Hollywood’s War Against “Todd”: Top 10 Bad Todds

What’s Hollywood got against Todd?

Forget the war against Christmas and other left-wing media conspiracies like faking the moon landing and covering up an alien invasion. Hollywood’s biggest war is the war against Todd. Don’t believe me? Check out the overwhelming evidence.

It’s tough to be a Todd. For decades now “Todd” has been the go to name for characters who are jerks, tools, bad boyfriends, and the guy we love to see flailing in a truckload of steaming manure at the end of the movie. Sure, Brad, Tad and Chad have been popular monikers for a-hats and d-bags too, but has any name been more unapologetically maligned by what Todd Palin’s charming wife calls the “lamestream media” than Todd?

Here’s just a short list of recent film and TV Todds to consider (and if I’m missing any, please include them below). First, some Todds who didn’t make the list:

—Todd from the movie JOY, the pompous infomercial actor who ruins Joy’s big break. This is one of the many recent Todds in film, showing that the war against Todd still continues.

—Todd Stetson, from Liv and Maddie. This is the Todd who climbs to the top of Mt. Jerkdom by giving every girl a cruel number ranking.

—Todd from Goth Talk (one of the early annoying Todds).

—Todd Bridges (“What you talking about Willis?”). As one of the first famous real Todds, he did little to help the Todd cause.

—LL Cool J. His middle name was Todd, but he changed it. Couldn’t handle the pressure of being a Todd. Come one, LL, Todds need love.

And now…

Top 10 Bad Todds:

 

10) Sweeny Todd. (Granted, Todd is the last name here, but who can forget the Demon barber of Fleet Street?)

 

9) Todd Packer from The Office. He’s the most annoyingly inappropriate salesman. Spoiler alert: He leaves a brown “package” in Michael’s office.

 

8) Todd Chester (from Christmas Vacation)

 

7) Todd Lanuzi (Beevis and Butthead)

 

6) Todd from Breaking Bad (who some claim was the most dangerous villain on the show).

 

5) Todd from Zoolander (also a dangerous villain).

 

4) Todd from Wedding Crashers.

 

3) Todd Flanders.

 

2) “The Todd” from Scrubs (so obnoxious, in a bizarre way he almost goes around the bend and makes Todd good).

 

1) Todd from Supernatural. Kneel before Todd! Reference to a classic villain from another planet? Check! Wry meta-criticism of the unjust treatment of Todds everywhere? Check! Creepy kid with too much power? Check! After years of bad Hollywood Todds, here at last is a pro-Todd message of angry empowerment.

 

Come on Hollywood, it doesn’t have to be this way. Once there were positive name-role-models for Todd (well, only one I can think of, and he wasn’t human).

Still, the next time you need a name for a jerk, villain, d-bag or other annoying putz, don’t just reach for “Todd.” Spread the love around.

I’m starting a society for the positive advancement of the name Todd. Who’s with me?

 

So who am I missing? What’s your favorite bad Todd or good Todd? Feel free to add them in the comments below.

Comments

  1. Thanks to Jenny for pointing out that I left out this very important Bad Todd. Whole doctorate papers have been written on him: Todd Manning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Manning

  2. Ha! Thanks for the chuckle Todd! I bet I’m going to start noticing lots more evil Todds from now on. The Amy characters I see are always mild, vanilla white girls with farm girl looks so… I feel you.

  3. Need to add Todd from The Magicians to this list. He’s one of the most vigorously loathed Todds on TV. Or, as Eliot and Margo say, “‘effing Todd.”
    http://themagicians.wikia.com/wiki/TV:Todd

  4. Todd Champion says

    I’m a Todd and I’m not a tool or a jerk or a dweeb I can be an asshole though

  5. They did it again in deadpool 2

  6. Not Scott says

    What about constantly being called Scott

    • Seriously! Good to know I’m not the only one.
      I’ve been called Scott so often I’ve stun to think it’s a forgotten middle name or something, lol. -tOdd (have always capitalized the Oh).

      • Holy shit finding this thread has explained so much. My name is Todd and my dad had mistakenly called me by my older brother Scott’s name my entire life.

        • Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says says

          So, the question is, does Scott ever get called Todd? My cousin Scott does not get called Todd, so that is my one data point.

          • Never! He was always scott. My dad, if he realized he did it, would always apologize to me. After about 20 years I was always like – you did it to yourself damnit.

        • lol, ikr…despite the chaos of ‘2020’ it’s like this entire blog helps center the universe a bit, lol

    • YES! my whole life the constant wrong name for me has been Scott.

    • Yes! That happens to you too?? People constantly call me Scott

    • Todd VerBeek says

      If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been called “Scott”… 🙁

    • 95 percent of the time when people get my name wrong they say Scott. Glad it’s not just me. Todd’s Unite!

  7. Todd (of course) says

    Progressive commercial Todd and the newest series of Feliway adds. I’m thinking Todds unite for a class action law suit.

  8. Grey Todd says

    You can now add Todd from Stranger Things Season 4. (I just found your article after bemoaning with my brother that all TV/movie Todds are d-bags.

  9. Grey Todd says

    You can now add Todd from Stranger Things Season 3. (I just found your article after bemoaning with my brother that all TV/movie Todds are d-bags.

  10. Count me in!! Holywood needs to change its ways. When do we start protesting?

    Does anybody remember Todd Lubner from SNL in the 80’s. The only redeeming quality is that he was played by Bill Murray.

    • Todd DiLaMuca was his name. Lubner was Lisa’s last name. We almost never heard Todd’s last name,
      But for years, when anyone called me “Todd”, they said it the way Lisa Lubner said it. Not cool, even though she was very cool.

  11. Todd Barneck says

    I’m a Todd, and yes it is always used in a negative context in movies and television. Also often voted in the top ten worst men’s names. According to George Carlin, a “Todd” cannot be trusted, especially if he’s a surgeon, or lawyer, or some professional. Thanks George! At least it’s never confused with a woman’s name, like TRACY, STACY, ROBIN, TOBY, TERRY, etc. I’ve never been fond of my name, but I’ve had it a long time, so I guess I’ll have to live with it!

  12. ‘Todd Tomorrow’, Francine Fishpaw’s “Polyester Prince” played by Tab Hunter in the 1981 John Waters classic “Polyester”. Come on!

  13. Thou Shalt Have No Todds Before Me says

    I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

    Another bad one is Todd Bowden, the main character of Apt Pupil, the Stephen King novella that became a film with Brad Renfro and Ian McKellen. On the surface, he’s a bright all-American boy with everything ahead of him. In actuality, he’s a ruthless psycho who’s fixated on the Nazi death camps.

    The Todd on Bojack Horseman (the sweet-natured slacker voiced by Aaron Paul) is the only fictional character named “Todd” I have ever really liked.

    Wait, I thought of one more. I liked the drug dealer Todd Gaines in the 1999 movie Go, played by Timothy Olyphant…inasmuch as one can like a drug dealer. He had some positive qualities and got laughs in his deadpan menacing way.

  14. Todd Sherman says

    I was shocked to watch through the entire “Easy A” movie expecting to see an anvil land on the Todd character, or for Todd to go rogue, turn into an asshole,or for something bad to happen to him. Because that’s how Holly wood treats that name. But it never happened. “Easy A” was the first movie I’d ever seen with a “Todd” in it where he *wasn’t* an asshole or a jerk or an idiot, and who was actually intelligent, cool, kind, and remained golden throughout. AND he got a really cool girl in the end, too. Even watched the credits to see if the anvil came then in some sort of short take. But nope. 😉

  15. That Todd says

    My wife turned me on to this years ago and now we catch all sorts of sketchy characters named Todd. Dont forget Keanu Reeves character in Parenthood with Steve Martin. Almost a stoner Spicoli type character. Steve Martin’s sister in the movie refers to him as “That Todd” as he’s dating her daughter.

  16. Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says

    Holy cow! This has haunted me for years, and I basically kept it to myself and thought I might be imagining it….that all names had this happening to them. Nice to see that I am not nuts. While it is all fairly light hearted, I admit that it does actually really bother me just a little (I will survive). Nothing to be done—and complaining about it would make me more of a “Todd”…..SOB!

    Also the Scott thing. I figured my family did it because we have a cousin Scott—but always thought it strange that other people would say it sometimes. What oddity in our brain circuitry causes “Todd” to look or sound like “Scott”. Baffling.

    Last, Todd wasn’t too bad for me as a kid- “Toad”, “odd”, “Re-Todd”, Hot Toddy was as bad as I remember—and that isn’t bad. Toad easily the most common and never bugged me. So it does have that going for it (sorry, Richards of the world). My sister is named Lisa— so it all started for me as a kid with that Bill Murray sketch mentioned above— Todd and Lisa Luebner.

    Thanks to all!

  17. I’ve been noticing how Todd’s never get any respect for years. In terminator 2 the step dad says ” your mom wants you to clean your room” or something like that and the kid looks at him and says ” shes not my mom, Todd.” And the way he says todd is perfect for how you should talk to Todd’s. I see someone else already mentioned todd from Christmas vacation. He was a total todd. And did you ever see giada de laurentiis talk to her ex husband? She “todded” all over him repeatedly.

  18. For all you Todd’s that feel the name has been made to have a negative connotation, I named my frenchie Todd and he’s really cute. Everyone loves that his name is Todd. He does have some weird health issues that make him run sideways so he has been referred to as re-Todd 😔.

    • Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says says

      You aren’t helping!! Lol. Hope Todd is doing better though. If you add another dog and name it Todd as well, think German Shepherd or Rottweiler!

  19. Tod with 1 D says

    I’ve never been called Scott. Every time e I give my name at fast food, they always put Tyler on my receipt. Like, I clearly said a one syllable name! WTF?

    • Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says says

      ok, that may be a clue— the Todd’s get called Scott but the Tod doesn’t! Something in the optics of how it is written maybe….. the O and double letters causing brain signals to cross.

  20. This is awesome! Someone just sent me this link after I mentioned how Todd is always an a-hole in film. As a child I was called toad, terd , retodd and toddasauce. Hated my name growing up but at least now no one is like Todd who? when my name is mentioned. So that’s kinda cool. Another Todd I didn’t see mentioned is in Boogie Nights. The one who tries to rip off the drug dealer.

  21. I’m so glad I found this article! The past few years, I’ve started keeping video clips of Todd’s name being taken in vain and boy, has my file grown quickly… A couple additional observations, has anyone else noticed how many gay characters are named Todd?

    I was also shocked to see how many of us Todds are called Scott. I too had a cousin named Scott and I always assumed that it was just a family thing. Until complete strangers started calling me Scott. So weird… I think we should fund a research study and determine what causes this odd phenomenon.

  22. Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says

    Now, a new low……a movie actually named….wait for it…..Todd

    Todd is the story of a man who has always felt like the “odd man out.” From a young age, Todd is shunned and ridiculed by his peers. Over time his pain and anger turns into rage and despair. When psychoanalysis and depression drugs don’t work, the young eccentric becomes morbid and introverted……

    The war continues!

  23. Todd Hower says

    Kid’s show – Odd Squad – Villain is Odd Todd.

  24. Toddyallmighty says

    Todd from Virgin river. So sad to see our good name dragged through the mud by these pricks

  25. Don’t forget Todd from “Mom and Dad Save the World”. He’s not a douche – just a bumbling idiot. And yes, often called Scott.. mostly called Tom though

  26. a guy who isnt named todd or scott says

    Todd from The Boyss is MM’s daughter’s stepdad, and he also fits the stereotype in my opinion. Dude was told multiple times to keep his daughter away from Homelander since he was a psychopath, yet he still went to a protest. He rightfully got a punch to the jaw afterwards.

  27. Me answering the phone: This is Todd, can I help you?
    Caller: HI Scott, yeah, I was just wondering….

  28. Hi Todds, my name is Todd….

    I noticed this same trend years ago as well. Remember Todd from “Trading Places”? He was the WASPy entitled friend of Dan Aykroyd’s Louis who stole his girl after Louis’ fall from grace. Classic prick.

    My parents named their children Brad, Todd, and Scott. My mom never got my name right and people that know my brother Scott often would call me by his name. But it got weird when people who didn’t know my brother also called me “Scott”. Based on everyone else’s experiences, this is clearly something larger at play.

    Perhaps it is everyone trying to spare us the indignity of our given name by rebranding us to something more highly regarded.

    The only good thing that ever came from my name was when I overhear a girl say “Todd means ‘fox’.” Then another girl said rather enthusiastically, “I’ll say!”

    • Todd/Scott/Tad/Ted says says

      Yasss— the Scott things is freaky and I had forgotten about the Trading Places one. It really is a ‘trope’ at this point that all these movie makers have grown up with and, I suspect, they decide Todd is the good name for characters based on all the other Todds they saw in the movies growing up

  29. She-Hulk added to the list.

    Seriously, is The Fox and the Hound’s Tod, the closest to a good guy we’re gonna get?

    Also, I carried a card in my wallet that said “Todd not Scott” and I’d have people sign it when they called me Scott. I should have used a book instead.

  30. Todd the Damp Cogwheel says

    I, too, found this thread after seeing the “lightsaber night canceled” meme and seeing the movies, and Googling “why Everybody Hates Todd”. I check all the boxes: Been called Scott a million times, find some kind of redemption in Disney’s “The Fox and The Hound” (plus I have red hair, so THAT’S equally cool and uncool lol), and had all the Toad/Tad/Turd/etc nicknames. I’ve read that the name’s popularity occurred in the 1960s and 70s, reaching its highest position ever at spot #28 (1968-1970). Maybe we were all born around the same time and fit a certain almost-boomer Gex-X profile that just ticks people off LOL.

  31. Big T, little odd says

    This is awesome! I am so glad I googled and found this blog post. I knew I wasn’t imagining it, but so satisfied that others had noticed too! Can also confirm the “Scott” phenomenon, but I’d say misnames are 50-50 with “Sean” (or Shawn – not sure how they are spelling things in their head, and obviously can’t trust their judgement).

    Also can confirm the birth year of ‘68.

    Todds Unite!!

  32. Another Todd W says

    OMG, so glad to hear it’s not just me. Get called Scott all the time. And I have bemoaned what dweebs Todd‘s always are in movies and TV. I do think Todd in the fox and the hound is as good as it will ever get for us. And Todd said let there be light and there was light and it was good. Todd’s rule!

  33. OMG, I thought it was just me. I’ve been annoyed about the treatment of Todds by Hollywood for years. And yes, I to get called Scott a lot. I think Todd from the Fox and hound is as good as it’s going to get for us. “And Todd said let there be light and there was light and it was good. Todd‘s rule!

  34. Don’t forget the Todd Zarneki character on The Big Bang Theory, the computer nerd that ripped off Sheldon’s World of Warcraft account, then got kicked in the nards by Penny.

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