When comic relief comes to grief
Many TV-FILM production people believe that “heavy” dramas or shows periodically need some “comic relief” to give viewers a welcome break from all of the productions’ stressful weeping, wailing, seething and shouting.
That’s why even the most tragic dramas include some “lighter” or even downright slapstick-funny supporting players in their cast of actors.
Trouble is, the mix of serious and occasionally light and funny scenes and performances is awesomely difficult to pull off.
Most of the time, drama directors aren’t good at handling comedians, so the “comic relief” players are pretty much left to their own devices—which are often clumsy, attention-stealing and overly pushy for effect.
As a result, the promised relief doesn’t materialize and even makes things worse, because it comes to grief!
To avert this hapless and sorry debacle, dramas should stop casting inept, second-tier comedians for comic-relief purposes, and pay higher talent fees to professional comics who can do the job well.
We arrived at this insight some years back, when we saw a top producer casting not a slew of lesser comedians, but just one competent comic to provide the comic relief for his entire “adult” drama.
This was quite a compliment to the assigned comedienne and she did as required, adding to the dramatic production’s success.
The producer did this in his other productions, as well, prompting us to realize that, cheap quantity isn’t quality, and that this is the way to go!
“Comic-relief” artists have become so “in-demand” these days that they have been conscripted by nondramatic shows, as well as comic “sidekicks” for chefs and hosts of cooking shows, travel programs, TV tilts, etc.
Unfortunately, the gambit has been similarly unsuccessful, because the minor comics perform too goonily to be amusing, shout up a storm, go the “ugly comedy” route, etc.
It’s instructive to note that many of these second- or fifth-tier comics cut their performing teeth as sing-along masters and stand-up comedians in gay bars.
Shrill, vicious
In those small venues, they are encouraged to shout, shock and insult the audience into whimpering attention. The gung-ho, in-your-face “attack” may work in those small venues, but feels too big, shrill and vicious when carried over to the TV screen.
A few gay entertainers are able to adjust their performance style and thus become effective mainstream TV stars, but most others can’t manage the key shift, or don’t even realize that it’s necessary, so they end up as purveyors of “grief” rather than “relief.”
Time to shift gears, styles and priorities, people, so viewers will laugh at your antics, instead of switching off and peevishly consigning you to permanent oblivion!
