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Many of us like to think of ourselves as the heroes of our own stories. But some people take things way too far. You probably know someone who embraces their role as the ‘protagonist’ of a ‘movie’ way too seriously, and their delusion and narcissism hurt to watch.
Internet users spilled the tea about the cringiest, most facepalm-worthy ‘main character energy’ moments that they’ve witnessed in real life, and we’ve collected their best stories to share with you. You can practically feel the secondhand embarrassment!
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#1
I agreed to be MOH for my best friend. Meanwhile, I had planned my sister’s baby shower months ahead, mailed invitations, and coordinated family flying in to surprise her. The bride knew all of this and was invited.
Then she moved her Nashville bachelorette weekend to the same weekend as the shower. When I pointed this out, she said, “Well, I hope you make the right choice.”
My MOH dress went to a girl who needed one for prom.
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#2
I was walking past a florist stand and a girl danced up and picked up a single gerbera pose in a cutsey manner and was about to walk off when the florist shook his head and snatched it off her. I think she honestly thought she was in the romantic montage of a movie, but she wasn't.
#3
I saw a guy at a funeral take a selfie with the casket, adjust his lighting, and then do a 'thoughtful' pose for his Instagram story. Like, bruh, even the d**d guy is tired of your cringe.
In a nutshell, having main character energy means that you try to live life as though you’re the protagonist of a film. This has its fair share of upsides and downsides.
According to clinical psychologist Shannon Sauer-Zavala, PhD, this personality trait primarily revolves around extraversion.
These individuals tend to be assertive, talkative, more assured, and less self-conscious. They easily get other people’s attention in public and don’t mind being the center of attention, Verywell Mind explains.
In other words, they prioritize their needs, set boundaries, do what makes them happy, and speak up for themselves. And yet, if left unchecked, main character energy has some serious issues and can lead to narcissistic, obnoxious, overbearing behavior.
#4
Me and all the women in the team were having a meeting with management about the pattern of misogynistic behavior we had experienced in the department when a senior manager interrupted to say:
'I just wanted to say that as a man, this meeting is very hard for me'.
#5
People who record themselves at the gym. I don’t mean recording your form or a PR for the memory books. I mean self-proclaimed fitness influencers getting their knickers in a knot because you walked in front of the tripod they set up in front of the dumbbell rack.
DennyS (denzoren) 4 hours ago
Worst of the worst. If you're so concerned, build your own gym to film.
#6
First night at home with our brand new baby, she wakes up for a bottle at 2:21am. My husband took a photo of me giving her the bottle. Spread out in front of us, posing on his back for the photo, our fluffy little white Chihuahua. Because HE’S the star, Goddammit.
Developing main character energy can be healthy if you have a habit of letting others overshadow your needs. However, if you then go on to ignore the needs and boundaries of others and sideline their perspectives for the sake of your own, it can be problematic. In other words, you’ll push people away if you make everything about you all the time.
“Be authentic. When you’re using main character energy, don’t say or do anything you wouldn’t if no one was watching,” Verywell Mind suggests.
“See how you affect others. Pause and see how you’re impacting other people or ask them what they think of you and how you handle things. If their feedback is negative, try to give them more consideration in your interactions.”
#7
A friend of mine came out to me. I congratulated her. For the next month I am in and out of the hospital with a mystery illness. Even when I'm not in the hospital, I am horizontal trying to recover. My friend tells me a month later she felt I was queerphobic because I wasn't happy enough for her during the times we talked. And its like...
1. I was literally trying not to die.
2. I came out 4 years before she did. Do not cite the old magic to me witch. I was there when it was written.
#8
Probably my own kid. Penalty shootout at his primary school sports day, he would have been maybe six, and he scored a goal. Every other kid just returned to their place in line, win or lose. Not my guy.
No, he followed it up with a flat-out lap of the pitch with his shirt over his head and then a massive knee slide towards the crowd, like it was the World Cup. It was genuinely funny and everyone was in stitches but at the same time I was like 'Dear God, what am I raising??'
#9
Years ago I lived in Southern California and some friends and I went down to Rosarita Mexico for a long weekend. While we were at the border crossing on the way back, dude in front of us in line told the Federales "I'm an American citizen, your Mickey Mouse laws don't apply to me!"
They dogwalked him to a backroom and I assume gave him a comprehensive lesson on the concept of national sovereignty.
Verena 6 hours ago
The advantage of living in a cluster of several countries, and crossing borders multiple times a month or even a week for work, shopping or leasure: We know about different laws in different countries and respect them - even though we mock some of them or think some of them are stupid.
It is incredibly difficult to get along with narcissists. They constantly put their needs above yours, are rarely (if ever!) grateful, think they’re superior to you, and they make a habit of disrespecting boundaries.
According to WebMD, some common signs that someone is a narcissist include a deep sense of entitlement, manipulative behavior, an ever-present need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and arrogance.
What’s more, narcissists tend to exaggerate their achievements and talents, are busy fantasizing about success, power, or brilliance, and think that they’re special or unique. They also either envy other people or believe that others envy them.
#10
One time, this lady and this guy ‘helped’ a homeless person outside the bar by talking to him for five minutes. They spent the rest of the night going on about it to the bartender and acting like heroes, as they did whole breakdowns of what happened and how they just had to step in and help someone in need. The bartender just really wanted them to stop talking.
I was sitting on my own and they insisted on sitting opposite me to have a talk with me about life and what it takes to be truly selfless. I did snap at them eventually, which got them to leave me alone.
#11
Girl i used to work with is a micro-micro-micro influencer (2k followers on tiktok) and for a while everytime a customer came up to ask her for help she asked if they knew her from tiktok and wanted a picture.
#12
A 19-or-20 year old kid at the DMV who couldn't get his license because he failed the driving test. Again. The person helping him was patient at first but eventually they started repeating stuff back to him louder and louder so everyone could hear how stupid he was. He was adamant that because he'd spent X dollars paying to take the test "so many times" that he should just get the license. And of course, the kid's mother was there to argue on his behalf that in spite of failing the test, he should get the license. It's worth noting that he was definitely not disabled in any noticeable way, unless we are counting off-the-charts self-absorbed narcissism as a disability. The kid just got louder and whinier and more belligerent at each stage of the circular conversation, and eventually the security officer gently bounced him from the establishment. He screamed nonsensical profanity on the way out and his mother was muttering a bunch of curses at them too. I know this is a cliche that people on the internet use, but I swear, as soon as they were out the door we all clapped for the security guy.
What are the weirdest main character energy moments that you’ve personally witnessed in your lives, dear Pandas?
Meanwhile, what is a main character moment that you’ve had that you’re either embarrassed to remember or genuinely proud of?
How do you deal with over-the-top narcissists in real life? Tell us all about it in the comments!
#13
My kid was diagnosed with cancer at age 4. She’s all good now, more than a decade later. At the time, a family member who cannot tolerate not being the center of attention, flew back from a temporary overseas position that was supposed to last like a year. I was overwhelmed, in the hospital for two weeks during my kid’s initial diagnosis, lost 6 lbs the first week, silently sobbing in the shower every night.
Said family member called me bawling because I hadn’t celebrated their coming home enough.
#14
Famous comedian approached my friends girlfriend in the airport while he was off buying something. He came back and the comedian acted as if he should know who he is. My friend asked him, after he never introduced him, "Am I supposed to know who you are?". The comedian was visibly taken aback. Was hilarious. After he left my friend turned to me and said "Yeah i know who he is, but he's a jerk". Legend.
#15
I manage a bakery: one night a woman came by after the doors were locked and lights turned down. She knocked on the door, then tried to knock the door down when staff wouldn’t let her in. She screamed and hit the door for a while before giving up.
The next day she left reviews on multiple platforms about how terribly she had been treated. When I called her back she played the victim and I had to let her know I had reviewed the cameras and she seemed rather threatening, I wouldn’t have let her in either. Eventually she dropped it.
A few days later she sent the shop an email asking for us to post flyers, collaborate on social media, etc. to promote her business
#16
A friend and I were getting coffee in this cute little book/coffee shop. A woman came in, clearly filming herself browsing. She bought a coffee, sat down, took some selfies of herself with her coffee and book, then just left. She didn’t even drink her coffee.
#17
There's a wedding I've attended years ago where the best man proposed to his girlfriend in the middle of his speech for the newlyweds.
#18
My father was dying. My day was a cycle of getting up early and sitting with him before heading in to work, going back to the hospital when I knew the doctor made his rounds, back to work, rinse, repeat, etc. Everyone on staff knew exactly what was going on.
One of my direct reports complained to our manager that I didn't respond when she said good morning one day.
I can't even remember if I saw you much less heard you, and if I had? It was most definitely not a good morning.
#19
I currently have a coworker that is so oblivious to how she affects other people I think it qualifies
For example, if we are all doing the same thing that is difficult/gross/unpleasant, all she will talk about is how unpleasant it is for HER and want us to all commiserate and pitch in to do some of her work so that she has to do less of it
She seems to think that if we don't complain about something, we actively LIKE it; as you can guess, she is becoming less popular by the day.
Sally Moen 5 hours ago
It's certainly a feature of the self-centered to assume if you don't complain, you're fine.
#20
On a crowded bus, packed to the nuts. Pulled up at the last stop before leaving downtown. A few more people were able to crowd on, but the driver had to say "sorry, everyone else has to wait for the next bus." 5-10 minute wait, not horrible weather. Person decides they MUST get on and kicks up a fuss at the door, refuses to get out of the doorway so the driver can close the door. Yelling that they worked hard all day and deserve a ride home NOW, this is discrimination, why are you denying ME a ride‽ There's probably 20 other people waiting behind them, they're not the only person being denied a ride. Driver tells them he cannot safely fit one more person on, please step back, numerous times then radios dispatch to send police. We all groan cuz they'll take 10-15 minutes to arrive then the driver will have to give a statement etc. And we'll be delayed half an hour minimum because this person thinks they're special. We may as well all get off bc the next bus will be here before the police get here, but that bus is going to be full too because it's rush hour, so probably more like an hour added to everyone's commute bc of this person.
One big guy forces his way to the front of the bus, he wasn't far behind the driver but it was fully packed. He steps up to the jerk and pushes them off the doorstep. Driver slams the door and takes off. EVERYONE CLAPPED and said thanks.
#21
Saw a guy at the airport whose flight got cancelled. everyone was losing it at the gate agent. this dude just calmly walked up, said "i know this isn't your fault, thank you for dealing with all of us" and asked what his options were. got rebooked on a better flight while everyone else was still yelling. absolute king energy.
#22
Girl at work who thought she had the right to know everything about everyone found out one of our mechanics (completely different department than where she worked) recently had a baby. Instead of congratulating him she just stood there in front of him blocking his way and said "Why did _I_ not know about this? I didn't even know your wife was pregnant!" - in a tone that suggested he had failed her and had been withholding info she was entitled to.
He replied: "You don't need to know everything" and walked away. It was glorious.
#23
A guy I went to high school with made a long post to announce big changes in his life, mainly his new job selling roofs door-to-door. It went on for several paragraphs about how hard he has worked on his degree (associates online, which I'm not knocking, but you'll understand in a minute), how he been job searching for months for someone to give him a chance (he interviewed at my place of employment, he didn't get the job because he took off his shoes and sat cross legged in his chair, he wasn't wearing socks), and how his wife had supported and loved him so much. He went in about how he's the man now that he always wanted to be, and the rest of the year was looking up.
In the very last sentence, he mentioned offhand that he's also proud of his wife for getting her master's degree while working full-time, and also that she'd given birth a week after she graduated, and that because he's such a great guy, she gets to take a few weeks off her nursing job to recover.
Yes, his wife worked full time as a nurse while pregnant and still earned a master's degree, I'm assuming she was the one paying all the bills, while he spent months being unemployed, and he is giving her the "gift" of recovering. And he genuinely believed HE was the one that deserved praise.
#24
Guy proposed during our Med School graduation (which was on Mother's Day) to a classmate he was dating when we were all on stage. They actually stopped the graduation and the dean was also involved. I booed.
#25
When you're at an intimate concert, there is a brief intentional silence in the middle of a song, and some mf decides to scream and ruin the moment.
Fungus John 11 hours ago
it wasn't an intimate concert, but I was at a music festival in a field with several thousand people and the band had a song where they get quieter and quieter and the crowd gets lower and lower until theyre sitting on the ground, then they get louder again and everyone jumps up. there was one guy standing in this sea of sitting people, looking around like "yeah, i'm so cool, aren't i?". Then a bottle came sailing from the back of the crowd and hit him right in the head.
#26
Went to Tokyo last year and there was someone who I assume was a TikTok influencer who stood in the center of the Shibuya Scramble, looked to the sky, opened her arms, and began spinning around as if making a girl-power travel blog. She even had a cameraman filming her during the 30 seconds that everyone could cross.
#27
I went for a family day out with the in laws. Mother in law turned up late, insisted all the kids stop playing to take a photo with her, and then left 5 minutes after. She paid £25 for the privilege.
#28
The Reddit mod guy making that video that Reddit mods should be treated like celebrities.
#29
A few months ago I took my daughters to the aquarium. They were under 1 at the time so my partner and I both had them in a baby carrier so we could get around easier and to not be in anyone’s way with a huge double pram.
It’s a very busy aquarium and in the underwater section there are signs everywhere telling you which side to walk and which side to stand on if you want to stop and look for longer. A lady placed her phone against the glass with a portable light attached and started filming herself looking around as the animals swam around her.
Can you guess which side she was standing on?! It was so cringe. I also hate when people record in public places without other people’s consent with the intention of posting it online.
#30
My friend got married a couple years ago, and their brother and sister in law attended. After the wedding, the brother reached out to my friend to tell them that the sister in law felt like my friend wasn't friendly enough to her and didn't talk to her enough during the reception, and asked them to apologize. For not giving her enough attention. At their wedding.
#31
My husband's ex-friend's wife threw a 30th birthday party for herself at a rec center rental room and had party games, balloons, gift bags with little dinosaur erasers and pencils in them, and childhood snacks. Halfway through the party, she had a loud tantrum because no one was playing any of the games or dancing and we were all apparently ruining her birthday party by standing around just socializing. When I say she sounded exactly like Veruca Salt and Caillou had a baby, I'm not exaggerating. The friendship ended shortly after this display.
Oh, she also cut off all her very long hair on the day of our wedding and garnered a whole lot of attention for this stunt. She made a demo of karaoke Christmas songs that she sang into a bad microphone with all the words altered in inappropriate ways about her husband and insisted on playing this arrangement over and over on the last day we saw her on Christmas morning years ago.
#32
At a remembrance for my wife's co-worker who passed from cancer: her boss, who is a vile and all encompassing narcissist, showed up much later than everyone else, made a huff outside, and proceeded to tell everyone "I can't be here for long, *my family member* passed recently and I can't deal with funerals or seeing dead people."
It was not a viewing, just a gathering for people to give their condolences to the family who lost their father/husband/son and if it was something you couldn't handle **why'd you show up in the first place, see you next tuesday??**.
Luke || Kira (he/she) 2 hours ago
Where in the world is it okay for a BOSS to show up at such event?
#33
I had a friend in military college who, when he was panicked, moved like a looney tunes character. I have no idea how, I think he was trying to make like smooth, sleek movements while hurrying at the same time, but he genuinely moved like a cartoon character. It was hard to keep a straight face in those moments, and sometimes it did feel like we were in this guy's movie. His best moment was pulling a bunch of ridiculously well-rehearsed dance moves out in a 6am dance battle, which also had that weird cartoony quality. Dude was also a bit of a nut, but we all were.
#34
Watched a guy at home depot argue with an employee for 10 minutes about a return then announce "I'm never shopping here again" and storm out. he was back the next week buying lumber.
#35
Last Friday, I went to Cafe Shop and sitting there sipping coffee. Then one laborer-type guy came in, counted his money, and barely had enough. I was just about to stand up and help him, but before I could, the owner glanced over and said, Hey boy, you've worked all day, this coffee's from me. I watched him smile and thought, Damm, that's real main character energy.
#36
I never got to witness it but I heard the stories of a guy we knew who went to a funeral for his grandma. We learned that he usually has a prank war with a cousin (this cousin told us the story) and without considering that this was a funeral and the cousin had done nothing to insight the continued prank war, the guy pulled a chair out from under his cousin as he was sitting after a speech about Grandma so he would fall. He fell and rolled hard in front of about 150 people. Then Mr Pranks Alot thought it would be funnier to fart as hard as he could during a moment of silence for their dearly departed. Mind you the guy was around 27ish at the time. When he was called out for his poor behavior, he doubled down and had a fit over no one dealing with his cousin for past pranks during family gatherings. He stood on that soap box for weeks after the funeral as he got angry calls from his family about his choices. At this same time he was crashing on our couch and already pissing us off after a couple months of no job, no contribution, no nothing. Dude really thought he was the main character everywhere. I have *so* many stories about him I could write a book. Maybe a trilogy.
Multa Nocte (she/her/8647) 4 hours ago (edited)
If you put up with this boorish behaviour then you were reinforcing it. You don't get to complain if you tolerated it and didn't handle it.
#37
Was standing in a decent line at the post office (like 20 people). Everyone is minding their own business. An older woman (maybe 50s) walks in and exclaims “that is a HUGE LINE! This is RIDICULOUS!” Very loudly.
One of the postal workers just looked up, assessed she was going to be an issue, and said “m’am I’ll help you now.” So this chick got to skip the whole line.
I guess that’s one way to work the system….
#38
I once saw a woman at the grocery store stop dead in her tracks when "her song" came on over the speakers, close her eyes, and dramatically mouth along while leaning on her cart like she was filming a music video. Everyone just walked around her while she had her protagonist moment in the frozen foods aisle.
#39
I saw a guy stop in the middle of a crowded street, pull out his headphones, and start dancing like no one was watching. Everyone else was frozen, and he just owned the moment definitely main character energy!
#40
I used to be part of the local comedy scene. One of the most known individuals at the open mics was a trust fund baby whose dad was a judge. He never told a joke that he didn't steal from someone else and rarely was in a lineup. After 18 months of social networking he went to the local newspaper and declared he was headed to New York to become famous. I heard he ended up in rural Wyoming because his dad didn't want him embarrassing him any more in the home town. I have the newspaper article but I think that might be too far.
#41
Used to have a friend that acted like those live streamers, before streaming was a thing. Always screaming, making jokes that wertn funny, putting others down. Dude always talked about gettinggirls but the 4 years i knew him, never saw a woman get near him unless she was getting paid. Almost went to jail cuz he thought it would be funny to scream at some kids while we were driving. He set the foundation for the hate i have for live streamers lol. Please people, tell your children you love them and give them attention.
#42
Girl I used to play with when I was a kid (we both were 12), we were in her house once, and we were alone, her parents were out. Around 10:30 PM, we realise there are weird noises coming from the other room. We slowly peep, to see that 2 men in black masks have broken into the home. They were not aware of the fact that we were in the house.
I was scared af, but this girl was something crazy, she took a butcher knife and slowly crawled through the floor behind some furniture. I was telling her not to go.
This girl, with all her force attacked the person standing near in the leg, and screamed like a maniac after that. The other guy ran away, and this guy fell down screaming in pain.
My friend then steps on his chest, pointing the knife to him, and says to me "Call the police", and here I am astonished by this perform6of power by a kid my age.
Main character.
Crystalwitch60 6 hours ago (edited)
Wow ,she’s either very brave or very stupid lol but kudos to her I gotta say , can you imagine those robbers foiled by a bloody 12 yr old GIRL 😂😂😂now that’s embarrassing 😂
#44
I was at the grocery store and the cutest over the top anime looking girl was dancing in one of the aisles and didn't think anyone was watching. I assumed she was filming herself or something but nope, she just grabbed her basket and walked away.
#45
That one guy in who wants to be a millionaire
he got through all the questions with no problem, in the last question he still had the phone a friend option
he called someone, a friend, brother or father (i dont remember who)
when he called, he said he was on who wants to be a millionaire and on the last question, then he proceeded to say that he doesnt really need any help since he already knows the answer, he just wanted to call him and tell him that he is a millionaire now
he then just answered correctly and won the show.
#46
Probably 20 years ago I was hanging out in downtown Seattle when some drunk dudes got in an altercation with police outside a bar. Like half a dozen cops were wrangling guys who were resisting, typical nighttime city sstuff. Then this dude with a giant beard just walks through them all, like he parted the red sea. They moved out of *his* way. Everyone just stopped what they were doing as he was walking through the chaos, then resumed after he passed. As he was walking by the bar, he grabbed a drink and a piece of pizza that was sitting on a table, and just walked off into the night.
#47
I was driving a semi in a larger town, I saw another semi driver who had a 48ft trailer use all five lanes of the busiest street in town, then made eye contact as my jaw dropped and then he winked at me as he rolled past. It was really incredible and he deserves to be the main character.
#48
I work with a real narcissist. He owns 1/3 of the business(blue collar, we help people fix their locks etc) but insists on staying "on the floor" and has no leader or owner responsibilities(only the pay check for it). He like to be where he can manipulate people hands on. Everything is about him, and he do exactly what he wants when he wants. You can't really delegate to him because he will do the opposite or nothing at all. Or he will make it so that its on his terms, and he will consistently lie about what the customers say to make it seem like we misunderstood something or made a mistake in the interraction. Or, if he do what you say he is luring you in, making you think he is actually alright and then it backfires. Always. He will belittle you if you make a mistake, and play the victim if you call him out. If things get too bad, he will whine to his sister who then will yell at her husband(the brother-in-law) who will tell people to leave him be. Rinse and repeat. There is no way of removing him, period. He has a desk behind mine, I have to be around him a lot. It's exhausting and a real science how to navigate him. He is in fact, a text-book narscissist. Luckily he does not have the intellect many narcissists have.
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What do you think ?
Markus Weiler 14 minutes ago
Too many people suffer the "I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here-tumor"
Mrreoww 7 hours ago
Both my maternal grandparents fell sick at the same time and since then there were a lot of hospital visits and other things like that. During one such incident where my grandmother had to be taken to the hospital, her sister (my great aunt) did not ask about her condition even once despite being her neighbour and, obviously, sister. Instead, a few days later, she gave everyone the cold shoulder and packed up her things and left without a word. This sister was up till now very close to my grandparents, so it was shocking for all of us. Don’t know why she did that.
Markus Weiler 14 minutes ago
Too many people suffer the "I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here-tumor"
Mrreoww 7 hours ago
Both my maternal grandparents fell sick at the same time and since then there were a lot of hospital visits and other things like that. During one such incident where my grandmother had to be taken to the hospital, her sister (my great aunt) did not ask about her condition even once despite being her neighbour and, obviously, sister. Instead, a few days later, she gave everyone the cold shoulder and packed up her things and left without a word. This sister was up till now very close to my grandparents, so it was shocking for all of us. Don’t know why she did that.
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