The Fife factor
What makes a great TV character?By Julia Keller
Tribune cultural critic
Published March 1, 2006
Barney, we hardly knew ye.
Oh, but we thought we did, didn't we? We snickered at your antics on "The Andy Griffith Show," guffawed at your pomposity and pridefulness. We loved it when you landed in hot water. Enjoyed to the utmost the zany scrapes to which your shenanigans invariably led.
Yet it took the recent death of Don Knotts -- that brilliant beanpole of an actor who portrayed Fife for five seasons (1960-65) and in guest appearances thereafter -- to wake us up to a luminous truth:
Barney Fife is one of the great TV characters of all time.
(Read full version here. Registration required. I think.)
How dare she? However, it is nice to know that such individuals as Julia Keller read my blog. Next time, just give me credit, okay Julia? Now let's put this behind us.
Yesterday, I had a job interview with a great company for a position I actually want! What a concept!
Tonight at Senate rehearsal, we did a lot of object work, which for some reason involved creating a torture chamber, complete with an iron maiden (not the band) and flesh-eating ducks. Then we were ninjas and killed each other in slow motion!
Tomorrow, I get professional headshots taken! What am I going to wear?! AHH!!
Life is fun!
1 comment:
So Headshots, eh? Here's what I think (that's a warning phrase if ever you head one):
Pirates are the big thing in Comedy these days. Everyone like Pirates. Everyone gets headshots with pirate garb. You should go the other way: Dress like a British Admiral. You can be known as Lord Ryder, Admiral of the Red. Your avowed goal as an improver can be to eliminate the scourge of pirate comedy from Seven Improv Seas. It'll be a running gag with your troop! At parties, ladies will flock to you, thinking you're British. There's no reason to tell them otherwise!
Congrats on getting into a cool troop, by the by.
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