The Comic Relief

LAUGH

The one who's supposed to Humor The Audience by messing around and maybe getting on others' nerves with their acts. If they're in a Badass, Goofy, Smart trio, they're the goofy one. The Comic Relief provides a sense of comedy in scenes with a variety of antics. Hilariously idiotic lines on the Why Are The Pee Green or One Equals One side of intelligence can fuel this fun. They also tend to be the Deadfall on the receiving end of slapstick-type comedy. The Deadfall in the Comic Relief comes from how they're naturally lacking in physical balance and competence. Their clumsiness is the enabler of situations in which they're the butt of the pain-based joke. Although the Comic Relief may not be the most coordinated person in a room, they can still go through life with a smile on their face and a boatload of laughs to boot. Their lighthearted spirit can be the most charming aspect of their personality, being capable of withstanding problems that would emotionally cripple others. That's why it feels so wrong to see them in the dumps. Even though the Comic Relief can be relied on to be in a consistently good mood, it isn't the only emotion they know. The Comic Relief can get unnaturally depressed at times, especially if they're sensitive about a topic like their appearance, intelligence, or an issue that means a lot to them. It's usually up to their friends to restore their joy by becoming the Comic Reliefs themselves.

There are downsides that naturally come packaged with someone disposed to taking matters less seriously. Sometimes, the Comic Relief can take their wackiness too far and Clown Everything Up. They may Accidentally Obliterate a possession of great value and/or power, bump into a fragile object, step on a tip-prone object (like a rake) and set off a destructive Domino Effect shortly after, or annoying those around them to the point where they have to put their foot down on the Comic Relief's mischievousness. Alternatively to causing problems, the Comic Relief can also unexpectedly have their own set of them. Their reason for playing around like how they do could be due to how they try to entertain themselves to be distracted from their negative self-opinions. When it comes down to the meta half of the character not frequently touched on in the universe, their smarts may take a beating to make way for easier comedy delivery. Intellects like the Brains and Scientist have their own humor with much narrower appeal than saying silly things and causing mischief. The Comic Relief may not be an outright Idiot, but they often aren't as mentally pieced together as others might want them to be. And while the Comic Relief is a rich source of vitamin fun, an overload of their presence can begin to work against itself. Viewers in this situation find themselves wishing the Comic Relief could crank their act down by a notch or two instead of being the joker who never goes on break. Because comedy and drama are dichotomic opposites, mixing them together kills the power of both elements. The Comic Relief can spoil the grave tone of the current scene with a grossly misplaced humorous remark. Even if those around them tell them to cut it out, this move on the writer's end rarely retains the mood.