TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER 1 - WHO’S FUNNY? ...................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER 2 - SITCOM HISTORY ................................................................................ 7
CHAPTER 3 - HALF HOUR TECHNIQUE ............................................................ 13
Rhythm ........................................................................................................ 13
Words .......................................................................................................... 14
Punctuation ................................................................................................. 18
Timing and Pace ........................................................................................ 21
The Turnaround......................................................................................... 22
Triplets......................................................................................................... 27
CHAPTER 4 - ACTING TECHNIQUE ...................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 5 - THE FOUR C’s OF COMEDY ......................................................... 43
CHAPTER 6 - THE CHARACTERS ............................................................................ 45
EPISODE 1 - THE LOGICAL SMART ONE .............................. 51
Who is The Logical Smart One? ...................................................... 52
A profile of The Logical Smart One ............................................... 55
The Logical Smart One ... and more ............................................... 65
EPISODE 2 - THE LOVABLE LOSER ......................................... 71
Who is The Lovable Loser? .............................................................. 72
A profile of The Lovable Loser ....................................................... 75
The Lovable Loser ... and more ....................................................... 85
EPISODE 3 - THE NEUROTIC...................................................... 91
Who is The Neurotic? ....................................................................... 92
A profile of The Neurotic ................................................................. 95
The Neurotic ... and more............................................................... 108
 EPISODE 4 - THE DUMB ONE................................................... 115
Who is The Dumb One? ................................................................ 116
A profile of The Dumb One .......................................................... 119
The Dumb One ... and more.......................................................... 128
EPISODE 5 - THE BITCH / BASTARD................................... 13 3
Who is The Bitch / Bastard?.......................................................... 135
A profile of The Bitch / Bastard ................................................... 140
The Bitch / Bastard ... and more ................................................... 150
EPISODE 6 - THE WOMANIZER / MANIZER .................. 159
Who is The Womanizer / Manizer? ............................................. 161
A profile of The Womanizer / Manizer ....................................... 163
The Womanizer / Manizer ... and more....................................... 172
EPISODE 7 - THE MATERIALISTIC ONE ............................ 177
Who is The Materialistic One? ....................................................... 178
A profile of The Materialistic One ................................................ 182
The Materialistic One ... and more ................................................ 190
EPISODE 8 - IN THEIR OWN UNIVERSE ............................ 195
Who is In Their Own Universe? ................................................... 196
A profile of In Their Own Universe ............................................. 199
In Their Own Universe ... and more............................................. 209
EPILOGUE - FINDING YOUR COMEDIC NOTE ........................................... 215
APPENDIX 1 - TEN RULES OF COMEDY ........................................................... 220
APPENDIX 2 - WHO SAID THAT? ........................................................................... 220
APPENDIX 3 - GLOSSARY (FINDING THE FUNNY) ................................... 223
Index .......................................................................................................... 231
About the author
Actor Notes
Order forms
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank fellow sitcom aficionado Jim

Martyka for his dedication to helping me research, edit and self-
publish this book. I would also like to thank my good friend Frank
Salamone for his countless copy edits and words of encouragement.
Also, I would like to thank my mentor, Judy Kerr, for her support,
guidance and help throughout this process.

Special thanks to all the teachers at Scott Sedita Acting Studios

for helping to make the studio the success that it is: Scott Tiler, Jorge
Luis Pallo, Patrick Munoz, Andy Mower and, especially, my funny
wingman Todd Rohrbacher and my equally funny wingwoman
Kathryn Schorr.

I would like to thank my “immediate family” for being a real

life sitcom: my mother Doris, my father Chuck, Helen, Peter, Guy,
Samantha and Van.

I also would like to thank my “family of friends” for all their

love, support and humor: Nicholas Proietti (for his patience and
understanding), Rob Lotterstein, Ed Fitz, Patrick Baca, Ellen
Pittleman, Phil Oster, Jed Seidel, Tony Wisniewski, Claes Lilja and
everyone else I might be forgetting. Sorry.

Finally, my sincere gratitude goes to all of my students who

inspire me and challenge me day in and day out to become a better
teacher, a funnier person and a more creative human being. You all
make me proud, make me laugh and make me remember why I‟m
doing this in the first place.

One last heartfelt thanks needs to go out to all those wonderfully

talented actors and writers that have made generations laugh in the
beautiful medium of situation comedy. Thank you all so much.
 PREFACE

I‟m coming out of the closet.

For the past twenty years of my career, I‟ve had a secret, a secret
that I was afraid to reveal for fear of being shamed, ridiculed and
mocked by my peers. And today the stakes are higher than ever. For I
have earned the reputation as one of L.A.‟s most well-respected Acting
Coaches (hey, it‟s what my bio says). And now, I risk everything.
Okay, here it goes (deep breath).
For many years, actors have asked me “Scott, who are your
favorite actors?” I would throw my arms up and proclaim, “Meryl
Streep, A1 Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, of course!” And
that is the truth; they are my favorite actors. But the “other” truth is
that I have not been completely, uhh ... truthful. You see there is
another part of me, dare I say, which I have kept secret. But no more!
Today, when actors ask me that same question, I now throw my arms
up, hold my head up high and proudly proclaim, “Bea Arthur! Kelsey
Grammer! Jackie Gleason! Megan Mullally! The cast of „Friends!‟”
(Sigh) ... Oh, how good it feels to finally admit that.
I am no longer afraid! I love these actors—these sitcom actors!
For these performers are equally brilliant in their medium as any of
those acclaimed, award-winning dramatic film actors. Yes, I know it‟s
apples and oranges, but these apples are just as beautiful and delicious
as those oranges. And it‟s about time they got their due.
This book is a guide, or a “How To” if you will, for sitcom acting.
But it is also a celebration of these incredibly skilled actors. It is for the
Lucille Balls, the Carroll O‟Connors, the Roseannes, the Jason
Alexanders, the Sean Hayeses, the Elizabeth Montgomerys and those
great ensemble casts like “Cheers,” “MASH” and “Taxi.” It is for the
writers that brought us “Frasier,” “Seinfeld,” “Everybody Loves
Raymond” and all those other shows we can‟t live without. It is for
anybody who has made us laugh over the years, those who continue to
make us laugh today and those who will make us laugh tomorrow.
I have a great respect for the work of sitcom actors. They are
brilliant in their work, their craft, their art form. But no one in the
business really talks about those actors who we let into our home day
 after day, week after week in the same breath as classic film actors. Oh,
we all love them and they make us laugh, but when asked who our
favorite actors are, we suddenly become elitists. I‟m not saying they
don‟t get their recognition, their awards and their big bucks (just ask
the cast of “Friends”). But sometimes, I think they don‟t really get the
respect they are due.
There is a specific craft to sitcom acting. It comes with its own
rhythm, its own techniques, its own set of rules. And the truth is it may
be harder and more challenging than dramatic acting. Don‟t mis-
understand, good acting is good acting. In order to be a successful
working actor, you need to be well-trained. But sitcom acting stands
alone for many reasons that you‟ll discover when reading this book.
How do I know? Well, it‟s an educated opinion that has formed
over many years as an actor, writer, agent, casting director and acting
coach. I have seen first hand the anatomy of a sitcom. Beyond writing
half hour comedy scripts myself, I have worked with very successful
writers and show-runners. I have sat at writing tables to see how sto-
rylines are developed, how jokes are created and how “timing is every-
thing!”
As a former agent, I have placed actors on a variety of sitcoms. As
an acting coach, I have worked with a number of series regulars, guest
stars and co-stars. Plus, I spent many hours, days, weeks, months and
years of my life watching sitcoms. I am a living, breathing sitcom con-
noisseur with a collection of TV Guides dating back to the 1960s in my
garage to prove it.
Most important, I have seen how the success of a good sitcom
depends on “character.” I have learned that comedy should not only
come from the jokes, but also from “character.” Defining a specific
character and having them interact with other specific characters, cre-
ating conflict, is essential for any good sitcom.
The art of sitcom acting and writing has become the object of my
fascination—especially the characters. I have fallen in love with the
bumbling, stumbling loser who never gives up his dream, the sarcastic
wife who holds it all together, the high-strung neurotic who thinks too
much, the cynical and bitchy servant who is frustrated with life, the
sweetly, naive overgrown child, the sexy flirt, the pampered princess
and that wacky, odd, eccentric neighbor. I have learned how
 these characters work, how they bring life to the show, how they bring
viewers back week after week and how they keep the sitcom side of the
television industry thriving.
I have also discovered these classic characters have been around
since the advent of the sitcom. While each and every actor in sitcom
history brings originality to their roles, I have noticed similarities in
overall character personalities, traits, plotlines and even the jokes they
deliver. I have great admiration for sitcom writers and am in no way
trying to diminish their unique, individual work by “stereotyping” the
memorable characters they‟ve written. But I‟ve noticed that there is a
definite pattern when it comes to characterizations. This is a pattern
that has proven to be successful in making generations laugh.
It is these character archetypes, The Eight Characters of Comedy,
that are the main subject of this book. I didn‟t create these characters—
it was many years worth of gifted sitcom actors, writers, producers,
directors, makeup artists and costume designers that brought them to
life. But what I have been able to do is identify them and their
personalities. This character breakdown makes it easier for actors to
distinguish who they are and how to play them, whether in an audition,
in a classroom or on a sitcom.
This book is a teaching guide for any actor, writer or student of
comedy looking to make their mark in the world of half hour televi-
sion. While I touch on sitcom history and technique, the main focus is
on characters and the funny actors who play them. It is a very specific
character analysis, complete with personality traits, character histories,
physicalities and anything else an actor needs to play a sitcom character.
In this book, you‟ll learn how to break down a comedy script,
how to identify and deliver jokes and, most importantly, how to incor-
porate The Eight Characters of Comedy into your work. This will help
you find your “comedic note,” which in turn will help you market
yourself and succeed in this competitive industry.
This book is a collection of the many things I have learned over
several years of experience in the half hour business, my interactions
with successful, accomplished actors, writers, directors and producers,
my teachings and my endless hours spent in front of the television.
Beyond that, “The Eight Characters of Comedy” is a celebration of this
industry, these wonderful characters and all the brilliant sitcom actors
we have seen over the years ... and those that are waiting to emerge.

Scott Sedita
2006

P.S. As much as this book is geared toward the actor, I would like to
invite new sitcom writers along for the ride. This book is really as much
about writing as it is about acting. This guide is beneficial to all the
writers out there, writing those endless, exhausting comedy spec scripts
to land a job on the next “Will & Grace,” “Two and a Half Men,”
“Scrubs,” “Entourage” or even a “dramedy” like “Desperate
Housewives.” You will learn how to write half hour jokes, how to
implement age-tested comedic techniques and, most important, how to
write characters and characterizations that will help you achieve your
goal of creating a sitcom with staying power. As much as the word
“actor” appears in this book, know that all of this material applies to
you writers as well
.
INTRODUCTION

“Dying is easy. Comedy is hard.”

Old adage, but so true. But the real question is, are you funny? Can
you be funny? Can you do half hour comedy? Do you have what it
takes to create a character, follow the half hour comedic formula and
make casting directors, writers, directors, producers and audiences
laugh and love you? Not everybody can. Why? Because this thing called
comedy is a lot harder than it looks.
Sitcom acting—being funny—is not just about performing jokes
in front of multiple cameras. There‟s a lot more to it. The world of half
hour comedy is incredibly fast-paced (more so than film). It comes with
its own set of rules, its own techniques, its own rhythm. And guess
whose job it is to get a grasp of this very specific half hour format.
That‟s right. Yours!
This comedic formula has been passed down from generation to
generation, and it‟s up to the well-trained actor and writer to not only
be able to recognize it, but also follow it to the letter and make it funny.
Sitcom acting requires training in a very specific technique. It requires
you to be energetic, to always be funny, and to commit to the character,
the dialogue, the jokes and the interaction with other characters.
Are you scared yet? Don‟t worry. If you are funny, if you are dis-
ciplined and if you practice, practice, practice, you can work in this
high-pressure, but incredibly rewarding business. And I can help you.
So, first things first. Do you have a sense of humor? It‟s actually a
serious question. The first step to being a successful sitcom actor is
having an innate ability to be funny, to have a sense of humor about
yourself and to find the comedy in everyday life. As an acting coach, I
cannot teach someone to act if they are not born to act. No acting
coach can. I call this innate ability the Acting Gene. And yes, I know it‟s
not “technically” a gene, but rather, it‟s your inborn, intuitive ability to
act or to pretend. And a good acting coach can help you tap into this
gene, discover (and uncover) your gift and teach you techniques that
will help you access your emotions and your imagination.
Comedy is no different. To the left of the Acting Gene is the
Funny Gene (yeah, another made up word). If you have the innate ability
to be funny (Funny Gene), no matter how developed it is, I can teach you
to do comedy. It‟s like any other skill or craft. You need to have a
physical gift to play basketball, a good ear to play the violin or a keen
mind to be a mathematician. You need to have the Funny Gene in order
to do half hour comedy. And if you do, I can teach you what you need
to make it as a sitcom actor.
So, buckle up. Here we go, into the world of half hour comedy
and into your future career.
 CHAPTER
1
WHO’S FUNNY?
Comedy comes from a few different places (some of which may
surprise you). As I just mentioned, in order to be funny you must tap
into your Funny Gene. And where does your Funny Gene come from?
It didn‟t start with you. Trust me, you inherited your sense of humor
from either your mother‟s side of the family, your father‟s side or both.
Or, if you can‟t look back into your biological family history, look to
your environment (your upbringing), which also plays a major role. But
more on that later. Whether your sense of humor was inherited or
comes from your environment or both, it all starts with family.
So look to the family that raised you. Is your mother funny? Is
your mother‟s mother funny? Is your father funny? Is your father‟s
father funny? Do you have a great aunt with a wicked sense of humor?
Do you have a cousin who likes to play practical jokes? Do you have a
flamboyantly bitchy uncle?
Who made you laugh? It‟s important to know. Because funny
begins with your family and it goes back generations. But what is the
primary source of their humor? Where does it all ultimately start?
Well, comedy starts with pain. That‟s right, comedy comes from
conflict, oppression, repression and persecution. It comes from
unadulterated, horrific pain. And this pain is often played out through
desperation. Good comedy is somebody desperately trying to over-
come odds, make their dreams come true, see their big ideas succeed,
find the perfect mate, etc. It‟s about a character‟s desperate attempts to
get what they want. And what makes this even funnier is that they never
get what they want (in fact, you‟ll learn in a later chapter that this comedic
desperation is a defining characteristic for one of The Eight Characters
of Comedy).
So, comedy comes from pain and desperation?
What?!
 It is a fact that many of yesterday and today‟s top comedians and
comedy writers come from generations of disenfranchised and perse-
cuted people, be it for their cultural differences, beliefs, philosophies,
whatever. The history of the world is made up of groups of people who
have faced oppression at some point in time. And one way to deal with
it is with a strong sense of humor. The idea is either “you die or you
laugh about it.” They could have chosen to be miserable and depressed
about their situation—their individual and ancestral experiences (some
have and continue to do so). But others chose to find the humor in
their hardship. This can be said for any group of people that‟s faced
generational oppression and persecution. Every race and culture has
something painful in their ancestry that can be tapped for comedy.
But our sense of humor doesn‟t just come from our ancestral
pain. It also comes from the pain we experience on a daily basis, going
all the way back to our childhoods. Our individual sense of humor
comes from our environment, our upbringing and our personal expe-
riences. All of these play a major factor in how we perceive life, death,
family, society, ourselves ... all of those wonderful comedic topics.
Growing up, I had two parents who were funny. I had a mother
who was smart and sarcastic and a father who was kind of a lovable
loser. Before they were divorced—the second time that is—I remem-
ber them constantly arguing. It wasn‟t funny to me as a child, but
looking back now as an adult, it‟s hysterical.
If I were pitching this to a network, I would say my childhood was
kind of a cross between “Maude” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” It
was at times tumultuous, but there was always humor. At no time was
this more evident then it was during the holidays. Ahh yes, those
wonderful holidays!
In my family, Thanksgiving and football did not go hand in hand.
One Thanksgiving, my Dad, once again going against my Mom‟s very
strong wishes, not only insisted upon watching the football game but
actually rolled the TV set into the dining room! Upon seeing the TV,
my mother got so upset that she hurled the whole cooked turkey across
the dining room, breaking it into pieces. My father‟s response?
“Well, at least now I don‟t have to carve it.”
 Funny. But it came out of pain ... my Mom‟s pain, my Dad‟s pain
and my pain (the hungry participant, observer and future storyteller).
My parents were characters and they helped me form my own sarcastic
sense of humor. This became my weapon, my way of dealing with my
pain, and it was formed by my upbringing and my environment.
Think of your own life. What‟s funny about it? What about your
childhood was funny? What‟s funny about your life now? Who in your
family is funny? Who in your family of friends is funny? Combine all of
that with a Funny Gene, some ancestral and personal pain, and you
have your sense of humor.
You also have the source of where all half hour comedies begin...
 CHAPTER
2
SITCOM HISTORY
So now that we know that comedy comes from some terribly
depressing places, let‟s see how that translates into the sitcoms you‟re
watching on TV today.
It all goes back to vaudeville. Situation comedy first emerged in its
most basic form in the old vaudeville acts that were played a lot dif-
ferently than theatrical comedies of the time. Without going too much
into the history of comedy, early vaudeville acts and stand-ups (like
Fanny Brice, Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Burns & Allen, etc.) developed
classic set up/punchline jokes, slapstick humor and snappy, witty
dialogue that touched on a number of topics including love, life and all
those miserable things we just discussed (pain, oppression).
There was a certain art form to the set up/punchline joke, the
dialogue and techniques used in these vaudeville shows and later by
comics and stand-up acts found in New York‟s Catskills circuit. And
these acts were so immensely popular that they carried over into radio
when that became the new entertainment standard.
Radio shows like “Amos & Andy,” “The Burns & Allen Show,”
“The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet,” “Life of Riley” and “My
Favorite Husband,” starring Lucille Ball, are considered the forerun-
ners of sitcoms. Using simple but effective plots, a wide range of funny
characters and specific techniques designed to get a lot of laughs, these
radio shows had listeners planning their dinners around them, much
like popular TV sitcoms today—unless you have TiVo.
These shows and many others like them were produced and
sponsored by advertisers, who required a certain amount of time in
each show to sell their products. Therefore, radio writers at the time
had to be inventive. In order to work around sponsors‟ commercials,
they had to come up with an engaging, funny, short story with inter-
esting characters and universal appeal in a limited amount of time.
 So when TV made its move as the entertainment medium, studios
took these types of shows and turned them into televised sitcoms. They
adapted a similar formula to work within a 30-minute format, 22
minutes of story, eight minutes of commercials. And this basic format
is still used today.
SITCOM FORMAT
Credits
Story (Teaser / Cold Open)
Commercial
Story
Commercial
End of story
Commercial
Tag
Credits
With the visual medium of television quickly gaining popularity in
households across America, the trick for early comedy writers and
producers was finding faces to match their characters. Plus, they had to
find jokes, storylines and plots that people could universally identify
with and, more importantly, find funny. Those struggles continue
today.
From the dawn of television to today, I believe most sitcoms are
based on the idea of family. What kind of family? Well, whether it‟s
one‟s relatives or group of friends, it‟s a “family” that loves each other,
has conflict with each other and experiences the joy, pain and every-
thing else life has to offer with each other.
And every family has different personalities within its structure.
There are maternal ones, cynical ones, naive ones, spoiled ones, con-
trolling ones and just plain odd ones. And sitcoms are no different. It is
said that many of our television dramas hold a mirror up to everyday
life. Well, sitcoms also hold a mirror up, but at an angle so it appears
funny. And most of that “funny” comes from a skewed look at life
within a family.
Situation comedies are essentially comprised of two sets of fam-
ilies, an immediate family and a family of friends, and the funny
situations they get themselves into and out of week after week.
 From early television on, you will see immediate families-the
mother, the father, the kids-with clearly defined roles (think “According
to Jim”). And many times you‟ll see immediate families with certain
roles reversed (think of the family dynamic in “Two and a Half Men”).
And you will always see a family of friends, where these traditional
family roles are taken on by friends, roommates, neighbors, co-workers,
etc. (think “Friends”). You will see variations on these themes in all
shows dating back to the advent of television.
In the early 1950s, when TV sitcoms still had their training wheels
on, they introduced these two types of families. The immediate families
were featured in shows like “Father Knows Best,” “The Adventures of
Ozzie & Harriet,” “Make Room For Daddy,” “Leave it to Beaver” and
“The Donna Reed Show.” They made cute, simple humor out of
everyday situations in what was considered the “normal” household.
These shows had a patriarchal figure, a smart and patient wife and
mother and innocent yet precocious children.
The family of friends shows at the time had similar dynamics,
taking the immediate family and moving it into a group of friends. And
sometimes the roles were reversed. The patriarch became the child, and
the logical, smart wife and mother became the endearing loser. Think
of casts like Ralph, Alice, Norton and Trixie in “The Honeymooners”
and of course, Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel in “I Love Lucy.”
In the 1960s, the family theme remained strong. But mirroring the
turmoil of the decade, the concept of family took a more realistic twist.
Sitcoms opened up to different types of families. Shows like “The Andy
Griffith Show,” “My Three Sons” and “The Courtship of Eddie‟s
Father” featured a widower. “The Brady Bunch” featured stepchildren.
“Julia” featured a black, single mother.
Some writers gave the concept of family a fish out of water twist with
shows like “Green Acres” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.” These shows
took immediate families and placed them in unusual environments to
add to the overall humor.
And some gave the concept a more “fantastical” twist. Remember,
this is the decade that gave us “Bewitched,” “The Addams Family,”
“The Munsters,” “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” and “My Favorite
Martian.”
 There were also family of friends shows, and even these had
twists. “Gilligan‟s Island” had a cast on a deserted island, “McHale‟s
Navy” set the cast on a warship, “The Flying Nun” was set in a con-
vent, “Get Smart” put them in the world of espionage and “Hogan‟s
Heroes” featured a cast in a concentration camp (of all places).
The family theme continued into the 1970s, where the subjects of
politics, race, religion and even sex were brought up not just at the
dinner table, but also on television. And there is one show to thank—
one that never held back from hitting the issues of the day—Norman
Lear‟s “All in the Family.” This revolutionary comedy about a family
headed by a bigoted, yet loving, father is still one of the most popular
and controversial shows ever made and one that epitomized the
changing times at home, in society and in half hour comedy.
Other shows of the time also broached touchy subjects within
their storylines including; “Maude”(abortion), “Good Times” (struggles
of a poor black family), “The Jeffersons” (inter-racial marriage), “Soap”
(homosexuality) and even “Three‟s Company” (sex).
The family of friends shows also boomed with hits like “The Odd
Couple,” “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Welcome Back,
Kotter” and “Mork & Mindy.” These families of friends also moved
into workplace sitcoms like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (a newsroom),
“Barney Miller” (a police squad room), “Taxi” (a garage), “WKRP in
Cincinnati” (a radio station) and “MASH” (a war).
Continuing the trend of provocative 1970‟s shows, the sitcom
family in the 1980s became smarter, bolder and more truthful.
Storylines, dialogue, characterizations and acting styles became less
exaggerated and more realistic. Shows like “Roseanne,” “The Cosby
Show,” “Family Ties” and “Growing Pains” put the emphasis back on
the immediate family and the issues at home. They dealt a little more
with the real struggles of the everyday family.
Nevertheless, the decade did introduce some of the most popular
family of friends shows like “Golden Girls,” a series about a group of
“mature” women sharing their lives at the kitchen table over a slice of
cheesecake. And some of these shows took the family of friends out of
the kitchen and into a bar (“Cheers”), a lodge (“Newhart”), the inner
workings of a network news program (“Murphy Brown”) and
the office of an interior designer
(“Designing Women”), just to name a few.
The 1990s made the immediate family a little more dysfunctional
with shows like “The Simpsons,” “Married ... With Children,”
“Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Frasier.” But most of the popular
shows of the time took a step away from the immediate family.
Why? I believe the 90s was a time when Americans questioned
and challenged the meaning of family and what makes up a family. It
was a time in life when we as a society seemed to separate ourselves
from our immediate families a little more to discover who we were as
individuals. With emphasis on disenfranchised families, extended fam-
ilies, single-parents and gay relationships, the idea of “family” took on a
broader and deeper meaning. And once again television mirrored this
with shows like “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “Sex and the City” and “Will &
Grace.” You could say that the family of friends and the immediate
family merged in this decade.
In the new millennium, it looks like the half hour industry is once
again trying to redefine itself with shows like “Scrubs,” “Entourage”
and “Arrested Development.” It will be interesting to see what show(s)
will define this decade as “All in the Family” did for the 70s, “The
Cosby Show” did for the 80s, and “Friends” and “Seinfeld” did for the
90s. Will it be more of an emphasis on dysfunctional families and
individuals like Larry David on “Curb Your Enthusiasm?” Or will
sitcoms turn more to single-camera dramedies like “Desperate
Housewives?” We‟ll have to see what next pilot season brings.
So now you can see that while the format and general theme has
remained the same over the years, plotlines and the styles of the half
hour comedy have gone through (and continue to go through) constant
evolutions. But what‟s certain is that agents, networks, writers and
producers are always scouting for comedic actors to star in that next
funny series that‟s going to make them millions and live on in
syndication.
 Like diamonds, some things in the sitcom world are forever. More
specifically, characters, character plotlines and half hour comedy
techniques. This is what we‟ll spend the rest of the book exploring, for
this is what you need to know to make it in the half hour industry. Now
that you have at least a partial understanding of where sitcoms come
from, I can start showing you what makes them work and how you can
work in them. So, let‟s start giving you what you need as an actor or a
writer by taking a look at one of the most important aspects of half
hour comedy—Half Hour Technique or what I call, Finding the
Funny.
 CHAPTER
3
HALF HOUR TECHNIQUE
(FINDING THE FUNNY)
Okay, now that you have a solid grasp on the history of half hour
comedy, let‟s get you ready to do your part so that you can be the next
great sitcom actor.
Your job is twofold. One part is finding your character, which
we‟ll explore in the next section. But for right now, let‟s focus on
another important part of the job—half hour comedy technique. Let me say
right away that this comedy technique is different from any other
technique that you may have already learned as an actor. Just like any
other medium, half hour comedy has a rhythm and a structure that
needs to be followed, and as an actor or a writer, it is your responsibility
to be familiar with it before you step into a casting office or a writer‟s
room. So let me show you how you can go about Finding the r

RHYTHM
Comedy is all about the rhythm. The first time you read a comedic
piece, you instinctually hear a certain rhythm in your head. And for
those of you who watch a lot of sitcoms, you hear it loud and clear.
When reading a script or a scene, it is your job not only to hear the
rhythm of the piece that the writers intended, but also be able to
perform it exactly as the writers intended. Of course, all entertainment
writing has some kind of a rhythm, but for comedy to really work, there
is a specific kind of rhythm that you must hear and play to perfection.
One strategy to help you is to think of comedic writing as a good
song. What makes a good song? A good melody. The singer‟s job is to
follow the melody as composed. When it‟s sung right, you can tell it‟s
working. But when a novice singer strays from the melody, there‟s a
good chance they‟ll ruin the song. Believe it or not, sitcom writing is
the same way. If it‟s working, it is a beautiful (and hilarious) song. If it‟s
not, it‟s like nails on a chalkboard—or one of those painful auditions
on “American Idol.”
Just as an example, try singing “Happy Birthday,” changing the
notes in the melody of the song, such as going down on the “birth” and
up on the “day.” Sing it out loud. See, it simply doesn‟t work. The same
is true with half hour
writing.
COMMON “JOKE” TERMS Your job as an actor is
1) The callback to identify the rhythm (the
Sure all you actors know what a melody) in the script and
callback is in terms of auditioning. But in the then make it work. How do
sitcom world, it has another meaning. A you do that? By following
callback is a reference to a joke that happens the words, the punctua-
early in a show. That can mean repeating a tion, the timing and pace
big joke or simply referring to a piece of the and by hitting the jokes.
big joke in later jokes or physical actions. WORDS
2) The blow or the button The complexity and the
A blow or a button is the last joke in great attention to detail in
the scene. It can either be a piece of dialogue or sitcom writing is something
a physical action. You will most definitely find that actors new to comedy
them at the end of a scene right before a often take for granted. They
commercial break. That's because each and will add words, drop words
every comedic scene ends on a joke. The idea is or just paraphrase. Although
to keep the audience laughing so they’ll come there might be more
back after the commercial break. leniency in the world of
drama to play with the
dialogue (I don‟t recom-
mend it), it CANNOT be
done in half hour comedy. There is a simple rule to follow when
working with written half hour dialogue: DONT CHANGE A WORD!
And if you do change it, you better make it amazing—so amazing that
the writers are actually impressed with what you did. And I can tell you,
writers are an obsessive bunch, especially about their words. SO
DON‟T CHANGE A WORD!!
 Actors do this all the time, and sometimes they‟re not even aware
of it. They‟ll add words or “handles” as they‟re called in the industry,
thinking they‟re making the dialogue more conversational, when really
they‟re messing up the rhythm. The following are the most common
words actors will add to the beginning of a sentence:
Look
Listen
Like
Well
I mean
So
Or actors will end a sentence with “... you know?” Or “... okay?”
Or they will breathe heavy, they will throw in a sigh, a laugh, a chortle,
whatever. DON‟T DO THAT!
This is not about the writer‟s ego. It‟s about the words. The reason
the writing needs to be followed word perfect is because of comedy‟s
distinct and unique rhythm. And that comes partially from the words.
Make no mistake, no comedic actor could be funny if they didn‟t have
the words. Here‟s an example of how words make up the rhythm.
Please read the following out loud.
PAT: You're the smartest one.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

PAT: Yes you are.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

PAT: Yes, you are.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

(THEN)

PAT: You're right. You're not.

This example is a funny little bit. But what‟s true about it, is that
these words make up a certain rhythm. In this example, you can hear
the rhythm, can‟t you? You can hear how the words flow. These
specific
words are used by the writer to create this specific rhythm to make the
dialogue the funniest it can be. The words simply make it flow
smoothly. Now if we just add one word to this piece, let‟s see how it
changes the rhythm and disrupts the flow.
PAT: You're the smartest one.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

PAT: Yes you are.

KELLY: No, really I'm not.

PAT: Yes, you are.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

(THEN)

PAT: You're right. You're not.

Doesn‟t this just change everything? By simply adding the word
“really,” you have changed the rhythm of the piece. The piece no
longer flows as smoothly, and therefore, it isn‟t as fanny. You can‟t
change the words because you‟ll change the rhythm.
Now let‟s see what happens when we drop a word.
PAT: You're the smartest one.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

PAT: Yes you are.

KELLY: I'm not.

PAT: Yes, you are.

KELLY: No, I'm not.

(THEN)

PAT: You're right. You're not.

As with adding a word, dropping a word changes the rhythm com-
pletely. Comedy casting directors and writers say that changing,
adding or dropping words is one of their biggest pet peeves. Many
actors do it, not knowing how much time and effort went into plotting
out that specific dialogue to make for the best rhythm. Now you know.
DON‟T ADD, DROP OR CHANGE A WORD!!!

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS

Consonants are big in comedy, more specifically hard consonants. For
■whatever reason, hard consonants like the letter “K" help to create words that
simply sound funny when played out in half hour scripts. The letters “5,” “P,” “C”
and “T” have a similar effect. Check out this example from “Seinfeld" where
George Costanza (Jason Alexander) has something to say about Kramer's (Michael
Richards) latest adventure.
GEORGE: Kramer goes to a fantasy camp? His
whole life is a fantasy camp! People should
plunk down $2,000 to live like him for a
week. Sleep, do nothing, fall ass- backwards
into money, mooch food off your neighbors
and have sex without dating ~ THAT'S a
fantasy camp!
Notice the use of the “C” and “K" sounding words (Kramer.; camp, plunk,
week and ass-backwards)'' Even the choice to use the figure of $2,000 (with a “T”
sound) is done intentionally to help bring the most comedy to the dialogue.
Also, in order to make a half hour joke work, you often need to emphasize a
certain word or words in the set up and punchline. Sometimes the writer will let you
know the correct word to hit (or punch) by underlining it, italicizing it or putting it
in all caps. But mostly, it'll be up to you, the actor.; to identify and emphasize the
tight word (the operative word) to make the joke work. And even though it's you
who places the emphasis on the word, it’s important to let it always come from your
character.
Here's another example from an episode of “Seinfeld,” where Jerry (Jerry
Seinfeld) and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) are arguing over a lingering odor
in his car. See if you can guess what the operative words (or in this case, “letters')
are.
 ELAINE: Jerry, it's B.O.

JERRY: But the whole car smells.

ELAINE: So?

JERRY: So when somebody has B.O., the "0"

usually stays with the "B." Once the "B"
leaves, the "O" goes with it.

PUNCTUATION
Punctuation is something else new actors tend to ignore.
KELLY: Follow the punctuation.

PAT: Follow the ... punctuation?

KELLY: Yes. Follow the punctuation.

PAT: The punctuation, you want me to follow?

KELLY: Yes! FOLLOW THE PUNCTUATION!

Think of punctuation as your roadmap to the script. It helps you
merge into the flow of the dialogue smoothly—avoiding a traffic jam or
worse, a crash. Punctuation tells you when to stop, when to slow down,
when to question; everything you need to make the most out of the
words you‟re reading and to keep with the rhythm of the piece.
Let‟s start with the obvious, but still one that actors violate the
most. Periods. They are your stop signs, your red lights. When you see
one, you need to come to a complete stop. A period is not only the end
of a sentence, but also the end of a thought. As an actor, when you see
a period, stop talking (finish your thought). And then, with a new
thought, start the next sentence ... even if it‟s just a word or two.
Along the same lines is a comma, which can quite simply be
thought of as a pause (or a yield) in the middle of a sentence or a
thought, before continuing with the same thought. It is not a complete
stop like a period, but rather a place where a thought simply takes a
little break, a little pause.
 Ellipses ... are used to let a thought trail off... Many actors will
incorrectly use ellipses instead of periods, making their intention in that
dialogue weaker and less committed. Ellipses are used for exiting a
thought or as a sign for one actor to “cut off‟ another actor and interrupt
his or her thought... And that brings us to ...
Questions marks? That‟s right, question marks; which are only
used to ask a question. So don‟t put it at the end of a definitive sen-
tence. Many actors also inadvertently replace periods with a question
mark; which not only changes the intention of the line, but also makes
the actor sound hesitant and unsure. Also, question marks don‟t mean
that the actor has to put the inflection on the last word of the sentence.
(You know what I meAN?) Question marks are for inquiring and
questioning only. Got it?
Exclamation points! These are used in dialogue to show excite-
ment, anxiety, fear, joy or exasperation! The writer is simply asking you
to exclaim the thought, the sentence, the word. Shout it out! Get
excited! Punch it! Don‟t be hesitant! Now that doesn‟t mean going over
the top, but with the right thought and active intention behind it, a
good exclamation can be truthful and funny!
Also, a bolded word, an underlined word, an italicized word and a
word in ALL CAPS is a notation for you to emphasize that particular
word in your dialogue. The writer is putting a flag up and telling you
that there is a joke present. Whether the word is in the setup of the
joke or in the punchline, it is your job to find it and emphasize it in
order to keep the rhythm of the piece. Is that CLEAR?!
Look, I know this all might sound obvious, but punctuation IS an
area that can separate a well-trained actor who understands comedic
rhythm from one who thinks the words are merely a guide. Read this
example out loud and watch how the punctuation makes the scene
work.
PAT: You're the funniest.

KELLY: Really?

PAT: No. I just said that to make you feel

better.

KELLY: Oh. Thank you?

 In this example, you see that Pat is setting up Kelly for a fall. And
Kelly is falling for it. After Pat jabs Kelly, Kelly‟s confusion comes out
on the “Thank you?” The “Thank you?” implies that Kelly is unsure
and questioning Pat‟s intention. We know all of this because of the
question mark.
Changing or ignoring punctuation can mess up the rhythm as
much as adding or dropping words. Even worse, it can destroy the joke.
Sometimes changing punctuation changes the entire intention of a
scene. And that‟s disastrous. Now read this example again and take out
the question mark at the end. Watch how it changes the scene
completely.
PAT: You're the funniest.

KELLY: Really?

PAT: No. I just said that to make you feel

better.

KELLY: Oh. Thank you.

See how the rhythm shifts, the scene flattens and the intentions
for the character and the scene are completely changed? And it‟s less
funny. Here, let‟s try it again, this time taking out the period after “No”
and the period after “Oh” as well.
PAT: You're the funniest.

KELLY: Really?

PAT: No I just said that to make you feel

better.

KELLY: Oh thank you?

This doesn‟t work, does it? By not playing the periods, it makes
the thoughts run together, once again changing the intention, the
rhythm and the humor of the scene. “No” is a separate sentence. It
halts the dialogue for the joke and also sets up the next sentence—the
bigger joke. With no period after the “No” there is less bite in Pat‟s
response. The “Oh” is also a separate sentence that implies Kelly‟s con-
fusion. It also sets up the next sentence, the final joke (Thank you?).
 The timing changes if you don‟t follow the words and the punc-
tuation exactly as they are written. As another quick example, read this
bit and make sure you follow each and every period, comma, ellipsis
and question mark. In this example, Pat is showing Kelly a new
painting.
PAT: Do you love it? Do you like it?
(THEN) You hate it.

KELLY: No. I don't hate it. I think it's

... interesting.

PAT: Interesting?! Kelly, I'm an artist.

I'd rather have you hate it.

KELLY: Okay, I hate it.

Now read the following and look what happens to the rhythm and
the pacing if the punctuation gets changed around.
PAT: Do you love it? Do you like it?
(THEN) You hate it?

KELLY: No I don't hate it, I think it's

interesting.

PAT: Interesting. Kelly, I'm an artist

I'd rather have you hate it!

KELLY: Okay I hate it.

Ugh, what a mess! The timing, rhythm and intentions are com-
pletely off when its read this way and it‟s not funny. Just as I empha-
sized DON‟T CHANGE A WORD, I will once again emphasize
FOLLOW THE PUNCTUATION!
TIMING AND PACE
When you talk about rhythm, you must also talk about Comedic
Timing. Once again, part of it is innate. Some people have timing
down from the moment they are born just as there are those who have
a strong sense of rhythm. I think that Comedic Timing is a molecule
within the Funny Gene. If you have it, I can help you access it and hone
it. But first, you need to practice it.
 So let‟s assume you have an innate sense of timing. How can you
practice it and get it down? First of all, you need to watch situation
comedies and really listen for the various rhythms. Pay close attention
to the pace of the dialogue on shows like “Friends,” “Frasier,” “Will &
Grace” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” You need to acclimate
yourself to the rhythm, the unique pacing of situation comedy. Once
you‟ve heard it in your head, it will stay with you.
In addition, follow the words and the punctuation in a script. The
writers have pretty much done part of your job for you. As I said
earlier, they can hear the rhythm in their heads and they know how it‟s
supposed to sound. They put it down on paper and all you have to do is
follow it to the letter, staying committed to exactly what they write.
You will often hear acting coaches, directors and writers tell you to
do comedy “louder, faster and funnier.” And you should. Remember,
situation comedies are not written by Chekhov; they are not directed by
Ingmar Bergman. There are no long, unwanted pauses, no deep, dark
thoughts and no shots of a deer grazing in a meadow at dusk. Situation
comedies are written by COMEDY writers, directed by COMEDY
directors—people who understand how to tell a story in 22 minutes
with snappy dialogue, heightened characters, physical humor, quick cuts
and, let‟s not forget; witty; fast-paced jokes. That said, it‟s important
that you are able to find all of the jokes in each and every script. That
will prove to be a lot easier for you once you are familiar with the
concepts of:
The Turnaround AND Triplets
THE TURNAROUND
The Turnaround is a comedic technique that comedy writers
have used for years: in vaudeville, radio, comedy clubs, films and most
predominantly in half hour. Actually, I would say it is THE most used
technique for telling a joke on a sitcom. What I‟ve done is simply
identify it and name it. So what is The Turnaround?
 Essentially, The Turnaround is a type of joke that requires the
actor to say a line with a strong intention and then "turn around" and
say something completely opposite—and unexpected—with an equally
strong intention, thus getting a laugh.
The Turnaround is comprised of two very important elements.
The Conviction and The Contraviction. And yes, I‟m aware that
“contraviction” is not a word. But trust me, this is the best way to help
explain how to deliver this popular type of sitcom joke. I also think it‟s
important when talking to actors to use a word like “conviction,” which
instills in them that the words they speak and the actions they perform
have strong intentions behind them.
Here‟s an easy example to start with to practice this technique.
Next time you see your best friend, look at his or her shirt and say, with
great sincerity ...
I like your shirt. (THEN) But not on you.
This is a classic Turnaround joke and one that I always use in my
class. Let me break it down and show you how it works and why.
Line A: I like your shirt. — Conviction
(THEN) — (THEN)
Line B: But not on you. — Contraviction
Line A is said to your friend as a compliment and you say it with
sincerity: The Conviction. Line B is said to your friend as an insult and
so you say it with ridicule: The Contraviction. Once again, Line A you
say with conviction, and Line B with Contraviction, meaning you go
against (contrary to) what you just said with equal conviction. There is
something to be said about the comedic forces of positive and negative.
As you can see, Line A is a positive statement, and Line B is negative.
Line A: I like your shirt. — Conviction — Positive (THEN) —
(THEN) — (THEN)
Line B: But not on you. — Contraviction — Negative
 You put these together in any way and you have a joke. Here, let‟s
flip it around.
Line A: I hate your shirt. — Conviction — Negative (THEN) —
(THEN) — (THEN)
Line B: Can I borrow it? — Contraviction — Positive
See, it works the same way. Having a positive and negative flow
throughout a script not only gives us constant conflict, but it also
makes it funny. All Turnaround jokes are written positive-to-negative or
negative-to-positive (no matter how they‟re performed).
The Turnaround is also about the unexpected. Not only are these
two examples funny because you‟re going against what you just said,
but also because we, the audience, didn‟t expect it. We couldn‟t predict
it. We expected you to continue the thought pattern, following up your
initial positive line of dialogue with another positive line of dialogue or
vice versa.
In the Turnaround, between the Conviction / Contraviction,
stands the word THEN in parenthesis. What does (THEN) mean?
(THEN) is the bridge from the Conviction to the Contraviction. On
this bridge, you essentially go forward and then do a 180 degree turn
and go back. It is the point at which you (in your head) form a com-
pletely new thought. The (THEN) is the BEAT that needs to be taken
in order to “turn around” your thoughts.
Let‟s talk about the word BEAT, a word I‟m sure is familiar to
most of you actors. The word BEAT placed in parentheses in between
dialogue was most commonly used over the years and still is, but writ-
ers today seem to be spelling it out more clearly for the actors. It is
much more than a physical pause, waiting and holding before saying the
next line or performing the next action. There is a lot that happens in
that (BEAT). That‟s why many writers will now use (THEN), showing
how the thought, intention or attitude actually changes. You say this.
(THEN) You say that.
 In other words, say this piece of dialogue ...
I like your shirt.
(THEN) Take a beat to change your thought and say this piece
of dialogue.
But not on you.
On sitcom sets across Hollywood, directors will sometimes tell the
actor to “take a beat.” Beyond the physical aspect of holding for a beat,
the actor needs to interpret this direction as “what‟s the thought?”
during that physical hold. What the director is ultimately asking of you
is to hold for a second and then go even further with your thought OR
change your thought, thereby changing your intention and attitude. In
this example, it‟s important to understand that “I like your shirt” is one
thought and “But not on you” is a completely different thought. The
(THEN) is the bridge that takes you from one to the other.
Here‟s another example of a Turnaround joke. For this example,
let‟s say you‟re talking to two different employees: one you just hired
and one you‟re about to fire.
(Talking to new employee) You I see a future with.
(THEN)
(Talking to old employee) You can get lost.
What is your intention for each line? What are the thoughts con-
nected to them? What‟s the change in attitude? It seems like, at first,
you want to excite the new employee. (THEN) You want to crush the old
employee. Even though this piece of dialogue is being said to two
different people, it still follows the same rules as the line of dialogue
used earlier. With conviction, say the first line to excite the new
employee. (THEN) turn around and crush the old employee with an
entirely new thought (contraviction).
You I see a future with. — Conviction — Positive (THEN)
— (THEN) — (THEN)
You can get lost — Contraviction — Negative
 Now you‟re getting the hang of it. Sometimes, a Turnaround can
be broken up by another piece of dialogue, as in this example. Once
again, come up with a back story (this one is a little more obvious). This
scene takes place right outside Senator Murphy‟s office. The
receptionist has just introduced Tom to Senator Murphy‟s new intern.
What are Tom‟s intentions with both lines?
TOM: (To intern) Welcome aboard. Senator
Murphy is an honorable woman who only does
good for the people.

RECEPTIONIST: She's not in.

TOM: In that case, she's a conniving bitch

who only cares about herself.

I bet you‟ve seen this type of dialogue a million times in sitcoms.

Notice how sweet Tom is when he thinks that Senator Murphy is in her
office. (THEN) notice how he changes his tune the moment he realizes
she‟s not. The (THEN) is still there, but it‟s spawned from new
information via the receptionist. This changes Tom‟s thought so that
now he can say what he truly feels.
If you‟re really observant, you might also have noticed that this
Turnaround in the dialogue was actually broken up into three parts.
This is perhaps the second most common comedic technique writers
use in half hour scripts. It‟s a technique I call Triplets.

HOLD IT, HOLD IT! NOW!

When doing situation comedy, always hold for laughs. Remember that what
you're doing or saying is going to be funny (because you and the writers will make it
funny). So therefore, whether it's in class, at an audition or in front of a live studio
audience, you need to hold for the laugh. Know where the jokes are and be prepared
that the audience will laugh. What you need to do when you hear that laughter is
hold a moment, keeping the thought and intentions in place until the laughter dies
down and then deliver your next line. This way the audience doesn't miss anything.
TRIPLETS
Triplets are one of a half hour writer‟s most powerful weapons. It
is a great source of comedy and a technique that is used all the time.
The basic concept behind Triplets is that “comedy comes in threes.”
Things that happen in “threes” are just funny. As an actor, you need to
learn to recognize them in a script.
Triplets are everywhere in half hour comedy. You can find them in
words, phrases, dialogue from one character, spoken exchanges
between multiple characters and even in physical actions. For you the
actor, the first and most important thing you need to do is to be able to
hear it. For a moment, put aside intentions and motivations and let‟s
just listen to the rhythm of a Triplet. Here‟s an easy one to start with.
Say the next three words out loud and change the inflection UP on
the last word.
(3)
(1) (2) WRONG.
Right. Right.
Now, there is nothing really funny about these three words, but if
you go up on the inflection on the last one, it becomes different, out of
sync and therefore funny to anyone listening. The first two are done the
same way to set up the change of inflection on the third.
Now let‟s do it again. Say out loud the first two words the same
way, but put the inflection DOWN on the last word.

(1) (2)
Right. Right. (3)
WRONG.
By just looking at these words you can see the birth of a joke. It‟s
humorous simply because it reads odd or different. It‟s a simple but
effective joke. Here‟s another example for you to try. This time, all
three phrases are the same. But once again, say it out loud, changing the
inflection on the last phrase and following the punctuation.
 (1) (2) (3)
Oh my God. Oh my God. OH MY GOD!
There is nothing really funny about this phrase, but we decide to
twist it a little and change the inflection. If you merge that inflection
with a real honest intention, you‟ve got comedy. This happens all the
time in situation comedy.
The other reason the Triplet works is because of the predictability
factor (the unexpected I referred to in the Turnaround section). The
idea once again is that comedy simply works when it comes in threes. A
character will start saying a series of things that go together and you
think you know what‟s going to follow. Then suddenly the character
will say something totally unexpected. Here‟s an example.
In this brief bit of dialogue, picture a flight attendant talking to a
male passenger:
“Would you like coffee, tea or me?”
What we were predicting was something like soda, juice, whatever.
But the outcome was something totally unexpected. By simply replacing
the third or last word in a sentence with something unpredictable and
absurd, the line of dialogue and the scene becomes funny. How about
this one? Imagine two buddies planning a fishing trip. One of them
turns to the other and says ...
“Don‟t forget to bring your fishing rod, your tackle box,
and your pimple cream.”
Didn‟t expect that, did you? You expected him to say bait or lures
or wading boots, but certainly not pimple cream!
There are several ways in which a Triplet can work in sitcoms.
Most of the time the set up and the joke (punchline) will come in the
words, but there are also times when a physical activity can be part of
the Triplet. Either way, executing an effective Triplet requires great skill
and understanding from all parties involved. And that is what makes it
funny. Here are diagrams of three different kinds of Triplets (keep in
mind, a “Set up” or “JOKE” can be a word, a line of dialogue or a
physical action).
1) Classic Triplet:
Set up - Set up - JOKE
2) Extended Triplet:
Set up - Set up - Set up (THEN) JOKE
3) Over-Extended Triplet:
Set up - Set up - JOKE (THEN) BIGGER JOKE
You will see numerous examples of these Triplets in every sitcom
you watch and every half hour script you read. They also appear in
comedic films. Remember that these can be used in one character‟s
dialogue or between two or more characters. There are many ways to
play them, and by the end of this section, you‟ll be able to very clearly
identify them. But for now, let‟s take a look at each one and follow up
each one with an example from a classic show so you can see exactly
how they are used. First up ...
THE CLASSIC TRIPLET
The Classic Triplet once again is:
Set up - Set up - JOKE
Quite simply, the two pieces of dialogue or the physical actions at
the front of the Triplet are used to set up the joke on the third. This is
the most basic form of a Triplet and one that has been used for
decades. It‟s an easy and effective way to create comedy in any scene,
whether it‟s one person talking or two characters working together like
in this classic scene from the show “Taxi.”
In this scene, the offbeat Reverend Jim Ignatowski (Christopher
Lloyd) and Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway) are both taking a written
driving test and Jim needs some help.
JIM: Pssssttt ... what does the yellow light
mean?
BOBBY: "Slow down."

JIM: What ... does ... the ... yellow ...

light ... mean?
 Can you hear how it‟s played? Can you picture the actors doing it?
Let me break it down even further and show you why this is a Triplet.
JIM: Pssssttt ... what does the yellow light
mean? (SET UP)

BOBBY: "Slow down." (SET UP)

JIM: What ... does ... the ... yellow ...

light ... mean? (JOKE)

You can see how the writers are setting up this particular piece of
dialogue to hit a simple, yet effective joke on the third note. And when
you see these two skilled actors add their characters and commitment
to this dialogue, it makes for great comedy. Next up ...
THE EXTENDED TRIPLET
Once again, the basic layout of this Triplet is:
Set up - Set up - Set up (THEN) JOKE
The Extended Triplet works essentially the same way as the
Classic Triplet except there is another piece of dialogue (or physical
action) added to help set up the joke. There is also a (BEAT) or
(THEN) to help heighten the joke. This can be used in one character‟s
speech or between two or more characters, like in this scene from
“Roseanne” where Roseanne Conner is having a heart to heart talk
with her daughter Darlene (Sara Gilbert).
DARLENE: Were you a virgin when you married
Dad? (SET UP)

ROSEANNE: Yes I was! (SET UP)

DARLENE: Really? (SET UP)

(THEN)

ROSEANNE: Absolutely, I still am. (JOKE)

 By adding the extra piece of dialogue and the beat, the writers
allow for more interaction between characters and a bigger build up for
the joke, which Roseanne is able to pay off with her trademark sarcasm.
And finally ...
THE OVER-EXTENDED TRIPLET
Once again, the basic layout of this Triplet is:
Set up - Set up - JOKE (THEN) BIGGER JOKE
The Over-Extended Triplet might be the most fun Triplet to play
because it packs in more jokes and gives the audience a bigger laugh.
Once again the dialogue (or physical activity) is used to set up the joke,
but after you make the audience laugh with the payoff joke, you (or one
of your scene partners) get to make them go crazy by following the joke
up with an even bigger joke. There are some actors that have perfected
this kind of “payoff punch.” And one of them is Eric McCormack, with
his character Will Truman on “Will & Grace.” Check out this scene
where he‟s telling Grace (Debra Messing) why nobody wants to play
poker with her.
WILL: No one can stand playing with you.
You're bad. You get taco sauce all over the
cards and at this point you're down so much,
you're paying people in turquoise jewelry!
(THEN) And except for Larry, none of us want
it.
Let me break this down and show you how this works as an Over-
Extended Triplet.
No one can stand playing with you.
(SET UP)

You're bad. (SET UP)

You get taco sauce all over the cards and at

this point you're down so much, you're
paying people in turquoise jewelry!
(JOKE)
 (THEN)
And except for Larry, none of us want it.
(BIGGER JOKE)
All three of these Triplets are used over and over again in half
hour scripts. And actually, they can go even further than what I just
diagrammed for you. A well-trained comedic actor will use inflection to
help make the jokes even more effective. They will A) build up to the
joke; B) build down to the joke; C) build up, then down, then up to a
joke or; D) flatline a joke, keeping the inflection at the same level,
therefore doing it deadpan. For example, a Classic Triplet can read as
follows:
( 3)
JOKE
(2 )
Set up
(1)
Set up
OR
(1)
Set up
(2 )
Set up
( 3)
JOKE
OR
( 3)
JOKE
1
( )
Set up
(2) Set up
OR
(1) (2) (3)
(Deadpan) Set up Set up Joke
This layout can work for all three of the Triplets (the Classic, the
Extended and the Over-Extended) we just discussed. The use of
inflection can help in heightening the joke or the scene. Again, deciding
when to use inflection is based on many factors, including how your
character speaks, your intentions and thoughts, the pacing of the scene
and your interaction with other characters. But you need to know there
are several ways in which these Triplets can effectively be used.

STAY STILL!
When doing situation comedy, never, ever move on a joke, whether it is your
own or someone else’s. Never make any unnecessary movement* when a joke is in
play, unless specified in the stage directions (which may be done to help with a joke
or the rhythm of the piece). There should be no physical static. This includes
adjusting your wardrobe, playing with your hair, scratching your nose, stretching your
neck, waving your aims, tapping your thigh, shaking your leg, sighing or making
any “big” facial expressions (like rolling your eyes). Any extra movement will
distract from the joke and break up the rhythm of the piece.
Even though sitcoms are in a “heightened reality, ” and sitcom acting asks
you to be “louder, faster and funnier, ” that doesn’t mean you should face act or mug
(make over-animated or exaggerated facial movements). Many actors new to comedy
mistakenly think they can put their characterization on their face, thereby making
funny expressions to show their emotions.
To be funny, you need real intentions, thoughts and objectives, and you must
always have an honest, truthful character. If you don't have all of this in place, you
become a caricature. It might work for sketch comedy or improvisational acting, but
it doesn’t work for sitcoms. Also remember, you ’re on camera and not on stage, so
the audience will see everything you ’re doing with your face. There should be no bug-
eyed expressions, dancing eyebrows or wide-open mouth movements. Your face
shouldn’t be any more animated than it is in real life when you are telling an
exciting or funny story or a joke. Trust the dialogue, the jokes and your acting to
make you funny!
 Triplets can fall right in line with each other or they can be spread
throughout a piece of dialogue or a scene. It is important for you, the
actor, to be able to look at a script, identify the Triplets and then play
the joke.
When reading through a script, it is important for you to locate
ALL of these comedic techniques because they all play a part in the
rhythm of the piece. If you can identify them and you know how to
play them, it will go a long way toward landing you a role on a sitcom.
Equally important, you must watch sitcoms. Watching sitcoms
(especially when you‟re familiar with comedic techniques and The Eight
Characters of Comedy) will put you a step closer to becoming a
successful sitcom actor.
You need to tape or TiVo your favorite shows and watch them
first for pure entertainment value. Go ahead, laugh and lose yourself in
the show. Then watch them again, this time as an objective observer, a
researcher, a student of comedy. Pay attention to the rhythm and the
pace, identify the Triplets and Turnarounds (Conviction /
Contravictions) and don‟t be afraid to hit the pause button and practice
those jokes OUT LOUD! Yes, practice them out loud in your living
room (you‟re an actor, you can get away with it).
You need to recognize how half hour scripts will differ from
scripts from any other medium. Simply put, it is your job to take that
half hour script and make it louder, faster and funnier. That‟s what
makes half hour comedies work. You need to follow the punctuation,
recognize the key words and hear the rhythm and pace in your head.
You need to be a bold performer with confidence in your comedic
abilities, as well as the scene you‟re playing. You need to be fast and
articulate, keeping up with the quick-paced, snappy dialogue and action
that makes comedies so much fun to watch. You need to be funny in
your delivery and in the dialogue you‟re playing. And you need to do all
this while staying connected and true to your character‟s wants,
obstacles, intentions and emotional life. And to help you do that, let me
introduce you to my Acting Technique-WOFAIM.
YOUR COMEDIC TOOLBOX
Tool # 1: Sarcasm - The most commonly used tool in the comedic toolbox,
sarcasm, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is “a cruelly humorous statement or
remark made with the intention of injuring the self-respect of the person to whom it
is addressed, usually by drawing attention to one of his weaknesses and often
associated with irony. ” In the comedic world, almost all characters use this tool for
just that reason—to ridicule, to mock, to put people in their place or even to make
fun of themselves. Think Audrey Meadows, Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne and Matthew
Perry respectively.
Tool #2: Verbal jokes - Other techniques half hour writers use to make verbal
jokes include alliteration, puns, funny-sounding words (think of the “K” sounds),
words that are difficult to pronounce, foreign languages and words that are purposely
mispronounced or misused ... a malapropism. Watch Bronson Pinchot as Balki,
Wilmer Vladeirama as Fez and Carroll O'Connor as Archie.
Tool #3: The Spit Take - A spit take occurs when a character takes a drink
just as they hear something outrageous, causing them to “spit” out the liquid in an
exaggerated way. Watch John Ritter or Michael Richards.
Tool #4: Double Take - A double take occurs when a character looks at
something, doesn't process it, looks away and then whips his head back and sees it
for what it really is and reacts accordingly. Think of the actors playing “mortals” on
“Bewitched “Did I just see what I think I saw?”
Tool #5: Slow Burn - A slow bum occurs when a character hears another
character say something ridiculous and s-l-o-w-l-y turns their head, giving them an
incredulous look. Two words, Bea Arthur.
Tool #6: Prat Fall - A pratfall occurs when character's stumble over a piece of
furniture, slip on a banana peel, fall off a ladder or trip on their own two feet, to
name a few. Watch the “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
Tool #7: Sight Gags - A sight gag occurs when a physical object in a scene
becomes part: of the humor, like something blowing up, something breaking or
something catching on fire. Or it occurs when a character relies on physical reactions
to something happening in a scene, like making a face—be it surprised, shocked, etc.
Lucy, Lucy, Lucy
 CHAPTER
4
ACTING TECHNIQUE
Although this isn‟t a traditional acting book, it is still important to
remember your acting foundation. As you have learned, comedy comes
from drama, and therefore, to do comedy, you need to always
remember your basic acting techniques.
If you haven‟t taken basic acting classes, I would suggest that you
do so before you take my sitcom acting class. It is important for all
actors to familiarize themselves with techniques like relaxation, sense
memory, moment to moment and personal substitution. It‟s important that you
as an actor study the lessons of the masters like Stanislavski, Lee
Strasberg, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen and Sanford Meisner. These will
help you secure a solid acting foundation that is vital for half hour
comedy.
In my class, I have students who have developed a strong acting
foundation, either by studying at my studio or with the many great
acting coaches in L.A. and New York or by attending some formal act-
ing program. But when they start acting in a comedic scene, they will
focus so much on the character, the comedy technique and the jokes
they‟re delivering that they forget about their acting foundation. They
will forget that there is a want, obstacle, emotions, intentions and
history behind the funny thing they are saying and the situation they‟re
in.
To truly make comedy work, you cannot forget your acting tech-
nique. I always tell my classes that to do comedy, you need to merge
your acting technique, your comedic technique and a solid character.
When all three of these are in harmony with each other within an actor,
the result is great comedy.
So since this book focuses so much on the comedic technique and
the character, I decided to just give you a reminder of your acting
foundation. It is a simple audition technique I developed to help actors
remember their acting basics when approaching a scene in class, an
audition or a cold read. So let me show you how to “WOFAIM It.”
 WOFAIM is an acronym that encompasses basic acting tech-
niques. It is a tool that an actor can use to examine, breakdown and
personalize any audition material in less than ten minutes. It can also be
used for breaking down scenes in class or even script work if you get a
regular job on a series. I am proud to say that many of my actors who
work regularly have told me that the WOFAIM method has been
extremely helpful in auditions and in their careers. If you learn it and
practice it, WOFAIM will give you a head start on any type of reading.
WOFAIM stands for:
Want Obstacle
Feeling As If
Intentions
Moment Before
These are all questions you should ask yourself when first reading
a scene or sides for class or an audition. Let me break it down even
more. Keep in mind, when I say “you,” I mean your character.
Want - What do you want? What is your immediate want in the scene?
What is your objective?
Obstacle - What is the obstacle in the scene that‟s stopping you from
getting what you want?
Feeling - What are the feelings (emotions) you explore in the scene?
As If - What is your personal substitution? How do you the actor relate
to the experience of the character and their want? This can come from
either your past or your present. Or open up your heart and mind and
use your greatest gift, your imagination. As if I what}
Intentions - Active verbs. What are the active intentions you use in the
scene to get what you want? What are your tactics?
Moment Before - What is the logistical moment before and the
emotional moment before? What is happening to you physically and
emotionally before the scene begins? Where are you coming from?
 Ask yourself all of these questions when approaching a scene and
it will automatically give you a back story, emotions, intentions and
most important, depth to your character. It gets you going before the
scene even begins.
I‟m going to break down a scene for you and show you exactly
how you can use WOFAIM in your work.
EXAMPLE: In this scene, you (your character) want to borrow $300
from your father for acting class. But your father doesn‟t want to give
you the money. He thinks that an acting career is a “waste of time.”
You need that $300 because you know this acting class will not only
help you become a better actor but will also help get you the next job.
Plus, your agent insists you study with this coach. To make matters
worse, the class starts this Monday.
What do you Want? You want your dad to give you $300.
What is the Obstacle? Your dad won‟t give you the money.
What are you Feeling? Anxious, nervous, frustrated.
What is your As If (personal substitution)? Well, maybe as an
actor, you could identify with this. Has this happened to you in your
past? Is this happening NOW? Or maybe you‟ve never experienced it.
In that case, you need to use your imagination. Remember the time that
you needed to borrow your roommate‟s car to get to an audition and he
said “No?” Remember when you needed to borrow your friend‟s Prada
shoes for a hot date and she said “No way?” Essentially, remember a
time when you needed something so badly and couldn‟t get it. Either
way you need to personally identify with the character‟s situation, want,
obstacles, feelings and intentions.
What are your Intentions? What active intentions are you using to
get your dad to give you $300? What are your tactics? Here are just a
few you could use. You could try to convince, to persuade, to charm, to
manipulate, to beg. Any of these could work.
What is your Moment Before? Remember this is broken down
into two parts. What is your logistical moment before? Let‟s say you‟re
outside the door of your father‟s study or house and you‟re
about to enter. What is your emotional moment before? Well, you are
full of anxiety and you‟re pumping yourself up, trying to build up your
courage and overcome your nerves.
Add “stakes” to all of this. I tell my students to look at three levels
of stakes if they can. It will make the character and his or her wants
deeper. In this case, the stakes are: that you need the money because
you don‟t have it and you need it by Monday. The higher stakes are: that
this money could get you into a class that could get you a job and will
satisfy your agent. The highest stakes are: if you get the money, get into
class and get an acting gig, you might finally be able to prove to your
father that acting is not a
PRIVATE EYE METHOD “waste of time.”
FOR SCRIPT ANALYSIS And finally, remember
your “thoughts.” I‟ve talked a
Ask yourself these questions when
lot about it in comedy
looking at a script or sides:
technique and you‟ll read more
• How does the scene begin? about it in The Eight
• Who are you? Characters of Comedy chapters,
• What's your history? but as a general note,
• Who are the other characters “thoughts” are extremely
involved (in the scene)? important. They are basically
• What is the time and place? silent thoughts, your subtext,
• What are your current your inner dialogue, what your
circumstances? character is actually thinking.
• What is the arc of your character In this example, what are
and the arc of the scene? you thinking before the scene
• How does the scene end? with your father begins? What
is the thought before you start
your dialogue? If you have a good thought that matches your character‟s
intention, it will help you “rev the engine” and come into the scene
strong.
Also, what is the thought during the dialogue? Is it the same as
what‟s written? In this scene, the dialogue might read, “Dad, please can
I borrow the money,” but what you might be thinking is “You owe it to
me, dammit!” What thoughts might your character be thinking that he
or she can‟t say? Also, why are you saying what you‟re saying?
 Okay, before we get too heady, let me just remind you that all of
this should be done as your homework, whether you get the scene
days or moments ahead of time. Answer these questions and
WOFAIM a script to the best of your ability with the time you have
before your read, and then go into the audition and leave your home-
work at home, so to speak. Trust that you‟ve done the homework and
you KNOW the character‟s wants, obstacles, feelings, intentions, etc.
Keep all of this with you, stay in the moment and have some fun.
Now that you know about comedic technique and how to
WOFAIM a script (audition technique), let me give you the four most
important things you need to remember when doing situation come-
dy, what I call The Four C’s of Comedy.

AUDITIONING
Here are a few helpful hints for auditioning:
• Be prepared and do all of your homework. That means breaking down the
comedy script and “Finding the Funny. ” WOFAIM it and memorize it as
best you can (if you’ve worked on your sides long enough, you '11 naturally
memorize it).
• Leave your homework at home.
• Dress like the character would dress, but don V ever wear a costume.
• BE ON TIME!
• Don 't “chat up the waiting room. ” Use this time to prepare mentally,
emotionally and physically for your audition rather than chatting with the other
actors. Don V psyche yourself out and don’t let others psyche you out either.
Stay focused.
• Walk in to the casting room with a good attitude, not desperate to get the job.
• Be friendly and charming with the people in the room, but don't talk too much.
A nervous actor will ramble on and end up with his foot in
his mouth.
• Your script is your best friend. Be off book, but hold it in your hand.
Don’t rumple it, roll it up or shove it in your back pocket.
• Make eye contact with your reader, but don't stare him or her down.
 • Be confident and have fun. Know that this is your time—you were asked
to audition and you've earned the right to be there. So enjoy it, because if you're
having fun, the casting director will have fun.
• If you feel like you're off to a bad start, politely ask the casting director if you
can start again. But if you're midway through, refocus and finish the job.
• After your audition, you can sometimes ask (if it feels right), “Is there anything
else you'd like to see?" If the answer is “No, "you say “Thank you" and leave
with a smile. Even if you think it didn't go well, don't leave the audition
looking defeated.
• Whether your audition was good or bad, the only question to ask yourself is
“Did I do my best?" Then, forget about it. Learn from your mistakes, pat
yourself on the back and get ready for the next one. Auditioning is like
“catching a bus." If you don’t get this one, you 7/ get the next one.
• Always stay positive. Auditioning is an opportunity to act. And if you love to
act, then you need to learn to enjoy the experience.
Here's an extra tip. Sometimes, the walls at casting offices are so thin you can
hear the actor before you auditioning. Don't listen! Focus on your own sides, your
own role, your own “job. ” Move away from the door, if possible. If you hear
laughter coming from the audition room, don't get discouraged and say something
negative to yourself (or anyone else in earshot) like, “I'll never be able to follow
THAT."
Instead, think positive like, “Good, they're warming up the casting room for
me. ” Go to any live taping of a sitcom and there will always be a warm-up act
(most likely, a stand-up comic) whose main purpose is to loosen up the crowd and
get the audience laughing. Therefore, use the actor auditioning before you as your
warm-up act.
 CHAPTER
5
THE FOUR C’s OF COMEDY
As an actor or writer approaching a half hour script, always
remember these Four C‟s of Comedy.
1) Conflict:
Conflict is everything. Without conflict, there is no comedy,
because without conflict, there is no drama. Remember, comedy comes
from drama (which comes from pain).
And in any good drama, we must have conflict—two opposing
sides, two opposing personalities, two opposing philosophies, two
opposing cultures. And we LOVE watching this conflict. Just turn on
TV and watch any show, be it a crime drama, a reality show or even a
game show and there will either be conflict or it will be boring.
The same is true for sitcoms, except the conflict is simply written
to be humorous. In order for a sitcom to work, it needs conflict not
just in the storylines, but also with characters. Characters can have
conflict with other characters (how many story lines revolve around
polar opposites falling for each other?). They can have conflict with
themselves (how do I ask this guy or girl out?), with an idea (how do I
get rich quick?!), an evil thought, a machine, an animal, anything. But
for good comedy, you need to have conflict.
2) Comedic technique:
After reading a script a few times, it is your job to “Find the
Funny” in the piece. Always remember your technique. As I said,
comedy is like a musical score. First you need to hear the music in your
head the way the writers intended it, and then you need to implement
the comedic technique.
You need to identify the Triplets, The Turnarounds, the “K”
sounds, the beats, blows, rhythm—everything that has to do with half
hour comedy technique. As I stressed in the last section, it is imperative
for half hour comedy to have a sense of rhythm and a sense of
flow. Following this comedic technique will not only help you hear it,
but also perform it. Beyond the jokes, this includes not adding lines,
not dropping lines, following punctuation and keeping the pace.
Remember, this comedic technique is formulaic in nature and it is a
formula that has stood the test of time.
3) Commitment:
What makes the techniques funny or the conflict real?
Commitment. This means, as an actor, you need to be 100 percent
committed to the dialogue, the physical actions, the jokes, the tech-
nique and, especially, the characters. It takes just as much commitment
to do comedy as it does to do drama, perhaps even more so.
It is the new actor to comedy that will have that smile in their
eyes, that look on their face that says, “I know I‟m being funny.” Or
they will laugh at their partner‟s joke. Or even worse, they will laugh at
their own joke, making it less believable and less funny for us to watch.
Check out the great sitcom actors and you will see a committed
actor at work. Just think of how committed Lisa Kudrow is to Phoebe‟s
eccentric behavior or how Jackie Gleason is committed to Ralph‟s
money-making schemes, how Kim Cattrall is committed to Samantha‟s
unquenched thirst for sex or how Rhea Perlman is committed to
Carla‟s condescending one-liners.
Commitment is vital in the world of half hour comedy, especially
when it comes to your character.
4) Character:
So now we get to the heart of the book and what I think is the
most essential ingredient in half hour comedy—character. The great
sitcom actors and writers create living, breathing characters with a life, a
history and a personality all their own. And they stay committed to that
character whether it‟s for 22 minutes or ten seasons. It is this
commitment that makes us fall in love with the likes of Joey, Kramer,
Frasier, Lucy, Archie, Jack and Karen, etc.
In the rest of this book, I will focus on character. I will help you
identify and recognize characters within yourself and then teach you
how to play them with the same kind of commitment as many of yes-
terday and today‟s wonderful actors.
 CHAPTER
6
THE CHARACTERS
As I mentioned at the end of the last section, the development of
a character and the commitment to that character is just as vital to half
hour comedy as the technique and the rhythm of the delivery, maybe
even more important. Think of how incredibly fanny Matt LeBlanc‟s
sweetly naive portrayal of Joey is, or Lucille Ball‟s complete commit-
ment to being a lovable dreamer as Lucy or Michael Richards‟
authentic zaniness as Kramer. We believe that these are real characters
because of the truth, depth, history and commitment the actors and the
writers bring to them.
That said, as an actor you need to know who you‟re playing just as
much as how to play it and you need to know how to make it real. Not
to worry, there are characters you can use that have been built over the
years that have worked for many, many sitcoms. Much like how the
jokes in half hour writing are formulaic and rhythmic in nature, these
characters date back to the beginnings of sitcom television. It‟s not that
these are character stereotypes, but rather character archetypes with
specific personality traits that enable the actors playing them to reach
their fullest comedic potential.
Each actor and writer will have a different take on these charac-
ters, but to make them work, you need to know what makes them tick.
You need to have a full understanding of who these characters were
growing up, who they are today and why they are the way they are. And
most important, you need to figure out how you can use these
characters to “Find the Funny.”
In the next eight chapters (or episodes as I call them), I will break
down each of these characters for you, giving you specific examples of
sitcom actors that fit the various models. I will also show you how to
identify them and how to play them. I will provide you with a list of
defining traits that each of these eight characters have that you can use
in your acting. And then I will show you how to figure out which char-
acters will help you build your own personal niche in half hour comedy.
 I often think of my classes as their own sitcom. Each class has a
host of comedic actors who bring their own individuality and originality
to the class or “the story” week after week. It amazes me to see how
these actors pick up these different characters I am about to show you,
how some fit so naturally for them, how they can bring the comedy
once they figure out who they are and how entertaining “the show” can
be.
So, without further ado, let‟s roll the credits, play our theme music
and bring you into my show: eight episodes of a hilarious sitcom with
laughs, conflicts, twists and turns and characters you‟ll grow to love and
love to play. Let me introduce to you my sitcom entitled ...
 The Eight Characters of
Comedy
By
Scott Sedita

Current Revision 2006

Scott Sedita
C/O Hasenfeffer Incorporated
227 Wisteria Lane Springfield,
USA Planet Ork (555) 555-55
Episode 1. The Logical Smart One

Episode 2. The Lovable Loser

Episode 3. The Neurotic

Episode 4. The Dumb One

Episode 5. The Bitch / Bastard

Episode 6. The Womanizer/Manizer

Episode 7. The Materialistic One

Episode 8. In Their Own Universe