Praise
Title Page
Copvright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
PREFACE
Introduction
2) Comedic technique:
3) Commitment:
4) Character:
IIVDEX
About the Author
ACTOR NOTES
"Scott Sedita is a comedic genius when it comes to teaching actors what it tak2s to understand the theory, techniques and
fundamentals of breaking down the basic characteristics of comedy. "
-Mara Santino, Agent, Kazarian-Spencer & Associates
"This will be another bible for actors as they are preparing for auditions and creating a comedic character. It will help them to keep
focus on what each of the Eight Characters wants and needs in order to stay true to the parameters of the character they have
chosen. ... I insist that all of the actors who study with me tak2 Scott's one-day comedy intensive class, and now I will have to insist
they have this book. "
-Judy Kerr, Sitcom Dialogue Coach
"In his new book, Scott Sedita has dissected comedy archetypes in a way that is revolutionary, insightful and great fun to read. This
secret weapon should be part of any aspiring actor's or writer's arsenal. "
-Jed Seidel, Writer, Executive Producer
"IJt sitcom casting, the guy who gets the most laughs wins. Understanding how to build realistic, complex, yet fUI!J!)I characters is vital
to getting those critical laughs in the room. Scott's unique and fascinating book is a fun starting point for any actor or writer hoping
to break into comedy. "
-Patrick Boca, Board ofGovernors, Casting Society ofAmerica
"Nobody has given me more confidence when it comes to comedy than Scott. He is THE 'must-see' comedy coach, and this is THE
'must-read' comedy book. "
Jennifer Finnigan, Actor (Committed, Close to Home)
House Built on Sand Will Not Stand. ' And that's what Scott Sedita's 'Eight Characters of Comedy' gives the actor: a rock-The
Character-<15 the foundation for a great performance. As Scott dissects the core building blocks inherent in each character, he allows
the actor to completely free himself to create a spontaneous, free-form and truthful portrayal. And, as most 'insiders' know, truth
makes the ultimate comedy. "
-Peter Kluge, CEO, Impact Artists Group
~'A
"With his 'Eight Characters of Comedy, ' Scott Sedita shows why he is a top comedy coach. His informative and unique approach
serves as a blue-print for actors who want to understand half hour television and what it takes to become a sitcom star. "
-Stew Strunk & Tracy Steinsapir, Presidents,
Main Title Entertainment
"A clear technique for mastering comedy. This book is for the actor who wants to understand how to deliver a professional comedy
performance. "
-Steven Nash, Arts and Letters Management
THE
EIGHT
CHARACTERS
OF COMEDY
A GUIDE TO SITCOM ACTING AND WRITING
by
Scott Sedita
by Scott Sedita
Published by:
Atides Publishing
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank fellow sitcom aficionado Jim M artyka for his dedication to helping me research, edit and
self-publish this book. I would also like to thank my good friend Frank Salamone for his countless copy edits and words of
encouragement. Also, I would like to thank my mentor, Judy Kerr, for her support, guidance and help throughout this process.
Special thanks to all the teachers at Scott Sedita Acting Studios for helping to make the studio the success that it is: Scott Tiler,
Jorge Luis Pallo, Patrick Munoz, Andy Mower and, especially, my funny wingman Todd Rohrbacher and my equally funny
wingwoman Kathryn Schorr.
I would like to thank my .,immediate family" for being a real life sitcom: my mother Doris, my father Chuck, Helen, Peter, Guy,
Samantha and Van.
I also would like to thank my ''family of friends" for all their love, support and humor: Nicholas Proietti (for his patience and
understanding), Rob Lotterstein, Ed Fitz, Patrick Baca, Ellen Pittleman, Phil Oster, Jed Seidel, Tony Wisniewski, Claes Lilja and
everyone else I might be forgetting. Sorry.
Finally, my sincere gratitude goes to all of my students who inspire me and challenge me day in and day out to become a better
teacher, a funnier person and a more creative human being. You all make me proud, make me laugh and make me remember why
I'm doing this in the first place.
One last heartfelt thanks needs to go out to all those wonderfully talented actors and writers that have made generations laugh
in the beautiful medium of situation comedy. Thank you all so much.
PREFACE
I'm coming out of the closet.
For the past twenty years of my career, I've had a secret, a secret that I was afraid to reveal for fear of being shamed, ridiculed
and mocked b y my peers. And today the stakes are higher than ever. For I have earned the reputation as one of L.A.'s most
well-respected Acting Coaches (hey, it's what my bio says). And now, I risk everything.
Okay, here it goes (deep breath).
For many years, actors have asked me "Scott, who are your favorite actors?" I would throw my arms up and proclaim, "Meryl
Streep, AI Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Julianne M oore, of course! " And that is the truth; they are my favorite actors. But the
"other" truth is that I have not been completely, uhh ... truthful. You see there is another part of me, dare I say, which I have kept
secret. But no more! Today, when actors ask me that same question, I now throw my arms up, hold my head up high and proudly
proclaim, ''Bea Arthur! Kelsey Grammer! Jackie Gleason! Megan Mullally! The cast of ' Friends! '"
(Sigh) ... Oh, how good it feels to finally admit that.
I am no longer afraid! I love these actors-these sitcom actors! For these performers are equally brilliant in their medium as
any of those acclaimed, award-winning dramatic fihn actors. Yes, I know it's apples and oranges, but these apples are just as
beautiful and delicious as those oranges. And it's about time they got their due.
This book is a guide, or a ''How To" if you will, for sitcom acting. But it is also a celebration of these increchbly skilled actors. It
is for the Lucille Balls, the Carroll O 'Connors, the Roseannes, the Jason Alexanders, the Sean Hayeses, the Elizabeth
Montgomerys and those great ensemble casts like "Cheers," "MASH" and "Taxi." It is for the writers that brought us "Frasier,"
"Seinfeld," "Everybody Loves Raymond" and all those other shows we can' t live without. It is for anybody who has made us
laugh over the years, those who continue to make us laugh today and those who will make us laugh tomorrow.
I have a great respect for the work of sitcom actors. They are brilliant in their work, their craft, their art form. But no one in the
business really talks about those actors who we let into our home day after day, week after week in the same breath as classic
fihn actors. Oh, we all love them and they make us laugh, but when asked who our favorite actors are, we suddenly become
elitists. I'm not saying they don't get their recognition, their awards and their big bucks (just ask the cast of "Friends) . But
sometimes, I think they don't really get the respect they are due.
There is a specific craft to sitcom acting. It comes with its own rhythm, its own techniques, its own set of rules. And the truth is
it may be harder and more challenging than dramatic acting. Don't misunderstand, good acting is good acting. In order to be a
successful working actor, you need to be well-trained. But sitcom acting stands alone for many reasons that you'll discover when
reading this book.
How do I know? Well, it's an educated opinion that has formed over many years as an actor, writer, agent, casting director
and acting coach. I have seen first hand the anatomy of a sitcom. Beyond writing half hour comedy scripts myself, I have worked
with very successful writers and show-runners. I have sat at writing tables to see how storylines are developed, how jokes are
created and how "timing is everything!"
As a former agent, I have placed actors on a variety of sitcoms. As an acting coach, I have worked with a number of series
regulars, guest stars and co-stars. Plus, I spent many hours, days, weeks, months and years of my life watching sitcoms. I am a
living, breathing sitcom connoisseur with a collection of TV Guides dating back to the 1960s in my garage to prove it.
Most important, I have seen how the success of a good sitcom depends on 'character." I have learned that comedy should not
only come from the jokes, but also from character." Defining a specific character and having them interact with other specific
characters, creating conflict, is essential for any good sitcom.
The art of sitcom acting and writing has become the object of my fascination-especially the characters. I have fallen in love
\\~th the bumbling, stumbling loser who never gives up his dream, the sarcastic \\~e who holds it all together, the high-strung
neurotic who thinks too much, the cynical and bitchy servant who is frustrated with life, the sweetly, naive overgrown child, the
sexy flirt, the pampered princess and that wacky, odd, eccentric neighbor. I have learned how these characters work, how they
bring life to the show, how they bring viewers back week after week and how they keep the sitcom side of the television industry
thriving.
I have also discovered these classic characters have been around since the advent of the sitcom. While each and every actor in
sitcom history brings originality to their roles, I have noticed similarities in overall character personalities, traits, plotlines and even
the jokes they deliver. I have great admiration for sitcom writers and am in no way trying to diminish their Wlique, individual work
by 'stereotyping" the memorable characters they've written. But I've noticed that there is a definite pattern when it comes to
characterizations. Tbis is a pattern that has proven to be successful in making generations laugh.
It is these character archetypes, The Eight Characters of Comedy, that are the main subject of this book. I didn't create these
characters-1t was many years worth of gifted sitcom actors, writers, producers, directors, makeup artists and costume designers
that brought them to life. But what I have been able to do is identify them and their personalities. Tbis character breakdown makes
it easier for actors to distinguish who they are and how to play them, whether in an audition, in a classroom or on a sitcom.
Tbis book is a teaching guide for any actor, writer or student of comedy looking to make their mark in the world of half hour
television. While I touch on sitcom history and technique, the main focus is on characters and the funny actors who play them. It is
a very specific character analysis, complete \vith personality traits, character histories, physicalities and anything else an actor
needs to play a sitcom character.
In this book, you'll learn how to break down a comedy script, how to identify and deliver jokes and, most importantly, how to
incorporate The Eight Characters of Comedy into your work. Tbis \vill help you find your ..comedic note," which in turn \vill help
you market yourself and succeed in this competitive industry.
Tbis book is a collection of the many things I have learned over several years of experience in the half hour business, my
interactions \vith successful, accomplished actors, writers, directors and producers, my teachings and my endless hours spent in
front of the television.
Beyond that, ..The Eight Characters of Comedy" is a celebration of this industry, these wonderful characters and all the brilliant
sitcom actors we have seen over the years ... and those that are waiting to emerge.
Scott Sedita
2006
P.S . As much as this book is geared toward the actor, I would like to invite new sitcom writers along for the ride. This book is
really as much about writing as it is about acting. This guide is beneficial to all the writers out there, writing those endless,
exhausting comedy spec scripts to land a job on the next 'Will & Grace," "Two and a Half Men," "Scrubs," "Entourage" or even
a "dramedy" like "Desperate House\vives." You will learn how to write half hour jokes, how to implement age-tested comedic
techniques and, most important, how to write characters and characterizations that will help you achieve your goal of creating a
sitcom \vith staying power. As much as the word "actor" appears in this book, know that all of this material applies to you writers
as well.
INTRODUCTION
"Dying is easy. Comedy is hard."
Old adage, but so true. But the real question is, are you f unny? Can you be funny? Can you do half hour comedy? Do you
have what it takes to create a character, follow the half hour comedic formula and make casting directors, writers, directors,
producers and audiences laugh and love you? N ot everybody can. Why? Because this thing called comedy is a lot harder than it
looks.
Sitcom acting-being funny--1s not just about performing jokes in front of multiple cameras. There's a lot more to it. The
world of half hour comedy is incredibly fast-paced (more so than fihn). It comes with its own set of rules, its own techniques, its
own rhythm. And guess whose job it is to get a grasp of this very specific half hour format. That's right. Yours!
This comedic formula has been passed down from generation to generation, and it's up to the well-trained actor and writer to
not only be able to recognize it, but also follow it to the letter and make it funny. Sitcom acting requires training in a very specific
technique. It requires you to be energetic, to always be funny, and to commit to the character, the dialogue, the jokes and the
interaction with other characters.
Are you scared yet? Don' t worry. If you are funny, if you are disciplined and if you practice, practice, practice, you can work
in this high-pressure, but incredibly rewarding business. And I can help you.
So, first things first. Do you have a sense of humor? It's actually a serious question. The first step to being a successful sitcom
actor is ha-ving an innate ability to be funny, to have a sense of humor about yourself and to find the comedy in everyday life. As an
acting coach, I cannot teach someone to act if they are not born to act. N o acting coach can. I call this innate ability the Acting
Gene. And yes, I know it's not ''technically" a gene, but rather, it's your inborn, intuitive ability to act or to pretend. And a good
acting coach can help you tap into this gene, discover (and uncover) your gift and teach you techniques that will help you access
your emotions and your imagination.
Comedy is no <iliferent. To the left of the Acting Gene is the Funny Gene (yeah, another made up word). If you have the
innate ability to be funny (Funny Gene), no matter how developed it is, I can teach you to do comedy. It's like any other skill or
craft. You need to have a physical gift to play basketball, a good ear to play the violin or a keen mind to be a mathematician. You
need to have the Funny Gene in order to do half hour comedy. And if you do, I can teach you what you need to make it as a
sitcom actor.
So, buckle up. Here we go, into the world ofhalfhour comedy and into your future career.
CHAPTER!
WHO'S FUNNY?
Comedy comes from a few different places (some of which may surprise you). As I just mentioned, in order to be funny you
must tap into your Funny Gene. And where does your Funny Gene come from? It didn't start "~th you. Trust me, you inherited
your sense of humor from either your mother' s side of the family, your father's side or both. Or, if you can't look back into your
biological family history, look to your environment (your upbringing), which also plays a major role. But more on that later.
Whether your sense of humor was inherited or comes from your environment or both, it all starts with family.
So look to the family that raised you. Is your mother funny? Is your mother's mother funny? Is your father funny? Is your
father's father funny? Do you have a great aunt with a wicked sense ofhumor? Do you have a cousin who likes to play practical
jokes? Do you have a flamboyantly bitchy uncle?
Who made y ou laugh? If s important to know. Because f unny begins with your family and it goes back generations. But what
is the primary source of their humor? Where does it all ultimately start?
Well, comedy starts with pain. That's right, comedy comes from conflict, oppression, repression and persecution. It comes
from unadulterated, horrific pain. And this pain is often played out through desperation. Good comedy is somebody desperately
trying to overcome odds, make their dreams come true, see their big ideas succeed, find the perfect mate, etc. If s about a
character's desperate attempts to get what they want And what makes this even funnier is that they n ever get what they want
(in fact, you'lllearn in a later chapter that this comedic desperation is a defining characteristic for one of The Eight Characters of
Comedy) .
So, comedy comes from pain and desperation?
What?!
It is a fact that many of yesterday and today' s top comedians and comedy writers come from generations of disenfranchised
and persecuted people, be it for their cultural differences, beliefs, philosophies, whatever. The history of the world is made up of
groups of people who have faced oppression at some point in time. And one way to deal with it is with a strong sense of humor.
The idea is either ..you die or you laugh about it." They could have chosen to be miserable and depressed about their
situation-their individual and ancestral experiences (some have and continue to do so). But others chose to find the humor in
their hardship. This can be said for any group of people that's faced generational oppression and persecution. Every race and
culture has something painful in their ancestry that can be tapped for comedy.
But our sense of humor doesn't just come from our ancestral pain. It also comes from the pain we experience on a daily basis,
going all the way back to our childhoods. Our individual sense of humor comes from our environment, our upbringing and our
personal experiences. All of these play a major factor in how we perceive life, death, family, society, ourselves ... all of those
wondetful comedic topics.
Growing up, I had two parents who were funny. I had a mother who was smart and sarcastic and a father who was kind of a
lovable loser. Before they were divorced--the second time that is-I remember them constantly arguing. It wasn' t funny to me as
a child, but looking back now as an adult, it's hystericaL
If! were pitching this to a network, I would say my childhood was kind of a cross between "Maude" and ''Everybody Loves
Raymond." It was at times tumultuous, but there was always humor. At no time was this more evident then it was during the
holidays. Ahh yes, those wonderful holidays!
In my family, Thanksgi\mg and football did not go hand in hand. One Thanksgi\>ing, my Dad, once again going against my
M om's very strong wishes, not only insisted upon watching the football game but actually rolled the TV set into the dining room!
Upon seeing the TV, my mother got so upset that she hurled the whole cooked turkey across the dining room, breaking it into
pieces. My father's response?
"Well, at least now I don't have to carve it."
Funny. But it came out of pain ... my M om's pain, my Dad's pain and my pain (the hungry participant, observer and future
storyteller). My parents were characters and they helped me form my own sarcastic sense of humor. Tbis became my weapon,
my way of dealing with my pain, and it was formed b y my upbringing and my environment
Think of your own life. What's funny about it? What about your childhood was funny? What's funny about your life now? Who
in your family is funny? Who in your family of friends is funny? Combine all of that with a Funny Gene, some ancestral and
personal pain, and you have your sense of humor.
You also have the source of where all half hour comedies begin...
CHAPTER2
SITCOM IDSTORY
So now that we know that comedy comes from some tembly depressing places, let' s see how that translates into the sitcoms
you're watching on TV today.
It all goes back to vaudeville. Situation comedy first emerged in its most basic form in the old vaudeville acts that were played a
lot differently than theatrical comedies of the time. Without going too much into the history of comedy, early vaudeville acts and
stand-ups (like Fanny Brice, Milton Eerie, Jack Benny, Bums & Allen, etc.) developed classic set up/punchline jokes, slapstick
humor and snappy, witty dialogue that touched on a number of topics including love, life and all those miserable things we just
discussed (pain, oppression).
There was a certain art form to the set up/punchline joke, the dialogue and techniques used in these vaudeville shows and later
b y comics and stand-up acts found in N ew York' s Catskills circuit. And these acts were so immensely popular that they carried
over into radio when that became the new entertainment standard.
Radio shows like ..Amos & Andy," ''T he Bums & Allen Show," 'The Adventures ofOzzie & Harriet," ..Life of Riley" and ..My
Favorite Husband," starring Lucille Ball, are considered the forerunners of sitcoms. Using simple but effective plots, a wide range
of funny characters and specific techniques designed to get a lot of laughs, these radio shows had listeners planning their dinners
around them, much like popular TV sitcoms today-unless you have TiVo.
These shows and many others like them were produced and sponsored b y advertisers, who required a certain amount of time
in each show to sell their products. Therefore, radio writers at the time had to be inventive. In order to work around sponsors'
co=ercials, they had to come up with an engaging, funny, short story with interesting characters and universal appeal in a limited
amount of time.
So when TV made its move as the entertainment medium, studios took these types of shows and turned them into televised
sitcoms. They adapted a similar formula to work \vithin a 30-minute format, 22 minutes of story, eight minutes of co=ercials.
And this basic format is still used today.
SITCOM FORMAT
Credits
Story (Teaser I Cold Open)
Co=ercial
Story
Co=ercial
End of story
Co=ercial
Tag
Credits
With the visual medium of television quickly gaining popularity in households across America, the trick for early comedy
writers and producers was finding faces to match their characters. Plus, they had to find jokes, storylines and plots that people
could Wliversally identify \vith and, more importantly, find funny. Those struggles continue today.
From the dawn of television to today, I believe most sitcoms are based on the idea of fa.mily. "What kind of family? Well,
whether it's one's relatives or group of friends, it's a ''family" that loves each other, has conflict \vith each other and experiences
the joy, pain and everything else life has to offer \\~th each other.
And every family has different personalities \\~thin its structure. There are maternal ones, cynical ones, naive ones, spoiled ones,
controlling ones and just plain odd ones. And sitcoms are no different. It is said that many of our television dramas hold a mirror
up to everyday life. Well, sitcoms also hold a mirror up, but at an angle so it appears funny. And most of that "funny" comes from
a skewed look at life \vithin a family.
Situation comedies are essentially comprised of two sets offamilies, an immediate family and a family of friends, and the
funny situations they get themselves into and out of week after week.
From early tele,~sion on, you 'vill see immediate families-the mother, the father, the kids-\vith clearly defined roles (think
"According to Jim) . And many times you'll see immediate families \vith certain roles reversed (think of the family dynamic in
'T wo and a Half Men"). And you \vill always see a family of friends, where these traditional family roles are taken on b y friends,
roo=ates, neighbors, co-workers, etc. (think "Friends"). You \vill see variations on these themes in all shows dating back to the
advent of television.
In the early 1950s, when TV sitcoms still had their training wheels on, they introduced these two types of families. The
immediate families were featured in shows like "Father Knows Best," 'The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet," "Make Room For
Daddy," "Leave it to Beaver" and 'The Donna Reed Show." They made cute, simple humor out of everyday situations in what
was considered the "normal" household_ These shows had a patriarchal figure, a smart and patient \We and mother and innocent
yet precocious children.
The family of friends shows at the time had similar dynamics, taking the immediate family and moving it into a group of friends.
And sometimes the roles were reversed_ The patriarch became the child, and the logical, smart \We and mother became the
endearing loser. Think of casts like Ralph, Alice, N orton and Trixie in 'The Honeymooners" and of course, Lucy, Ricky, Fred
and Ethel in '1 Love Lucy."
In the 1960s, the family theme remained strong. But mirroring the turmoil of the decade, the concept offamily took a more
realistic nvist. Sitcoms opened up to different types of families. Shows like 'The Andy Griffith Show," "My Three Sons" and 'The
Courtship of Eddie' s Father" featured a \vidower. 'The Brady Bunch" featured stepchildren. "Julia" featured a black, single
mother.
Some writers gave the concept of family a fish out of water twist with shows like Green Acres" and 'The Beverly Hillbillies."
These shows took inunediate families and placed them in wmsual environments to add to the overall humor.
And some gave the concept a more ''fantastical" twist Remember, this is the decade that gave us ''Bewitched," 'The Addams
Family," 'The Munsters," 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" and My Favorite M artian."
There were also family of friends shows, and even these had twists. ''Gilligan's Island" had a cast on a deserted island,
McHale's N avy" set the cast on a warship, 'The Flying Nun" was set in a convent, ''Get Smart" put them in the world of
espionage and ''Hogan' s Heroes" featured a cast in a concentration camp (of all places) .
The family theme continued into the 1970s, where the subjects of politics, race, religion and even sex were brought up not just
at the dinner table, but also on television. And there is one show to thank-one that never held back from hitting the issues of
the day- N orman Lear's ''All in the Family." This revolutionary comedy about a family headed b y a bigoted, yet loving, father is
still one of the most popular and controversial shows ever made and one that epitomized the changing times at home, in society
and in half hour comedy.
Other shows of the time also broached touchy subjects within their storylines including; "Maude"(abortion), ''Good Times"
(struggles of a poor black family), 'The Jeffersons" (inter-racial marriage), "Soap" (homosexuality) and even 'Three's Company"
(sex).
The family of friends shows also boomed with hits like 'The Odd Couple," ''Happy Days," Laverne & Shirley," Welcome
Back, Kotter" and Mork & Mindy." These families of friends also moved into Workplace sitcoms like 'The M ary Tyler M oore
Show" (a news-room), Barney Miller" (a police squad room), 'Taxr (a garage), "WKRP in Cincinnafl~ (a radio station) and
"MASH" (a war).
Continuing the trend of provocative 1970 's shows, the sitcom family in the 1980s became smarter, bolder and more truthfuL
Storylines, dialogue, characterizations and acting styles became less exaggerated and more realistic. Shows like "Roseanne," 'The
Cosby Show," "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains" put the emphasis back on the inunediate family and the issues at home. They
dealt a little more with the real struggles of the everyday family.
N evertheless, the decade did introduce some of the most popular family of friends shows like "Golden Girls," a series about a
group of "mature" women sharing their lives at the kitchen table over a slice of cheesecake. And some of these shows took the
family of friends out of the kitchen and into a bar ('Cheers), a lodge ('N ewhart) , the inner workings of a network news program
("Murphy Brown) and the office of an interior designer ("Designing Women) , just to name a few.
The 1990s made the inunediate family a little more dysfunctional with shows like 'The Simpsons," Married ... With .Children,"
"Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Frasier." But most of the popular shows of the time took a step away from the inunediate
family.
Why? I believe the 90s was a time when Americans questioned and challenged the meaning of family and what makes up a
family. It was a time in life when we as a society seemed to separate ourselves from our inunediate families a little more to
discover who we were as individuals. With emphasis on disenfranchised families, extended families, single-parents and gay
relationships, the idea of"family" took on a broader and deeper meaning. And once again television mirrored this \vith shows like
"Seinfeld," Friends," "Sex and the City" and w ill & Grace." You could say that the family of friends and the immediate family
merged in this decade.
In the new millennium, it looks like the half hour industry is once again trying to redefine itself \\~th shows like "Scrubs,"
"Entourage" and 'A rrested Development." It will be interesting to see what show(s) will define this decade as "All in the Family"
did for the 70s, 'The Cosby Show" did for the 80s, and 'Friends" and "Seinfeld" did for the 90s. Will it be more of an emphasis
on dysfunctional families and individuals like Larry David on "Curb Your Enthusiasm?" Or will sitcoms turn more to single-camera
dramedies like "Desperate Housewives?" We 'll have to see what next pilot season brings.
So now you can see that while the format and general theme has remained the same over the years, plotlines and the styles of
the half hour comedy have gone through (and continue to go through) constant evolutions. But what's certain is that agents,
networks, writers and producers are always scouting for comedic actors to star in that next funny series that's going to make them
millions and live on in syndication.
Like diamonds, some things in the sitcom world are forever. M ore specifically, characters, character plotlines and half hour
comedy teclmiques. Tbis is what we 'll spend the rest of the book exploring, for this is what you need to know to make it in the
half hour industry. N ow that you have at least a partial understanding of where sitcoms come from, I can start sho\ving you what
makes them work and how you can work in them. So, let's start giving you what you need as an actor or a writer b y taking a
look at one of the most important aspects of half hour comedy-Half Hour Technique or what I call, Finding the Funny.
CHAPTER3
RHYTHM
C omedy is all about the rhythm. The first time you read a comedic piece, you instinctually hear a certain rhythm in your head.
And for those of you who watch a lot of sitcoms, you hear it loud and clear. When reading a script or a scene, it is your job not
only to hear the rhythm of the piece that the writers intended, but also be able to perform it exactly as the w riters intended. Of
course, all entertainment writing has some kind of a rhythm, but for comedy to really work, there is a specific kind of rhythm that
you must hear and play to perfection.
One strategy to help you is to think of comedic writing as a good song. W hat makes a good song? A good melody. The
singer's job is to follow the melody as composed. W hen it's sung right, you can tell it's working. But when a novice singer strays
from the melody, there's a good chance they'll ruin the song. Believe it or not, sitcom writing is the same w ay. If it's working, it is
a beautiful (and hilarious) song. Ifit's not, it's like nails on a chalkboard-or one of those painful auditions on "American Idol."
Just as an example, try singing "Happy Birthday," changing the notes in the melody of the song, such as going down on the
'birth" and up on the "day." Sing it out loud. See, it simply doesn't work. The same is true \vith half hour writing.
Sure all you actors know what a callback is in terms ofauditioning. But in the sitcom world, it has another
meaning. A callback is a reference to a joke that happens early in a show. That can mean repeating a bigjoke or
simply referring to apiece of the bigjoke in later jokes or physical actions.
WORDS
The complexity and the great attention to detail in sitcom writing is something that actors new to comedy often take for granted.
They will add words, drop words or just paraphrase. Although there might be more leniency in the world of drama to play with
the dialogue (I don' t recommend it), it CANNOT be done in half hour comedy. There is a simple rule to follow when working
"~th written half hour dialogue: DONT CHANGE A WORD! And if you do change it, you better make it amazing-so amazing
that the writers are actually impressed with what you did. And I can tell you, writers are an obsessive bunch, especially about their
words. SO DON'T CHANGE A WORD!!
Actors do this all the time, and sometimes they're not even aware of it. They'll add words or " bandies" as they're called in the
industry, thinking they're making the dialogue more conversational, when really they're messing up the rhytlun. The follo\\~g are
the most common words actors will add to the beginning of a sentence:
Look
Listen
Like
Well
!mean
So
Or actors will end a sentence with ..... you knowT Or ..... okay?" Or they will breathe heavy, they will throw in a sigh, a laugh,
a chortle, whatever. DON'T DO THAT!
Tbis is not about the writer's ego. It's about the words. The reason the writing needs to be followed word perfect is because of
comedy's distinct and Wlique rhytlun. And that comes partially from the words. Make no mistake, no comedic actor could be
funny if they did-n't have the words. Here's an example of how words make up the rhythm. Please read the following out loud.
PAT: You're the smartest one.
(THEN)
PAT: You're right. You're not.
Tbis example is a funny little bit. But what's true about it, is that these words make up a certain rhythm. In this example, you
can hear the rhytlun, can't you? You can hear how the words flow. These specific words are used by the writer to create this
specific rhytlun to make the dialogue the funniest it can be. The words simply make it flow smoothly. Now if we just add one
word to this piece, let's see how it changes the rhytlun and disrupts the flow.
PAT: You're the smartest one.
(THEN)
PAT: You're right. You're not.
Doesn't this just change everything? By simply adding the word "really," you have changed the rhythm of the piece. The
piece no longer flows as smoothly, and therefore, it isn' t as funny. You can't change the words because you'll change the rhythm.
Now let's see what happens when we drop a word.
PAT: You're the smartest one.
GEORGE: Kramer goes to a fantasy camp? His whole life is a fantasy camp! People shouldplunk down $2,000 to
live like him for a week. Sleep, do nothing, fall assbacliwards into money, mooch food offyow neighbors and have
sex without dating ... THAT's a fantasy camp!
Notice the use of the "C" and "K" sounding words (Kramer, camp, plunk, week and asc-backwards)? Even the
choice to use the figwe of $2, 000 (with a "T" sound) is done intentionally to help bring the most comedy to the
dialogue.
Also, in order to make a half how joke work, you often need to emphasize a certain word or words in the set up and
punchline. Sometimes the writer will let you know the correct word to hit (or punch) by underlining it, italicizing it or
putting it in all caps. But mostly, it'll be up to you, the actor to identify and emphasize the right word (the operative
word) to make the joke work. And even though it's yorr who places the emphasis on the word, it's important to let it
always come from yow character.
Here's another example from an episode of "Seinfeld, "where Jeny (Jeny Seinfeld) and Elaine Benes (Julia
Louis-Dreyfus) are arguing over a lingering odor in his car. See ifyou can guess what the operative words (or in this
case, a/etters'} are.
ELAINE: Jeny, it's B.O.
So when somebody has B.O., the "0" usually stays with the "B." Once the "B" leaves, the "0" goes with it.
PUNCTUATION
Pwtctuation is something else new actors tend to ignore.
KELLY: Follow the punctuation.
Got it?
Exclamation points! These are used in dialogue to show excitement, anxiety, fear, joy or exasperation! The writer is simply
asking you to exclaim the thought, the sentence, the word. Shout it out! Get excited! Pwtch itl Don't be hesitant! N ow that
doesn't mean going over the top, but \vith the right thought and active intention behind it, a good exclamation can be truthful and
funny!
Also, a bolded word. an wtderlined word. an italicized word and a word in ALL CAPS is a notation for you to emphasize
that particular word in your dialogue. The w riter is putting a flag up and telling you that there is a joke present. Whether the word
is in the setup of the joke or in the pwtchline, it is your job to find it and emphasize it in order to keep the rhythm of the piece. Is
that CLEAR?!
Look, I know this all might sowtd obvious, but pwtctuation IS an area that can separate a well-trained actor who wtderstands
comedic rhythm from one who thinks the words are merely a guide. Read this example out loud and watch how the pwtctuation
makes the scene work.
PAT: You're the funniest.
KELLY: Really?
PAT: N o. I just said that to make you feel better.
KELLY: Oh. Thank you?
In this example, you see that Pat is setting up Kelly for a falL And Kelly is falling for it. After Pat jabs Kelly, Kelly's confusion
comes out on the ' Thank you?" The 'Thank you?" implies that Kelly is unsure and questioning Pat's intention. W e lmow all of this
because of the question mark.
Changing or ignoring punctuation can mess up the rhythm as much as adding or dropping w ords. Even worse, it can destroy the
joke. Sometimes changing punctuation changes the entire intention of a scene. And that's disastrous. N ow read this example again
and take out the question mark at the end. W atch how it changes the scene completely.
PAT: You're the funniest.
KELLY: Really?
PAT: N o. I just said that to make you feel better.
KELLY: Oh. Thank you.
See how the rhythm shifts, the scene flattens and the intentions for the character and the scene are completely changed? And
it's less funny. Here, let's try it again, this time taking out the period after "No" and the period after "Oh" as well.
PAT: You're the funniest.
KELLY: Really?
PAT: N o I just said that to make you feel better.
KELLY: Oh thank you?
This doesn't work, does it? B y not playing the periods, it makes the thoughts run together, once again changing the intention,
the rhythm and the humor of the scene. "No" is a separate sentence. It halts the dialogue for the joke and also sets up the next
sentence-the bigger joke. With no period after the "No" there is less bite in Pat's response. The "Oh" is also a separate
sentence that implies Kelly' s confusion. It also sets up the next sentence, the final joke (Thank you?).
The timing changes if you don' t follow the words and the punctuation exactly as they are written. As another quick example,
read this bit and make sure you follow each and every period, comma, ellipsis and question mark. In this example, Pat is showing
Kelly a new painting.
PAT: Do you love it? Do you like it? (THEN) You hate it.
you have to do is follow it to the letter, staying committed to exactly what they write.
You will often hear acting coaches, directors and writers tell you to do comedy "louder, faster and funnier." And you
should. Remember, situation comedies are not written b y Chekhov; they are not directed b y Ingmar Bergman. There are no long,
unwanted pauses, no deep, dark thoughts and no shots of a deer grazing in a meadow at dusk. Situation comedies are written b y
COMEDY writers, directed b y COMEDY directors-people who understand how to tell a story in 22 minutes with snappy
dialogue, heightened characters, physical humor, quick cuts and, let's not forget; witty; fast-paced jokes. That said, it's important
that you are able to find all of the jokes in each and every script. That will prove to be a lot easier for you once you are familiar
with the concepts of.
The Turnaround
AND
Triplets
THE TURNAROUND
The Turnaround is a comedic technique that comedy writers have used for years: in vaudeville, radio, comedy clubs, fihns and
most predominantly in half hour. Actually, I would say it is THE most used technique for telling a joke on a sitcom. What I've
done is simply identify it and name it. So what is The Turnaround?
Essentially, The Turnaround is a type of joke that requires the actor to say a line with a strong intention and then ''tum around"
and say something completely opposite--and unexpected-\\~th an equally strong intention, thus getting a laugh.
The Turnaround is comprised of two very important elements. The Conviction and The Contraviction. And yes, I'm aware
that ..contraviction" is not a word. But trust me, this is the best way to help explain how to deliver this popular type of sitcom
joke. I also think it's important when talking to actors to use a word like ..conviction," which instills in them that the words they
speak and the actions they perform have strong intentions behind them.
I !ere' s an easy example to start \vith to practice this technique. N ext time you see your best friend, look at his or her shirt and
say, \vith great sincerity ...
I like your shirt. (THEN) But not on you.
This is a classic Turnaround joke and one that I always use in my class. Let me break it down and show you how it works and
why.
<:4>11\ icti<>n
(JJJFS)
I. me B: Btu
IH>l
on you.
(Till':-\)
( :ontr.1\'icuon
Line A is said to your friend as a compliment and you say it with sincerity: The Conviction. Line B is said to your friend as an
insult and so you say it with ridicule: The Contraviction. Once again, Line A you say with conviction, and Line B with
Contraviction, meaning you go against (contrary to) what you just said with equal conviction. There is something to be said about
the comedic forces of positive and negative. As you can see, Line A is a positive statement, and Line B is negative.
( :om inion
(TIIF:-\J
(Til E:-\J
( :ontl":l\' IClH H1
You put these together in any way and you have a joke. Here, let's flip it around.
Conviction
Negative
(TH EN)
Cono-J,iction
Positive
See, it works the same way. Having a positive and negative flow throughout a script not only gives us constant conflict, but it
also makes it funny. All Turnaround jokes are written positive-to-negative or negative-to-positive (no matter how they're
performed).
The Turnaround is also about the unexpected. Not only are these two examples funny because you're going against what you
just said, but also because w e, the audience, didn't expect it. We couldn' t predict it. We expected you to continue the thought
pattern, follow ing up your initial positive line of dialogue with another positive line of dialogue or vice versa.
In the Turnaround, between the Conviction I Contraviction, stands the word THEN in parenthesis. What does (THE!\') mean?
(THEN) is the bridge from the Conviction to the Contraviction. On this bridge, you essentially go forward and then do a 180
degree tum and go back. It is the point at which you (in your head) form a completely new thought The (THEN) is the BEAT
that needs to be taken in order to tum around" your thoughts.
Let's talk about the word BEAT, a word I'm sure is familiar to most of you actors. The word BEAT placed in parentheses in
between dialogue was most common!y used over the years and still is, but writers today seem to be spelling it out more clearly for
the actors. It is much more than a physical pause, waiting and holding before saying the next line or performing the next action.
There is a lot that happens in that (BEAT). That's why many writers will now use (THEN), sho\ving how the thought, intention or
attitude actually changes. You say this. (THEN) You say that.
In other words, say this piece of dialogue ...
I like your shirt.
(THEN) Take a beat to change y our thought and say this piece ofdialogue.
But not on you.
On sitcom sets across Hollywood, directors \viii sometimes tell the actor to .,take a beat" Beyond the physical aspect of
holding for a beat, the actor needs to interpret this direction as ..what's the thought?" during that physical hold. What the director
is ultimately asking of you is to hold for a second and then go even further \\~th your thought OR change your thought, thereby
changing your intention and attitude. In this example, it's important to understand that '1like your shirt" is one thought and ''But
not on you" is a completely different thought The (THEN) is the bridge that takes you from one to the other.
Here's another example of a Turnaround joke. For this example, let's say you're talking to two different employees: one you
just hired and one you' re about to fire.
(THEN)
(TH0.1
Comiction
Positi,c
(TilE?\I
(THEi\')
Now you're getting the hang of it. Sometimes, a Tumarowtd can be broken up by another piece of dialogue, as in this example.
Once again, come up with a back story (this one is a little more obvious). Tbis scene takes place right outside Senator Murphy's
office. The receptionist has just introduced Tom to Senator Murphy's new intern. What are Tom's intentions with both lines?
TOM: (To intern) Welcome aboard. Senator Murphy is an honorable woman who only does good for the people.
TRIPLETS
Triplets are one of a half hour writer's most pow erful weapons. It is a great source of comedy and a technique that is used all
the time. The basic concept behind Triplets is that ..comedv comes in threes." Things that happen in ..threes" are just funny. As an
actor, you need to learn to recognize them in a script.
Triplets are everywhere in half hour comedy. You can find them in w ords, phrases, dialogue from one character, spoken
exchanges between multiple characters and even in physical actions. For you the actor, the first and most important thing you need
to do is to be able to hear it. For a moment, put aside intentions and motivations and let's just listen to the rhythm of a Triplet.
Here's an easy one to start \\~th.
Say the next three w ords out loud and change the inflection UP on the last word.
(.l)
(I)
(2)
WRO~G.
Righ1. Right.
N ow, there is nothing really funny about these three words, but if you go up on the inflection on the last one, it becomes
different, out of sync and therefore funny to anyone listening. The first two are done the same way to set up the change of
inflection on the third.
N ow let's do it again. Say out loud the first two words the same way, but put the inflection DOWN on the last word.
( I)
(2)
Ri~:ht.
Right.
(3)
WRONG.
B y just looking at these words you can see the birth of a joke. It's humorous simply because it reads odd or different. It's a
simple but effective joke. Here's another example for you to try. This time, all three phrases are the same. But once again, say it
out loud, changing the inflection on the last phrase and follo\\~g the punctuation.
(I )
(Z)
(3)
Oh my God. Oh my God. OH MY GOD!
There is nothing really funny about this phrase, but we decide to twist it a little and change the inflection. If you merge that
inflection with a real honest intention, you've got comedy. This happens all the time in situation comedy.
The other reason the Triplet works is because of the predictability factor (the unexpected I referred to in the Turnaround
section). The idea once again is that comedy simply works when it comes in threes. A character will start saying a series of things
that go together and you think you know what's going to follow. Then suddenly the character will say something totally
unexpected. Here's an example.
In this brief bit of dialogue, picture a flight attendant tallcing to a male passenger:
' Would you like coffee, tea or meT
What we were predicting was something like soda, juice, whatever. But the outcome was something totally unexpected. By
simply replacing the third or last word in a sentence with something unpredictable and absurd, the line of dialogue and the scene
becomes funny. How about this one? Imagine two buddies planning a fishing trip. One of them turns to the other and says ...
"Don' t forget to bring your fishing rod. your tackle box, and your pimple cream."
Didn't expect that, did you? You expected him to say bait or lures or wading boots, but certainly not pimple cream!
There are several ways in which a Triplet can work in sitcoms. M ost of the time the set up and the joke (punchline) will come in
the words, but there are also times when a physical activity can be part of the Triplet. Either way, executing an effective Triplet
requires great skill and understanding from all parties involved. And that is what makes it funny. Here are diagrams of three
different kinds ofTriplets (keep in mind. a "Set up" or "JOKE" can be a word. a line of dialogue or a physical action).
I. Classic Triplet:
Setup- Setup- JOKE
2. Extended Triplet:
Set up - Set up - Set up (THEN) JOKE
3. Over-Extended Triplet:
Set up - Set up - JOKE (THEN) BIGGER JOKE
You will see numerous examples of these Triplets in every sitcom you watch and every half hour script you read. They also
appear in comedic fihns. Remember that these can be used in one character's dialogue or between two or more characters. There
are many ways to play them, and b y the end of this section, you' ll be able to very clearly identity them. But for now, let's take a
look at each one and follow up each one with an example from a classic show so you can see exactly how they are used. First
up ...
In this scene, the of!:beat Reverend Jim Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd) and Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway) are both taking a
written driving test and Jim needs some help.
JIM: What ... does ... the ... yellow ... light ... mean?
Can you hear how if s played? Can you picture the actors doing it? Let me break it down even finther and show you why this
is a Triplet
JIM: Pssssttt ... w hat does the yellow light mean? (SET UP)
BOBBY: "Slow dow n." (SET UP)
JIM: What ... does ... the ... yellow ... light ... mean? (JOKE)
You can see how the w riters are setting up this particular piece of dialogue to hit a simple, yet effective joke on the third note.
And when you see these two skilled actors add their characters and commitment to this dialogue, it makes for great comedy .
N ext up ...
much, you're paying people in turquoise jewehy! (THEN) And except for Larry, none of us want it.
Let me break this down and show you how this works as an Over-Extended Triplet.
N o one can stand playing with you.
(SET UP)
JOKE
(l)
Set up
( I)
s~t
OR
up
( I)
Set up
(2)
Set up
(3)
JOKE
OR
(.l)
JOKE
( I)
Set up
(2)
Set up
OR
(Deadpan)
(I)
(2)
{.1)
Set up
Set up
Joke
This layout can work for all three of the Triplets (the Classic, the Extended and the Over-Extended) we just discussed. The use
of inflection can help in heightening the joke or the scene. Again, deciding when to use inflection is based on many factors,
including how your character speaks, your intentions and thoughts, the pacing of the scene and your interaction with other
characters. But you need to know there are several ways in which these Triplets can effectively be used.
STAY STILL!
When doing situation comedy, never, ever move on a joke, whether it is yow own or someone else's. Never make
any unnecessary movements when a joke is in play, unless specified in the stage directions (which may be done to help
with a joke or the rhythm of the piece). Tbere should be no physical static. This includes acfjusting yoW' wardrobe,
playing with yoW' hair, scratching yoW' nose, stretching your neck, waving yoW' arms, tapping your thigh, shaking
yoW' leg, sighing or making any "big" facial expressions (like rolling yoW' eyes). Any extra movement will distract
from the joke and break up the rhythm of the piece.
Even though sitcoms are in a "heightened reality, "and sitcom acting asks you to be "louder, faster and funnier, "
that doesn't mean you should face act or mug (make over-animated or exaggerated facial movements). Many actors
new to comedy mistakenly think they can put their characterization on their face, thereby making funny expressions to
show their emotions.
To be funny, you need real intentions, thoughts and objectives, and you must always have an honest, truthful
character. Ifyou don't have all of this in place, you become a caricatW'e. It might work for sketch comedy or
improvisational acting, but it doesn't work for sitcoms. Also remember, you're on camera and not on stage, so the
audience will see everything you're doing with yoW' face. There should be no bug-eyed expressions, dancing eyebrows
or wide-open mouth movements. YoW' face shouldn't be any more animated than it is in real life when you are telling
an exciting or funny story or a j oke. Trust the dialogue, the j okes and yoW' acting to make you funny!
Triplets can fall right in line with each other or they can be spread throughout a piece of dialogue or a scene. It is important for
you, the actor, to be able to look at a script, identify the Triplets and then play the joke.
When reading through a script, it is important for you to locate ALL of these comedic techniques because they all play a part in
the rhythm of the piece. If you can identify them and you know how to play them, it will go a long way tow ard landing you a role
on a sitcom.
Equally important, you must watch sitcoms. W atching sitcoms (especially when you' re familiar with comedic techniques and
The Eight Characters of Comedy) will put you a step closer to becoming a successful sitcom actor.
You need to tape or TiVo your favorite shows and watch them first for pure entertainment value. Go ahead, laugh and lose
yourself in the show. Then w atch them again, this time as an objective observer, a researcher, a student of comedy. Pay attention
to the rhythm and the pace, identify the Triplets and Turnarounds (Conviction I Contravictions) and don' t be afraid to hit the
pause button and practice those jokes OUT LOUD! Yes, practice them out Ioudin your living room (you' re an actor, you can get
aw ay with it).
You need to recognize how half hour scripts will differ from scripts from any other medium. Simply put, it is your job to take
that half hour script and make it louder, faster and funnier. That's w hat makes half hour comedies work. You need to follow the
punctuation, recognize the key words and hear the rhythm and pace in your head. You need to be a bold performer with
confidence in your comedic abilities, as well as the scene you 're playing. You need to be fast and articulate, keeping up with the
quick-paced, snappy dialogue and action that makes comedies so much fun to watch. You need to be funny in your delivery and
in the dialogue you're playing. And you need to do all this while staying connected and true to your character's wants, obstacles,
intentions and emotional life. And to help you do that, let me introduce you to my Acting Technique-WOFAIM.
Tool# 1: Sai'Casm - The most commonly used tool in the comedic toolbox, sarcasm, as defined by Webster's
Dictionary, is "a cruelly humorous statement or remark made with the intention of injuring the self-respect of the
person to whom it is addressed, usually by drawing attention to one of his weaknesses and often associated with
irony. "In the comedic world, almost all characters use this tool for just that reason-to ridicule, to mock, to put
people in their place or even to make fun of themselves. Think Audrey Meadows, Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne and
Matthew Perry respectively.
Tool #2: Verbal jokes - Other techniques halfhour writers use to make verba/jokes include alliteration, puns,
funny-sounding words (think of the "K" sounds), wosds that are difficult to pronounce, foreign languages and words
that are purposely mispronounced or misused ... a malapropism. Watch Bronson Pinchot as Ballci, Wilmer Vladerrama
as Fez and Carroll O'Connor as Archie.
Tool #3: The Spit Take- A spit take occurs when a character takes a drinkjust as they hear something outrageous,
causing them to "spit" out the liquid in an exaggerated way. Watch John Ritter or Michael Richards.
Tool #4: Double Take- A double take occurs when a character looks at something, doesn't process it, looks away and
then whips his head back and sees it for what it really is and reacts accordingly. Think of the actors playing "mortals"
on "Bewitched. " "Did {just see what I think I saw?"
Tool #5: Slow Burn- A slow bum occurs when a character hears another character say something ridiculous and
s-1-o-w-l-y turns their head, giving them an incredulous look. Two words, Bea Arthur.
Tool #6: Prot Fall- A pratfall occurs when characters stumble over a piece offurniture, slip on a banana peel, fall off
a ladder or trip on their own two feet, to name a few. Watch the "The Dick Van Dyke Show. "
Tool #7: Sight Gags - A sight gag occurs when a physical object ina scene becomes part of the humor, like something
blowing up, something breaking or something catching on fire. Or it occurs when a character relies on physical
reactions to something happening in a scene, like making a face-be it surprised, shocked, etc. Lucy, Lucy, Lucy!
CHAPTER4
ACTING TECHNIQUE
Although this isn't a traditional acting book, it is still important to remember your acting foundation. As you have learned,
comedy comes from drama, and therefore, to do comedy, you need to alwavs remember vour basic acting techniques.
If you haven't taken basic acting classes, I would suggest that you do so before you take my sitcom acting class. It is important
for all actors to familiarize themselves with techniques like relaxation, sense memory, moment to moment and personal
substitution. It's important that you as an actor study the lessons of the masters like Stanislavski, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler,
Uta Hagen and Sanford Meisner. These will help you secure a solid acting foundation that is vital for half hour comedy.
In my class, I have students who have developed a strong acting foundation, either b y studying at my studio or \vith the many
great acting coaches in L.A. and N ew York or b y attending some formal acting program. But when they start acting in a comedic
scene, they ' vill focus so much on the character, the comedy technique and the jokes they're delivering that they forget about their
acting foundation. They 'vill forget that there is a want, obstacle, emotions, intentions and history behind the funny thing they are
saying and the situation they're in.
To truly make comedy work, you cannot forget your acting technique. I always tell my dasses that to do comedy, you need
to merge your acting technique, your comedic technique and a solid character. When all three of these are in harmony \vith each
other \vithin an actor, the result is great comedy.
So since this book focuses so much on the comedic technique and the character, I decided to just give you a reminder of your
acting foundation. It is a simple audition technique I developed to help actors remember their acting basics when approaching a
scene in class, an audition or a cold read. So let me show you how to "WOFAThl It"
WOFAIM is an acronym that encompasses basic acting techniques. It is a tool that an actor can use to examine, breakdown
and personalize any audition material in less than ten minutes. It can also be used for breaking down scenes in class or even script
work if you get a regular job on a series. I am proud to say that many of my actors who work regularly have told me that the
WOFAIM method has been extremely helpful in auditions and in their careers. If you learn it and practice it, WOFAIM \vill give
you a head start on any type of reading.
WOFAIM stands for:
Want
Obstacle
Feeling
As If
Intentions
Moment Before
These are all questions you should ask yourself when first reading a scene or sides for class or an audition. Let me break it
down even more. Keep in mind, when I say you," I mean your character.
Want- What do you want? What is your immediate want in the scene? What is your objective?
Obstacle- What is the obstacle in the scene thats stopping you from getting what you want?
Feeling- What are the feelings (emotions) you explore in the scene?
As If- What is your personal substitution? How do you the actor relate to the experience of the character and their want? Tbis
can come from either your past or your present. Or open up your heart and mind and use your greatest gift, your imagination. As
if! what?
Intentions -Active verbs. What are the active intentions you use in the scene to get what you want? What are your tactics?
Moment Before - What is the logistical moment before and the emotional moment before? What is happening to you physically
and emotionally before the scene begins? Where are you coming from?
Ask yourself all of these questions when approaching a scene and it will automatically give you a back story, emotions,
intentions and most important, depth to your character. It gets you going before the scene even begins.
I'm going to break down a scene for you and show you exactly how you can use WOFAIM in your work.
EXAMPLE: In this scene, you (your character) want to borrow S300 from your father for acting class. But your father doesn't
want to give you the money. He thinks that an acting career is a ..waste of time." You need that $300 because you know this
acting class will not only help you become a better actor but will also help get you the next job. Plus, your agent insists you study
with this coach. To make matters worse, the class starts this Monday.
What do you Want? You want your dad to give you S300.
What is the Obstacle? Your dad won' t give you the money.
What are you Feeling? Anxious, nervous, frustrated.
What is your As If (personal substitution)? Well, maybe as an actor, you could identify with this. Has this happened to you in
your past? Is this happening N OW? Or maybe you've never experienced it. In that case, you need to use your imagination.
Remember the time that you needed to borrow your roo=ate' s car to get to an audition and he said ..N o?" Remember when
you needed to borrow your friend's Prada shoes for a hot date and she said N o way?" Essentially, remember a time when you
needed something so badly and couldn' t get it. Either way you need to personally identify with the character's situation, want,
obstacles, feelings and intentions.
What are your Intentions? What active intentions are you using to get your dad to give you $300? What are your tactics?
Here are just a few you could use. You could try to convince, to persuade, to charm, to manipulate, to beg. Any of these could
work.
What is your Moment Before? Remember this is broken down into two parts. What is your logistical moment before? Let's
say you're outside the door of your father' s study or house and you're about to enter. What is your emotional moment before?
Well, you are full of anxiety and you're pumping yourself up, trying to build up your courage and overcome your nerves.
Add " stakes" to all of this. I tell my students to look at three levels of stakes if they can. It will make the character and his or
her wants deeper. In this case, the stakes are: that you need the money because you don't have it and you need it by M onday.
The higher stakes are: that this money could get you into a class that could get you a job and will satisfy your agent. The highest
stakes are: if you get the money, get into class and get an acting gig, you might finally be able to prove to your father that acting is
not a "waste of time."
have before your read, and then go into the audition and leave your homework at home, so to speak. Trust that you've done the
homework and you KNOW the character's wants, obstacles, feelings, intentions, etc. Keep all of this with you, stay in the
moment and have some fun.
Now that you know about comedic technique and how to WOFAIM a script (audition technique), let me give you the four
most important things you need to remember when doing situation comedy, what I call The Four C's of Comedy.
AUDITIONING
Here are a few helpful hints for auditioning:
Be prepared and do all ofyour homework. That means breaking down the comedy script and "Finding the
Funny. "WOFAIM it and memorize it as best you can (ifyou've worked on your sides long enough, you'll naturally
memorize it).
Leave your homework at home.
Dress like the character would dress, but don't ever wear a costume.
BE ON TIME!
Don't "chat up the waiting room. " Use this time to prepare mentally, emotionally and physical(v for your
audition rather than chatting with the other actors. Don't psyche yourself out and don't let others psyche you out
either Stay focused.
Walk in to the casting room with a good attitude, not desperate to get the job.
Be friendly and charming with the people in the room, but don't talk too much. A nervous actor will ramble on and
end up with his foot in his mouth.
Your script is your best friend. Be off book, but hold it in your hand. Don't rumple it, roll it up or shove it in your
back pocket.
Make eye contact with your reader, but don't stare him or her down.
Be confident and have fun. Know that this is your time-you were asked to audition and you've earned the right to
be there. So enjoy it, because ifyou're having fun, the casting director will have fun.
lfyoufeellike you're off to a bad start, politely ask the casting director ifyou can stast again. But ifyou're
midway through, refocus and finish the job.
After your audition, you can sometimes ask (if it feels right), "Is there anything else you'd like to see?" If the
answer is "No," you say "Thank you" and leave with a smile. Even ifyou think it didn't go well, don't leave the
audition loo/.:ing defeated.
Whether your audition was good or bad, the only question to ask yourself is "Did I do my best?" Then, forget
about it. Learn from your mistakes, pat yourself on the back and get ready for the next one. Auditioning is like
"catching a bus. "Ifyou don't get this one, you'll get the next one.
Always stay positive. Auditioning is an opportunity to act. And ifyou love to act, then you need to learn to enjoy
the experience.
Here's an extra tip. Sometimes, the walls at casting offices are so thin you can hear the actor before you
auditioning. Don't listen! Focus on your own sides, your own role, your own "job. "Move away from the door, if
possible. Ifyou hear laughter coming from the audition room, don't get discouraged and say something negative to
yowself (or anyone else in earshot) like, "I'll never be able to follow THAT."
Instead, think positive like, "Good, they're warming up the casting room for me." Go to any live taping ofa sitcom
and there will always be a warm-up act (most likely, a stand-up comic) whose main purpose is to loosen up the crowd
and get the audience laughing. Therefore, use the actor auditioning before you as~ warm-up act.
CHAPTERS
1) Conflict:
Conflict is everything. Without conflict, there is no comedy, because without conflict, there is no drama Remember, comedy
comes from drama (which comes from pain).
And in any good drama, we must have connict-two opposing sides, two opposing personalities, two opposing philosophies,
two opposing cultures. And we L0 VE watching this conflict Just turn on TV and watch any show, be it a crime drama, a reality
show or even a game show and there will either be conflict or it will be boring.
The same is true for sitcoms, except the contlict is simply written to be humorous. In order for a sitcom to work, it needs
conflict not just in the storylines, but also with characters. Characters can have conflict with other characters (how many story
lines revolve around polar opposites falling for each other?). They can have conflict with themselves (how do I ask this guy or girl
out?), with an idea (how do I get rich quick?!), an evil thought, a machine, an animal, anything. But for good comedy, you need to
have conflict
2) Comedic technique:
After reading a script a few times, it is your job to 'Find the Funny" in the piece. Always remember your technique. As I said,
comedy is like a musical score. First you need to hear the music in your head the way the writers intended it, and then you need to
implement the comedic technique.
You need to identify the Triplets, The Turnarounds, the 'K" sounds, the beats, blows, rhythm-everything that has to do with
half hour comedy technique. As I stressed in the last section, it is imperative for half hour comedy to have a sense of rhythm and a
sense of flow. Following this comedic technique will not only help you hear it, but also perform it. Beyond the jokes, this includes
not adding lines, not dropping lines, following punctuation and keeping the pace. Remember, this comedic technique is formulaic in
nature and it is a formula that has stood the test of time.
3) Commitment:
What makes the techniques funny or the conflict real? Commitment. Tbis means, as an actor, you need to be 100 percent
committed to the dialogue, the physical actions, the jokes, the technique and, especially, the characters. It takes just as much
committment to do comedy as it does to do drama, perhaps even more so.
It is the new actor to comedy that will have that smile in their eyes, that look on their face that says, ''I know r m being funny."
Or they will laugh at their partner's joke. Or even worse, they will laugh at their own joke, making it less believable and less funny
for us to watch.
Check out the great sitcom actors and you will see a committed actor at work. Just think of how committed Lisa Kudrow is to
Phoebe's eccentric behavior or how Jackie Gleason is committed to Ralph's money-making schemes, how Kim Cattrall is
committed to Samantha's unquenched thirst for sex or how Rhea Perhnan is committed to Carla' s condescending one-liners.
Commitment is vital in the world ofhalfhour comedy, especially when it comes to your character.
4) Character:
So now we get to the heart of the book and what I think is the most essential ingredient in half hour comedy-character. The
great sitcom actors and writers create living, breathing characters \vith a life, a history and a personality all their own. And they
stay committed to that character whether it's for 22 minutes or ten seasons. It is this commitment that makes us fall in love \vith the
likes of Joey, Kramer, Frasier, Lucy, Archie, Jack and Karen, etc.
In the rest of this book, I will focus on character. I will help you identify and recognize characters within yourself and then
teach you how to play them with the same kind of commitment as many of yesterday and today's wonderful actors.
CHAPTER6
THE CHARACTERS
As I mentioned at the end of the last section, the development of a character and the conunitment to that character is just as
vital to half hour comedy as the technique and the rhythm of the delivery, maybe even more important. Think of how incredibly
funny M att LeBlanc's sweetly naive portrayal of Joey is, or Lucille Ball's complete conunitment to being a lovable dreamer as
Lucy or Michael Richards' authentic zaniness as Kramer. We believe that these are real characters because of the truth, depth,
history and conunitment the actors and the writers bring to them.
That said, as an actor you need to know who you' re playing just as much as how to play it and you need to know how to
make it real. Not to worry, there are characters you can use that have been built over the years that have worked for many, many
sitcoms. Much like how the jokes in half hour writing are formulaic and rhythmic in nature, these characters date back to the
beginnings of sitcom television. It's not that these are character stereotypes, but rather character archetypes \vith specific
personality traits that enable the actors playing them to reach their fullest comedic potential.
Each actor and writer will have a different take on these characters, but to make them work, you need to know what makes
them tick. You need to have a full understanding of who these characters were growing up, who they are today and why they are
the way they are. And most important, you need to figure out how you can use these characters to "Find the Funny."
In the next eight chapters (or episodes as I call them), I will break down each of these characters for you, giving you specific
exaruples of sitcom actors that fit the various models. I will also show you how to identify them and how to play them. I will
provide you with a list of defining traits that each of these eight characters have that you can use in your acting. And then I will
show you how to figure out which characters will help you build your own personal niche in half hour comedy.
I often think of my classes as their own sitcom. Each class has a host of comedic actors who bring their own individuality and
originality to the class or ''the story" week after week. It amazes me to see how these actors pick up these different characters I
am about to show you, how some fit so naturally for them, how they can bring the comedy once they figure out who they are and
how entertaining "the show" can be.
So, without finther ado, let's roll the credits, play our theme music and bring you into my show: eight episodes of a hilarious
sitcom with laughs, conflicts, t\vists and turns and characters you'll grow to love and love to play. Let me introduce to you my
sitcom entitled ...
Current Revision
2006
Scott Sedita
C/0 Hasenfeffer Incorporated
227 Wisteria Lane
Springfield, USA
Planet Ork
(555) 555-5555
Episode 1. The Logical Smart One
Episode 2. The Lovable Loser
Episode 3. The Neurotic
Episode 4. The Dumb One
Episode 5. The Bitch I Bastard
Episode 6. The Womanizer I Manizer
Episode 7. The Materialistic One
EPISODE 1
ACfONE
_ __,f l
As discussed in the comedic technique section, in good comedy there has to be a positive and negative energy in each scene to
produce conflict (the funny). In this case, while the comedy should (and does) come from Cosby's hopeful (positive) attempt to
convince the book club he's read the book, it's Clair's (negative) reaction to him that not only complements but also balances the
scene, ultimately making it funnier.
Though this character has been dominated by women, there are some amazing male Logical Smart Ones, including one of the
most famous sitcom characters of all time on one of the most famous shows of all time. That being said, try and guess who it could
be ... Give up?
"Lucy ... I'mhooooome!"
Ricky Ricardo, played b y Desi Arnaz, is the ultimate male Logical Smart One. Just think of how many screwball schemes Lucy
gets herself involved in that he must fix, including her never-ending attempts to become a star. And he does it with patience and
understanding because he loves Lucy. But that doesn't stop him from dishing out that saucy Latin sarcasm.
RICKY: This whole thing is my fault. Something I said started this whole mess.
Commercial Break
Cartoon wives
The role of the "wives" as The Logical Smart One is also evident in cartoon sitcoms, dating back to one of the most
famous, "The Flintstones. "Pretty much a cartoon version of "The Honeymooners, " Wilma is always there to bail
out and talk some sense into her Lovable Loser husband Fred. The same is true today with cartoons like "King of the
Hill" and "Family Guy. "But my favorite is Marge Simpson (voiced by Julie Kavner) on "The Simpsons. "No other
Logical Smart One in television history has had to deal with what Marge experiences on a daily basis with her
rambunctious son Bart, her outspoken prodigy child Lisa, her perpetual infant Maggie and, sigh, Homer. Marge and
these other poor animated wives have to put up with some crazy ideas from their desperate but good-natured hubbies.
And in cartoons, nothing is too crazy....
ACT TWO
DONNA: Dad, she kept saying T m unhappy and I'm going to leave."
Donna gets herself involved in her fair share of predicaments, but in general, she is the first one to question the irrational acts of
everyone else on the show with reason far beyond her years.
These basic traits carry all through this character's life. Remember that The Logical Smart One is really a reflection of the
audience, so they need to know more than the other characters. The Logical Smart One is aware of what is happening. Therefore,
to play this character, you need to tap into your knowledgeable and reasonable side. Remember, it's often the job of this
character to explain the ..message" in a sitcom and to teach the main characters the lessons that all of us already know (and could
see from the beginning).
Dorothy's reaction when one of the other girls says or does something stupid? In one episode, Dorothy's spitfire mother Sophia
(Estelle Getty) walks into the kitchen proudly sporting her huge, dark sunglasses. Dorothy turns and spots Sophia, and after a
wonderfully long beat, she slowly turns back and says ...
DOROTHY: (Deadpan) Ladies and gentleman, Roy Orbison.
Though there is the "sight gag" of the elderly Sophia wearing hip sunglasses, it is Dorothy's co=ent on this absurdity that
brings home the joke. Students of comedy should study the brilliant deadpan sarcasm ofBea Arthur. Her slow burn ending in that
"condescending look" is so understated and so specific, yet it speaks volumes. Check out "Golden Girls" and watch a master at
work.
There is so much humor that can come from the use of sarcasm. Audrey Meadows, Patricia Heaton and Phylicia Rashad are all
wonderful at playing sarcasm, especially when dealing with their overzealous spouses.
It's also important to note that while they listen to the ramblings of their TV hubbies, these actresses never mug or face act.
They internalize their thoughts as they listen to their partner cahnly and attentively. Then, after a beat, they speak their thought and
unleash the sarcasm. This familiar interaction between the spouses adds to the conflict in a scene.
Sarcasm is a trait that simply can't be faked. But it is a trait that The Logical Smart One needs to have, whether it's used as a
gentle reminder or a biting retort. And if you want to play this character, you need to practice this skill, finding the timing, the tone
and the intention in every sarcastic piece of dialogue.
TIM: Some tool-men say ''WhyT This tool-man says "Why notT
yourself. And believe it or not, some humor will come from that. Tbis really emphasizes the importance of committing to a
character. You have to be committed to being the pillar of reason. Look to your family, your friends or maybe yourself Who has
these traits? How can you play them?
Commercial Break
An unlikely combo
So, why does the tubby, goofy, not-so-bright guy get the beautiful, smart and sassy wife in the world ofsitcoms?
Well, after reading this chapter, you should see how it works for the humor, but what about the psychology behind it?
The reason it works is that The Logical Smart One has an exceptionally high amount ofself-esteem and they really
don't mind being around those who don't. In fact, sometimes they prefer it. They like being the caretakers, the
responsible ones, the maternal ones, and let's face it, the smart ones. Because The Logical Smart One has some control
issues, they are accustomed to being the caretakers, and it's something that makes them feel good about themselves.
And yes, that makes them kind of co-dependent.
Also, because they are so responsible and patient, they enjoy being with someone who is a little more spontaneous
and impulsive, someone who makes life more exciting and interesting. It's a case of opposites attract in that they are
fascinated by somebody who is so completely different than themselves. That's why they fit so well with The Lovable
Loser. What's a Lovable Loser? Well, I guess you '/!just have to stay tuned for the next episode.
Tell it like it is
On the flip side of being patient, wtderstanding and reasonable, The Logical Smart One can be biting. When their back is up
against the wall or the ''idiot factor" is more than they can take, they need to sometimes slap other characters back into reality.
And they do so "~th brutal honesty, no matter the consequences.
Whether it's calling a slut a slut, an idiot an idiot or a bitch a bitch, The Logical Smart One speaks his or her mind. For them,
it's all about being straightfonvard and speaking the truth. That's where Roseanne can shine. Roseanne Co!Uler is a tough,
working-class mother who loves her family but doesn't take any guff. If she sees that her husband has a dwnb idea, she will tell
him that it's a dwnb idea, ifher sister is acting irrationally, she will tell her so, ifher kids are acting up, she will tell them to "Cut the
crap! "
ROSEANNE: The only thing I've ever wanted for my kids is that they're happy ... and that they're out of the house, and I tell
you something ... happy ain' that important.
This straightforward approach goes for the male Logical Smart Ones as well. Ifhis wife has made yet another mess of things,
he 'vill probably say something like, "Lucy ... yooo got some ' splainin' to doooo." This brutal honesty brings the other characters
back into reality, or at least sitcom reality.
Also, The Logical Smart One can use his or her intelligence in doing this. They are often very quick-witted, well-spoken,
articulate characters and they're not afraid to use these skills in a confrontation, like Will does on ''\Vill & Grace." Here in this
scene, Jack is amo)mg him yet again.
JACK: Oooh. Barracuda What crawled up your culottes?
WILL: N othing crawled up my culottes. It's just that you're two inches from my head, polluting my brain\\~ your inane
ramblings and buzzing through those chips like some queer gopher.
JERRY: Ah, too bad you've got a little George Costanza thing goin' on.
As an actor playing this character, there will be times when you will need to present a brutally honest attitude and approach to
the text or another character and you will need to do so humorously and most importantly without being mean-spirited.
Otherwise the character would tum into a Bitch I Bastard. But more on them later.
representing us, the audience, and it made us identify with her even more. She is a great Logical Smart One because she is caring
and compassionate. And she ahnost always comes off as the responsible one, the maternal one, the one that all of the other
characters on that show look to for advice and guidance.
Commercial Break
Reality check
As reality television hatches more and more popular personalities, there are some characters that resemble The
Eight Characters ofComedy.
A good example of The Logical Smart One would be winner Tina Wesson from "Survivor: The Australian
Outback. " Remember when she jumped into the river to save the bundle offood for her tribe? How motherly is that?
Another one would be Nick Lachey from "Newlyweds. " With Jessica Simpson as your wife... well, you get the point.
ACT THREE
To Reason
To Pacify
To Educate
To Compromise
ToNurtw'e
To Enlighten
To Comfort
To Reassure
To Ease
To Set straight
To Slap back into reality
Final Thoughts On Playing The Logical Smart One
Now that you know the characteristics of The Logical Smart One, how do you tap into your own experience and personality to
play this character? Remember, The Logical Smart One is what we wish to be. We all want to be patient, stable and sensible, and
we all look forward to opportunities where we can use our own bit of dry sarcasm. Or, if there's no hope for us, we at least want
our parents, siblings, children, friends or significant others to be logical and smart. We want to be in their presence. We need them
because we need that balance that allows us to be irrational at times.
And they need that dependency. It's under the surface, but it's something that a really good Logical Smart One will be able to
show. They are the caretakers. They need to take care of people, and there is a part of them that enjoys doing it They are the
loving, responsible ones in our life that we go to for the answer, that talk us out of doing something crazy. Or they are there for us
when we do end up doing something crazy. And they do it with a sense of humor. What part of you is The Logical Smart One? If
you can figure it out, you might be able to capture this all important sitcom character.
Also, I need to emphasize once again the Logical Smart One's occasional role as the setup man or woman. Tbis is vital to
bringing balance to a show. In an interview \vith Andy Griffith, the television legend said he never tried to be funny on The Andy
Griffith Show" because he was surrounded by funny characters. He knew that it was his job to stay in the middle and make the
stories believable. Jason Bateman says the same thing about his role on "Arrested Development." Not only does playing the
straight man help set up the funny moments for the other characters, it also makes the character's few featured comedic moments
that much funnier. As The Logical Smart One, that is going to be your job a lot of the time. Don't get me wrong, you'll still be able
to "bring the funny." But never forget the important responsibility this character has to carry.
One more thing on this character. Whether you are a man or a woman, there are some universal rules to playing The Logical
Smart One. And they start with being able to identify the characteristics that we just discussed. Tbis is a point that I'll be repeating
over and over again with each of The Eight Characters of Comedy. It is vital that you become familiar with each of these
characteristics and how you could play them realistically. Remember, you can't say Tm going to play patient' for this scene."
You have to "be patient" Otherwise, you will come off looking like a caricature rather than a character. And remember, a funny
actor with a real character 'vill get the part on a sitcom.
You need to identify which of these you can play from the heart and which you think the scene or the character requires. Once
you get familiar with them, they will become second nature, like it is for Patricia Heaton. She is smart, patient and she actually
likes taking care of Ray, even when he is being, well, Ray. And she makes it obvious that it's not an actor p laying these traits, but
rather living them.
FADEOUT:
A NNO UNCER V.O.: In the next episode ofThe Eight Characters of Comedy," the Logical Smart One watches her dope of
a fiance damage a priceless heirloom at a family gathering. He tries to fix it, making matters even worse. She starts to get angry
\vith him, but really can't because he is a Lovable Loser.
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EPISODE 2
FADE IN:
INT KITCHEN- NEW YORK APARTMENT- EVENING
We open on a small, cramped kitchen in a New York City flat where an attractive homemaker is talking to her upstairs
neighbor through the window.
Just as the gossip session is getting good, the front door opens and in walks an overweight bus driver in his late 30s with a slight
smirk and a look of sheer pride in his huge doe eyes, and the studio audience goes wild.
Our hero savors the moment, holding that expression as his slightly cynical yet supportive wife comes over to see what he's up
to THIS time. Finally, after he can't hold his new scheme to himself any longer, he speaks in a loud, bellowing voice that we've all
come to recognize and love. His name-Ralph Kramden.
ACTO:NE
Garrett) will do to get his parents' love and attention on "Everybody Loves Raymond."
ROBERT: You obviously haven't read my book, 'You' re In The W ay: The Robert Barone Story."
See, The Lovable Losers are often the "com" in sitcom. They bring the funny, if you will, week after week with their
hair-brained ideas, their ability to mess up just about anything and most importantly, their desperate attempts to get what they
want, no matter how ridiculous they appear. They are constantly making mistakes in their quest to get whatever it is they want.
And luckily for us, they never learn from those mistakes.
And they all want something. Chandler wants to find the perfect girL Michael wants to be the perfect dad. Doug wants to be
the perfect husband. Tim wants to build the perfect whatever. And Robert wants, just once, to not come in second to Ray. It goes
on and on, but the one thing they have in co=on is they all go about getting what they w ant the wrong way, thus never getting
the "perfect" anything.
That is why The Lovable Loser is an essential ingredient to a successful situation comedy . Team them up with The Logical
Smart One and you have a sitcom. It is the most co=on combination of characters and a perfect pairing for comedy. This 1-2
combo dates back to the origins of sitcoms and has carried through to today' s prime time television.
As I mentioned in the previous episode, the w omen (or the wives) in many television relationships play The Logical Smart
Ones. \V ell, as you can tell from the examples given above, most television husbands are The Lovable Losers. There are, of
course, exceptions, but when a male comic tries to make sitcom history, chances are the studio or the network will start him as a
lovable goofball who is full of good intentions and bad ideas and place him next to a supportive, sensible and attractive wife.
B UT, there have been some incredible female Lovable Losers, including one of the best of all time ... Lucy (played b y the First
Lady of Comedy, Lucille Ball). All Lucy wants is to be a STAR. And she is willing and eager to try just about anything to get it,
including doing "research" for her big movie audition, much to the chagrin of Ricky.
RICKY: Look honey, Italy has enough problems already. I don't want to have to worry about you lousing up the entire grape
industry.
LUCY: Oh, all I want to do is soak up a little local color, so I'll know what I'm acting about. What could possibly happen to
me?
RICKY: I could answer that but we 're only going to be here ten days.
Ellen Degeneres, "Suddenly Susan" with Brooke Shields, "Moesha" with Brandy and "Desperate Housewives" with Teri Hatcher
all feature this character as a leading lady.
There are plenty of lovable Loser roles out there and there are more popping up every day.
Commercial Break
Minority Lovable Losers
The Lovable Loser role can also be credited for the steady rise in minority sitcoms today. Most if not all oftoday's
minority comedies have strong Lovable Loser characters that drive the show. Just watch "The Bernie Mac Show, "
"The Hughley's," "The George Lopez Show," "Girlfriends," and "The Parkers." You'll see incredibly funny Lovable
Loser characters that play to multiple generations.
These characters, bringing their own ethnic flavor to the role, date back to classics like "Good Times" (remember
J.J. desperate attempt to make it as a comic book artist?) and "What's Happening" (where all three guys were
constantly looking for money). A resurgence began in the early 90s with shows like "The Fresh Prince ofBel-Air,"
"Martin" and "Afoesha, "and continues today.
Back to our show...
Needy
Nice
Not easily deterred
Optimistic
Pathetic
Pitiful
Sarcastic
Self deprecating
Short-sighted
Sweet
Vuloerable
Wanting
ACT TWO
kids, the dream might be to possess super powers or to be a star athlete or to meet a knight in shining armor. As adults, the
dreams become quests to find greatness, fame, fortune, the perfect mate or a better (more exciting) life. The dreams may change
over time, but the dreamer doesn't. And neither does their childlike nature.
There are some great Lovable Loser sitcom kids that provide some insight into this fimdamental characteristic, most notably
Beaver Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) on "Leave it to Beaver." Here he is sitting down for yet another father-and-son chat with Logical
Smart One Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beawnont).
WARD: Beaver, you know what Larry was doing was wrong. You could have stopped him.
BEAVER: Gee, dad. I have enough trouble keeping myself good 'vithout keeping all the other kids good.
Later on, we were introduced to Kevin Arnold on 'The Wonder Years." With Fred Savage's innocent, yet intelligent acting
and Daniel Stem's sweet-with-a-touch-of-irony narration, we get to watch Kevin come of age, struggling to hold onto his
innocence in a turbulent decade (1960s), tr}oing to ' vin the heart of Winnie Cooper and dreaming all those things that make kids ...
kids!
KEVIN: When you're a little kid, you're a bit of everything. Scientist, Philosopher, Artist. Sometimes it seems like grO\ving up
is giving these things up one at a time.
1\-Iarcia, :M arcia ... Jan
On the other side of the sitcom coin, there is the ultimate middle child, Jan Brady (Eve Plumb) who essentially dreamed of
being her older sister M arcia (Maureen McCormick) . Through Jan, we get to see how sweetly pathetic a Lovable Loser can be
(I'll get more into that in a bit) and how they always look to something they don't have. In Jan's case, popularity, beauty,
boys-pretty much everything M arcia has.
It is vital to remember that The Lovable Loser dreams more than any other character, whether they're children or adults. They
have dreams so big that sometimes the dreams lead to trouble and they can't see why. N o matter what, The Lovable Loser
believes these dreams will come true. Sho\ving they want something so bad makes the character vulne rable. And it is this
vulnerable, eternal dreamer quality that makes them lovable, makes them losers and makes them incredibly fimny.
Desperado
Combining an '1 believe" attitude with dreaming big provides the motto of The Lovable Loser that \vill carry characters and
actors through scenes and storylines. It is very simple.
'1 hope. I hope. I hope."
But sometimes, they hope a little too much and it comes across as desperate. The reason it comes off this way week after
week is that they ARE desperate. They are a needy bunch. They \vill do just about anything to get what they want, what they
need. They are never truly happy with what they have in their lives, and they are tr}oing desperately to get what they think \vill
make them happy. The Lovable Loser has faith that everything is going to tum out Of course, even when they get what they
w ant (it does happen from time to time) they quickly discover that they need something else to TRULY make them happy. Be
careful with this. Playing needy isn't fun to watch. The skilled actor will find the /ikeability in the character's desperation as Ed
O 'Neill did with AI Bundy on M arried ... With Children."
Has there ever been a more desperate and pathetic sitcom character than AI? He is so miserable with his life, his nagging wife,
his dead end job, his Wlioving children, his home, his everything that all he wants is a return to his glory days of high school when
he was the star quarterback, the kid with a full head of hair and his whole future ahead of him. Instead, here he is trying to put
some shoes on an obnoxious customer who feels the need to call him a loser.
AL: You think I'm a loser? Because I have a stinking job that I hate, a family that doesn' t respect me and a whole city that
curses the day I was born? \Vell, that may mean loser to you, but let me tell you something. Every day when I wake up in the
morning, I know it's not going to get any better until I go back to sleep.
See how pathetic and desperate he is? But still, he keeps just the tiniest shred of pride.
AL: But I'm not a loser. Because, despite it all, me and every other guy who'll never be what they w anted to be, we're out
there, being what we don't want to be, forty hours a week for life.
To return to his glory days is an unattainable goal, but his desperation for that dream (or anything to make his life better) makes
character (The Lovable Loser) that has a life long goal or dream (no matter how Wlfealistic) that they shoot for. And we get to
watch all the obstacles that get in their way week after week. I think we enjoy watching Lovable Losers because it makes us feel
better about our own hopes, dreams and failures. Therefore, we can openly cheer for them, feel bad for them and wait until they
get another ''big" idea.
It also helps that these characters don' t hide their vulnerability. On one end, that can be an attractive quality while on the other
it can be pretty pathetic. Tbis sets up the dichotomy of The Lovable Loser. As actors, this makes the character fun to play, as a
writer, fun to write and as viewers, fun to watch.
Hey , at le ast you' re oot me
As \vith The Logical Smart One (and \vith almost all ofThe Eight Characters of Comedy), sarcasm is a powerful weapon for
The Lovable Loser. They use it in both defending their dreams, ideas and philosophies or for mocking somebody else's. But they
also use sarcasm on themselves. With all the vulnerability and desperation they put out, the writers and actors have to give this
character a sense of humor about themselves. Other\vise they reallly would be pathetic. And there is one character who
encompasses this self-deprecating sense of humor better than anyone else. Two words, Chandler Bing.
RACHEL (Jennifer Aniston): You're a pathetic loser, right?
but they will put blinders on, focusing intently on getting what they want (achieving their goal). When The Lovable Loser doesn't
achieve his or her goal, everything crashes around them. But still, they are not easily deterred. They are not clueless. They are
just in denial, as they should be.
Essentially, The Lovable Loser's character arc (and thought pattern) from week to week is as follows:
''This idea has to work, this time I'll get rich, this time I'll succeed."
TO
'Tm a failure, nothing ever works for me, I'm such a loser."
TO
''This idea has to work, this time I'll get rich, this time I'll succeed."
Remember, this character fails over and over again. But each week, they try again, facing their new venture with optimistic
enthusiasm, blocking out the lessons they should have learned from past failures.
One final note on these particular characteristics; not every Lovable Loser shows optimism and hope as outwardly as others
(i.e., AI Bundy), but it is there and it is what keeps them going day to day. It's important to remember that without hope and
optimism, the sitcom could quickly tum into drama. You need to make the viewer cheer for you and your dream no matter how
ridiculous it seems.
Commercwl Break
Reality check
A good example ofa reality TV Lovable Loser comes from one of my st?sdents. Here's Jim Martyka's story of his
experience on "Oblivious. "
"So just arriving in L.A., I was eager (and desperate) to find some oddjobs of any kind. After quite a bit of
browsing, there it was... the most perfect part-timejob for me. The posting read 'Spend your summer as a Little
League Baseball umpire!!!' Now, I always thought it would be cool to be an umpire. I quickly called, got an interview,
turned on my natural charm and they loved me. All I had to do was get my certificate.
My 'training' started with this weird guy 'teaching'me how to scream 'STTRRIIIIIKKE!!!' as loud as I could and
showing me how to do a little booty-shaking dance when signaling a home run. Oh, he also spent a good 20 minutes
preaching to me about the importance of dusting offhome plate with your butt up in the air pointed at the pitcher.
Okay, this was getting weird, but whoteve~I was still excited.
But then, this guy said he was going to simulate a player throwing a fit after a bad call. He wanted to see how I
would handle myself. For the next five minutes, he proceeded to throw an absolute tantrum. And for five minutes, I sat
there looking clueless, wondering what I had gotten myself into. That's when a familiar face popped out from behind a
dugout and iriformed me that I was on the Spike TV hidden camera show 'Oblivious. "'
Back to our show ...
What a great guy (or girl)!
Look at all the great Lovable Losers and you will see something sweet and kind in them (even if it only appears from time to
time). You will also see some of the most charming people you could ever hope to meet. Even though he can be very
short-sighted and narrow-minded, there is something sweet and charming about Jim Belushi and his character on "According to
Jim." He is like a good-hearted teddy bear at times and that makes you love him, even if he's saying or doing something stupid.
Every Lovable Loser needs to have this quality. As an actor, you need to find and play upon that natural part of your
personality that attracts others to you. Are you endearing and nice? Is it the way you openly care for people? Is it your ability to
make people smile? Is it your zest for life? Tbink of how you, as an actor, go in and try and "win a room" at an audition. How do
you do it? Whatever it is that makes YOU charming and lovable, find it, embrace it and play it to the hilt.
Another bright idea
This character is impulsive, and this is where writers can have the most fun and where actors can really feel the most free.
Because Lovable Losers are so hopeful and desperate to change their lives, they will sometimes jump at the first opportunity or
new idea that comes their way, often without thinking it through. And the results range from minor mishaps to complete and total
chaos. Want an example? Let's take a look at Dr. John Dorian on "Scrubs."
Anyone who watches the show knows about his constant standoff with his arch enemy, the janitor (Neil Flynn). Actually, it's
more like the constant harassment J.D. suffers at the hands of the janitor. But every once in a while, J.D. will retaliate impulsively
and the results are, well, see for yourself.
J.D.: (Tips over trashcan, spilling garbage and smiles proudly knowing the janitor will have to clean it up) Okay, I win.
JANITOR: Can I play? (He knocks J.D.'s huge stack offolders to the floor) This is fun.
J.D.: (Defeated yet again) Yeah.
This impulsive trait is very important for The Lovable Loser to possess because it makes for endless story possibilities whether
you're J.D., Lucy or Raymond. There is really nothing The Lovable Loser won't try if he or she thinks it can get them what they
want. You need to approach this character in much the same way.
Also, it's important to remember that as impulsive as they can be, The Lovable Loser does have an agenda. Every idea (or
plan) is going to serve a greater purpose--to help them get their w ant. They are wanting of many things they don' t have in their
life. But, The Lovable Loser is good-hearted so they w on't hurt anybody along the way.
ACT THREE
To
To
To
To
Cajole
Convince
Coax
Wheedle
somebody who will always pursue his dreams (or schemes) no matter how ridiculous they are and somebody who can always be
counted on to mess up. That's why we love him. That's what makes him a Lovable Loser.
FADEOUT.
ANNOUNCER V.O.: In the next episode of'The Eight Characters of Comedy," The Lovable Loser wants to take a girl he
just met out to dinner. But, unbeknownst to him, she has a major phobia about dining out. Chaos ensues when The Lovable
Loser dines with The Neurotic.
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EPISODE 3
THE NEUROTIC
TEASER:
"TOSSED SALAD AND SCR<\MBLED EGGS"
FADE IN:
INT LIVING ROOM - RITZ SEATTLE APT- N IGHT
Scene opens on an older man looking tired, weathered, frustrated and yet, slightly amused. This is poor M artin Crane (John
Mahoney). And here the widowed father of two sits in yet another brilliantly -written episode of ''Frasier" tr)mg to explain to his
sons Frasier and Niles, played superbly b y Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce respectively, how they are and always have
been "different"
MARTIN: People think you're stuffy. You !mow, \vith your opera parties, and your wine parties and your seasoned crepe
pans.
FRASIER: In my defense, Niles is the only one who has ever seasoned his crepe pans.
NILES: Which is precisely why I've had the same set since the ninth grade, thank you very much.
W e feel M artin's pain because week after week we watch as his two sons talk and get excited about things outside the norm.
We are right there \vith him, rolling our eyes.
MARTIN: ... Even when you were in jwlior high, you used to love that TV program, 'The Avengers." You used to run all over
the neighborhood pretending you were that guy with the umbrella Did you have to run through the neighborhood in bowler
hats? You were just begging to get beat up.
FRASIER: Come to think of it, it was rather a rough summer that year, wasn' t it?
NILES: I remember getting a chin strap, so the bowler wouldn' t fall off when I ran.
MARTIN: And all that did was make you look like Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet."
We watch as they flaunt their intelligence and their cultured demeanor. We watch as they analyze the world around them. We
watch as they obsess over things that seem so ridiculous to us. And then we laugh as they lose their grasp of it all. Frasier and
Niles are like several other classic sitcom characters. They are high-strung, intelligent and sometimes nerdy, but always
entertaining to watch. They are both The Neurotic.
ACT OJ'II""E
The N eurotic is one of the most cherished of The Eight Characters of Comedy going back to the days (not so long ago) when
television comedy could really get ''over the top." They are often among the most theatrical of the characters because they act,
shall we say, "abnormal wtder normal circumstances." They talk about the most obscure things. They get frustrated when nobody
wtderstands them. They tell you what they're thinking as they're thinking it. They always expect things to turn out a certain way
and they get upset when they don't. They have a "rulebook" that they just assume everyone \vill follow, a set of rules that helps
them make sense of things. They talk and talk and talk some more.
If this sowtds like a familiar character, then obviously you already have an wtderstanding of The Neurotic, whether you are one
yourself or you know one (anybody who studies \vith me knows that they are being taught b y one). The N eurotic is one of the
funniest, deepest and most complex ofThe Eight Characters of Comedy.
And we all have a guitty pleasure in watching them, whether it's the buttoned-up Darrin Stephens (Dick York) coming apart at
the seams because his , vife's "Be\vitched," Felix Unger (Tony Randall) hyperventilating because his sloppy roo=ate Oscar
Madison (Jack Klugman) is making the apartment messy in 'The Odd Couple," Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) trying to explain
his extreme right-\ving views to his left-,ving parents in "Family Ties" or Monica (Courteney Cox) just being M onica on "Friends."
W e love watching when things don't go their way. And we really love it when the other characters confront them on it.
As an example, here's an exchange between M onica and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) from an episode of "Friends" where Monica
is setting the table for the perfect dinner. Watch as she begins to wtravel.
M O NICA: Can you help me fold these napkins?
PHOEBE: Sure.
M O NICA: I'm gonna go across the hall and check on the yams. (Notices Phoebe fo lding the napkins) N o! ... N o, honey ...
N ot like that, we 're not at a bam dance. You want to fold them like swans like I showed you at Christmas, remember?
PHOEBE: Yeah. It all came screaming back to me.
With the exception of 'The Odd Couple," past sitcoms weren't really built arowtd this character, mainly because they are
too-neurotic! In most cases, The Neurotic was a second-banana type of character that could always be relied on to provide
instant comedy just b y walking into a room and showcasing their neurosis. But that has really changed over the past decade or so
with the popularity of shows like "Friends," Frasier" and Monk." We all know characters from our own lives that are like this.
Or maybe you're like this.
Are you the one who lives in a dust-free apartment? Do you always have to make lists? Do you often think you have some rare
disease ? Do you think out loud? Do you think and think and think, obsessing over anything and everything? Is this you?
Commercwl Break
Frasur and Niles
So, how does a show that's led by two Neurotics keep the comedic conflict? The answer is constant role reversal.
For example, ifFrasier is acting neurotic about a woman, Mles will step up and act more like a Logical Smart One or
vice versa. The two always complement each other in the show and the writing allows them to wear different hats.
Back to our shaw ...
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEUROTIC
Anal retentive
Analytical
Anxious
Awkward
Controlling
Cultured
Dorky
Endearing
Fearful
F oUows their own life rulebook
Fussy
Highbrow
High-strung
Hypochondriac
Inflexible
Insecure
InteUectual
Internalizes every thought
Introspective
:Meticulous
Neat
Nerdy
Nervous
Obsessive-compulsive
Over-analytical
Over-achieving
Perfectionist
Persnickety
Refmed
Sarcastic
Sense of bravado
Worried
ACT TWO
Nerds!
That' s right, Nerds. You know, those boys and girls with the thick glasses, the pocket protectors, the bow ties, the comic
book collection, the obscure facts they spew out at you, the lack of social slcills and the look in their eye that tells you they're just
a little oftbeat. You know, nerds!
In jwrior high or high school, they were the ones who spent most of their time in computer clubs, marching bands and study
groups. They were the brainy, four-eyed geeks who the jocks picked on. Or they were the over-achieving, slightly plump girls
the cheerleaders taunted. They were just about any of the main stars on the short-lived but highly-acclaimed series .,Freaks &
Geeks," a show where these dorky characters contemplated the most important oflife's issues ...
BILL HAVERCHUCK (Martin Starr): If I was the Bionic Woman, what would I wear?
How do I know that N eurotics start out as nerds? \Veil, besides my own personal experience, I think back to some of my
favorite TV N eurotics, like siblings Ross and M onica Remember when they were seen in high school flashbacks? Monica was fat
and insecure while Ross was a nervous and awkward geek. Once again, refer back to the Frasier example. A bowler hat with a
chinstrap? Hello?
If you are this character, please embrace it, write it, play it! Nerdy Neurotics make some of the funniest characters on
television. There are some great young nerds, including Chip Douglas (Stanley Livingston) on ''My Three Sons," \vith his
Coke-bottle glasses, Paul Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano) on 'The Wonder Years" \vith his awkward appearance, Carlton Banks
(Alfonso Ribeiro) on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" \vith his patented Carlton dance and the king of all nerds, Steve Erkel (Jaleel
White) on "Family M atters," who only has to walk into a room to get laughs. Why? Because he was so dorky!
Want an even more popular example? How about the amazing super nerd that is Screech? Dustin Diamond's character on
"Saved By the Bell" loves the show "ALF," enjoys peanut butter in his ginger ale and has tried a couple of times to rewrite the
words to the school song. When told b y a teacher how strange he is, his response ...
SCREECH: Well, thank you very much for noticing.
Okay, you want further proof that all N eurotics start out as nerds? Remember the tall, skinny, hi-spectacled high schooler Patty
Greene on the short-lived series "Square Pegs?" Well, she grew up, moved to The Big Apple and became the famous modern
day Neurotic Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City." That's right, I'm talking about the captivating Sarah Jessica Parker. As a
young actress, Parker convincingly played a shy, nerdy girl. And as an adult, she transformed herself into a glamorous, successful
woman. Interesting, huh? Even though her characters (Patty Greene and Carrie Bradshaw) are completely different, what they
have in common is that they share many of the same traits of The N eurotic.
Tbis nerdy quality is one of the things that make N eurotics endearing. In order to capture this, you have to call upon what
makes you insecure. Look back to your own awkward phase (we all had them-okay, maybe not all) and tap into that part of
yourself that made you feel insecure (and maybe still does) .
Commercial Break
Reality check
A good reality television example ofThe Nerdy Neurotic would be just about any of the guys on "Beauty & The
Geek" or "Average Joe." Intelligent, bright, insecure and nerdy, they spent the entire show wondering why the
beautiful woman (the prize) would pick them.
Back to our show...
Oh, how you worry so
Neurotics are the worriers. They are the warriors of worrying. They are extremely an..'-;ous and nervous characters. Even
though they are often some of the most intelligent people, they are worried that they won't find the perfect mate, a good job, a
fulfilling Hfe. They worry, worry, worry about everything. And it all goes back to their adolescence. Think about it; after being
picked on for years and years in school, a person will grow up fearful. Because they are so different and they are so interested in
things that are slightly out of the norm, they feel insecure about themselves (and what others think). And so, just as they talk and
talk and talk ... and think and think and think ... they also worry and worry and worry.
Higher learning
Now let's take this character from high school into college, where geek becomes chic. Tbis is where they actually are
embraced for being inteUectual, where being nerdy is actually much more accepted. Tbis is where The Neurotic character really
starts growing into his or her own. For those of you who went to college, didn't you notice that it was suddenly the intellectual
guys and girls that were getting laid? Smart becomes sexy. Tbis is where they begin learning social skills and start defining what
they want to do with their lives.
BUT young adulthood also pro\~des some challenges for these characters, especially since they are so slow in developing
social skills. Tbis is where their intellect (and leftover nerdiness) can sometimes get in the way. Think of Ross Geller, played with
perfection by Da~d Sch\~er. Even though he is a grown man, the follo,~g scene gives a pretty good glimpse of his idea of
flirting; an approach that shows high intelligence, but a lack of street smarts.
Remember the episode \~th the pizza delivery girl? In this scene, Ross is working his "intellectual magic" \~th the pizza girl,
who actually seems to be into him, until he awkwardly tries to impress her \\~th some obscure fact.
ROSS: Hey, you know that smell that gas has?
Commercwl Break
Something to watch for ...
This is an unexplainable phenomenon, but for some reason, in the half hour world, The Neurotic almost always gets
the girl or guy. On the surface, it would seem that The Neurotic would annoy the hell out ofanyone they dated (and
sometimes they do), but check out the credits at the end of this episode and notice how many girlfriends or boyfriends
they have over the course ofa series ... even the more nerdy ones. Ross was married multiple times, Frasier and Niles
had (ex-) wives. Carrie had significant relationships, as did George Costanza, Grace Adler, Ally McBeal and even
Erkel! But, in the end, it typically doesn't work out because they're so neurotic!
obsesses about every single decision or situation. You have to practice the art of talking to yourself (in your mind and out loud).
It's funny and it'll bring you one step closer to becoming The N eurotic. That's what helps Sarah Jessica Parker play this character
so brilliantly. Her defining characteristics are that she is intelligent, insecure and that she over-analyzes everything.
Just watch the wonderfully written episode of ..Sex and the City" where Carrie is in the Hamptons with prospective boyfriend
Jack Berger (Ron Livingston). Here she is talking incessantly on and on about her last messy, complicated relationship (and
talking him right out of dating her in the process).
CARRIE: Yeah, well, we hadn' t sufficiently hurt each other enough the first time around, but we definitely took care of
business this time. Because this time, he moved in. So we had the merging of things, the dividing of things, then the things that
are left behind that you don't w ant to give back because that seems mean and you don' t want to throw them away because
that's all you have left. And it just gets harder as we get older because w e are not dating wildly inappropriate people anymore.
You know, there are no ..shoo, glad that's over." And after every breakup, I keep telling myself'Tm never doing this again, it's
too hard." I mean, how many of these things can a person survive? You know, they should institute a Helmet Law for
relationships.
These are my rules
Tbis tendency to over-analyze also leads The N eurotic to come up with plans for every possible scenario and to follow their
own life rulebook. Where The Lovable Loser's motto is 1 hope, I hope, I hope," The N eurotic's motto is 1 must, I must, I
must! " Tbis is one of the easiest ways to pick out a N eurotic rather easily. The N eurotic has his or her own set of rules that they
MUST follow (and that they expect everyone else to follow). Tbis brings out the perfectionist characteristic. They often want
things to be perfect, to go as planned, and when they don' t, watch out!
Because of this, they can be infle:r..;bte and they most certainly can be controlling. Plain and simple, The N eurotic has control
issues. You see, they have a set of rules that they have thought long and hard about and worked through over and over again and
those rules give them a sense of structure, balance and security. They need to be in control, and once everything is in control, they
believe that they will be happy.
While The Neurotic appears to be controlling, it is really the fear oflosing control that is at the core of this character. As an
actor, focusing on playing ..controlling" is one-dimensional and doesn' t make us care about the character. In contrast, focusing
your acting on playing the "fear oflosing control" not only makes us root for and care about the character, but it's funnier.
And this gives The N eurotic conflict with other characters, like in this funny episode of "Friends." Here Monica and Chandler
have recently moved in together and Monica is explaining the "importance" of having their CD collection organized.
MON ICA: (Breathing heavy) Okay, where is the Cat Stevens CD?
L YNETrE: r m a mother offour. Today I had to get up at five, make lunches, make breakfast, drop the twins off at school
and get across town lugging a baby and a sick child. Telling me to ''plan ahead" is like telling me to sprout wings. And it's things
like being told to plan ahead that make me so crazy, that yoga is the only thing that relaxes me. Except I show up here and I
can' get in and you tell me to plan ahead. It's a vicious cycle. See how that works?
Commercial Break
Neurotic physicali.ty
There are a few tricks to The Neurotic's physicality that can help you play this character. First ofall, it is important
to remember that The Neurotic always has something mulling about in their brain. Remember, they think incessantly
and ifyou play that, the audience will be able to see it not only in your eyes, but more importantly in how you react to
things.
Also, The Neurotics have a tendency to blow up more quickly than other characters. Mainly, this happens because
they are wound so tight, but the real root of it is that they don't understand how somebody could disagree with them
or ignore their ru/ebook. Think ofFrasier yelling at Niles. Think ofNiles yelling at Frasier. Think ofFelix
hyperventilating. Think ofCarrie freaking out. Or, just think ofMonica! The Neurotics "lose it" at times, and that's
fun to watch. Bring that anxiety to the beginning, middle and end ofa scene, and play it under the surface, keeping it
ready to explode at any second.
The Neurotics are the masters ofsubtle nuances. For a perfect example, watch Niles whenever he meets Frasier at
the coffee shop. The first thing he does every time is pull out a handkerchief and wipe off the seat. Other Neurotics
walk a certain way, others dress a certain way and others talk a certain way. These little idiosyncrasies have added
extra dimension to some of the best characters ofall time and it's an area where you as an actor or writer can have a
little fun.
Bock to our show ...
I think I'm dying
While Felix Unger set the bar for The Neurotic being a hypochondriac, there are plenty that have come along and taken the
torch. One of the best in recent history is Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub. A detective conflicted with obsessive-compulsive
disorder and more phobias than anyone else in sitcom history, Monk has come to define a modern-day Neurotic.
MONK: (I'm a) germophobic, afraid of the dark, heights, crowds and milk.
And ...
MONK: That officer out there told me I was dead. I'm not dead, am I?
In order to play this type of Neurotic, you don't have to suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to relate. Aren't there
times in your life when you let your imagination get the best of you? Think of when you stubbed your toe and thought it was
broken and needed to be in a cast for six months. Or when you gave yourself a paper cut and thought you needed stitches. Or
when you came down with a cold and thought you were dying of Mad Cow Disease. These characters are plagued by these
kinds of irrational fears ahnost every day.
Not all Neurotics are cultured and sophisticated. There are some great working-class Neurotics as well. One of my favorites is
Roseanne's sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) on ''Roseanne." In the first few seasons of the show, Jackie was more of a Lovable
Loser-11ever quite finding the right job or the right man. As the show continued (and the writers caught on to Metcalf s
breakneck comedic timing), she merged into a full-fledged Neurotic, defined by her high-strung personality. In the episode
where Roseanne and Jackie's father dies, check out the scene where an exhausted Roseanne has been calling family members to
give them the sad news and finally passes the phone to Jackie.
JACKIE: I can't call people, Roseanne!
ACT THREE
In general, The N eurotic is a character that works well in a scene with many other characters, especially with a Logical Smart
One. You will often see this character paired up with The Logical Smart One in much the same way The Lovable Losers are
paired with them. Tbink of the Crane brothers paired up with their father or how Barney works best played against Andy Taylor' s
conventional wisdom.
However, there is a great N eurotic that has yet to be mentioned because he is such a complicated character. And that would
be George Costanza.
Played hysterically b y Jason Alexander, George is what many would consider the classic middle-class N ew York Neurotic. He
is deeply insecure, and he worries about everything. He over-thinks, is controlling and high strung. George is constantly fueled b y
anxiety, and like a true N eurotic, he is aware of it. Just check out this scene where George comes to grips with his baldness.
GEORGE: When she threw that toupee out the window, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I feel like my old self
again. N eurotic, paranoid, totally inadequate, completely insecure. It's a pleasure.
That being said, George also shows many of the traits of The Lovable Loser. He is constantly trying out new plans, new
schemes to get what he wants-be it a new job, a girlfriend (or later to get RID of his girlfriend). He is so determined and so
hopeful that he doesn' t realize how far-fetched some of his ideas are and who he might affect along the way. He is a desperate,
optimistic and sometimes Lovable Loser as he shows in this scene where he sarcastically talks about his ill-fated attempts to get
fired from the New York Yankees organization to take a job with the Mets.
GEORGE: And to think that I'd fail at failing.
that he used all of this to step into the shoes of George Costanza.
Another N eurotic character that has Lovable Loser tendencies is Larry David, star ofHBO' shit ..Curb Your Enthusiasm" (and
the man responsible for writing George's character). An anxious character "~th his own rule book on life, Larry has a tendency to
screw things up much like a Lovable Loser would.
Same could be said for Grace Adler (Debra Messing) on ''Will & Grace." A N eurotic through and through, she thinks too
much, talks too much and worries too much about practically everything (especially when men are involved). That being said, the
writers of that funny show constantly put her in Lovable Loser plotlines, sometimes showcasing her as a N eurotic Lucy Ricardo.
So you can see that sometimes The Neurotic can easily take on some of the characteristics of The Lovable Loser and vice
versa. In fact, often times The Lovable Loser can show hints of Neurotic behavior because he or she wants something so badly
and they can' t get it, so it drives them a little nuts.
The N eurotic can also grab some of the traits of The Bitch I Bastard (coming up soon). When people aren't follo\\~g the
rulebook of The N eurotic or they're not being understood, they can become cranky and even mean-spirited. Think of George,
Grace and Larry once again. They can be abrasive, curt and even manipulative at times (it usually backfires on them). But at their
core (and the core of every Neurotic) is a nervous, high-strung person \vith control issues who worries about the world and their
place in it.
at yourself objectively and seeing what irrational things you obsess about that you can bring to the character. If you identify with
this character and all of this character's traits, then you are ready. You can come out and say 'Tm a N eurotic!" Once you admit
it, you will proudly hold it up as a badge of honor (which will most certainly drive others crazy) .
That is exactly what Courteney Cox did and look where it got her. As an agent, I represented Courteney at the beginning of
her acting career, booking her in the Bruce Springsteen video 'Dancing In The Dark." In the early eighties, music videos were a
new phenomenon, so when Springsteen sang out ''Hey Babbbbyy!" reached into the audience and pulled Courteney on stage to
dance ' vith him, neither Courteney, myself nor anyone else for that matter expected the incredible exposure this would bring.
Everyone in the industry was suddenly asking "Who's that girl?" It was exciting to watch this young, sweet girl from Alabama \vith
sparkling blue eyes and a Colgate smile begin a career that would continue to this day. But then again, if you knew Courteney
back then, you just knew this girl w as destined to become a star.
So, w as Courteney anything like M onica? Well, no she wasn't. And, yes she was. Courteney wasn' t necessarily controlling or
high-strung like M onica, but (as a young actress) she certainly could obsess about things: about an audition, her weight, if she'd
ever work again. But all her obsessing was done \vith a self-deprecating sense of humor that not only made her endearing, but
very funny to be around.
In the first season of"Friends," the character of M onica seemed to be The Logical Smart One (\vith a t\vist of neurosis). All her
other cast mates seemed to get more jokes and storylines. It w asn' t until the writers played up M onica's neurotic traits that the
character was allow ed to step forward and Courteney was given the opportunity to shine.
Here are a few other things to remember about playing The N eurotic. As an actor, your task is to get excited about whatever it
is you' re tallcing or obsessing about. Remember, you have gone over and over the subject to form an opinion and you wouldn' t
be obsessing unless it was important to you. That is the main reason why The N eurotic is constantly examining and re-examining
everything.
But, there is that small part of them that still wonders if they might have missed something. If something goes w rong, they
assume it's probably their fault. That's also why they seem at times to be looking for approval from other characters. Despite their
bravado, they are not all that confident.
Finally, I'm going to stress the importance of the "obsessive" characteristic because that will help you in playing The N eurotic in
class, at an audition or on a show. In some of my classes, when I have students play The N eurotic, I will sometimes tell them to
do the scene but occasionally notice a crumb that's on the floor simply to help them play the "obsession." You w ould be amazed
at how much this simple trick can add to the humor of the scene.
Tbis tendency to obsess about evervthing is what defines this character. That's why Frasier is such a fascinating character. He
thinks about everything, even those things that aren' t his business. While he can appear confident and suave at times, we see him
for what he really is, high-strung, over-analytical and incredibly insecure when things get out of his control-and HE'S a therapist!
All of this make him incredibly funny and one of the most popular N eurotics in sitcom history.
Whew! That's a lot to process for this character. And now you know what it's like to be like The N eurotic. It's exhausting!
They never live in the moment, they are never completely satisfied, and they are alw ays "in their heads." So, look over this
episode again (remember, analyze and over-analyze) and start making a list of what you can identify \vith. That will help you get
into the mind of The N eurotic.
FADEOUT
TAG:
ANNO UNCER V.O.: In the next episode of' The Eight Characters of C omedy," The N eurotic wants to plan a party but none
ofher friends will help. So she turns to her neighbor. But when he starts messing things up, The N eurotic unravels. She should
have known better than to ask for help from The Dwnb One.
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EPISODE 4
FADE IN:
INT. LIVING ROOM- NEW YORK APT. -EVENING
We open on three familiar, hip, late 20s ''friends" in the middle of a deep conversation.
MONICA: Joey, what would you do if you were onmipotent?
ACT ONE
Characters like Coach and later Woody (Woody Harrelson) are vital to "keeping the funny" in a show. But why are they
mainly supporting characters? Perhaps because of the childish and simplistic nature of the character, there have not been many
shows that have put The Dumb One in the lead. Sometimes, like in the case of "Friends," The Dumb One will be part of an
ensemble, but very rarely are they given their own show (that is why so many industry insiders were curious to see how "Joey"
would do now that he didn't have his friends \vith him).
The Dumb One is a wonderfully funny character (if played right). As an actor, it is one of the most difficult characters to play
because there are a lot of easy traps to fall into (I'll discuss these in the follo,ving section). But, it is also an incredibly rewarding
character because if played well, it can translate to instant and constant laughs. So let's show you how to play The Dumb One ...
smart.
Commercial Break
And a Dumb One shall lead them. ..
As I mentioned in this episode, there are only a few shows in history that have featured The Dumb One in the lead.
And, interestingly enough, most of them took place in the 1960s. First there was ("Shazam!") Jim Nabors in "Gomer
Pyle USMC, "a spin-off of "The Andy Griffith Show " that featured that beloved, simple-minded hayseed in the
Marine Corps.
Then there was "Get Smart," starring Don Adams as Maxwell Smart. Not only was this show a big hit in its time,
but it spawned numerous catchphrases including "Missed me by that much!" For those ofyou who have never seen
"Get Smart, " J.{ax is a cross between James Bond and Austin Powers, but even dumber.
Andfinally, there's "The Munsters, "a broad-humored but funny show, featuring Fred Gwynne as the sweetly naive
Frankensteinesque Herman Munster. The series often revolves around the other members ofthefamily constantly
working to fiX something Herman did, be it signing up for ten years ofdancing lessons or taking a sleepingpill and
getting himself locked in a sarcophagus at a museum of natural history. The show features many of the other Eight
Characters ofComedy, including his wife Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) as the ever-patient Logical Smart One. All the
characters on the show have their plotlines, but Herman can be counted on week after week to do something dumb
and to be adorable doing it.
Back to OUI' show ...
Endearing
Enthusiastic
Excited
Friendly
Genuine
Good-natured
Gullible
Happy
Honest
Imaginative
Innocent
Naive
No ulterior motive
Oblivious
Positive
Sincere
Sweet
Unselfish
Warm
ACT TWO
01'1~
Before we begin breaking this character clown, let me reinforce the importance of one of the Four Cs of Comedy here:
Commitment. While commitment is important in playing any of these characters, it is vital here. Actors playing The Dwnb Ones
must believe they are The Dwnb Ones; which means they can't !mow they are dwnb. Confused yet? Read on and hopefully the
following profile will explain exactly where The Dwnb One is coming from. Just keep the word commitment in the back of your
mind as you read because only a truly committed actor can possibly pull this character off.
Perpetual childhood
Let's start with The Dumb One as a small child. As children, they are very imaginativ e. They can entertain themselves. They
are happy and content to sit, eat Lucky Charms and watch Bugs BWllly cartoons. They always play well with others, not really
understanding the concepts of greed, jealousy or being mean-spirited. They are affable and friendly kids who want nothing more
than to be happy and to make vou happy. Physically, they often have wide eyes, an open face and a huge smile. They are often
the youngest child in the family. This could mean they are cushioned and protected from the harsh realities of life. Therefore, they
never really develop common sense. But they always mean well. That's why they are so easy to like.
N ow fast forward to adult Dumb Ones and you'll see that they are exactly the same. That's right. That's because The Dumb
One's main characteristic is being childlike. Don't believe me? Read the above paragraph again. Doesn't it remind you of Joey?
For The Dumb One, childhood is where it all begins and never ends. This is what makes these characters so fascinating, so likable
and so funny.
In the rest of this section, I'll talk about a lot of specific characteristics. But you should notice that all of these characteristics
have something in common. They are all characteristics of a small child. And this is the M OST IMPORTANT trait for The Dumb
One to embrace. Often, when am I getting newer actors to try to play this role, I have to grab them b y the wrist and lead them
back to their childhood. Unlike dramatic acting, I take them back to a specific happy time for them-like Christmas morning,
riding a pony or getting a new bike. This is not easy for most adults to do, but it is vital if you want to play this role.
Tbink of how e xcited a child can get when he or she finds something that fascinates them. Tbink ofhow innocent they can be
when they discover something new. Tbink of how e nde aring they are when they try to tell a story or remember a joke. Much like
The Lovable Loser, The Dumb Ones are always enthusiastic about their idea, the words they're spealcing, something they've
found, the scene, life in general. They are always very positiv e people and a source of joy for everyone who knows them.
The adult Dumb Ones are the same way. watch Art Carney as Ed N orton on wThe Honeymooners," like in this scene where
he's trying to make Ralph feel better after he lost his job.
ED: Come on, boy, let's have a little smile. (Ralph forces a smile) There, that's my boy. Bigger, bigger, that's it! That's the
way you gotta stay even if it takes a whole year to get a job. Even if you never get another job!
RALPH: A fat lot I've got to smile about. Nine years on the job. Today I'm fired and b y tomorrow I'm forgotten. They won' t
even remember what I look like.
ED: That's great! (THEN) Go right back tomorrow morning and ask for a job!
Or check out Jean Stapleton as Edith Bunker on "All in the Family." In this scene, the Bunkers are all having a family chat on
capital pwlishment.
ARCHIE: Go ahead, ask your mother, she believes in capital pwlishment.
GLORIA: Do you, M a?
ANGELA (Judith Light): Oh, I'm sorry. There must be a mistake. This job is for a housekeeper.
TONY: That's me, Mr. Goodrnop! (Flashing grin). Ay-oh. Oh-ay.
Really, for you the actor to play The Dumb One, you need to harness that sunshine inside of you and let it out in the scene. The
Dumb Ones are often very likable, and it's because of these childlike qualities. If they were mean-spirited and dwnb, you
wouldn't be rooting for them. If you play the character with joy and enthusiasm, the audience will find you adorable and love you
for it
Com.mel'cial Bl'eak
The Dumb One as a Vzllain?
Although this is extremely rare, there have been cases where sitcom writers have wanted to use "villains" in their
show premise. The way they often do this is by molding the villains after The Dumb One. Why? Because viewers will
still be able to like them, at least a little. It makes these so-called villains less threatening, as is the case with "Hogan's
Heroes. "
Col. Wilhelm Klink (Werner Klemperez) and Sgt. Hans Schultz (John Banner) are the epitome ofThe Dumb One,
even though they try to act like they know what they're doing in running the P. 0. W. camp. Both are such bumbling
goofballs, that you find yourselfalmost liking them ... which is weird considering they're Nazis!
Back to OUI' show...
Doh!
I know this probably goes \\~thout saying, but The Dumb One is DUMB (even if they don't realize it). They are oblivious to
life. Not consciously oblivious (like The Lovable Loser), but oblivious to what is happening around them. Think of one of the
all-time greats, Homer Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta). Check out this exchange where Homer is shocked by daughter
Lisa's decision to go vegetarian.
HOMER: Are you sa}mg you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
LISA: No.
HOMER: Ham?
LISA: No!
HOMER: Pork chops?
LISA: Dad, those all come from the same animal!
HOMER: (Chuckling) Oh yeah, right Lisa ... a wondetful, magical animal.
Homer is a sweet, enthusiastic and immature teddy bear and oh-so-dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb. How dumb is he? He is soooo
dumb that he prays to Superman, he invented a gun to shoot makeup on women and he has driven around Springfield collecting
grease as a way to make money. And those are simply everyday plans for Homer. Although the writers constantly put him in
Lovable Loser storylines, where he desperately and hopefully wants something week after week, at his core, Homer has all the
characteristics of The Dumb One. And even though his brain tries to keep him out of trouble (yes, he talks to his brain like it's a
separate entity), Homer just can't avoid being dumb, especially when he tries to pull something over on Marge.
MARGE: (Knows he 's been at Moe's bar) Homer, where have you been?
HOMER'S BRAIN: Don' t say the bar, don't say the bar, don' t say the bar.
HOMER: Pornography. I was buying pornography.
Oh Homer... 'D'Oh!"
I need to stress the difference between playing dumb and playing sweetly naive like Joey or innocent and gullible like Homer.
"Playing dumb" is a major pothole that a lot of actors fall into. M ore often than not, new actors will play this role b y adding "uhhs"
to the dialogue or blankly staring into space while twirling their hair. Do not play dumb! If you play dumb, you're showing you're
acting and nobody wants to see you "acting." As I tell my students, if you're caught acting, then the Acting Police are going to
take you away to SAG prison and you will be forced to watch beginning actresses of all ages perform Laura from 'The Glass
Menagerie." Believe me, it ain' t pretty!
Instead, to play The Dumb One, latch on to those things that you know nothing about (and use how you feel in those
situations) for playing this character.
For example, I know very little about rocket propulsion. If I were in the middle of a conversation I eagerly wanted to be a part
of (because The Dumb One is always enthusiastic), how would I contnbute to a conversation about rocket propulsion? What
would come out of my mouth? I'll tell you right now, it wouldn' t be anything intelligent (by the way, if you know a lot about rocket
propulsion and feel like you could participate in a conversation on this topic, you might want to jump back and read The N eurotic
episode again).
Just think of the show "Coach" with Bill Fagerhakke's take as Dauber, one of the assistant football coaches. Dauber is always
throwing his two cents in, and the fact is, he never really knows what he is tallcing about ... even when it comes to football! But it
doesn't stop him because he is just as enthusiastic as he is naive.
Here's another great one ...
ROSE: Can I ask a dumb question?
to join the conversation, that you always want to hear from her ... well that, and she makes you laugh.
ROSE: You know what they say ... You can lead a herring to water, but you have to walk really fast or he'll die.
Commercwl Break
Reality check
A good reality television example of The Dumb One would be the genuine and childlike William Hung on "American
Idol. "He has no clue how bad his singing is, but his enthusiasm makes him endearing.
Or, Jessica Simpson on "Newlyweds. " Though sweet and likable, she says and does some things that are just
unbelievable.
Okay, okay, b y now you're probably getting the point that The Dumb Ones are really easy to like. Everyone would like a
Dumb One as a friend. You might not want them to operate on you or represent you in court or even watch your house while
you're away. But you want them in your life. And why not? With their sunny disposition and their core desire to make everyone
happy, they are a joy to be around.
And even if they're doing something wrong, chances are they're doing it to help you. They are unselfish people who have no
ulterior motive. They will easily give of themselves to make the world a better place. They are full of goodness and want
everybody to be happy, just like them.
They don't really understand why people get into long, drawn out fights or how people can be mean to each other. It actually
stuns them. They might get mad at times, but it's easily forgotten. They are simply friendly, good-natured and affable, meaning
they really can get along with just about anybody (which makes it easy for writers to move them in and out of scenes and various
storylines).
W ant proof? Try and think of a moment in Cheers" where you ever found yourself annoyed with Coach or \Voody. You
can't, can you? The same can be said about all Dumb Ones. Even the ones who aren't as sweet, like the pompous anchorman
Ted Baxter ('The M ary Tyler M oore Show") have something likable about them.
TED: It's actually tomorrow in Tokyo. Do you realize that there are people alive here in Minneapolis who are already dead in
Tokyo?
How can you not like somebody that still has the zest for life and the innocence of a small child? Sure they might frustrate you
with their ignorance or naivete and you wouldn't really want to trust them with anything important, but their enthusiasm and sweet
demeanor make them a pleasure to know and fun to watch. That's why we love them and root for them.
ACT THREE
been played out successfully in 'The M ary Tyler Moore Show" and "Gomer Pyle USMC," The Dumb One and The Bitch I
Bastard are typically not paired up very often. VVe' ll get to that in the next episode.
Unlike other characters, The Dumb One ahnost exclusively sticks to his or her own characteristics, not borrowing as much
from other characters. You will rarely see The Dumb One act neurotic, as they are uncomplicated and content with their life. You
will hardly see them as mean-spirited and you will only really see them in the role of The Logical Smart One if a specific scene
calls for them to be the voice of reason. But !mow that they will return to their character on the blow of the scene.
A good sign that they are unlike other characters is that The Dumb One is never sarcastic (even if they try to be from time to
time). Sarcasm requires intelligence, something The Dumb One lacks. They are such honest and sincere people, they don't really
understand the concept of sarcasm, and as such, it comes off as false. The Dumb One isn't good at lying and sarcasm is telling a
lie. Also, sarcastic remarks are a way for some characters to lash out at the world. The Dumb Ones don't want to lash out, not
even for a second. As a Dumb One, you have plenty of places from which to draw humor, so sarcasm doesn't need to be one of
them.
The only minor variation you might see in these characters is that they might be toned down if they're showing up in a
single-camera comedy, like Frank Burns (Larry Linville) on 'MASH" or Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) on "Sex and the City."
A multi-camera comedy is more heightened and open to a broader comedic interpretation (hyper-reality). But in these
single-camera comedies, you simply can't be as dumb as Joey or Rose because single-camera is more intimate. The feel of the
show is more realistic, like a feature film. There are more close-ups. Therefore, the actor' s interpretations-their intentions,
thoughts, facial expressions and physicahties-should be more specific and less heightened. In single-camera comedies, these
actors play up the naivete, the gulhbility and the innocence in a very funny, yet more realistic way. Kristen Davis, Larry Linville and
other single-camera comedy actors are really playing The Naive Ooe rather than The Dumb One.
meaning they are aware that something is wrong or that their idea might not be the best one, but they are blinded b y their own
w ant. The Dwnb One is actually the opposite. They aren't aware in the least that this w ould be a bad idea. Otherwise they
wouldn' t do it. Their messes are a result of their simply being oblivious, not consciously oblivious to a situation. That's a big
difference and an important one between these two characters.
So, there is a lot more involved in playing The Dwnb One than you thought, isn't there? Don't worry, if it's close to who you
are, you can play it. It's just a matter of finding what part of you is in The Dwnb One, meaning what part of you is sincere,
genuine, enthusiastic and childlike.
When I was an agent in N ew York back in the 80s, I worked with M att LeBlanc. I got to be a part of the beginning of his
career and I got to watch on TV as he developed this character that would make him so famous. When ''Friends" ended, Barbara
Walters interviewed M att and asked him ifhe saw any part of himself in Joey. "I mean, Joey's a dimwit and you're certainly not,"
Walters said. And she' s right. Matt is not a dimwit. He is a successful, talented, comedic actor. What I found most interesting was
that M att LeBlanc was looking for the right w ords to express what part of him is Joey. Instead, he just smiled that childlike grin
and said, "I don't know. I just understand Joey."
Matt is not Joey but he does possess many of these qualities. M att was alw ays a sweet, good-natured and sincere guy . When I
last saw him, it was 1993 in LA. (right before "Friends"). I was a co=ercial casting director, and I suggested him for a part. I
remember after the session, I walked him outside and he showed me his new motorcycle with enthusiastic pride, much in the way
Joey would.
The point is that M att, who is really an intelligent guy, was able to draw from his childlike qualities, just like every other classic
Dwnb One character has done since the start of sitcoms. He didn't decide he was going to "play dwnb." He tapped into his
childlike nature and it worked.
Check him out in this episode of "Joey" tallcing to his nephew lV!ichael (Paulo Costanzo):
MICHAEL: What is the best news I could give you?
JOEY: (Truly e=ited) They fixed the vending machine? Oooh, w e got a ping pong table? Oh wait, Kool and the Gang got
back together?
Joey is excited about everything. He only wants everybody to be happy, to have fun and to Jive where he is ... in perpetual
childhood. This is what you need to do. Whether you' re acting this character or writing it, you need to go back to when you were
six or seven years old and think of how the w orld looked and then apply that perspective to your character. This will help you
make your Dwnb One sweet, likable, naive, honest and very funny.
And if you're still struggling, watch the classic episode of"Friends" where Joey introduces his " Tribbiani Method of Acting."
JOEY: Okay, some tricks of the trade. N ow, I've never been able to cry as an actor, so if I'm in a scene where I have to cry, I
cut a hole in my pocket, take a pair of tweezers and just start pulling. Or ah, or, let's say I want to convey that I've just done
something eviL That would be the basic ' I have a fish hook in my eyebrow and I like it.' (Raises one eyebrow and shows off
pretend fish hook) Okay, let's just say I've gotten some bad news, well all I do there is try and divide 232 b y 13. (Looks all
ANNO UNCER V.O.: In the next episode ofThe Eight Characters of Comedy," The Dwnb One has a dream to work at
FAO Schwarz, but that dream doesn't sit well with his nagging, manipulative girlfriend or his bitter, mean-spirited father. W atch
the carnage as The Dwnb One defies The Bitch and The Bastard.
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EPISODE 5
LOUIE: Female problems ... she's starting not to look like one.
Giving love and affection to his favorite employee, Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway)
LOUIE: Hey, Bobby, I hope someone slams a door on your face, you sneeze, and your head explodes.
Perched in his little cage in the garage, Louie grunts, growls and snarls at anybody who crosses him-and even those who
don' t. He is a little man with a big attitude. He is an acerbic bull who is stubborn, cranky and irritable. He is a downer who is
angry at the world, and he takes great pleasure in making other people feel the same way. He lacks compassion and a sense of
decency, and we love him for it. That's because Louie is The Bastard.
Carla and Louie have no fear, they are tough and they both have something burning inside of them that makes them who they
are. They have no problem unleashing their fire on you, me or anybody that crosses their path. They are played b y two brilliant
comedic actors, who ironically are married in real life--wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall when they get into a tiff?
ACT OJ'II""E
ARCHIE: Aw geez, what a bunch that is: A meathead, a dingbat, a woman's hb and a bald headed kid.
There are so many sitcom husbands and fathers that follow this exact formula and it works time and again. While bitchy
mothers aren't as co=on, they do exist, mostly in the form of the mother-in-law. This goes back to the "mother" of all
mother-in-laws, the bitchy, \\~tchy Endora (Agnes Moorehead) on "Bewitched." Endora is always reminding her daughter
Samantha that she married beneath her b y constantly berating her son-in-law Darrin. She is always mispronouncing his name
("Durwood) , casting spells and playing tricks on him.
SAi\ 1ANTHA: That was a mean, low, sneaky, underhanded trick!
Commercwl Break
Reality check
A good example ofThe Bitch and The BastaJ'd would be the beautiful, manipulative and sometimes evil Omarosa
Manigault-Stallworth from "The Apprentice" and the blunt, "1'//-do-what-1-want-to-do "Richard Hatch from
"Survivor. "Some might say that the "tell-it-like-it-is" Simon Cowell, of "American Idol" fame, would fall into this
category.
Back to our show...
ACT TWO
The Bitch and The Bastard have a lot more to them than just tossing out a witty wisecrack here and there. I !mow these people
sowtd like angry characters, and they are. But let me remind you that in the sitcom world, you never play real, true, honest anger
in a scene or it will come off as dramatic and it will stop the comedic flow. Save that for your hour-long and 6hn dramas. Instead,
you need to find the funny in their nature. Having a back story and follO\ving these characteristics will help.
So first let's ask where they come from.
Little Bitches and Bastards
Lucky for us, there are some amazing kid Bitches and Bastards to watch on TV Think back to the two-faced Eddie Haskell
(Ken Osmond) on ''Leave it to Beaver" who's always condescending toward Beaver and complimentary toward Mrs. Cleaver.
Or watch the not-so-bright Reese (Justin Berlield) from ''Malcohn in the Middle," whose sole purpose is to instigate trouble. On
'<The Wonder Years," Wayne Arnold (Jason Hervey) lives only to harass his yowtger brother Ke,m. And on ''What's
Happening!" little Dee Thomas (Danielle Spencer) always has a smart aleck co=ent, especially when it comes to Fred "Rerwt"
Stubbs (Fred Berry).
FRED: I can't help being fat. It rwts in my family.
Or when she's co=enting on her weird little brother D.J. (Michael Fishman) ...
DARLENE: Trust me, he goes in that room because it's the only one with a lock on it, and he's in there for like an hour at a
time. Which means he's either really, really good at it or really, really bad at it!
ROSEANNE: Well, I don't want you to give him any grief about this, you know. Because you could traumatize him and turn
him into a serial killer.
DARLENE: Well, don't worry. How much damage could he do with only one free hand?
Funny, huh? Especially coming out of the mouth of an adolescent. But how can child actors play such cynical characters? Why
are they so bitter and so mean at such an early age? Well, let's take Darlene for example. She is what I like to call an old soul,
and there's a good chance the actress Sarah Gilbert is as well.
Old soul? Without getting all metaphysical and woo-woo," I believe that we are born with a certain disposition, level of
intelligence, emotional expression and, of course, talent. Whether it's passed down through generations or reincarnation (if you
believe in that), it all ends up in our genes. I lence the Funny Gene and the Acting Gene.
That being said, I believe many Bitch I Bastard characters (and perhaps the young performers who play them) come from an
ancestry of oppression. They start off with a certain maturity, wisdom and cynicism about the world, themselves and their place in
society, thus making their ''bitchiness" innate.
That's not to say that environment doesn' t play an equal or greater role in who we are and who we become, but child actors
who are able to take on such a complex character like The Bitch or The Bastard have it in them right from birth.
Being that many Bitch I Bastards come from a tough background, this can also give them a tough exterior, like Darlene or
Carla. This is very important for this character.
This mix of nature I nurture gives them a keen eye for the shortcomings and vulnerabilities of others, which they utilize to gain
control and power. They love to target and attack people with a lashing tongue, biting wit and bitter sarcasm. This in turn makes
them feel better about themselves and their lives and makes for one helluva funny character.
You make me mad!
But most Bitches and Bastards are usually older characters. They are the butlers and maids who spend their lives serving
people who have more than they do. They are the husbands who aren't happy because their lives haven't turned out the way they
wanted. Or they are the lowly managers who are sour and cynical because they're working in a menial profession. Therefore, they
develop a disdain for those who have more than they do.
All of these characters have had tough backgrounds and think that they still have it tough now. They are pessimistic about the
present and the future. Therefore, they build up walls to protect themselves from others as well as the harsh realities of their world.
Don' t get me wrong, there are Bitches and Bastards who come from a wealthy upbringing, but they share more of the
characteristics ofThe Materialistic Bitch (see The M aterialistic One episode) .
As an actor, you need to make sure you know everything about your character's background. You need to show a tough
exterior that has been built up by years of struggle, bitterness and things not going the way you imagined. And sometimes you have
to dig even further.
There are reasons why The Bitch or The Bastard does (and says) what they do. They have nothing, but they feel a sense of
entitlement, so they can't tolerate those people who do have something. They are convinced that they are smarter than others, so
they have no patience for those that act dwnb.
Yet, deep inside The Bitch and The Bastard, there often lies a secret insecurity that (just maybe) they're not so invincible, so
smart, so important. Often, the bitchy one-liners are really a cover, a way to protect themselves from getting hurt, from being
disappointed b y life (again and again). Being bitchy makes them feel powerful (if only for a moment) even when they're feeling
powerless. So, if you can sometimes see that the sharp-tongued zingers are really just a way to keep from feeling vulnerable, then
you have a character that we can care about.
There is an episode of ' Taxi" where Louie is talking about how kids would make fun of him when he w as younger. He tells a
story of how he was set up on a prom date with a hot chick only to find out later that it was all a practical joke. It was actually a
sad, touching moment that gave a glimpse into why Louie is the way he is.
It's ahnost as if he (or any other Bitches and Bastards) expects people not to like them or to make fun of them so they simply
beat them to the punch.
Then of course, there are those Bitches and Bastards who are simply fed up with life. This really fits with a lot of the characters
that play the "help" or support staff on TV You think that's how they expected their life to turn out?
This background is what will bring depth to your Bitch or Bastard role. You need to really play these characteristics and
choose a history to make it a well-rounded character.
Sarcasm as a shield and a sword
Sarcasm is as important for The Bitch or The Bastard as it is for The Logical Smart One. But here's the difference. The
Logical Smart One uses sarcasm as a tool to prove a point, whereas The Bitch I Bastard uses it as a weapon to be mean and
biting. Just like David Spade on "Just Shoot M e."
DENNIS FINCH: (Talking to an emp loy ee) Oh, I just remembered. You're boring. And my legs work (EXITS).
M any Bitch I Bastards, like Finch, have a dry sense of humor that isn' t easy to play. They are not outwardly expressive. As
an actor playing this character, you need to be dry and biting and let the humor come from your nasty words. As The Bitch or
Bastard you think you're being clever, witty and funny when you're insulting another character, and you love to see their reaction.
Commercial Break
N o Physical Static
You can identifY a Bitch or a Bastard by how they deliver a sarcastic line or a derogatory remark because they will
never throw away a good putdown. They will hold their ground by standing firm and being still. Some will put a hand
on their hip and some will cross their arms, but you'// rarely see them move on their line (unless exiting). They don't
slump and they don't slouch. They stand tall and strong like predators waiting for their prey. They don't hesitate,
whine, stammer or stutter. They don't flinch, ever! They will often look right at the other character and wait to see
their remark devastate them. And then they leave, satisfied. Unless instructed, they simply never move on their lines.
They "stick the landing" ifyou will andjudge their score on the reaction of their victims. Remember, The Bitch and
The Bastard both love "going for the kill" on weaker characters and it shows in their physical behavior.
Back to our show...
You' re so mean!
Tbis is really where the guilty pleasure comes in for us in watching and where you can really have the most fun as a writer or an
actor. The Bitch and The Bastard are intolerant, therefore they don' t have to hold back their \\~eked thoughts. They are a
contemptuous bunch. And they are also very condescending towards anyone and everyone who gets in their way (and to play
the intention to condescend" in your scene works wonders).
They do not tolerate fools well and have no patience with idiots. And many of them think that everyone else is either a fool or
an idiot. They feel high and mighty. A perfect modern example is Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) on ..Scrubs." In this scene,
a fellow doctor asks him if he got a memo stating that all residents should wear their lab coats at all times.
DR. COX: Yes I did. At first I just threw it away, but then I thought, that's not grand enough of a gesture. So I made a model
of you out of straw, put my lab coat on it, with your memo in the pocket, and invited the neighborhood kids to set fire to it and
beat it \vith sticks.
Damn! That's just downright mean-and hilarious! As an actor playing this role, you need to enjoy being this mean (at least
while you're in character). And I'm not talking about being catty. Being catty is passive-aggressive. The bigger choice is to be
mean-spirited (a defining trait for The Bitch I Bastard). And ''mean" is direct and funnier. You need to look for the kill and take it
when the opportunity presents itself. You need to be intolerant of those that you think are less than you (which is pretty much
everybody). You need to be ready to manipulate, use and abuse these people. You have the intentions and motivations of a
tiger, ready to pounce but toying \vith your prey, making them suffer.
Have fun \vith this. It's okay to explore your mean side. After all, you're only acting, aren't you?
It's all about 1\-IE!
The Bitch or The Bastard doesn' t really care about anyone but themselves. They are self-centered in that they are always
looking out for opportunities for themselves, and for themselves only. They don' t really want to hear about opportunities for
others. They are willing to do anything to get what they want, no matter who gets hurt because they feel they deserve it.
Remember, they are pessimistic people who have had difficult lives, and they think they are entitled to any break that might come
their way. Once again, enjoy acting this or writing this. The more you enjoy it, the more the audience will laugh. Find the funny in
this mean-spirited, clever character.
For actors that have been in the showbiz game a while, it may be easier to relate. Tbink ofhow many roles you feel you should
have gotten but didn' t. Come on. There have been times that we've all felt disappointed b y this highly competitive and frustrating
industry. Being a professional actor requires you to be at least a little self-involved. It's okay to feel that way. And it's wonderful if
you can bring that to this character and then go even finther. Put it this way, if The Bitch or Bastard got the role, not only would
they not feel bad beating out their friend, they'd probably rub it in their face.
Hard for me to say I'm sorry
This one probably goes without saying, but it's still important to point out. The Bitch and The Bastard couldn't care less what
comes out of their mouth. And unlike The Dumb One, what they usually say is meant to hurt. They say what's on their mind to put
people in their place, to ridicule or simply for the sheer joy of being mean. They will not apologize because apologizing is a sign
of weakness and they don' t want anyone to come close to penetrating that tough exterior.
We 'd all love to be this outspoken but we can' t. \Ve'd love to be bad at times, but we were brought up with certain social
restraints that teach us what to say, what is socially acceptable and what isn' t. The Bitch and The Bastard simply don't care,
especially if you're Rosario addressing Jack and Karen on ''Will & Grace."
ROSARIO: Oh look, it's ''Dumb and Drunker."
This makes them mean, saucy and hysterically funny. It was so much fim watching some of the Black sitcoms of the 70s and
80s, which featured some smart, sassy and bitchy African-American actresses. One of the best is Marla Gtbbs as Florence the
housekeeper on 'The Jeffersons." Here, this Queen of the Quips once again spars with her boss George Jefferson (Sherman
Hemsley).
GEORGE: If! paid you to think, you could cash your check at the penny arcade.
FLORENCE: (with that great look of hers) Where do you think I cash it now?
As a kid, your mother or father alwavs told you never to talk back. If you're playing The Bitch or The Bastard, forget all that.
You need to be outspoken and you don't need to apologize for anything.
Commercial Break
One of the most entertaining sitcoms ofall time is also one of the most complex. "The Jeffersons" has a unique
makeup in that just about every character on the show features characteristics ofThe Bitch or The Bastard. Despite
finally getting a "piece of the pie, " they are still not happy with their lives. These characters, led by the irritable
George Jefferson, are often cranky, cynical and sarcastic. And they often take it out on each other.
FLORENCE: My fiance Buzz has such high standards.
GEORGE: Then what's he doing with you? (Sees her looking at herself in the mirror) Get away from that mirror...
you don't need any more bad luck!
FLORENCE: I know. I already got you.
And even Mother Jefferson (Zara Cully) gets in on the action.
LOUISE: You thought I was kidnapped? Why would anybody want me?
MOTHER JEFFERSON: That's what I've been asking myselffor years.
GEORGE: Louise, you're worth your weight in gold.
MOTHER JEFFERSON: I don't think there's that much gold in Fort Knox.
(Louise shoots her a deadly look.)
It's a lot offun to watch because it's almost as if each episode they trade off this character, sometimes in the same
scene. Even the show's Logical Smart One character, Louise (Isabel Sanford), will switch into The Bitch from time to
time. And that's why the show works.
Back to our show ...
I'm smarter than you, stupid
Finally, The Bitch and The Bastard are very quick-witted characters. You don't have to finish high school and be
college-educated to be quick-witted. And a lot of The Bitch or The Bastard's wit comes from being street-smart. Having an
innate cynicism (and wtderstanding the harsh realities of life), they are able to figure out what kinds of things to say to ridicule the
other characters. You very rarely see any hint of The Dwnb One in The Bitch or The Bastard. It doesn' t really work well that
way. The Bitch and The Bastard have to be quick on their toes, street-smart and clever. They have to be wise to come up \\~th all
those funny, derogatory cracks. Hence the term, wisecracks.
Case in point: Archie Bunker. Even though this blue-collar bigot has barely a high school education and is the Father of
M alaprops (often mispronowtcing and misusing words), he has a Wlique street-smart wit about him.
MIKE STIVIC: So when Sammy Davis Jr. gets here, are you gonna call him a jungle bunny?
ACT THREE
TED: Aw, Lou. How come every time I come here to say something, you say '\Vhat is it now, Ted" ... like I'm going to say
something dwnb?
LOU: How come every time I see a duck, I expect it to quack?
TED: N o, no ... you answer my question first.
To Manipulate
To Crush
To Belittle
To Demean
To Patronize
To Destroy
To Mock
To Dismiss
Final Thoughts On Playing The Bitch I Bastard
This is a character that takes quite a bit of practice to get comfortable with and to play welL People, even actors, aren't used to
being this openly mean-spirited and sarcastic out loud, and that creates a sometimes tentative approach. If you want to play this
character well, you need to throw hesitancy out the window and put it all on the line.
Commercial Break
Physicality of The Bitch and The Bastard
Physicality can help you identify and play many of these Eight Characters ofComedy, but none more so than The
Bitch or The Bastard. Remember that they both have a bravery about them and a harshness that will automatically
come out in the way they talk and carry themselves.
Some simply have "the look. "A new actress will enter my class, and I can tell right away that she can play this
character. She will most likely be attractive with a hard-lined face, thin lips and a wrinkled brow. And as sweet as the
actress may be, she can still give that look that says "Don't cross me. " Ironically enough, many new actresses don't
know they have a Bitch inside them. At first, they usually take offense when I peg them for this character. But when
they finally embrace their inner Bitch, they proudly play it to the hilt.
way at some point or another. We've also had our feelings hurt and we've built walls, sometimes with a sharp tongue. Tbis is the
fowtdation of The Bitch or The Bastard character and ifs important to bring that into the mix.
Audiences will tire of somebody who is just simply mean. They need to see their heart- at least every once in a while. That's
why the best sitcoms will allow for that to happen, like giving Carla a crush on Sam that pops up every now and then or giving
Archie a sentimental moment with Edith. If we can see their vulnerability every once in a while, it makes it much more enjoyable to
see them crush someone else.
Also, this is a character that the other characters can slip into quite often. The Logical Smart One gets bitchy when their
patience is being pushed. The N eurotic can get curt or prickly if people aren' t following their rules. The Materialistic One can be
condescending and judgmental (The M aterialistic Bitch) if she's not getting what she wants.
There are a few other things I want to mention about this character. You' ve probably noticed b y now that The Bitch is more
snippy and condescending while The Bastard is more gruff and cranky. Don't assume that only guys can play The Bastard role
and only women can play The Bitch. As half hour television progresses, w e are seeing more and more t\vists on characters.
Female bastards (like Rosario on "Will & Grace") and male bitches (like Niles on 'The N anny") are strong and funny characters.
Look at Finch on "Just Shoot Me."
FINCH: (With an arched eyebrow and a smirk on his face) You couldn' t score in a monkey whorehouse \vith a bag of
bananas.
M any would argue that he is much more a Bitch than he is a Bastard. While the t\vo aren't that different (they share all of the
characteristics w e just discussed), you need to remember that they also aren't gender specific. If you think you're more of a Bitch
than a Bastard (or vice versa), go for it.
Another point I want to make is the emphasis on technique. I know I have talked about technique a lot in the previous
chapters, but The Bitch and The Bastard really require you to be a perfectionist on your technique, especially timing, The
Turnarowtd and Triplets. Writers often use The Bitch and The Bastard to pwtch home a joke, whether or not they're part of the
main action of a scene. A perfect example of this is Estelle Getty, who plays Sophia on "Golden Girls." She is the Mother of the
One-Liner, often walking through a scene, delivering a line and then exiting. That requires precise timing and she is a master at it.
When Sophia walks in the front door, Rose tells her she must be "tired" after a long cab ride ...
SOPHIA: Tired? I RODE in the cab. I didn'tpush it! (EXITS)
As The Bitch or The Bastard, you \vill get to deliver a lot of the best jokes. Once again, think of Carla She can be carrying a
tray across the room, toss out a \\~secrack, leave and have you in hysterics. The same could be said for the random insults Louie
throws from his office cage in the garage.
And finally, remember to keep the pain inside The Bitch or The Bastard (carry it with you at all times). You can use that for
biting comedy. Remember ifs this mean-spirited character' s depth that keeps the audiences liking them and identifying \vith them.
Combine that \vith technique, character traits, a history and that part of you that can be mean, and you' ll soon be playing a great
Bitch or Bastard. And we the viewers need you, because as Dr. John Becker (Ted Danson) says:
BECKER: The world is full of idiots, and someone needs to point it out to them or they will never know.
FADEOUT.
TAG:
ANNOUNCER V.O.: In the next episode of'The Eight Characters of Comedy," The Bitch gets to watch her horny
ex-boyfriend flirt with a hot, sexy woman at a party. She fiunes as she witnesses the steamy interaction between The
Womanizer and The Manizer.
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EPISODE 6
TEASER:
"I ALWAYS KISS AND TELL"
FADE IN:
SA\\1: Whoa, wait a minute. I resent that I've never had trouble "~th a woman in ANY position.
Sam doesn't flirt with just Rebecca and Diane (Shelly Long), but also every girl that walks into the joint He is proud, cocky,
sometimes conceited, but always ready for his next sexual conquest He thinks of himself as a God of Women, and well, he is.
DIANE: You've been with a lot of women.
SA.J\.1: No, I have not There haven't been that many women. I just exaggerate here in the bar. (Off her look) There have not
been that many.
DIANE: How many have there been?
SAM: Oh, I don't know. Maybe four hund ...
ACT ONE
make the other sex (or the same sex) into nothing more than sexual objects.
One of the earliest Manizers was also a generational sex symbol. In the 1960s, Tina Louise's portrayal as Ginger Grant (a
Marilyn Monroe-esque movie star) on ..Gilligan's Island" had young boys and grown men alike drooling and also showed half
hour writers how much fim they could have if they infused a little sex into their shows.
The Womanizer appeared in the 1970s with The Fonz (Henry Winkler) on ''Happy Days." He was the ..coolest" and he knew
it. He made girls' knees buckle and guys set their standards higher.
This character has developed over the decades and gotten a little racier (I can't picture Ginger talking \vith Marianne about
dildos \vith as much ease as Samantha does \vith Carrie), but the overall character is still the same, as you'll see when I get into
the characteristics section of this episode.
For now, try and think of some other great Womanizers and Manizers. Let's start \vith The Manizers. They're actually not an
as young and beautiful as Ginger. For some reason, older Manizers have worked increchbly well in sitcoms. Think of the
middle-aged Mona Robinson on "Who's The Boss," an outwardly sexy and flirtatious mother and grandmother played to the hilt
by Katherine Hehnond.
TONY (Tony Danza) :Mona, look ... come on. You don't hire a housekeeper just because he's got a great smile and muscles.
MONA: How do you think YOU got the job?
Then, of course, there is Rue McClanahan's hysterical take as Blanche Deveraux, the quintessential Southern Belle in her
golden years on ..Golden Girls."
BLANCHE: There is a fine line between flirting and being a wanton slut. I know. My toe has been on that line.
So you can see, Manizers can be any age. The same is true for The Womanizers. Just think of "Saved by the Bell," which
features young super-stud A. C. Slater (Mario Lopez). Bold and cock-y, Slater is always after the girls and always getting them.
These characters vary in age, appearance and approach, and they can be played a variety of ways. But regardless of their
appearance or their approach, these characters and their endless quest for sex is always fimny. They often have some of the best
jokes in a show and some amazing storylines. They are often the "idol" of others on the show and even us, the viewers. We \vish
we could be more like The Womanizer or The Manizer at times. They always seem to have a lot of fim \vith potential mates,
one-night stands or even weekend affairs. But pleeease, no longer than a weekend.
SAl\llANTHA: What is it about the weekend now? I swear to God that every guy I've fucked since Memorial Day wants to
know what I'm doing this weekend. They just don't get it. My weekends are for meeting new guys so I don't have to keep
fucking the old ones.
Com.mel'cial Bl'eak
Reality check
A good example of The Womanizer or Manizer would be just about any of the immoral, non-loyal, bikini or
Speedo-c/ad, sextia/jling-seekers on "Temptation Island" or any of those "Bachelors" and "Barhelorettes. "
ACT TWO
believing you are smooth and suave. And Charley sure does.
As for the ladies, once again there's Mona on who's the Boss?" A comical version of Mrs. Robinson from the fihn ...The
Graduate," Mona always knows how to handle her many suitors that come calling. Maybe because of her age, Mona has a "use it
or lose it" mentality and a subtle smoothness that makes her a daring and sexy older lady. And there's Blanche, who is also direct
(and daring) with her gentleman callers. But she uses a fluttery yet earthy Southern sensuality.
Tbis can be tough for many actors to lock down. Acting smooth isn't really something you can teach. People simply are or they
aren't. And if you're not naturally smooth, what you need to do is find the times in your life when you are completely confident
with yourself. Tbink of how smooth and self-assured you are at those times. Or think of someone in your life you know who has
these qualities.
Or, just watch the F onz and take plenty of notes.
THE FONZ: You're dreaming about a girl you never met?
RICHIE CUNNINGHA..M: (Ron Howard): Come on, Fonz. Haven't you ever dreamed?
THE FONZ: Hey, I'm not the dreamer. I'm the dreamee!
Comm.ercwl Break
Sexy???
The Womanizer or Manizer isn't always a "looker. " Check out Richard Kline, who played swinging playboy Lany
Dallas on "Three's Company. "Dressed in the hippest of 1970s clothes with the chains and the finley hairstyle, Lany
was the original "wild and crazy guy. "Even though he wasn't the best-loo/.:ing, he thought of himselfas a sexy ladies'
man. And it worked because of his attitude and his swagger. Actually, the fact that some of these characters aren't the
best-looking makes them that much funnier and that much more universal. You gotta be thinking, ifhe can do it, I can
do it!
The most important trait for The Alanizer is confidence, brazen confidence. She is confident in herself and in getting her needs
met. And you can see it in how she carries herself. She stands up straight and walks with an Tm all that and more" strut, all the
while her breasts poised for attention.
These characters are a steamy bunch. Whether they are good-looking, old or young, they view themselves as sex symbols.
They couldn't possibly fathom that there is any guy or girl out there that wouldn't want them. They have built up a narcissistic
self-image over the years and it has virtually taken over. They have absolutely no self-esteem problems (at least on the outside)
and they are increchbly resourceful in getting what they want
Tbis resourcefulness gives writers plenty of opportunities to place these characters in situations \vith other characters of the
opposite sex (or same sex), be it at a bar, a coffee house, the Internet, wherever. And the actors get to rise to the
occasion-using their own resources, whether from personal experience or their imagination-to get the guy or girL And that's
what makes each actor's approach to these characters unique and funny.
BUT, they are all smooth and cocky in their approach to flirting, sex, anything having to do with their pursuit. That's why many
of their one-liners revolve around them talking about their sexual prowess.
BLANCHE: Sophia, by placing this pearl necklace between my bosoms, does it make me look like I'm a sex-starved slut who
is in need of a man to bed?
SOPHIA: Yes.
BLAN CHE: Good, then I'll wear it.
Their active hbido presents itself when they're talking about a potential conquest
BLANCHE: He is so sophisticated and charming and rich and handsome. He fairly screams Blanche. At least he will when r m
through with him.
There is no doubt in Blanche's voice. She will give this guy the best sex he's ever had, and if s that attitude that can make this
character so tricky.
The Womanizer and The M anizer take a great deal of confidence to play. Check out any scene with Edie Britt (Nicolette
Sheridan) on ' Desperate House\vives" like in the episode w here she goes over to Susan's (Teri Hatcher) home to "comfort" her
about her recent breakup with Mike.
EDIE: Look, I'm feeling badly about what you' re going through \vith Mike. And don't worry, I'm not going to date him.
EDIE: Well, don't get me wrong. I still have every intention of sleeping with him. Some mowttains are meant to be climbed.
In fact, it takes an over-confidence to play The Womanizer I Manizer that can tum to arrogance. And that's where this
character uses sarcasm most. Just like all of the other characters, The Womanizer and Manizer have a terrific knack for sarcasm.
In fact, this is where a lot of their classic one-liners come from. If someone is questioning them on their <>reputation" or their latest
sexual conquest, they'll use sarcasm to defend themselves. And they even use it to make jokes about themselves and their overt
sexuality. It's a skill that any Womanizer or Manizer simply must possess.
While we all are self-assured in something we do, dating or flirting is typically one of those areas where many people feel
wtcomfortable. If you're going to succeed at playing THIS character, you can't be anything but 100 percent committed to the
confident characteristic. You, as your character, have to know that you will get that girl or guy into bed if you want (as a matter
offact, you should know you could get them both into bed if you really wanted to). Make no mistake, confidence is sexy.
One of the great modern-day Womanizers is Charlie Sheen. On the hit show "Two and Half Men," he plays a guy named
Charlie who (ironically enough) is cool, channing and confident and, much to the chagrin of his brother Alan (Jon Cryer), he has
slept with every woman in town-twice.
ALAN: Listen to me. You're a grown man. You can't go through life drinking and partying and humping anything that doesn't
shake you off.
anything other than their sex life. If we were working in a dramatic format, we could have fun exploring such complicated
characters even more. But the format is sitcom. Therefore, while you need to !mow where this character is coming from, the
comedy will stem from their sexual adventures.
ACT THREE
MARY: Uh, gee, Sue Ann, I haven't heard anyone murmur that!
SUE ANN: Then I'm the first!!
(Notice that both examples are Classic Triplets.)
Betty White is one of the most talented sitcom actors of all time, mainly because of the depth she brings to characters like Sue
Ann-truly a Manizer and more ....
Possible intentions fo>' The Womanize>' I Manize>'.
To Seduce
To Flirt
To Entice
To Flatter
To Compliment
To Woo
To Make love
To Allure
To Captivate
To Tantalize
To Lure
ANNOUNCER V.O.: In the next episode of'The Eight Characters of Comedy," The Womanizer makes a pass at a very
fashionable gal at the bar, who is only interested in what kind of car he drives. He quickly realizes that he's in the company of
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EPISODE 7
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ACfONE
RACHEL: You know, Joey, I could teach you to sail if you want.
Commercial Break
Reality check
Besides the Materialistic gals on "The Simple Life, "another good reality television example of this character (and
a male at that) would be rich tycoon Donald Trump, whose show "The Apprentice" stresses the Materialistic code,
where success equals money, money equals power and power equals a hit show.
ACT TWO
that made them who they are today. You need to keep in mind that The Materialistic One has a strong need on their part to keep
filling the vessel. And it comes from insecurity.
This is where they share another trait with The Womanizer I Manizer. Whereas The Womanizer I Manizer wants to fill the void
with sex, The M aterialistic One wants to fill it with gifts. They need to have the trendiest clothes, the hippest accessories and the
hottest car-all superficial things to help make them feel loved in order to make up for their insecurity and lost affection.
Some M aterialistic Ones are daddy's little girl (mommy's little boy) who grew up still looking for the material goods that
sometimes replaced mo=y or daddy' s love and affection. If they are no longer getting this materialistic attention from mo=y
and daddy, then they look for it elsewhere, either through friends, loved ones, prospective mates, etc. They need the attention to
fill a very deep void.
Think of M arcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) from "'The Brady Bunch." N ow, I'm not saying that her parents neglect her in
any way (who wouldn' t want the Bradys as their parents?) But she has a deep need for attention, always. Even though M arcia
often shows compassion, it is imperative for her to always look pretty, have the best clothes and be 1\.1iss Popularity." Her sister
Jan has a good point It's all about Marcia, M arcia, Marcia!
Just think back to the popular episode where M arcia broke her nose. She was completely terrified about what a boy she had a
crush on would think of her with bandages on her nose. She whined about never being able to show her face again ... that's what
the whole episode was about!
The popular kids portrayed on TV and fihn often fall into the category of The M aterialistic One. They are the handsome jocks,
the pretty cheerleaders, the M allrats, the Valley Girls and the rich, trendy Country Club kids. They have a particular obsession
with defining themselves through material goods and superficial friendships. While that sounds kind of sad, with good writing and
spot-on acting from someone who understands this character, this can be really funny. Once again, think of the popularity of the
''Legally Blonde" movies. People can identify \vith (or at least laugh at) the superficial obsessions of Reese Witherspoon.
Or think of Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless," a popular fihn that led to a TV series b y the same name. "Clueless" featured the
same kind of character, this time \vith Rachel Blanchard playing the rich, spoiled and fabulous Cher Horo\\~tz, a Materialistic One
who was always willing to give fashion advice to her friends.
CHER: Oh-My-God! Those shoes are, like, screaming 1995!
The industry is providing more opportwlities for younger actors looking to play this role (at the time of this writing, there is a
''Legally Blonde" series in the works) . I can't count how many times I coach a young actress who's auditioning for a character
that is a variation of The Materialistic One. Whether it's for comedy or drama, this is a very popular character for teenage
actresses to play.
2. Designer clothes (Nothing off the rack for me, thank you very much!)
3. Hottest new car (Convertibles are soooooo 2004)
4 . Mansion in ritzy neighborhood (No less than 10 bathrooms)
5. A date w ith a Rock Star
6. Popular friends (or someone to hold my bags w hile 1 shop!)
7. A Chihuahua in a hand bag
8. High school diploma or college degree ... whatever
9. Career, 1 guess, as long as I don 't have to work
10. Oh yeah, and MORE money
The In-Crowd
For this character, the need for material goods doesn't stop, even as they get older. Remember, as The M aterialistic One, you
have to want anything you can't have (even if you have everything) . You have gone from being Prom Queen or King (or dreamed
of it) to being in vogue as an adult. You want the best of everything that money can buy. You have to want it with ahnost as much
desperation as The Lovable Loser. The big difference is that what you want is often going to be shallow and superficial ... and
come with a designer labeL
Look no finther than ''Desperate Housewives" status-oriented and money -conscious Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria). As a
self-proclaimed .,trophy wife," Gabrielle wants it all: a life of luxury, an expensive (and extensive) wardrobe and boy toy John
Rowland (Jesse Metcalfe) on the side. She's always on a quest to keep her well-to-do status on Wisteria Lane, even when she's
broke.
JOHN: What other options do you have? Except return the shoes and get your money back.
GABRIELLE: Return the shoes?! I can't talk to you when you' re hysterical.
Like Gabrielle, Hilary and Suzanne, you will notice that all M aterialistic Ones look fabulous. They have essentially everything
that money can buy (at least when it comes to their wardrobe). This is where Jennifer Aniston could really shine without having to
even talk on .,Friends." You could tell instantly b y how she dressed that Rachel Green was a Materialistic One. She had the
perfect hairstyle, the perfect outfit, the perfect pumps and the perfect profession-a buyer at Saks.
But no one personified this vanity more than former beauty queen Suzanne Sugarbaker, played b y Delta Burke. Every time
she makes her grand entrance, she always has something new and important to say ... about herself.
SUZANNE: (HuffY) I got pulled over this morning for having all the mirrors in the M ercedes turned so I could see myself.
The pampered princess
There are other M aterialistic Ones that simply are and always have been spoiled brats who don' t know any other way to be.
Many M aterialistic Ones have had a fairly luxurious upbringing. They are, and always have been, spoiled and pampered and they
bring that into every situation they're in. Thaf s why Materialistic Ones are often childlike in that they get whiny and pouty until
they get their way. To a certain extent, they have led rich lives in a superficial sense.
However, there are some Materialistic Ones who don't come from a wealthy background, who were never debutantes and will
never be socialites. There are Materialistic Ones who come from middle or working-class upbringings, like Peg Bundy (Katey
Saga!) on Married ... With Children" or Franny Fine (Fran Drescher) on The N anny." All they can do is dream about having it
all. They fantasize about being taken care of, being a princess.
AL BUNDY (Ed O'N eill): W e don' t need the lottery. W e have each other.
LINDSAY: M om gave it to me. I guess she wanted me to have something new. Sweet old thing.
MICHAEL: Only two of those w ords descnbe mom, so I know you' re lying to me.
LINDSAY: Okay fine. I bought it before we w ent broke. I just haven't worn it until now.
MICHAEL: Uh huh. And the outfit yesterday?
LISA: Well, don't blame me. I never did it before. In the old country, we used to string caviar.
OLIVER: Caviar?
LISA: We'd have caviar on one string and crackers on the other. And then we'd play the Hungarian Christmas game called
..smear the crackers \vith caviar."
And then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there is Suzanne Sugarbaker who is oblivious to the less fortunate and damn
proud of it. In this scene from a funny episode oC'Designing Women," Suzanne is explaining to her sister Julia (Dixie Carter) why
she came to Japan.
SUZANNE: Julia, I am just here to visit Mother and pick up a car. I do not want to have any cultural experiences. As for
seeing the "real" Japan, I've noticed that whenever people start talking about seeing the "real" anything, what they're talking
about, basically, is hanging arowtd with poor people. N ow, I say I don' t hang arowtd with poor people at home, why should I
do it on vacation?
ACT THREE
is to get all the things she had when she WAS a yowtg top modeL She is always talking about the latest fashions, hanging out with
all the pretty people and doing whatever she can to keep this dying dream alive. She even wants things without knowing what they
are-just as long as they're the latest and greatest. Wendie plays those ..wants" almost to a point of a ..need" and she doesn' t pay
much attention to anything else.
She sometimes takes on characteristics of other characters, but she makes all of them fit into the role of The Materialistic One.
When the storyline focuses on her desperate attempts to reclaim her ..modeling years," she becomes a Lovable Loser. If she is
confused b y someone or something, she can slip into the pumps of The Dumb One. If she spots a handsome man who would look
perferct next to her, she becomes The M anizer. And when she isn't getting what she wants or if somebody can't wtderstand her
needs, she can be a Materialistic Bitch.
In order to give this character more color and depth, The M aterialistic One can sometimes show the insecurity of The Neurotic,
the vulnerability of The Lovable Loser or the pain of The Bitch or Bastard. But this is only in the subtext of the character. On the
surface, N ina, like all other characters, constantly reminds us that she, at heart, is Materialistic.
NINA: To=y Hilfiger ... he' s like, the President of the things I care about.
I also have to mention another show here. Some would say that ''Sex and the City" is a show that revolves arowtd four
M aterialistic Ones, but that's not really the case. Sure, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin
Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) all have their materialistic moments, but they are all very different characters (within The
Eight Characters of Comedy).
It could be said that the real M aterialistic character in the show was ..the city." N ew York City is home to the fashion industry,
high society, Wall Street and Donald Trump. Everyone is jockeying for power, fame and fortwte and is constantly dressed for
success. The Big Apple has some of the best shops, shows, restaurants and parties. And because New York is the backdrop of
the show, these gals all rise to the occasion, showcasing materialistic moments (remember when Carrie discovered that she owned
about $40,000 in shoes?) But at their heart, these four gals had very different personalities. Otherwise, the show wouldn't have
worked.
Because this character can draw so much from the others, it is important that you have a solid grasp on what The Materialistic
One wants and needs and what makes them who they are, whether you're a metrosexual or a pampered princess.
To Consume
Final Thoughts On Playing The Materialistic Ooe
Why do we love The M aterialistic One? Well, mainly, we can sometimes see ourselves in this character. We all have our own
selfish, superficial needs. Don't be ashamed of it, everybody does. We'd feel sexier and more confident if we had that expensive
leather jacket W e'd feel more powerful if we were cruising arowtd in that Porsche. W e'd feel more important if we hwtg out with
movie stars. We'd feel better about ourselves if we just had more money. These are wants that many of us fantasize about, but
The Materialistic One needs them to have a satisfying life. M ost of us are growtded enough in the real world to accept that these
are dreams. We wtderstand that we're not going to get all of them and we're appreciative when we do get them (usually through
hard work). But The M aterialistic One expects them, never wants to work for them and absolutely can't live without them.
There are plenty of places within this character where actors can play up the comedy, but another place where The
M aterialistic One can shine is in their interaction with other characters. Other characters don' t always wtderstand where The
M aterialistic One is coming from.
Other characters don't always comprehend the obsession with the material goods or the naivete (or judgmental behavior) The
M aterialistic One displays to people less fortwtate. They don't wtderstand how the character can be so shallow at times. Playing
this lack of wtderstanding for each other causes conflict, thereby making for some strong comedic moments. This is especially true
when other characters are calling out The Materialistic One on their lack of decency or values, and The Materialistic One retorts.
This is an easy character to create tension \vith and a good actor can turn that into a series regular role on a sitcom.
There is truth to the fact that those actors who grew up well-to-do or pampered \vill have a better wtderstanding of The
M aterialistic One. But even if you didn't grow up with a silver spoon in your mouth, you know what it's like to imagine or dream
about some of the things The M aterialistic One needs.
Think of how you get ready for an audition, making sure you look the absolute best you can. Think of how you wear your best
outfit to go to an industry party. Think of something material you want, be it a new BMW to replace your beater, a wardrobe
from Prada or some jewelry from Tiffany's. And try and put yourself in the position of expecting to get those things all the time,
like Hilary Banks.
Take it even further, and remember that you need to wtderstand the insecurity \vithin the character, his or her need for
acceptance and approval. It \vill help you at least get an appreciation of where this complex character is coming from. The
well-trained actor \vill be able to combine the character' s need to be loved \vith the outward obsession over material things, all the
while keeping it funny and avoiding the dramatic. It's not easy, but playing this spoiled prince or princess of a character can be
exciting.
FADEOUT.
TAG:
ANNOUNCER V.O.: In the next episode of'The Eight Characters of Comedy," The M aterialistic One is trying to show off
her new Gucci bag to her Bohemian looking friend, who is more interested in why butterflies fly. But The M aterialistic One is
Show
Character
Actor
Hilary Banks
Lindsay Bluth Funke
)\ Ia rei a Brady
Peg Bundy
Jackie Burkl>art
Diane Chambers
Paige Chase
Jefferson D'Arcy
Lisa Douglas
Darcy Fields
Fran Fine
Rachel Green
Maddie Hayes
Cher Horowitz
Rebecca Howe
Lovey Howell
Thurston Howell Ill
Gahrielle Solis
Sm.anne Sugorbakcr
Stephanie Vanderkcllcn
Nina Van Horn
EPISODE 8
ACT OJ'II""E
different cultural values, a different set of principles and a different frame of reference, even different sayings. But all of it makes
sense to them.
BALK!: You may call it intuition. You may call it co=on sense. You may call the wind Mariah.
Then there are some characters like Kramer and Phoebe that come from a place I call "Cloud Nine. "While they're from
Earth, they were born odd and have carried it into adulthood, like Jim (C hristopher Lloyd) from "Taxi," Lenny (Michael
McKean) and Squiggy (David Lander) from "Laverne & Shirley" or new cult heroes Jack M cFarland (Sean Hayes) and Karen
W alker (Megan Mullally) from ''Will & Grace."
And then there are entire casts that are In Their O wn Universe, like the \vitches and warlocks on "Be,vitched," the ghouls on
' The Addams Family" the monsters on 'The Munsters" and the hayseeds on 'The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Green Acres." And
then of course, there is one show that features a cast In Their Ow n Universe from their own universe, the aliens on "3rd Rock
From The Sun."
All these sitcoms feature a fish out of w ater concept that makes them very successful. M ost stars of these shows could all fit
into the ITOU category, but we know that wouldn' t work, right? There w ould be no conflict. So what the writers do is make sure
that while the show has an overall ITOU feel, the characters are specifically defined as one of the other Eight Characters of
C omedy.
Think of "3rd Rock From the Sun." The entire Solomon family is from another universe, and most of the humor on the show
revolves around them trying to adapt to life on Earth. Still, they each take on a specific character. Dick (John Lithgow) is The
Dumb One. Sally (Kristen Johnston) is The Manizer. To=y (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is The Logical Smart One and Harry
(French Stewart) is ... well, he's In His Own Universe. He' s a rare character that is In His O wn Universe in his own universe.
As an example, here' s Harry doing something "normal," like looking for a job in the newspaper.
HARRY: Here's a job that I can do! ' 'Police are seeking third gunman." Tomorrow, I'm gonna march over to the police station
and show them that I'm the man they're looking for.
Harry is simply an oddball that comes up with weird schemes, hair-brained ideas and his own w ay oflooking at the world, just
like any and all other ITO U characters. And this is what makes the ITO U character great to watch, exciting to write and fun to
play. W e can' t wait to see what they're going to say or do next. These are the most dangerously exciting, unpredictable and
interesting of characters, and they have become almost a staple for new shows, which means there are a lot of opportwlities for
actors looking to tackle this challenging role.
Commercial Break
Taxi
No other show featured as many In Their Own Universe characters as "Taxi. " In fact, two of the show's main
characters represent two different kinds ofITOU characters. The late, great Andy Kaufman's Latka hails from
another land and often misunderstands daily life in New York City. And the Reverend Jim Ignatowski, played perfectly
by Christopher Lloyd is definitely a Cloud Niner.
But there were some supporting ITOU characters that would appear from time to time during the series' run, one of
the most memorable being Carol Kane's Sinka Dahblitz-Gravas, also from another land.
ACT TWO
Unlike most of the other characters, there isn't much of a background for the ITO Us. They simply are the way they are
because that's how they were born. These are the kids who are often hyperactive or spend a lot of time gazing out the window,
lost in a dream world.
This reminds me of a story where a friend of mine had a talk with her 10-year-old son's teacher. When asked how he was
doing, the teacher said he was "very bright, but had trouble focusing." My friend asked if it looked like her child had Attention
Deficit Disorder, and the teacher quickly replied that no, she didn' t think so. Rather, her child just seemed to be in his own little
dream world--all of the time. Do you know this kid (or adult)? Do you know where they're coming from or where they've been?
We ALL know someone like this. That's the ITOU character.
Commercwl Break
Little ITO Us
Hollywood Moms, ify ou 're kid is j ust a little, w ell, "off, " there might be a role for him or her. There have been a
few shows over the past couple y ears that have introduced a child ITOU and they are often the f unniest character on
the show. Once again, think ofDewey on "Malcolm in the Middle, " Jordan (Jeremy Suarez) on "The Bernie Mac
Show, " D.J., (Michael Fishman) on "Roseanne, " Pearce (Johnny Lewis) on "Quintup lets" or even Bobby Hill on
"King of the Hill. "So moms, don't admonish y our kids for being w eird. Celebrate it ... and get them on a sitcom!
JERRY: N ow why would a jwlior high school want to screw \~th my head?
KRAMER: (Suspiciously) Why does Radio Shack ask for your phone number when you buy batteries? I don't know
(EXITS).
FEZ: See, right there you told me not to shut up. It's a wonder you're not failing English, too. Crack a book, you lazy son of a
bitch.
In many instances, another character will talk to the ITO U about a problem and the ITO U will take the information and
process it from within their Wliverse. And then somewhere in there it gets jumbled up with their illogical logic. And then they will
speak and say something that makes little or no sense ... well, at least not to us. Need another example? Enter Karen Walker,
played b y M egan Mullally. Here she is trying to give Grace (Debra M essing) some holiday cheer in her own special way.
KAREN: Grace, it's Christmas for goodness sake. Think about the baby Jesus, up in that tower, letting his hair down so that
the three wise men can climb up and spin the dreidel and see if there are six more weeks of winter.
Commercial Break
Reality check
A good reality television example of this character is just about anybody on "The Surreal Life, " especially Charo.
That 's a great examp le ofwhat happens when y ou have a whole house f ull ofITOUs. Wow!
Back to our show ...
Space cadet
This is where the ITOU gets most confused with The Dumb One because they share some very childlike qualities. Like The
Dumb One, the ITOU is positive and optimistic. Still, the ITOU plays these traits in a different way, like Reverend Jim
(Christopher Lloyd) on 'Taxi."
JIM: Hey, you know the really great thing about tele,~sion? If something important happens, anywhere in the world, night or
day, you can always change the channel.
Sometimes the ITOU is seeing or hearing things for the first time, giving them a sense of awe and wonderment. It is true that
they are more fascinated '~th things than the other characters (once again, remember that they see things from a different
perspective than most others) . But, be careful, being in awe is different than playing it. The zoned out, dreamy look comes
across as phony for this character and is a dead giveaway that an actor doesn't understand where the ITOU is truly coming from.
Instead, use the character' s fascination '~th everything around them. Some ITO Us are the way they are because they are too
fascinated '~th everything around them.
Can' t stop that train
The ITOU has a skewed train of thought that runs very differently than any other characters' . They are either thinking
one-step ahead, one-step behind or one-step removed. For example, if the ITOU was playing a word-association game and
somebody said "Orange," the ITO U would immediately think "Apple" BUT quickly jump ahead to something like "Apple pie"
and that's what he or she would bhut out. "Apple pie! "
Let me show you how this works. If YOU start talking to the ITOU about a friend's new baby, they will take the information
they receive and do something in their head like the follo,~g:
YOU: So, did you hear that Sally's ha~g a baby? ITOU: Really? That's great.
(ITOU begins to enter their own universe and internalizes the following thoughts: "I like baby showers. I like showers. I
like babies. I think babies are cute. They remind me of monkeys. Monkeys like bananas and S\~ging from trees. I '~h I could
S\~g from a tree. Some trees have pretty leaves. What's that tree that has those crazy, long leaves?)
YOU: ... and I thought we could both pitch in for a stroller. What do you think?
ITOU: What's that tree that has those long, crazy leaves?
This all happens in a matter of seconds (or a BEAT). Yet when you talk to them about your friend's new baby, their response
can be something about a tree '~th long leaves. Also, remember that the ITOU has a different stream of consciousness when it
comes to a subject. They might respond to something from a conversation 15 minutes ago because they are still thinking about it.
These are just a few ways for you actors and writers to understand how the mind of the ITOU works.
Another is to create the world of the ITO U. Know where your character's world is, where your history is, and take a step
back and try to figure out how and why "normal" people would look at you differently. Dig through the script and try to find new
and interesting things in there that the character might be in awe of or at least excited about. Remember, a lot of playing this
character comes from stepping away from yourself and looking at a scene from a perspective completely different from your own.
Commercial Break
Let's go crazy
Writers, this character is yow best friend. If there is a weird or offbeat storyline that you have in mind that no other
character could get away with, bring in the ITOU. After all, nothing is really too strange for the free-spirited ITOU to
do or say. The possibility for storylines, characterizations andjokes is endless. I mean, who's to say that the ITOU
wouldn't do that?
1f you watch a lot of sitcoms (and you should), you will notice these supporting characters are usually featured in the ''B
storyline," leaving the "A storyline" to the stars of the show. But sometimes writers will make the ITOU the main focus of an
episode, especially a break-out character. 1f that's the case, you will see that the ITO U will present a problem or something that
they are obsessing about right at the beginning of the episode and it will carry through to the end, regardless of what is happening
around them. The writers of"Seinfeld" frequently put Kramer in the "A storyline."
As an example, think of the episode where Kramer spends the whole time obsessing over the fact that Newman (Wayne
Knight) used his birthday wish against him.
KRAMER: I got to his birthday party, and just before he blew out his candles, he gives me this look.
The ITOU is always focused on the task at hand, much like how a Neurotic obsesses. This is a characteristic that you can
really play up in an episode or a scene. Look for what the character wants and really focus on that, regardless of what the other
person is saying or whatever else is going on in the scene. That doesn't mean you should stop listening, but you (as your
character) should only really take in the information that will help you with your specific ..want." And then when you have that
information (or whatever is given to you in the scene), you simply skew it. I know, it's easier said than done.
Commercwl Break
Using physicality
This is another character where physicality comes into play. Think ofKramer's entrance every time he came into
Jerry's apartment. Often you could even see the other characters laughing. It's the way the ITOU often reacts to
something or carries themselves that gets a laugh. Ifyou're playing this character, you might want to play around with
some physicality, as long as it doesn't take away from the script or the other action in the scene.
MARNI: Well, usually I poop first thing in the morning, but I can put that off.
In general, the ITO Us lead wtorthodox lives and they don't apologize for anything. Because, in their mind or Wliverse, their odd
behavior is acceptable. They chalk up everything they do to ''life experience" and as such, they have no regrets. Latka (Andy
Kaufinan) doesn't regret his time as a playboy. Kramer has no regrets about not having a real job. Jack has no regrets about
living off Will. Karen's certainly proud of her pill-popping, martini-tlO\ving, lush life. And Phoebe doesn' t regret her thievery when
she was yowtger or really anything else she has done or will do.
RACHEL: I've never asked a guy out before.
JIM: I wonder about things, like, if they call an orange an orange, then why don't we call a banana a "yellow" or an apple a
''red?" Blueberries I wtderstand. But will someone explain gooseberries to me?
Who in. your life is In Their Own Universe?
ACT THREE
The In Their Own Universe characters work well with just about anybody. They actually serve the same purpose as The Dumb
One, in terms of providing constant comedic relief. In fact, it can sometimes be easy to mistake the ITO U for The Dumb One. But
be warned, these are two very distinct characters with personality traits all their own. Remember, The Dumb One is oblivious
where the ITOU character is actually smart. He or she just has a very different frame of reference.
M ORK: I know about jaiL It's when you get free food, free clothes and no rent
PRISONER: It sounds better the way you say it. I got caught shoplifting.
M ORK: Wow, you must be strong!
Even though he is naive and childlike, M ork is not dumb. It's just that things are different where he comes from (Ork). For
those ITO Us like Mork that are actually from another universe, place or time, they bring with them their own values, morals and
beliefs from their place. And this ''fish out of water" character and his or her beliefs often conflict with what other characters or the
audience considers "normal" life. Therefore, the ITO Us can appear dumb at times. They're not, they're simply from a different
place.
BUT there are a couple Dumb Ones that often slip in and out of the ITOU character. Both W oody (Woody Harrelson) from
"Cheers" and Rose (Betty White) from "Golden Girls" will tell stories of their old hometowns. When they do, you can almost see
a flip in their character. They go someplace that nobody else knows about. They go into their past, into their own universe.
Rose always talks about her days at St. Olaf with a certain awe and wonderment that is different than how she talks about
other things.
ROSE: Like we say in St. Olaf, Christmas without fruitcake is like St. Sigmund's Day without the headless boy.
Woody also talks about his hometown, often revealing some bizarre facts, as in this example where he's trying to cheer up Dr.
Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar).
WOODY: Boy, Dr. Sternin-Crane having an affair with another guy. This reminds me of a temble scandal we had back in
Hanover, rocked the whole town to its core. M ayor' s wife ran off with old Mr. Smithers.
To get a sense of what these two are like when they're with each other, check out this hysterical scene in which Jack is trying
to avoid talking on the phone to his son Elliot.
JACK: N o, no, he's gonna N O he's gonna try to get me to another one of his basketball games. It's just not my thing. M ake
up an excuse.
KAREN: Ahight. (Into p hone) Um, Elliot, yeah. I've got some bad news. Jack and I were figure skating and he phmged
through the ice. Haven' t heard from him since. Could I take a message? Okay. You're trying out for the cheerleading squad?
JACK: (Grabs p hone) Brrr ... I'm back!
(Notice The Turnaround.)
These two are the most talked about characters when I do my One Day Comedy Intensive Class because they seem to fall into
all ofThe Eight Characters of Comedy. And they do, kind of.
When the show began, Jack was definitely the narcissistic M anizer ("there are no straight men, only men that haven't met
Jack"), while Karen was The M aterialistic Bitch ("Honey, the only thing I file is my nails").
To the credit of both of these actors and their skilled work, the writers decided to add even more depth to Jack and Karen.
While they still play up these characteristics, they also encompass other characters. They can be neurotic, bitchy, clueless,
money-hungry, sex-crazed and believe it or not, even logical and smart at times. But when you look at them, who they really are
and where they came from, they showcase all of the characteristics we just discussed in this chapter, especially illogical logic.
JACK: I don' t know how much longer I can live with Will. I mean, every time I get in the shower with him, he's like ..Jack, get
the hell out! "
KAREN: I know, honey. Grace is driving me nuts too. She can' t concentrate on work anymore. She just sits around all day,
doodling pictures of people's houses on these enormous sketch pads. And then she's on the phone all the time ordering
furniture. Honey, where' s she going to put all that, huh? In those "houses" she's drawing? (Both laugh mockingly)
N ot only are these two characters in their own universe, but to complicate matters, when they come together they enter a
whole new universe: the ''Jack and Karen universe! " In this universe, anything goes, including trading sexual innuendoes, charging
up Stan's credit cards, bumping bellies or sharing grandiose drama over the superficial.
Possible intentions for the In Their Own Universe character are... to do any of the other character intentions but
do it in their own special way!
The ITOU nands down" is the most difficult character to play, especially for those actors who fall naturally in The Logical
Smart One or Neurotic area This is a character that can' t be forced. It needs to be organic because there are a lot of traps in
playing this character, and it's easy to come off fake. Try to associate with the characteristics, and think of times when you've
been in awe, felt shameless or convinced yourself of something others thought was crazy.
Remember, these are the people that grew up in an ..odd" world that they were either born into or created in their own mind. It
means that they simply look at life in a different way and they go through life at their own pace and their own rhythm. If you're
going to play this character, it's important for you to understand this world of theirs, this way of thinking. The more convincing you
can be in creating-and then believing in-this character's Wliverse, the funnier it will be for us to watch you.
To make things even more difficult, the ITOU also tends to adapt characteristics of other characters. But the ITOU puts their
own spin on them. Confused yet? Essentially, the ITOU is able to tap into all the traits of the other eight characters and make
them fit into their own Wliverse (like Jack and Karen).
It's not uncommon at times for the ITOU to become The Logical Smart One, like Phoebe often does when she helps out one
of her 'Friends." She will, for a moment, have a clear, logical thought that will actually make sense and help out another character.
But, before the commercial break, Phoebe will have the blow (the joke) that will bring her back into her own Wliverse.
Remember, in general, the ITO Us are endearingly wacky, and they all live \\~thin their own frame of reference. They simply
don' t hear or comprehend things like most people do. In my class, after a 10 minute lecture on something, there is always at least
one student who raises his or her hand and asks a question that will have absolutely nothing to do with what I was just talking
about. All heads will tum and some people will laugh, and he or she will be clueless as to why. It's not that they are dumb or slow,
it's that they are processing my speech in a totally different way, usually from a totally different place.
That's where you need to be to play this character. You need to come up with your own Wliverse, and you need to play the
scene through it. It's tough, but if you can pull it off, the result can be strong comedy.
As a conclusion, let's have Kramer sum it up himself. Remember this famous episode where he discusses the Soup N azi with
Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who' s trying to figure out what mulligatawny is?
KRA.MER: ... It's a delightful Hindu concoction simmered to perfection b y one of the great soup artisans in the modem era.
C haracter
Actor
Show
Aunt Clara
llalki Bmokomou~
Buster Bluth
l'hocbe Ruffay
Pearce Chase
D.J. Conner
Dewey
,\/ariou Lom<
Bromon f>incbor
Tml)' Htlir
/,iso Kudro<J.'
]olm11)' 1-n;i$
,\/ichad Fisbmtm
Erik l'n Sullna11
IVi/me, Vnldtrmma
Jnmiftr Fi1111igau
Aml) Kaufmall
Cbrimpbtr Llo)'tf
Suphm Root
Barbara Etfm
Jamie li1rr
,\lirbnrl ;\/rKrnu
,\/irbllt'l Ritbards
f.l'illinm Smulcmm.
Ton.Y Papttifr4(J,
Jolm I Mistad
Sr1m Hnrrs
]m11ijir S111mdrr1
Rcldn H'illtnms
Ff<'ll<h Su11wrt
/)apid l.mulrr
Bewitched
Perfect Strangers
Arrested l)c,clopmcnt
Friends
Quintuplets
Rose-omne
t\lalcohn in the 1\liddle
Tim '70s Show
Fez
,\!ami Fliss
Latka Gravas
Jim Ignatowski
jimmy james
Jeannie
,\ laxwell Klinger
Lenny Kosnowski
Co)IU()
K.ra1ncr
L1r'1'
Dar!') I and
Dar!')I
Jack ,\ kFarbnd
Ecldy Monsoon
;\fork from Ork
I larry Stllomon
Squiggy Squigf,~llann
Pat<) Stone
jordan Thornkins
Uncle ,\ lartin
Karen 1\'alkcr
}Dhlll/11
Lumlty
Jnt"JII_)' St111nz
R11)' Walston
Megan .llulla/~y
Cornmin<:d
'lilxi
11txi
News Radio
I Dream of Jeannie
t\IASH
Laverne & Shirley
Seinfcld
l\'cwh:trt
1-\"111 & Crat'\:
Ab~olmcly Fabulous
.\fork & Mindy
3rd Rock From The Sun
Laverne & Shirley
Absolutely Fabulous
The Bernie Mac Sho"
,\ !y Fai'Oritc Martian
\\'ill & Grace
EPILOGUE
FINDING YOUR COMEDIC NOTE
So there you go.
N ow you have everything you need to make it as a successful sitcom actor. By now, you should have a solid grasp of not only
where your individual ..funny" comes from but also how it can work in the world of half hour comedy. It's important for you to
have a good sense of, well, what's funny about you and how you can be funnv. That's where everyone needs to start. You need
to take everything you just read and use it to help you find the one thing that will help you succeed in this business: your comedic
note.
What is your comedic note? Quite simply, it is the one thing about you that will separate you from other actors. It is where your
strengths as a comedic actor lie. It is where you are different, where you are funnier. It is where you will find the humor in yourself
that will help you conquer this industry ... or at least land a guest star spot. In my class, I often spend quite a bit of time helping my
students identify, strengthen and hone their comedic note as it is vital to marketing yourself in this competitive industry.
Think of some of the greats and how they got comfortable with who they are. Actors like Woody Harrelson, Betty White and
M att LeBlanc recognized that there was a certain character that would help them build a niche. They saw how well they could
play a childlike character like The Dumb One with enthusiasm, commitment and comedy.
Think of Tim Allen, Ray Romano, Matthew Perry and all those great Lovable Losers. They could see that they might not be
Hollywood leading man material, so they get comfortable with a more endearing yet bumbling character and look what happens ...
they become Hollywood leading man material.
Patricia Heaton saw how she could play the ..straight man." Kelsey Grammer could tap into his Neurotic tendencies, Kim
Cattrall saw how she could turn on the sexual charm, Rhea Perhnan saw how she could turn bitterness into deadly one-liners,
Michael Richards saw that he was a bit odd (or at least could play it). The point is that all of these actors were able to look at
who they were in the comedy world and figure out which characters they could make the most of, which characters they could
make work and which characters would get them work.
N ow that you've finished reading this book and you're familiar with these characters, this is your primary job. First of all, take
a look at yourself and try to determine exactly where your Funny Gene is, where it comes from and how you can use it in this
business. You need to find which character you naturally gravitate toward, and that will help you find your niche.
And remember, it goes well beyond just simply fitting into one of these Eight Characters of Comedy. I need to stress again that
these are simply character archetypes that have proven to work over the years. But each and every actor in each category plays
these characters completely different. That's because they pepper in their own personality. That's what distinguishes them from
everyone else. Think of how Ed O'N eill plays The Lovable Loser role of AI Bundy different from the way Lucille Ball does. You
can't compare the two. And yet, at their heart, they are the same character in that they both want something and both go about
getting it in a desperate and hopeful way, week after week, year after year.
These actors saw who their characters were, played those characteristics and added their own personalities to make for a
completely Wlique, honest and hilarious character. That's what you need to do. In order to find your comedic note, you need to
determine which of these characters you most identify with, and that will help you build your niche. Can you identify with the sexy,
confident guy who can get all the ladies or the biting bitch who enjoys ridiculing others? Do you have a (secret) love of all things
material? Or are you the patient and responsible one? I'm sure you were able to identify which of your family and friends were the
various characters. Which one are you? If you're not sure, ask your friends who they think you are.
Knowing who you are will help you immensely in the sitcom industry. Many times, I see actors tr)mg to take on characters that
are not organic to them. And while I support any actor making bold choices and taking risks, it's better to begin with what is more
familiar. If you are a N eurotic in real life (or at least have those tendencies), embrace that character, put in your personality and
have some fun.
N ow, that's not to say that you can' t play any of these other characters. On the contrary, sometimes you might have to. That's
why you read all eight episodes. If you get called in to play a character that resembles any of them, you now have a background,
a personality breakdown and even traits that you can highlight and play up in an audition. A casting director is not going to tell
you that the part you're reading for is a M aterialistic One with some Bitch I Bastard qualities (remember, these are my names for
them). Instead, they could say something like, "Tllis character is money-hungry and tends to be condescending toward others."
While the characters aren't labeled, the casting directors know in their heads what the character is like and how he or she
needs to be played. And after reading this book, you can easily recognize a character and their defining characteristics.
In my class, I have students look at a script and identify all the jokes first (The Turnarounds, the Triplets, etc.) and follow the
words and punctuation. Then I have them decide which character the scene calls for and which characteristics they will play up.
There are some Lovable Loser characters that call for the actor to be a little more pathetic, while others call for the actor to be a
little more optimistic. Some scenes require The Logical Smart One to be patient and understanding, while others ask the character
to play up the sarcasm. As an actor, it is your job to identify the character in the scene and what personality traits you think you
need to play to make him or her honest and ultimately funny.
And I promise you, drawing from these characters and their personalities will help you immensely in an audition. You always
hear casting directors say that they want actors to make "big choices" when auditioning. These characters help you do just that.
They allow for you to easily identify a character you can "hang your hat on," therefore making a strong, specific character choice
rather than simply reading dialogue. They provide you "~th a detailed list of personality traits and intentions to commit to in an
audition.
And they can help you with characters that might not be as fanliliar. For example, if you are called in for an audition for a
character that is clearly The Dumb One, but The Dumb One is not in your makeup, go \vith The Lovable Loser. Play consciously
oblivious, instead of oblivious. But make a choice. Even if ifs the wrong choice for the character, at least you've made a clear
choice, and any casting director will appreciate that. You may not get the part, but if the casting director is impressed, he or she
will remember you for future projects.
And you don' t always have to draw from one particular list of characteristics. Stay \vith me because this is where things can get
a little complicated. Sometimes characters can take characteristics from other characters, be it for a moment, an episode or even
an entire run of a show. Now, and this is very important to remember, at their heart, they are still one character in that they have
that character' s beliefs, backgrowtd and overall want. But they will simply draw some personality traits from other characters
when the situation calls for it.
Once again, think of George Costanza, ahnost a crossbreed of a Lovable Loser and a N eurotic. But he doesn't stop there. At
the appropriate times, when he is at the height of his neurosis and things aren't going his way, he can become testy and
mean-spirited. He can also be materialistic in his quest for money, for an easier life than the pathetic one he has now. He is a
N eurotic at heart, but Jason Alexander does an amazing job of helping George draw from an even larger personality pooL The
broadening of your basic character to include traits of other characters will not only expand your character, but extend your
staying power in the half hour industry.
But more often, a character will simply draw from another character's personality traits for an episode or a moment. Think
back to what you just read in the previous chapters about how The Logical Smart One can get like The Bitch or Bastard when
they are at the end of their patience, or how The Bitch I Bastard will every once in a while show the vulnerability of The Lovable
Loser, or how the In Their Own Universe can step up and say something completely Logical and Smart in a scene and then go
back in their own universe on the blow before the co=ercial break.
You can do this in your acting as well (if the scene calls for it). But let me give you a warning. These working sitcom actors are
masters at what they do and they know the inner depths of their characters. That's why they are able to experiment \vith other
characteristics. They have a finn grasp of who their character is at their core and what their ..normal" personality is like.
For you new students of comedy, this will prove to be a tough enough job in itself. And that's where you need to start in your
acting career. You need to recognize who you are, and which character you can naturally play the best. And w hen you discover
your character, let your representation know. It's better for you to identify your comedic note than have your agent or manager
typ e you into something you' re not. I say beat your agent or manager to the pwtch. Look at yourself objectively, define yourself
and figure out which character you are.
N ow in the future, \vith enough practice and training, you could play a completely different character. Think of how Ted
Danson went from The Womanizer (Sam Malone) to The Bastard (Dr. Becker) or how Betty White went from The Bitchy
M anizer (Sue Ann Nivens) to the sweet Dumb One (Rose Nylund). But your focus now should be on building your strongest
niche.
On top of that, watch sitcoms, focus on your technique and practice, practice, practice. That's a piece of advice that any and
all acting coaches will give you, and it's the best I can give you, especially when it comes to comedy . Now that you've read this
book, you should be excited about exploring your half hour talent and determining where you will build you comedic future. You
now have a stronger grasp on how this half hour business got started and why our society loves sitcoms. You are a little more
familiar with some of the greatest half hour actors of all time and you are on your way to becoming one of them yourself.
APPENDIX!
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ANSWERS
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3- M
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11 - E
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7- A
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8- Q
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18- K
19 - 0
10- X
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21- T
22- R
23 - N
24- L
25 - 0
APPENDIX3
GLOSSARY
SCOTT SEDITA' S GUIDE TO FINDING THE FUNl'fY
Acting Gene - Fowtd in YOU, next to the Fwtny Gene. It represents your natural, innate ability to act, to pretend and to
perform. The Acting Gene is a necessity for being an actor.
Beat - In scripts, it gives you the direction to take a pause, a beat, before delivering the next line. But beyond that, a beat is also
the point where your characters thought, intention or attitude will change in a scene. See (THEN).
Blow - The big joke at the end of a scene. Most often fowtd at the end of an act right before the co=ercial break.
Bringing the Funny- Your goal, your mission, your quest in every sitcom audition, class and acting gig you get!
BrutaUy honest - A trait of The Logical Smart One. It's a comedic characteristic that allows a character to quite simply "call it
as he or she sees it," usually with a sarcastic remark. Think Jerry Seinfeld.
Button - Similar to a ' blow," the button appears at the end of a scene, but is often a smaller joke.
Callback - A joke, piece of dialogue or physical action that refers to an earlier joke, piece of dialogue or physical action.
Catch phrase - "To the moon, Alice! " "Don' t have a cow, man! " "Dyn-0-Mite! " These famous lines delivered b y our most
beloved sitcom characters get stuck in our heads and in pop culture history.
Childlike -THE defining characteristic ofThe Dumb One. Remember above all else, they are big kids! Think Joey.
Childlike nature - A trait usually fowtd in the Lovable Loser. This childlike approach to situations is what makes him or her
lovable. Think Lucy.
Classic Triplet- A Classic Triplet goes like this: Set up - Set up - JOKE. See Triplets.
Cloud Nine -Where many In Their O wn Universe characters come from. These are the ITO Us who are born a little strange and
carry it with them for the rest of their lives. Think Jack and Karen.
Comedic note - Otherwise know n as your comedic niche, it is the one thing about you that will separate you from other actors. It
is where your strengths as a comedic actor lie. It is where you are different, where you are funnier and how you will market
yourself.
Comedic timing - The most important trait for becoming a sitcom actor. Part of it is innate (your Funny Gene) and part of it
comes from learning, practicing and honing your comedic technique. Comedic timing helps you identify and deliver the jokes and
work within the rhythmic structure and pace of situation comedies.
Comedic Toolbox- The tools and techniques to help you "Bring the Funny." It includes sarcasm, verbal jokes, spit takes, double
takes, slow bums, pratfalls and sight gags, to name a few.
Consciously obliv ious - An important trait of The Lovable Loser. It descnbes how the character desperately wants something
so bad, that they will consciously put blinders on, and therefore not realize that what they're doing is pretty dwnb. It's a positive
twist on being "in denial." Think Ralph Kramden.
Conviction I Contraviction - A technique used b y actors to deliver a type of joke called The Tumarowtd. It requires an actor
(character) to say a line with complete and total conviction and THEN "tum arowta the intention, thought or attitude and say
something completely opposite and wtexpected with just as much conviction. See Tumarowtd.
Deadpan - ShO\ving absolutely no emotion when delivering a line or a joke (also great for playing poker).
Desperation - All comedy comes from desperation, but it's most identified \vith and played b y one character in particular: The
Lovable Loser. When a character wants something so bad. they'll do anything to get it. This is the basis for many sitcom plotlines
and it is the most important trait for The Lovable Loser.
Eight Characters of Comedy - Eight specific archetypes of situation comedy characters dating back to the advent of television.
Exit lioe - The moment in a scene when a character (usually The Bitch I Bastard) \vill deliver a joke and walk out the door. Think
Carla, tray in hand. walking b y N orm, insulting him and exiting into the kitchen.
Extended Triplet - Set up - Set up - Set up (THEN) JOKE. See Triplets.
Family of Friends- Sitcoms are based on two different concepts oC'family." One example is a family of friends, where each
person takes on the roles of a family; including the patriarchal figure, the maternal caretaker, the troublesome kids and others.
Fowtd in w orkplace sitcoms like 'The M ary Tyler M oore Show" or ensemble cast sitcoms like "Friends." See Immediate Family.
Filling the vessel - The overall goal, or .,want" of The Womanizer I M anizer or The M aterialistic One. The Womanizer I
M anizers have a void inside them that they need to fill \vith sex and The M aterialistic Ones fill it \vith material goods.
Fish out of water - A storyline concept for either a character or an entire cast Using the "fish out of water" formula, the comedy
comes from a person from a different land. Wliverse, etc. trying to make his or her way in "normal" society. Think M ork or 'The
Beverly Hillbillies."
Four C 's of Comedy- The essential ingredients for actors and writers to make good situation comedy. 1) Conflict 2) Comedic
technique. 3) Commitment 4) Character.
Fuooy Gene- It's your innate and natural ability to have a sense of humor and a sense of what's funny. A must for all comedic
actors and writers.
Half hour comedy - Another term for situation comedies, it is mostly used by agents, managers, directors, networks and studios.
Handles - Unscripted words (or sighs) actors put before their sentences. M ost co=on handles are Look, Listen, Like, Well,
and I mean. Don't do it.
Holding for laughs - What you (the actor) must do in order for the laughing audience to hear your next piece of dialogue. During
the hold, you must stay in character while keeping your intensions and thoughts alive. When the laughter dies down, you can
continue the dialogue. Watch Bea Arthur.
Dlogicallogic - THE defining characteristic of the In Their Own Universe character. The ITO U uses logic that makes absolutely
no sense to anybody listening but makes perfect sense to them. Think Kramer and Phoebe.
Immediate Family- Sitcoms are based on two different concepts of''family." One example is an immediate family that features
a patriarchal figure, the maternal caretaker, the troublesome kids and others (with the roles often being reversed to create more
comedy). Think the Cleavers to the more dysfunctional Bundys. See Family of Friends.
Joke- A joke on a sitcom is anything that can be seen or heard. It can be a line of dialogue, a word, an expression, a sound or a
physical action. See Punchline.
Louder, Faster, Funnier- One of the Golden Rules for performing situation comedy .
Materialistic Bitch - A variation of The M aterialistic One. This mean-spirited character can be very snobby, judgmental and
intolerant of those who are less fortunate than them. Think Suzanne Sugarbaker.
Naive One - The Dumb One can tum into this at times, meaning that the actor plays more on the gullibility and naivete of a
character to keep the character a bit more realistic and less heightened. The N aive One is most often found in single-camera
comedies. Think Charlotte on "Sex in the City."
Nerds - Those boys and girls with the thick glasses, the awkward appearance, the lack of social skills and the look in their eye
that tells you they're just a little offbeat. Also known as N erdy N eurotics.
N<rholds-barred attitude- Think of this as The Bitch I Bastard's philosophy on life. They say what they want to say and do
what they want to do, no matter what!
Over-analytical - THE defining trait of The N eurotic. N o matter what the situation, they think and think and think and then think
some more. That's why they're NEUROTIC!!!!
Over-Extended Triplet- Set up - Set up - JOKE (THEN) BIGGER JOKE. See Triplets.
Pampered Princess - Found within The Materialistic One character. They are the "daddy's little girls" who want everything,
Rhythm- The melody of comedy which you need to follow. Rhythm is made up of words, ac.tions, pace, timing and jokes.
Single-camera comedy - Most situation comedies are shot using multiple cameras. In single-camera comedies, the feel is more
intimate, a little more real and a little less heightened like feature film comedies.
Stakes - What matters to you in a scene. When approaching a scene, you need to consider what the stakes are for your
character, what you want, how important it is that you get it and what will happen if you don't. There are three levels of stakes Stakes (the immediate need for the scene), Higher stakes (how the scene and your need plays into a bigger picture) and Highest
stakes (how it all fits into your life plan).
Straight man - Essentially, this is the person that sets up the humor in a show. They are the voice of reason. The Lo gical Smart
One is almost always the straight man, even though they are played mostly b y women.
Teaser- The short scene at the begi!Uling of a sitcom that usually sets up the theme or storyline of that week' s show. Also known
as the cold open."
(THE!'!) - Works the same as a "beat." (THEN) is an indicator that the actor should take a physical pause when delivering a line
of dialogue ? Beyond that, it's a point where the actor needs to readjust his or her thoughts, intentions or attitude. See Beat.
Thoughts - They are your silent thoughts, your subtext, your inner dialogue. They are what your character is actually thinking
during a scene. Remember, it's not alw ays what's on the page.
Triplets -Good comedy comes in threes and Triplets are a writer's and actor's tool in holding to that rule. A Triplet includes
dialogue, actions or jokes that set up the BIG joke. See Classic Triplet, Extended Triplet and Over-Extended Triplet.
Turnaround - One of the most used comedic techniques, The Turnaround is a type of joke that requires the actor to say a line
with a strong intention and then "turn around" and say something completely opposite and unexpected with an equally strong
intention, thus getting a laugh. 1 don't like your haircut. (THEN) But it does make your gigantic head look smaller." See
Con-viction I Contraviction.
Want - Your objective and goal in a scene or script. Every character in every scene "wants" something. They usually want it
desperately and are determined against all odds to get it. How they go about getting it and the obstacles that get in their way are
the basis for a lot of situation comedy.
WOFAI!\-1 - An acronym that encompasses basic acting techniques. It is a tool that you can use to examine, breakdow n and
personalize any scene or audition material. When looking at a script, consider your Want, Obstacle, Feeling, As If, Intentions and
M oment Before. It only takes ten minutes. DO IT!
INDEX
Absohste/y Fabulour
According to Jim
Acting Gene
Acting technique (section)
Adams, Don
Apprentice, The
Arden, Eve
Arnaz, Desi
Arnett, Will
Arnold, Kevin
Arnold, Wayne
Arrested Development
Arthur, Bea
Asner,Ed
Auditioning techniques and tips
Aunt Clara (Bewitched)
Average Joe
Babcock, C.C.
Bachelor, The
Bachelorette. The
Backus, Jim
Baer Jr., M ax
Ball, Lucille
Ball, Taylor
Banks, Carlton
Banks, Hilary
Banner, Jolm
Banta, Tony
Barbarino, Vinnie
Barney Miller
Barone, Debra
Barone, Frank
Barone, Marie
Barone, Ray
Barone, Robert
Bartokomous, Balki
Bateman, Jason
Baxter, Ted
Baxter-Birney, Merdith
BEAT (definition ot)
Beaumont, Hugh
Blondie
Blossom
Blow, The
Bluth, Buster
Bluth, Gob
Bluth, Michael
Bluthe Funke, Lindsay
Bodine, Jethro
Bowen, Andrea
Bower, Angela
Boyd, W oody
Boyle, Peter
Bradshaw, Carrie
Brady, Carol
Brady, Jan
Brady, M arcia
Brady, Michael
Callback
Cameron, Kirk
Carey, Drew
Carney, Art
Carter, Dixie
Castellaneta, Dan
Catch phrase
Cattrall, Kim
Chambers, Diane
Charles, Josh
Charo
Chase, Paige
Chase, Parker
Chase, Patton
Chase, Pearce
Chase, Penny
Cheers
Cheryl (According to Jim)
Chico and the Man
Church, Thomas Haden
Clavin Jr., Cliff
Cleaver, Beaver
Cleaver, June
Cleaver, Wally
Cleaver, Ward
Clueless
Coach
Colantoni, Enrico
Colasanto, Nicholas
Cold open (definition of)
Coles, Kim
Comedic note
Comedic Toolbox
Committed
Conaway, Jeff
Conner, Becky
Conner, Darlene
Conner, D.J.
Conner, Roseanne
Conviction I Contraviction
Cosby, Bill
Dahblitz-Gravas, Sinka
Dallas, Larry
Danson, Ted
Danza, Tony
D' Arcy,)efferson
D' Arcy, M arcy
Designing Women
Desperate Housewives
Deveraux, Blanche
DeVito, Danny
Dewey (Malcolm in the Middle)
Diamond, Dustin
Diamond, Sehna
Duffy, Julia
Dwnb One, The
Dybinski, Dauber
Eden, Barbara
8 Simple Rules
Ellen
Empty Nest
Endora (Bewitched)
Entourage
Erkel, Steve
Evans, Florida
Evans, J.J.
F agerbakke, Bill
Family and comedy (definition of)
Family Guy
Family Matters
Family of friends (definition of)
Family Ties
Farr, Jamie
Fields, Darcy
Fife, Barney
Finch, Dennis
Findley, M aude
Fine, Fran
Finnigan, Jeniffer
Fishman, Michael
Fish out of water shows (definition of)
Flintstone, Fred
Flintstone, Wihna
Flintstones, The
Fliss, M arni
Flockhart, Calista
Frasier
Frawley, William
Freaks f: Geeks
Gabor, Eva
Gallo, Maya
Garrett, Brad
Geller, Monica
Geller, Ross
Geoffrey (The Fresh Prince ofBel-Air)
Gilligan's Island
Girlfriends
Gleason, Jackie
Gold, Tracy
Golden Girls
Gomer Pyle USMC
Good Times
Goranson, Alicia
Gordon-Levitt, Joseph
Grace, Topher
Grammer, Kelsey
Grant, Ginger
Grant, Lou
Gravas, Latka
GreenAcres
Green, Rachel
Greene, Patty
Griffin, Kathy
Griffin, Stewie
Griffith, Andy
Groener, Vicki
Gross, Michael
Growing Pains
Guillamne, Robert
Gw ynne, Fred
Hacker, Sehna
Hal (Malcolm in the Middle)
Hale, Tony
Half hour technique
(Definitions of.)
Comedic timing
Jokes
Pace
Pwtctuation
Rhythm
Words
Handleman, Skippy
Handles (definition of)
Happy Days
Harper, Alan
Harper, Charlie
Harper, Valerie
Harrelson, Woody
Harris, Jackie
Haskell, Eddie
Hatch, Richard
Hatcher, Teri
Haverchuck, Bill
Hawn, Goldie
Hayes, M addie
Hayes, Sean
Heathers
Heaton, Patricia
Heffernan, Carrie
Heffernan, Doug
Heightened reality
Hehnond, Katherine
Hemsley, Sherman
Henderson, Florence
Henner, M arilu
Hennessy, Cate
Hervey, Jason
Hewett, Christopher
Hill, Bobby
Hilton, Paris
Hobbs, Miranda
Hogan's Heroes
Hold for laughs (definition of)
Home Improvement
Honeymooners, The
Horo\\~tz, Cher
Horshack, Arnold
Houlihan, Margaret
Howard, Ron
Howe, Rebecca
Howell, Lovey
Howell, Thurston
Huffinan, Felicity
Hughley's, The
Hwtg, William
Hwtt, Helen
Huxtable, Clair
Huxtable, Cliff
I Dream ofJeannie
Ignatowski, Reverend Jim
!Love Lucy
Immediate family (definition of)
In Their Own Universe
James, Jimmy
James, Kevin
James, Khadijah
James-Jones, Synclaire
Jeannie (I Dream ofJeannie)
Jefferson, C1eorge
Jefferson, Louise
Jefferson, Mother
Jeffersons, The
Jim (According to Jim)
Joey
Jolmston, Florence
Jolmston, Kristen
Jones, Samantha
Julia
Just Shoot Me
Kane, Carol
Kaufinan, Andy
Kavner, Julie
Keaton, Alex
Keaton, Elyse
Keaton, Steven
Kelso, Michael
Kenerban, Stevie
King of Queens
King of the Hill
Klemperer, Werner
Kline, Richard
Klinger, Maxwell
Klink, CoL Wilhehn
Klugman, Jack
Knight, Ted
Knight, Wayne
Knotts, Don
Kosnowski, Lenny
Krarnden, Alice
Krarnden, Ralph
Kramer, Cosmo
Kudrow, Lisa
Ktmis, Mila
Kutcher,~shton
Kyle, Michael
Lachey, Nick
Lander, David
Lane, Lauren
Larroquette, Jolm
Larry, Darryl and Darryl
Laverne & Shirley
Lawrence, Joey
Lawrence, M artin
Lear, Norman
L<Zave it to Beaver
LeBec, Carla
LeBlanc, M att
Legally Blonde
Leisure, David
Less Than Perfect
Levi, Zachary
Le,vis, Johnny
Le,vis, Vicki
Life ofRiley
Light, Judith
Linden, Hal
Lindsey, George
Linville, Larry
Lithgow, Jolm
Living Single
Livingston, Ron
Li\>ingston, Stanley
Lloyd, Christopher
Logical Smart One, The
Long, Shelley
Longoria, Eva
Lopez, George
Lopez, M ario
Lome, M arion
Louden, Dick
M ac, Bernie
MacFarlane, Seth
Mayer, Susan
McBeal, Ally
M cClanahan, Rue
M cCormack, Eric
McCormick, Maureen
M cCullough, Bernie
M cDorman, Jake
M cFarland, Jack
M cGintey.John.
M cGinley, Ted
McHale's Navy
M cKean, Michael
M cNichol, Kristy
Meadows, Audrey
Mean Girls
M ertz, Ethel
Mertz, Fred
Messing, Debra
M etcalf, Laurie
M etcalfe, Jesse
Miller, Barney
Miller, Brian
Miller, Judy
Mitchell, M oesha
Moesha
Monk
M onk, Adrian
M onsoon, Eddy
M ontgomery, Elizabeth
Moonlighting
M oore, Mary Tyler
M oorehead, Agnes
Morgan, Ellen
Morgenstern, Rhoda
Mork !rMindy
M ork from Ork
M orrison, Shelley
Mr Belvedere
Mullally, M egan
Mwliz, Frankie
MwtSter, Herman
Mwtster, Lily
Munsters, The
Murphy Brown
My Favorite Husband
My Favorite Martian
Afy Three Sons
My Wife and Kids
N abors, Jim
N aive One, The
Nanny, The
N ardo, Elaine
N elson, Harriet
N erds
N essman, Les
N eurotic, The
Newhart
N ewhart, Bob
Newlyweds
N ewman (Seinfe/d)
News Radio
Night Court
Niles (The ]\lanny)
Oblivious
O'Casey, Charley
O'Connor, Carroll
Odd Couple, The
O'Neill, Ed
0 'Reilly, Radar
Osmond, Ken
Our Miss Brooks
Petrie, Laura
Petrie, Rob
Petrillo, Sophia
Pfeiffer, Paul
Private Berifamin
Private Eye Method for Script Analysis
Punch a joke (definition of)
Pyle, Goober
Pyle, Gomer
Queen Latifah
Randall, Tony
Rashad, Phylicia
Ratzenberger, John
Reed, Robert
Reese (Malcolm in the Middle)
Reiner, Rob
Remini, Leah
Rhoda
R.tbeiro, Alfonso
Ricardo, Lucy
Ricardo, Ricky
Richards, M ary
Richards, Michael
Richardson, Patricia
Richie, N icole
Ritter, John
Roberts, Doris
Robinson, M ona
Rodriguez, Chico
Rolle, Esther
Romano, Ray
Root, Stephen
Roseanne
Roseanne
Rossi, Portia de
Rowland, John
Russo, Joey
Rydell, Dan
Saga!, Katey
Salazar, Rosario
Sanders, Richard
Sanderson, William
Sanford and Son
Sanford, Fred
Sanford, Isabel
San Giacomo, Laura
Sarcasm (definitions of, uses)
Saunders, Jennifer
Savage, Fred
Simpson, Bart
Simpson, Homer J.
Simpson, Jessica
Simpson, Lisa
Simpson, Maggie
Simpson, Marge
Simpsons, The
Single-camera comedy (definition of)
Sitcom format
Slater, A. C.
Slow bum
Smart, Maxwell
Smith, Kurtwood
Smith, Will
Snow, Chrissy
Soap
Solis, Gabrielle
Solomon, Dick
Solomon, Harry
Solomon, Sally
Solomon, Tommy
Somers, Suzanne
Spade, David
Spano, Jessie
Spencer, Danielle
Spit take
Sports Night
Square Pegs
Squiggmann, Andrew
Stakes (definition of)
Stapleton, Jean
Stark, Don
Starr, Martin
Steadman, Kipp
Stephens, Darrin
Stephens, Samantha
Stewart, French
Still Standing
Stivic,Mike
Stone, Patsy
Straight man
Struthers, Sally
Stubbs, Fred
Suarez, Jeremy
Sudden(v Susan
Sugarbaker, Julia
Sugarbaker, Suzanne
Sullivan, Erik Per
Taxi
Taylor, Andy
Taylor, Jill
Taylor, Tim
Teaser (definition of)
Temptation Island
Ten Rules of Comedy
That Girl
That '70s Show
THEN (definition of)
Thomas, Dee
Thomas, Marlo
Thomkins, Jordan
Thorne-Smith, Courtney
Thoughts (definition of)
Threes Company
Travolta, John
Traylor, Craig Lamar
Tnbbiani, Joey
Tnbbiani, Michael
Triplets
Classic Triplet
Extended Triplet
Over-Extended Triplet
Tripper, Jack
Truman, Will
Trump, Donald
Turnaround, The
Two andaHalfMen
Valderrama, Wihner
Valley Girl
V anderkellan, Stephanie
Van Dyke, Dick
Van Hom, Nina
Verbal jokes
Voldstad, John
Walker, Karen
Walston, Ray
\Vayans, Damon
What's Happening!
Wheeler, Bobby
Whitaker, Dana
White, Betty
White, Jaleel
Wings
Winkler, Henry
Witherspoon, Reese
WKRP in Cincinnati
WOFAIM
(Definitions of.)
Want
Obstacle
Feeling
As If
Intentions
Moment Before
York, Charlotte
York, Dick
Zbomalc, Dorothy
ACTOR NOTES
Order Fonn
fax Orders: (3l.l) 4~;.(>.?01
Teleph<lne Orders1 (32}) .tf.S-615!. I lw-.: yottr crcdt c;1rcl r.::ltly.
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Telephone: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
l111ad addrrss: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Shipping By Air
U.S.: $-J.OO fur firs:ti)()Ol.-n<l $1.00 forcxh !a,ltGtion:ll book.
ntem:ltlonaJ: )tJ,tjil tir fi"'l hod~~$ ) .(1() for c:;u:h .HfthUomJ h(Ok.
Payment:
Check
Master Card
_ Credit c,rd:
Arncrk,m Expres~
Card Number:
Nome on c.\lrd1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exp. l)au!l'- - - - -
Order Fonn
Fa. Orders: (113> 4!.5-6!0!
Tclcpltcmc OrdeN: (.\2l) 46'61 ' !. l loL\t: ~fJilr credit e.1nJ rcJtly.
L.~tthmnnt
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_ Scminars/Spc.::-:aking _.\biting
Liii:I.S
_ Consulr.uion
~:lHl<.'; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
StJtc: __ ZIP:
ICicplmn1.:::_____________
EnlJII .uldn:'-":'-- - - - - - - - - -
L'.S.: StOU for ti~t huol.. :md S!.OO fM c:at:h :lcltliucm:ll huuL.
lntemational: S'I.OO for fir..t book: S5.0() tor cJch aJdtuonal book.
Papncnt:
Visa
Check
Master Card
_ Credit C.>rd:
Amcric:m F '(pres'l
Card :-lumber:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
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