the logical one

8/13/2019 The Logical One

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EPISODE1

THE LOGICAL SMART ONE

TEASER : “EEEEEVERYBODY LOVES DEBRA!”

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - AVERAGE SUBURBAN HOME - NIGHT

We open on a married middle-aged couple lying in bed, talking, late

at night. Well, actually the husband is doing all the talking while the wife

listens patiently. It is an episode of the long-running hit series“Everybody Loves Raymond,” and Ray Barone, played by Ray Romano,

finds himself a victim of yet another of his “bright ideas” gone awry.

And this time, he has managed to seriously hurt his back. Here he is

trying to apologize to his wife Debra, played by the wonderful Patricia

Heaton. As poor Ray whines about his injury, Debra calmly waits for

him to finish. When he tells her that he‟ll probably be “out of

commission” in the bedroom, Debra takes a beat and responds in her

trademark, sarcastic tone ...

DEBRA: I wouldn't worry. It's not like Van

Gogh has lost his paint brush.

Ray is put in his place once again and laughter fills the studio and

living rooms across America.

Oh, where would Ray and his crazy family be if Debra wasn‟t

around? Where would they be if they didn‟t listen to her words of wis-

dom, her common sense, her logic? Oh wait, they don‟t. And that‟s a

main reason the show has won so many of TV‟s most coveted prize —

The Emmy.

While Ray, Robert, Frank and Marie get themselves into ridiculous

situations week after week, Debra remains the glue that holds this

dysfunctional family together (well, at least she tries). Her intelligence

and strength in the face of lunacy is what makes the actions of Ray andhis family appear that much funnier. She is the one with patience,

understanding, a sharp tongue and that derisive look that says “You‟ve

gotta be kidding me.” She is an intricate character to that show and a



necessity in any sitcom because Debra is The Logical Smart One.

ACT ONE WHO IS THE LOGICAL SMART ONE?

The Logical Smart One is, well, you the audience. Hopefully you‟re

sitting at home in your favorite recliner or couch watching Ray‟s actions

in awe and disbelief, thinking to yourself “What is he doing? This isn‟t

going to be good.” Hopefully, you laugh at the crazy scenarios that

some of TV‟s best sitcom leads get themselves into week after week.

And hopefully, you‟re smart enough to know how to handle these

situations better than they do. I did say hopefully, didn‟t I?

Essentially, The Logical Smart One is the point of reference for

the comedy in the show or more simply, the voice of reason. In the

simplest of comedic terms, he or she is the “straight man” to the oftenhilarious actions of the show‟s main character, an essential ingredient

for conflict. And remember, conflict breeds comedy. What‟s ironic is

that more often than not, the straight man is a woman. Even more

specifically, they are often the wives. Turn on your TV and you‟ll see

Carrie (Leah Remini) on “King of Queens,” Cheryl (Courtney Thorne -

Smith) on “According to Jim,” Judy (Jami Gertz) on “Still Standing”

and of course, Debra Barone. Whether intentional or not, this has

become almost a standard in situation comedy. The husbands are

usually good-natured, optimistic yet desperate Lovable Losers (we‟ll get

to them in the next episode). The wives, meanwhile, are the caretakers,

the ones with the common sense, the patience and that acerbic,sarcastic wit.

And that can be traced all the way back to 1950s situation come-

dies and actors like the Queen Bee of Logical Smart Ones, Audrey

Meadows, who played Alice Kramden on “The Honeymooners.” In

order to deal with her blustery, oversized TV hubby Ralph (Jackie

Gleason) and his continuous desperate attempts to get rich quick, Alice

has to be smart, rational and understanding. Oh yeah, she also has to be

an expert in the art of sarcasm. For a great history lesson on this

character, watch Meadows work next to The Great One and learn how

The Logical Smart One can steal a scene from a huge star.

RALPH: (Excited about his latest scheme)

Alice, this is probably the biggest thing I

ever got into.



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 itfunnier.

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 saucyLatin sarcasm.

RICKY: This whole thing is my fault.



Something I said started this whole mess.

LUCY: What's that?

RICKY: "I do."

(Notice the Classic Triplet.)

As The Logical Smart One, Ricky is vital for not only the humor

that Lucy brings, but also for the humor he helps set up. So, whether

you‟re a man or a woman, there are Logical Smart One roles for you.

Now we just need to show you how to identify them and more impor-

tantly, how to play them.

Commercial BreakCartoon 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

car toon 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 animatedwives have to put up with some crazy ideas from their desperate but good-natured

hubbies. And in cartoons, nothing is too crazy....

Back to our show ...



Quick-witted

Rational

Reasonable

Responsible

Sarcastic

Sensible

Smart

Stable

Straightforward

Tolerant

Understanding Well-educated

Well-spoken

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

LOGICAL SMART ONE

Articulate Balanced Brutally honest

Calm Caring

Compassionate

Grounded

Has common sense

Intelligent

Knowledgeable

Logical

Maternal or Paternal Patient

ACT TWO

A PROFILE OF THELOGICAL SMART ONE

Obviously, not all Logical Smart One characters are the same.

After all, how boring would that be? But this character — like all the

other characters I will present in the following episodes — does have

some defining characteristics that every actor who plays them can

identify. You‟ll notice in this list, as well as characteristic lists in other

chapters, that some of these traits are very similar to each other.

They‟re listed this way because, as an acting coach, I‟ve come to find

that certain descriptions, characteristics or intentions register differ-endy with some actors than with others. So I‟ve tried to provide a

broad list of characteristics to help you identify with these complex

characters.

Now, on the surface, it would seem that The Logical Smart One

would be the easiest of The Eight Characters of Comedy to play, and,

for some actors, that might very well be the case. But there is a lot of

depth to this character and it requires a good grasp of these personality

traits in order to be funny. While some Logical Smart Ones showcase

certain characteristics more than others, it is important to remember

that all of them have at least a hint of all of these traits.



Growing up Logical Smart

Let‟s start out with the most basic. The Logical Smart One is

logical and smart. Sounds obvious, but it‟s important to reinforce.

They are often well-educated or at least have an abundance of com-

mon sense. And they probably have always been that way.

They are the smart ones in school. They‟re not the nerds, mind you

(we‟ll get to them later). They are simply smart enough to do well in

school, know right from wrong, balance studies with extracurricular

activities and avoid “bad” decisions that many kids make growing up.

They learn, at a young age, the value of being knowledgeable and

working hard. They also learn how to take care of themselves and of

others, just like Wally Cleaver (Tony Dow) on “Leave it to Beaver.”

Yes, it‟s the Beaver (Jerry Mathers) who gets himself into funny (and

sometimes messy) situations, but it‟s Wally who gets him out of it week

after week. Wally simply has it together and is patient with those who

don‟t.

The young Logical Smart Ones are often influenced by their family

or at least a family member who is intelligent. Or, the polar opposite,

they grow up in a household of misfits and they are forced to learn

basic logic and reasoning skills through other means. Think of Malcolm

(Frankie Muniz) from the show “Malcolm in the Middle.” Despite

being just a kid, it is Malcolm that appears to be the responsible and

rational one, especially compared to his goofball father, his somewhat

eccentric mother, his mean-spirited older brother and his out-of-this-

world younger brother.

MALCOLM: (Frustrated with his family) I did

the math once. It turns out, every 17.4

dinners, my family actually has a pleasant

meal together.

The young Logical Smart One is often someone who can take care

of himself and anybody else that needs help. They are kids who want a

dog and will not only pet and play with the dog, but will be responsible

enough to feed it, walk it and clean up after it. They are the ones that

have an early understanding of how the world works and have the

diplomacy it takes to handle most situations. They are the ones that

learn quickly from their mistakes. They are the ones that everybody has



looked to for advice throughout their lives. That‟s because, even at a

young age, they are responsible and reasonable.

On the dramedy “Desperate Housewives,” Julie (Andrea Bowen) is

the voice of reason for her mother Susan (Teri Hatcher) and her

desperate attempts at dating. In one of the first episodes, the teenager

asks her mom the last time she had sex and suggests that her mom is

coming off as pathetic and a little too desperate. Susan adheres (briefly)

to the strange-but-true advice of her daughter, who is sometimes the

most intelligent, practical and responsible one on the show.

The same is true for Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) on “That 70s

Show.” Donna stands as the pillar of reason, not only within her circle

of pot-smoking, delinquent friends, but also with her not-so- bright

parents. Here she is trying to explain to her father Bob Pinciotti (Don

Stark) why her mother left him.

BOB: I don't get it. She didn't give me any

sign, any warning.

DONNA: Dad, she kept saying "I'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, sothey 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).

The weapon of sarcasm

Being sarcastic is THE most important trait for The Logical

Smart One because this is where their comedy emanates from. It is

something they picked up at a very early age. It is how they handle sit-uations and how they bring the comedy to square off against the other

characters‟ illogical actions. Every great Logical Smart One character in

the history of sitcoms has been a master of the art of sarcasm. Make no



mistake, sarcasm is an art form that requires constant training and

expert timing.

Look no further than one of my favorite comedic actresses, Bea

Arthur. Her barbed-wire tongue and spot on comedic timing served her

well in the 1970s series “Maude.” Arthur, who practically invented the

condescending slow burn, brought her comedic tools into the 1980s

with the logical, smart and sarcastic Dorothy Zbornak on “Golden

Girls.” Don‟t we all just eagerly wait for 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 comment on this absurdity that brings home

the joke. Students of comedy should study the brilliant deadpan

sarcasm of Bea 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 won-derful at playing sarcasm, especially when dealing with their over-

zealous 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 calmly 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, youneed to practice this skill, finding the timing, the tone and the intention

in every sarcastic piece of dialogue.



Keep your feet on the ground

For every Tim Taylor, there needs to be a Jill Taylor. On “Home

Improvement,” Tim Allen‟s character is notorious for trying to be the

“Uber-male” with his tools. A pathetic MacGyver, all Tim wants to do

is make things bigger, faster and better. Thinking he‟s Superman with a

saw, he is willing to try anything. It‟s Jill, played by Patricia Richardson,

who has to constantly talk him down before he leaps tall buildings. Jill is

a grounded Logical Smart One who has the common sense that Tim

lacks.

TIM: Some tool-men say "Why?" This tool- man

says "Why not?"

JILL: This tool-man's wife says "Why me?"

While Jill teases him about his lack of common sense, she is always

supportive when Tim needs her (even if he doesn‟t always realize it).

The Logical Smart One actually creates comedic conflict on a

sitcom by being the more reasonable one. He or she knows better than

to just go along with any wacky ideas the main characters might have.

Often, it is their responsibility to try and talk some sense into the main

character and then show them the foolishness of their actions.

This role requires you to show your common sense and your

sensibility. You need to dig deep into that sensible side of yourself.

And believe it or not, some humor will come from that. This reallyemphasizes 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 of sitcoms? Well, after reading this chapter, you should see

how it works for the humor, hit what about the psychology behind it?

The reason it works is that The Logical Smart One has an exceptionally high

amount of self-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



can shine. Roseanne Conner is a tough, working-class mother who

lo ves her family but doesn‟t take any guff. If she sees that her husband

has a dumb idea, she will tell him that it‟s a dumb idea, if her sister is

acting irrationally, she will tell her so, if her 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't that important.

This straightforward approach goes for the male Logical Smart

Ones as well. If his wife has made yet another mess of things, he will

probably say something like, “Lucy ... yooo got some „splainin‟ todoooo.” 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 confronta tion,

like Will does on “Will & Grace.” Here in this scene, Jack is annoying

him yet again.

JACK: Oooh. Barracuda. What crawled up your

culottes?

WILL: Nothing crawled up my culottes.

It's just that you're two inches from my

head, polluting my brain with your inane

ramblings and buzzing through those chips

like some queer gopher.

(Notice Will's Over-Extended Triplet.)

Even though The Logical Smart One is almost always patient, they

do have their moments of frustration and they will let it out on their

partner in a very intelligent, articulate and sometimes vicious way.

This brutal honesty can also be done a little more tongue in cheek,

as is the case with “Seinfeld.” While Jerry can sometimes display his

neurosis, he is the voice of reason on the show. He‟s often the one who winks to the audience and says “Ain‟t these people crazy?” I‟m not

even sure if it‟s intentional, yet it works brilliantly because he often

stays outside the character and comments on what he sees with brutal



honesty.

He‟s playing Jerry Seinfeld (and his wacky family of friends is part

of his fantasy world) all the while letting the audience know that he‟s

the sane one. His no-holds-barred comments about what‟s happening

around him make many of his scenes funnier, especially if his target is

eternal neurotic loser George Costanza (Jason Alexander).

GEORGE: What kind of person are you?

JERRY: I think I'm pretty much like you,

only successful.

And he really lets George have it when if comes to the subject of

women ...GEORGE: She's got a little Marissa Tomei

thing goin' on.

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

importandy without being mean-spirited. Otherwise the character would

turn into a Bitch / Bastard. But more on them later.

Oh Mom! Oh Dad!Logical Smart Ones are the caretakers of The Eight Characters of

Comedy. They are not only mothers or fathers to their overgrown,

childlike husbands or wives, sometimes they are actually mothers and

fathers. From June and Ward Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley and Hugh

Beaumont) on “Leave it to Beaver” to Carol and Michael Brady

(Florence Henderson and Robert Reed) on “The Brady Bunch” to

Elyse and Steven Keaton (Meredith Baxter-Birney and Michael Gross)

on “Family Ties,” many of the great Logical Smart Ones show

maternal and paternal qualities because they ARE moms and dads.

They need to be tolerant because that‟s how mothers and fathers

should be.But in life, you don‟t need to be a parent to be paternal. Same with

TV. Many famous Logical Smart Ones don‟t even have children. Where

would the crazy staff of Blush Magazine on “Just Shoot Me” be without



Maya (Laura San Giacomo)? Where would Murphy Brown be without

Eldin (Robert Pastorelli). And then there‟s Michael Bluth (Jason

Bateman) on “Arrested Development,” who actually has a son, but

mostly has to play parent to his mother, his father and the rest of his

dysfunctional family.

MICHAEL: (Sarcastically to his older brother)

You want to deal with what I deal with? A

sister who takes your money and throws it

away? A mother who you can't trust? A father

and company founder who may be on trial for

treason? Is that what you want?

There is a huge difference between being a mom or dad and beingmaternal or paternal.

Another great example is Mary Tyler Moore and her character of

Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Surrounded by

outrageous characters, Mary has to be patient, understanding and

responsible. Just like in real life, Mary does have her moments of

weakness, like in the famous “Chuckles the Clown” episode. During

the scene, even though she felt terrible about it, Mary couldn‟t help but

laugh at the absurdity of a clown‟s funeral— just like any of us would

(and did). She was 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 almost always comes off as theresponsible one, the maternal one, the one that all of the other

characters on that show look to for advice and guidance.

Commercial BreakReality check

As reality television hatches more and more popular personalities, there are

some characters that resemble The Eight Characters of Comedy.

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 of food for her tribe? How motherly is that?

Another one would be Nick Lachey from “Newlyweds.” With Jessica

Si?npson as your wife ... well, you get the point.



Back to our show ...

A Logical Smart Witch?

Perhaps the greatest example of The Logical Smart One is actually

... a witch. No other actress conveys everything it takes to be a wife and

mother better than the enchanting Elizabeth Montgomery, who played

Samantha Stephens (with impeccable comedic timing) on “Bewitched.”

Think about it. She is calm, caring and willing to do just about anything

for the love of her life, her uptight mortal husband Darrin. She is loving

yet firm with her charmed children and receptive and understanding of

her whole wacky family.

Even though Montgomery never won an Emmy (nominated five

times), her bewitching portrayal of Samantha is timeless. For the last 40

years, she has shown us how to care for all people, how to be tolerant,

loving and nonjudgmental of those who aren‟t considered “normal.”

She has a family of witches and warlocks (meddling mother

Endora, senile Aunt Clara and flamboyant Uncle Arthur) who are often

causing magical mayhem, but she is accepting of all of them. Many people

watching not only see her as a great mother, but actually wish she was

their mother. I mean, w ho wouldn‟t want a mom who was beautiful,

loving, understanding, compassionate, accepting ... with a wicked sense

of humor?

Montgomery was able to play this character so well because she

encompassed everything I have talked about in this chapter. In order to

play a strong Logical Smart One, so must you.

Who in your life is The Logical Sman One?

ACT THREE THE LOGICAL SMART ONE ... AND MORE

I want to emphasize once again that while all Logical Smart Oneshave these characteristics in common, they are not limited to them.

These are simply some defining characteristics that help viewers identify

them, writers write them and actors portray them. As with each of The



Eight Characters of Comedy, the individual actors that tackle this role

bring something unique to their individual character. And sometimes,

whether it comes from the writing or the acting, the character can take

on personality traits of other characters.

An example I already mentioned is Will (McCormack) from “Will

& Grace.” While he is almost always the voice of reason, he sometimes

carries a high-strung nervousness about him. When he is placed in

certain situations, such as finding a guy he likes or getting frustrated

with Grace or Jack, he can show a touch of another character called

The Neurotic that I‟ll get to in a later episode. Same is true for the anal-

retentive Jerry Seinfeld. In order to bring more comedy to “Seinfeld,”

he often shows signs of his germophobic neurosis.

Another example is Patricia Heaton. We already know that Debra

has a biting sarcastic wit, but boy oh boy, when she is backed into a

corner by Ray or his manipulative mother, she comes out throwing

verbal punches. Her tone turns condescending and her words turn

mean-spirited, almost making her a Bitch, another character we‟ll soon

explore.

DEBRA: (Frustrated with Ray) You know

what? I'm tired! Could you just call

yourself an idiot?!

She‟s not alone. Many Logical Smart Ones can slip into other

characters (especially The Bitch or The Bastard) when their infinite

patience actually reaches an end. BUT — and this is important to

remember — by the end of the episode, they will slip comfortably back

into their more familiar role as the one with reason and understanding.

This is also an important note about The Logical Smart One; not

only does every sitcom need one, just about every pivotal scene needs

one in order to help create conflict. In all conflicts, somebody needs to

step up to be The Logical Smart One for the humor to come through.

As such, sometimes other characters will step into this character‟s

shoes, even if just for a moment. However, the moment typically

doesn‟t last very long and the character will revert back to his or her

own personality on the final joke, usually right before a commercial

break or the end of the show (the blow).

After reading each of the episodes, you‟ll see more examples of



characters like Will Truman, Jerry Seinfeld and Debra Barone, char-

acters that either temporarily take on other personality traits or those

that have them under the surface all the time. These actors can add this

kind of depth because they are talented and because they work with

great writers. In time, you can too. For now, get a sense of who The

Logical Smart One is by reviewing the characteristics that make up the

core of the character.Possible intentions for The Logical Smart One:

To Reason To Pacify To Educate To Compromise To Nurture

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. This is vital to bringingbalance to a show. In an interview with 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. This 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 “I‟m 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 remem-

ber, a funny actor with a real character will 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 playing these traits, but rather living them.

FADE OUT.

TAG:

ANNOUNCER V.O.: In the next episode of "The

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 with him, but

really can't because he is a Lovable Loser.

ROLL CREDITS ....

Here is a list of some of the great Logical Smart Ones.



Character Actor Show

Debra Barone Patricia Heaton Everybody Loves

Eldin Bernecky Robert Pastorelli Murphy Brown

Michael Bluth Jason Bateman Arrested Development

Carol Brady Florence Henderson The Brady Bunch

Michael Brady Robert Reed The Brady Bunch

Connie Brooks Eve Arden Our Miss Brooks

Jamie Buchman Helen Hunt Mad About You

George Burns George Bums The Burns & Allen Show

Cheryl Courtney Thome-Smith According to Jim

June Cleaver Barbara Billingsley Leave it to Beaver

Wally Cleaver Tony Dow Leave it to Beaver Ward Cleaver Hugh Beaumont Leave it to Beaver

Roseanne Roseanne Roseanne

Maya Gallo Laura San Giacomo Just Shoot Me

Carrie Heffernan Leah Remini King of Queens

Cate Hennessy Katey Sagal 8 Simple Rules

Clair Huxtable Phylicia Rashad The Cosby ShowKhadijah James Queen Latifah Living Single

Louise Jefferson Isabel Sanford The Jeffersons

Elyse Keaton Meredith Baxter-Bimey Family Ties

Steven Keaton Michael Gross Family Ties

Alice Kramden Audrey Meadows The HoneymoonersDick Louden Bob Newhart NewhartMalcolm Frankie Muniz Malcolm in the Middle

Barney Miller Hal Linden Barney Miller

Judy Miller Jami Gertz Still Standing

Lily Munster Yvonne DeCarlo The Munsters

Harriet Nelson Harriet Nelson The Adventures of Ozzie

& HarrietHawkeye Pierce Alan Alda MASH

Donna Pinciotti Laura Prepon That „70s Show

Mary Richards Mary Tyler Moore The Mary Tyler Moore

Ricky Ricardo Desi Amaz I Love Lucy



Show Character Actor Jerry Seinfeld

Tommy Solomon

Samantha Stephens

Andy Taylor Jill

Taylor Will Truman

Dorothy Zbornak

Jerry Seinfeld Joseph

Gordon-Levitt

Elizabeth

Montgomery Andy

Griffith Patricia

Richardson Eric

McCormack Bea

Arthur

Seinfeld

3rd Rock From The Sun

Bewitched

The Andy Griffith Show

Home Improvement Will

& Grace Golden Girls

the logical one

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