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The straight man (or straight woman in the case of female characters), also known as a "comedic foil", is a
In vaudeville, effective straight men were much less common than comedians. The straight man's name usually appeared first and he usually received 60% of the take. This helped take the sting out of not being the laugh-getter and helped ensure the straight man's loyalty to the team. Nachman, Gerald (1998). Raised on Radio, p. 36. Pantheon Books, New York. . Abbott and Costello, one of America's most popular comedy duos of the 1940s and 50s in radio, film and television, began as nightclub performers when the straight-faced Bud Abbott contrasted against the bumbling Lou Costello; Abbott, unusually, allowed Costello a larger paycheck to keep him on the team.
The straight man (or straight woman in the case of female characters), also known as a "comedic foil", is a stock character
A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a type of character in a narrative (e.g. a novel, play, television show, or film) whom audiences recognize across many narratives or as part of a storytelling tradition or convention. Th ...
in a comedy performance, especially a double act, sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
, or farce. When a comedy partner behaves eccentrically, the straight man is expected to maintain composure. The straight man is a foil, a contrasting character to the funny man. The direct contribution to the comedy a straight man provides typically comes in the form of a deadpan.
A straight man with no direct comedic role has historically been known as a stooge. Typically, he is expected to feed the funny man lines that he can respond to for laughs (and is hence sometimes known as a feed), while seeking no acclamation for himself.
History
In vaudeville, effective straight men were much less common than comedians. The straight man's name usually appeared first and he usually received 60% of the take. This helped take the sting out of not being the laugh-getter and helped ensure the straight man's loyalty to the team. Nachman, Gerald (1998). Raised on Radio, p. 36. Pantheon Books, New York. . Abbott and Costello, one of America's most popular comedy duos of the 1940s and 50s in radio, film and television, began as nightclub performers when the straight-faced Bud Abbott contrasted against the bumbling Lou Costello; Abbott, unusually, allowed Costello a larger paycheck to keep him on the team.
Women
Many actresses have played under the role of a straight woman. Examples of noteworthy straight women include Margaret Dumont, who often performed with the Marx Brothers in their films, Bernardine Flynn up against Art van Harvey on '' Vic and Sade'', Marian Jordan against her husband Jim on '' Smackout'' and '' Fibber McGee and Molly'', and Pam Dawber, who performed with Robin Williams on the television series '' Mork & Mindy''.Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
plays the comedic foil to Steve Martin and Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...
on the Hulu
Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
series '' Only Murders in the Building''.
Popular culture
The role is still found today in sitcoms and several Japanese comedymanga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
, where they are known as ''tsukkomi''. Prominent sitcom characters illustrating this role include Jim Halpert from '' The Office'', Michael Bluth from '' Arrested Development'', and Ben Wyatt from '' Parks and Recreation''. Some notable ''tsukkomi'' characters include Shinpachi Shimura and Toshiro Hijikata from '' Gintama'', Himeko from '' Sket Dance'', Saiki Kusuo from '' The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.'', Mio Naganohara from '' Nichijou'', and Tadakuni from '' Daily Lives of High School Boys''.
See also
* Everyman * Foil * ManzaiReferences
{{Appropriation in the Arts Stock characters Comedy characters