Talk:Physical comedy

"Clownesk"

"...is very rarely subtle, but a clownesk exploitation of the most primordial medium..."

What is "clownesk" ? Googling this word seems to only turn up some Scandinavian hits, and not much else. Did the author instead intend to use "clownesque" here? Dxco 04:17, 16 October 2005 (UTC)[reply]

This is a good catch. This is a clear error and I would like to suggest that the word in question be changed to reflect the appropriate spelling. Battergarrote 04:41, 29 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I think the write meant 'clownesque', which is still not a word. I've fixed it. Proto::► 15:42, 8 January 2007 (UTC)''''''''''''''''''''''''[reply]

Example list

Rob Petrie, Chuck Parker, Ace Ventura, Cosmo Kramer, Screech Powers and Steve Urkel aren't comedians; they're characters played by comedians. And why do some of the names on the list need to have specific characters listed at all? It's not as though Rob Petrie is the only character Dick Van Dyke ever played using physical comedy (and likewise for most of the others). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.63.104.94 (talk) 03:16, 4 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Merge proposal

I propose this article to be merged with the Slapstick article. There are a lot of information on this article that is much the same in the slapstic artible, and hence rebundant. In my opinion, the two articles will be more informative and detailed when merged. Please tell me what you people think.222.103.153.211 (talk) 10:35, 25 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I disagree. I think that slapstick is a subset of physical humor, centered around violence. I can see why you would suggest the merge, seeing as this article only talks about violent aspects of physical comedy. But the genre is deeper than that (consider the work of Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer). Instead I think this article needs to be fleshed out. 128.226.119.169 (talk) 17:28, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I also disagree. Strongly! Slapstick historically refers to comic violence, and it should be the goal of an encyclopedia to retain these distinctions. The original slapstick, which dates back at least to the commedia dell arte, was a device intended to create maximum noise with minimal striking force: two slats of wood are hinged at one end so that when its trajectory is halted on or near the victim's body, the back slat strikes the front slat, creating a loud smacking sound.

Physical comedy is a broad term that encompasses the predominance of movement in creating laughs — thus "a silly face", one of the three characteristics mentioned in this article, does not belong as a defining term. The term 'Physical comedy" can be equally applied to some or most of the work of Pilobolus, Bill Irwin, Marcel Marceau, Buster Keaton, and Jacques Tati. Very little mock violence in their work.

Overall this is a weak article. Yes, I should shut up and try to improve it!

— John Towsen author, Clowns: A Panoramic History (1976) My Blog: All Fall Down: The Craft and Art of Physical Comedy physicalcomedy.blogspot.com — Preceding unsigned comment added by Towsen (talk • contribs) 01:33, 20 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Pratfalls

How can an entry on pratfalls (among other topics) omit Chevy Chase? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.193.171.216 (talk) 20:55, 29 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]