ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Character comedy

Hello there! Today I'm going to explain character comedy, which is a type of comedy where the performer creates a character and embodies that character through their actions, words, and mannerisms to create humor.

Imagine you and your friends like to play superheroes, and you all put on a costume to become your favorite superhero. Now, imagine that you have to become your superhero, do things that your superhero does, and say things that your superhero says to get your friends to laugh. This is what a person does in character comedy.

A performer may create a funny character like a silly clown, a grumpy old man, or a cheery fairy. Once they have chosen their character, they will start to act out as the character. They may change the tone of their voice, use exaggerated gestures, or even do silly movements or facial expressions to emphasize their character's personality. All of these make the character look funny and absurd, which is the goal of character comedy.

The audience usually accompanies the performer on their journey and finds their character so amusing that they can't help but laugh.

A famous character comedian you might have heard of is Jim Carrey. He has performed characters like Ace Ventura, The Grinch, and Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber. These characters have distinct personalities which make them memorable, relatable, and funny.

So, in conclusion, character comedy is when a performer creates a funny character and then behaves and speaks as if they are that character to make their audience laugh.