Modified On June 11, 2009
Flint, MI, comedian/radio host Rusty Thomas hipped us to the Wikipedia entry on the term “Deadpan,” because there at the bottom, under the heading of “Notable Deadpan Comedians,” is none other than “Brian McKim, American stand-up comedian and writer.”
Listed first, no less!
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or facial expression, usually speaking in a monotonous manner.
Etymology
The term “deadpan” first emerged as an adjective or adverb in the 1920s, as a compound word combining “dead” and “pan” (a slang term for the face). It was first recorded as a noun in Vanity Fair in 1927; a dead pan was thus ‘a face or facial expression displaying no emotion, animation, or humor’. The verb deadpan ‘to speak, act, or utter in a deadpan manner; to maintain a dead pan’ rose in the early 40s, it stems from journalism rather than theatre. Today its use is especially common in humor from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is also very much appreciated in France, South Africa and Finland.
We love the fact that, among those countries where deadpan “is especially common in humor,” the United States of America is not listed… which might explain why The Male Half is working only Friday (and not Saturday) this weekend.
We’re thrilled that, further down the list, is Todd Barry, Mitch Hedberg, Bob Newhart, Steven Wright and Jackie Vernon! Pretty good company!
All these years, The Male Half has had to struggle against the “low energy” rap. This was laid on him by ignorant club owners and clueless bookers. It’s “deadpan,” you morons!