Despite public perception, comedy is not as easy as it seems. Many comedians, actors, and filmmakers have turned to big budget stunts, elaborate pranks, and over-the-top reactions to get their humor across. However, there are a select few actors who, either through talent or a quiet energy that only comes around a few times per generation, can make people laugh with just a subtle look.
Deadpan comedy is all about letting less do more, contrasting the absurdity of the world with seemingly unfazed looks. Either because they're playing a quiet fool or portraying some form of super-sarcasm, there are some iconic performers out there who have made deadpan their business.
10 Leslie Nielson Still Doesn't Know He's On A Film Set
Leslie Nielson fans often regard him as one of the best deadpan comedians of all time. With his The Naked Gun films and the iconic Airplane! under his belt, it's easy for the casual viewer to see why. Nielson never aims to make explicit jokes, instead delivering otherwise absurd and hilarious lines with a straight face.
This isn't to say he can just read dialogue really well. As a physical performer, Nielson either perfectly blends in with chaotic backgrounds or, in better cases, doesn't even notice them at all as he walks unwittingly past fires and screaming crowds.
9 Bob Newhart Made Being A Nice Old Man Hilarious
Bob Newhart is a comedy icon from a generation when comedians were viewed more as heroes, wisecrackers, and tough guys. Juxtaposing an industry that oozed confidence, Newhart practically redefined his generation with his special brand of quiet, sympathetic comedy.
Look no further than Newhart's somber demeanor in his perfect dad character trying to be supportive of a childish, immature, and outrageous world. It makes sense that he plays a sort of father figure in his latest roles in the Will Ferrell movie Elf and The Big Bang Theory, though his legend dates further back to classic television essentials, The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart.
8 Buster Keaton Almost Died For Comedy
Few scenes in comedy better define what deadpan is than the black-and-white scene of a wall falling over Buster Keaton, only for its window to completely miss him. Even if people haven't seen a single Keaton film, they at least know that scene as one of his many iconic moments of genius prop and physical comedy.
Coming from the silent era of film, Buster Keaton was always in the best position to let the scene and his facial expressions do more. However, Keaton was an ambitious performer who always put himself in outrageous stunts and sets to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, only to have them rolling on the floor when he'd brush off the situation with ease.
7 Tig Notaro Makes Deadpan Comedy A Job
Tig Notaro is one of the strongest and most consistent staples of stand-up comedy today. Her witty writing perfectly compliments her minimalist acting and delivery. It always seems as if Tig has just stumbled upon fame (which might have been the case with Army of the Dead), as her characters in sketch television and sitcoms take on wild situations with surprising yet hilarious professionalism.
Stoicism doesn't always mix well with comedy, at least in comic reliefs, but Tig is always funny for being unnaturally serious. While some deadpan actors try not to react or notice the funny things going on around them, Tig takes everything as if it's always just been a part of her job.
6 Todd Barry Has Too Much Confidence
It's hard to tell whether or not Todd Barry is actually cool. At one end, he has a smooth voice and a level of confidence befitting a jazz performer. At the other, he has a frail, fatherly demeanor that just makes everything he says sound unearned. That's not a jeer against his talents - that is his talent.
Todd Barry's entire character, either on screen or on stage, always looks too comfortable. Every idea and choice seems easy for a guy who makes himself look like he could be knocked over by a breeze, resulting in some excellent deadpan performances.
5 Joe Pera Is Deadpan Personified
Joe Pera is redefining what deadpan comedy means today, as his stand-up and work on Joe Pera Talks With You aims to entertain people with sincerity rather than absurdity. It's difficult for a lot of people on the outside looking in to see Joe Pera as funny. At first glance, his Adult Swim show looks like some weird guy's public access show about gardening.
However, everything about Pera's quiet demeanor, incredible interest in the small things, and drive to be loved works well with and against a world that doesn't think any of that is cool. It's a bittersweet performance that's truly like no other, and it's bringing sincerity back to a world of cold, hardened comedians.
4 Demetri Martin Is A Data Analyst For Comedy
An ex-law school student turned prop comic for the business-minded world, Demetri Martin has directed all of his meticulous energy into his brand of observational comedy. With hilarious word play, minimalist pictures, and a long series of surprisingly detailed charts and diagrams, he dissects the world and social norms. It's his graphs and drawings that give most of his deadpan energy, as they provide a professional façade to otherwise meaningless or hilarious data.
3 Nathan Fielder Is A Professional Comedian And A Comedic Professional
Nathan Fielder has perhaps the greatest prank show in all of television. While Ashton Kutcher and the Impractical Jokers laude their outrageous pranks, Nathan plays off all of his ideas and setups seriously. He portrays a business advisor in the acclaimed comedy series, Nathan For You.
Here, he's not explicitly a prankster, but a fool who genuinely believes he has good business ideas, and it's hilarious to see his (or his victim's) reactions when his plans fall apart. Better yet, it's funny to see Nathan force things with an awkward grin. This is all an extension of a performer who has mastered playing off hilarious bits with a deep sense of professionalism and sincerity.
2 Aubrey Plaza Was Born Sarcastic And Weird
Iconic for her dark sense of humor and monotone voice, Aubrey Plaza is one of the most distinct deadpan performers today. Reaching mainstream appeal with her time in Parks and Recreation, Aubrey became famous for playing April Ludgate, a young, reluctant office worker whose laziness and complaints connected with an entire generation and whose quick criticisms and dagger-like eyes kept her from just being another parody of teenagers.
This same balance between low and dark energy has fueled her entire career since and made for some of the most hilarious interviews on the red carpet.
1 Bill Murray Is A Deadpan Icon
Bill Murray is both one of the most famous deadpan comedians around and one of the most consistent and acclaimed performers today. He's been entertaining the public with his smooth, confident delivery since his breakout performances on Saturday Night Live.
Murray's characters are almost always grounded in reality at some level, to the point where even his rare outrageous reactions seem earned or understandable. Murray just knows how to make the funny seem regular and the regular seem funny. This combination of sincerity and confidence fueled his performances in Stripes and Groundhog Day and somehow carried over to more serious works, such as Lost in Translation and his ongoing relationship with Wes Anderson.
0 Comments