmed to act like one of these.
* Laura from ''[[Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist]]'' qualifies, but she's extremely rude and useless as a secretary. She doesn't take messages, and refuses to bring Dr. Katz coffee.
* In the ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode "Hearths Warming Eve", Chancellor Pudding Head's secretary Smart Cookie is portrayed as quite the snarker.
 
== Theatre ==