THE LOGICAL SMART ONE - Reelfilms

ALICE: The biggest thing you ever got
into was your pants.
Alice‟s witty retorts and deadpan delivery not only set Ralph
straight, but also make the scene that much funnier. With her steadfast
commitment, Audrey was able to make Alice one of the most
memorable characters of all time, despite the fact that “The
Honeymooners” was only on for a few seasons.
Another perfect example is “The Cosby Show‟s” Clair Huxtable,
played by Phylicia Rashad. While her good-natured husband, Dr. Cliff
Huxtable (Bill Cosby), tries to do what‟s best for his family, he has a
tendency to, well, mess things up. And it‟s Clair who is often calling him
out on his actions. Want proof Check out the episode where Dr.
Huxtable sits in on Clair‟s book club. After reluctantly joining the book
club, Cliff attends his first meeting. Even though Cliff read the assigned
book, he struggles to participate intelligently in the conversation about
it. As Cosby hysterically rambles on and on, its Clair‟s understated but
oh-so-clear look of disbelief that makes the scene truly funny.
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'm hooooome! "
Ricky Ricardo, played by 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.