Comments on: Mixing the Ridiculous with the Sublime http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime You are the stories you write. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:51:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: J. Timothy King http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime/comment-page-1#comment-16269 J. Timothy King Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:11:42 +0000 http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime#comment-16269 Actually, Jim, I very much agree with that. (The first one, I mean. The second one, too. With that, I don't know whether to laugh or to puke. :-) Seriously, though, <em>Ally McBeal</em> and <em>Boston Legal</em> have a lot of that.) If you build a realistic, sympathetic character, you can make that character do almost anything, and everyone will go right along with it. Like in the <em>Wonderfalls</em> pilot, after Jaye faints because the wax lion talks to her, and then her doctor-father, assuming that she's under stress, asks her when was the last time she had an orgasm... That was funny. Otherworldly, bizarre, but you just go along with all of it, because each of the characters is self-consistent. -TimK Actually, Jim, I very much agree with that. (The first one, I mean. The second one, too. With that, I don’t know whether to laugh or to puke. :-) Seriously, though, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal have a lot of that.)

If you build a realistic, sympathetic character, you can make that character do almost anything, and everyone will go right along with it.

Like in the Wonderfalls pilot, after Jaye faints because the wax lion talks to her, and then her doctor-father, assuming that she’s under stress, asks her when was the last time she had an orgasm… That was funny. Otherworldly, bizarre, but you just go along with all of it, because each of the characters is self-consistent.

-TimK

]]> By: Suldog http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime/comment-page-1#comment-16267 Suldog Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:55:16 +0000 http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime#comment-16267 Or, you could try something like this... http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2007/07/two-foot-tall-blind-woman-denied.html ... and just skip the whole thing. Or, you could try something like this…

http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2007/07/two-foot-tall-blind-woman-denied.html

… and just skip the whole thing.

]]> By: Suldog http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime/comment-page-1#comment-16266 Suldog Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:53:34 +0000 http://bethestory.com/2007/07/21/mixing-the-ridiculous-with-the-sublime#comment-16266 I think the whole trick is in building such a strong characterization that it becomes a real person to the reader/viewer. You can do anything with a real person. As much as I might laugh at Curly Howard, I'd never buy a dramatic scene. Build the character first, then everything you have the character do - in character - will seem natural and right. Just my very humble and not altogether informed opinion. I think the whole trick is in building such a strong characterization that it becomes a real person to the reader/viewer. You can do anything with a real person. As much as I might laugh at Curly Howard, I’d never buy a dramatic scene. Build the character first, then everything you have the character do – in character – will seem natural and right.

Just my very humble and not altogether informed opinion.

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