in their own universe

8/13/2019 In Their Own Universe

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EPISODE

8IN THEIR OWN UNIVERSE TEASER: “I’M OUT THERE AND I’M LOVIN’ EVERY

MINUTE OF IT!”

FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NEW YORK APT. - EVENING We open with a wild-looking man with crazy hair, a cigar in his mouth

and a Hawaiian shirt bursting through the door, doing a twist and bringingforth a roar from the studio audience.Looking back on the brilliantly written “Seinfeld,” most devotees

think of a particular episode or two with a chuckle and say, “Rememberthe one ...” and then spin off into their interpretation of the lunacy thatseries showcased every week. More often than not, many of the classicmoments involve Mr. Cosmo Kramer, played hysterically by MichaelRichards.

Remember the one where Kramer was convinced there was a “pigman” at the hospital that the government was experimenting on, and hetried to rescue him?

Remember the one when Kramer bought a chicken to live in hisapartment so he could have “cage-free, farm-fresh eggs?”Remember the one where Kramer invented “The Bro,” his bra for

men? And maybe the best of all, remember the one when Kramer worked

as an extra on a movie, got the acting bug and decided to move toCalifornia?

GEORGE COSTANZA: You're really moving to

California?

KRAMER: (Points to his head) Up here, I'm

already gone.



That about sums it up for this eccentric character that made us laugh week after week (and still does in syndication). Kramer, more than anyother character on that show, embodies the wackiness that is “Seinfeld.”He is always coming up with strange ideas that seem to come out of leftfield, yet make perfect sense to him. He is constantly in awe and

wonderment of the world that surrounds him, even if it is a world only hesees. He constantly gives Jerry fuel for his sarcastic observations. Hedresses odd, he looks odd, he IS odd. And he makes us laugh. No, hemakes us guffaw, especially when he enters a room, because you neverknow where he’s coming from. But we know it’s somewhere unusual. Weknow that because Kramer is In His Own Universe.

ACT ONE WHO IS IN THEIR OWN UNIVERSE? The In Their Own Universe (ITOU) characters are some of the

weirdest, edgiest and funniest characters of all time, mainly because theyare allowed to do and say almost anything and everything. They are theones that amuse us simply by talking because it very rarely makes any senseat all to us rational viewers. They have an unedited stream ofconsciousness. They are “free-wheeling” on what they believe, what theydo and how they do it. That makes them unpredictable and a lot of fun.

And let me remind you, the “unpredictable” often breeds good comedy. And there have been some great actors who have won critical praise,

Emmy awards and fat paychecks doing just that. I want to start with

probably the best of the females that embody this ITOU character.PHOEBE: Phoebe. That's, P, as in Phoebe, H,

as in heobe, 0 as in oebe, E, as in ebe, B,

as in bebe, and E as in ... 'Elio there

mate.

That interesting little spelling of her name pretty much sums up where Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) is coming from; which is ... I have noidea! Nobody does and that’s what makes her and the show “Friends” soincredibly funny.



Like many of the other characters, the ITOU is primarily used as asupporting character to provide that instant comedic relief, much in thesame way as The Dumb One. They often start out as a minor characterthat just appears from time to time to say or do something crazy, either tohelp introduce a new plot line or to give viewers a break from an existingplot line.

However, such as in the case of “Seinfeld” and “Friends,” thesecharacters tend to develop quite a following rather quickly. They become“break-out” characters. Therefore, they find themselves becoming moreimportant to bigger storylines. Whenever the ITOU opens his or hermouth, walks into a room or gets involved in a scene, you never know

what’s going to happen next (and neither do the other characters), and thatkeeps the ITOU character and the show fresh and exciting. Becausecomedy comes from the unpredictable, this is a character that can always befunny.

There are a number of ways the ITOU characters are portrayed. Firstof all, there are some characters that literally come from another universe, like

ALF, Mork (Robin Williams) from “Mork & Mindy,” Uncle Martin (Ray Walston) from “My Favorite Martian” or from another time like Jeannie(Barbara Eden) from “I Dream of Jeannie” or another dimension like AuntClara (Marion Lorne) from “Bewitched.” Or they come from a non-specific far off land, like Latka (Andy Kaufman) from “Taxi,” Balki(Bronson Pinchot) from “Perfect Strangers” or Fez (Wilmer Valderrama)from “That ‘70s Show.”

These characters are literally from a different place so they often clash with what we consider a normal society. They have different cultural values, a different set of principles and a different frame of reference, evendifferent sayings. But all of it makes sense to them.

BALKI: You may call it intuition. You may

call it common sense. You may call the wind

Mariah.

Then there are some characters like Kramer and Phoebe that comefrom a place I call “ Cloud Nine. ” While they’re from Earth, they were born

odd and have carried it into adulthood, like Jim (Christopher Lloyd) from“Taxi,” Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David Lander) from“Laverne & Shirley” or new cult heroes



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Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) and Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) from“Will & Grace.”

And then there are entire casts that are In Their Own Universe, likethe witches and warlocks on “Bewitched,” the ghouls on “The AddamsFamily” the monsters on “The Munsters” and the hayseeds on “TheBeverly Hillbillies” and “Green Acres.” And then of course, there is oneshow that features a cast In Their Own Universe from their own universe, thealiens on “3rd Rock From The Sun.”

All these sitcoms feature a fish out of water concept that makes them very successful. Most stars of these shows could all fit into the ITOUcategory, but we know that wouldn’t work, right? There would be noconflict. So what the writers do is make sure that while the show has anoverall ITOU feel, the characters are specifically defined as one of the other Eight Characters of Comedy.

Think of “3rd Rock From the Sun.” The entire Solomon family isfrom another universe, and most of the humor on the show revolvesaround them trying to adapt to life on Earth. Still, they each take on aspecific character. Dick 0ohn Lithgow) is The Dumb One. Sally (Kristen

Johnston) is The Manizer. Tommy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is The LogicalSmart One and Harry (French Stewart) is ... well, he’s In His OwnUniverse. He’s a rare character that is In His Own Universe in his ownuniverse. As an example, here’s Harry doing something “normal,” likelooking for a job in the newspaper.

HARRY: Here's a job that I can do! "Police

are seeking third gunman." Tomorrow, I'm

gonna march over to the police station and

show them that I'm the man they're looking

for.

Harry is simply an oddball that comes up with weird schemes, hair-brained ideas and his own way of looking at the world, just like any and allother ITOU characters. And this is what makes the ITOU character greatto watch, exciting to write and fun to play. We can’t wait to see whatthey’re going to say or do next. These are the most dangerously exciting,

unpredictable and interesting of characters, and they have become almost astaple for new shows, which means there are a lot of opportunities foractors looking to tackle this challenging role.



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What planet are you from?

Those that are In Their Own Universe (especially the Cloud NineITOUs) have been that way since the day they were born. Nobody can reallytell why this happens or where they are coming from. They just are simplydifferent (except they don’t think they’re different). From Jim to Kramer toPhoebe, they just tend to look at things differently than most other people andthey always have, since the day they were born (or the day their spaceshipdropped them off here). For a great kid example, check out Dewey (Erik PerSullivan) on “Malcolm in the Middle.”

DEWEY: (Explaining with conviction why he got

home late) And then the monster started

growling at me. So I threw rocks at him and I

killed him. And then he started flying aroundon a rocket boost and I got to ride inside his

head. And now the monster's my friend. And we

went to get Slurpees.

Unlike most of the other characters, there isn’t much of a background forthe ITOUs. They simply are the way they are because that’s how they wereborn. These are the kids who are often hyperactive or spend a lot of timegazing out the window, lost in a dream world.

This reminds me of a story where a friend of mine had a talk with her 10-year-old son’s teacher. When asked how he was doing, the teacher said he was“very bright, but had trouble focusing.” My friend asked if it looked like herchild had Attention Deficit Disorder, and the teacher quickly replied that no,she didn’t think so. Rather, her child just seemed to be in his own little dream

world—all of the time. Do you know this kid (or adult)? Do you know wherethey’re coming from or where they’ve been? We ALL know someone like this.

That’s the ITOU character.



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Commercial Break

Little ITOUsHollywood Moms, if you're kid is just a little, well, “off, ” there might be a role for

him or her. There have been a few shows over the past couple years that have introduced achild ITOU and they are often the funniest character on the show. Once again, think ofDewey on “Malcolm in the Middle, ” Jordan (Jeremy Suarez) on “The Bemie Mac Show, ”D.J., (.Michael Fishman) on “Roseanne, ” Pearce (Johnny Lewis) on“ Quintuplets ” oreven Bobby Hill on King of the Hill.” So moms, don't admonish your kids for being weird.Celebrate it... and get them on a sitcom!

Back to our show ...

He’s just a little ... odd To say the least. Remember, of The Eight Characters of Comedy, these

are the biggest “characters” and the most exciting to play and watch. You cantell that there is just something odd about them from the moment you seethem. For most of these characters, it starts with their physical appearance.

Think of Jim’s hair on “Taxi” or Kramer’s on “Seinfeld.” Think of Phoebe’sclothes on “Friends.” Or think of anything the girls were wearing on“Absolutely Fabulous.”

The actors, writers and costume designers make it very obvious that we’re supposed to perceive at these people as odd and eccentric.

Now before you go doing something crazy to your hair or puttingtogether ridiculous ensembles, remember that being eccentric is more organicthan that. Look into your life and think of those things that you do that yourfriends or family consider kind of “out there.” Think of those times you’ve letgo, stepped out of yourself and gotten crazy. That’s how you must approachthe ITOU character.



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An explanation that needs an explanation

The ITOU characters most definitely march to the beat of their owndrum no matter what song is playing. However, they are able to get away withit because they use something I call illogical logic. This is the most importantcharacteristic for actors to understand about the ITOU. It’s a tough concept tograsp and an even harder one to play realistically, but it is vital to thischaracter.

ITOU’s believe what they are saying is the truth (logical) because wherever they come from (be it another universe, another time, a far off landor Cloud Nine) this IS their truth. And they seem stunned if other charactersdon’t understand their truth, their point of view, their logic. It could besomething that everyone else (including the viewers) can see as being

completely ridiculous, but the ITOU, using his or her own unique frame ofreference, will believe that it makes perfect sense.

KRAMER: They're trying to screw with your head.

JERRY: Now why would a junior high school want

to screw with my head?

KRAMER: (Suspiciously) Why does Radio Shack ask

for your phone number when you buy batteries? I

don't know (EXITS).

(Notice the Classic Triplet.)

And they are unflappable about it. Remember how Kramer wasconvinced that The Bro (the bra for men) was something that every guyneeded and wanted and he was perplexed as to why others were ridiculing himfor it. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop him from going forth with a prototype,and that’s where the unflappable trait appears. Even if everybody thinks theiridea is insane or illogical, it doesn’t matter as long as the ITOU believes in it.

You need to remember that because of this, the ITOU sees and hearsthings differently than everyone else. This is where a lot of the character’shumor comes from. Here is the unflappable Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) on“That ‘70s Show” chatting with Eric (Topher Grace) and showing exactly

what I mean by illogical logic.



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ERIC: Fez, I know you've spoken English for

only a few weeks now. But could you havelearned the phrase, "Don't tell my dad?"

"Don't" being the contraction for "do not" and

"tell my dad" meaning SHUT UP!

FEZ: See, right there you told me not to shut

up. It's a wonder you're not failing English,

too. Crack a book, you lazy son of a bitch.

In many instances, another character will talk to the ITOU about aproblem and the ITOU will take the information and process it from withintheir universe. And then somewhere in there it gets jumbled up with their

illogical logic. And then they will speak and say something that makes little orno sense ... well, at least not to us. Need another example? Enter Karen Walker, played by Megan Mullally. Here she is trying to give Grace (DebraMessing) some holiday cheer in her own special way.

KAREN: Grace, it's Christmas for goodness sake.

Think about the baby Jesus, up in that tower,

letting his hair down so that the three wise

men can climb up and spin the dreidel and see

if there are six more weeks of winter.

Commercial Break Reality check

A good reality television example of this character is just about anybody on “TheSurreal Life” especially Charo. That's a great example of what happens when you have awhole house full of ITOUs. Wow!




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Space cadet

This is where the ITOU gets most confused with The Dumb Onebecause they share some very childlike qualities. Like The Dumb One, theITOU is positive and optimistic. Still, the ITOU plays these traits in adifferent way, like Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd) on “Taxi.”

JIM: Hey, you know the really great thing about

television? If something important happens,

anywhere in the world, night or day, you can

always change the channel.

Sometimes the ITOU is seeing or hearing things for the first time, givingthem a sense of awe and wonderment. It is true that they are more

fascinated with things than the other characters (once again, remember thatthey see things from a different perspective than most others). But, be careful,being in awe is different than playing it. The zoned out, dreamy look comesacross as phony for this character and is a dead giveaway that an actor doesn’tunderstand where the ITOU is truly coming from.

Instead, use the character’s fascination with everything around them.Some ITOUs are the way they are because they are too fascinated witheverything around them.

Can’t stop that train

The ITOU has a skewed train of thought that runs very differently thanany other characters’. They are either thinking one-step ahead, one-step behindor one-step removed. For example, if the ITOU was playing a word-association game and somebody said “Orange,” the ITOU would immediatelythink “Apple” BUT quickly jump ahead to something like “Apple pie” andthat's what he or she would blurt out. “Apple pie!”

Let me show you how this works. If YOU start talking to the ITOUabout a friend’s new baby, they will take the information they receive and dosomething in their head like the following:



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YOU: So, did you hear that Sally's having a

baby?ITOU: Really? That's great.

YOU: We have to throw her a baby shower. I

think we should ...

(ITOU begins to enter their own universe and

internalizes the following thoughts: "I like

baby showers. I like showers. I like babies. I

think babies are cute. They remind me of

monkeys. Monkeys like bananas and swinging from

trees. I wish I could swing from a tree. Some

trees have pretty leaves. What's that tree that

has those crazy, long leaves?")

YOU: ... and I thought we could both pitch in

for a stroller. What do you think?

ITOU: What's that tree that has those long,

crazy leaves?

This all happens in a matter of seconds (or a BEAT). Yet when you talkto them about your friend’s new baby, their response can be something abouta tree with long leaves. Also, remember that the ITOU has a different streamof consciousness when it comes to a subject. They might respond tosomething from a conversation 15 minutes ago because they are still thinking

about it. These are just a few ways for you actors and writers to understandhow the mind of the ITOU works.

Another is to create the world of the ITOU. Know where yourcharacter’s world is, where your history is, and take a step back and try tofigure out how and why “normal” people would look at you differently. Digthrough the script and try to find new and interesting things in there that thecharacter might be in awe of or at least excited about. Remember, a lot ofplaying this character comes from stepping away from yourself and looking ata scene from a perspective completely different from your own.



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Commercial Break

Let’s go crazyWriters, this character is your best friend. If there is a weird or offbeat storyline that

you have in mind that no other character could get away with , bring in the ITOU. After all ,nothing is really too strange for the fire-spirited ITOU to do or say. The possibility forstorylines, characterizations and jokes is endless. I mean , who's to say that the ITOUwouldn't do that?


Work with me now

If you watch a lot of sitcoms (and you should), you will notice thesesupporting characters are usually featured in the “B storyline,” leaving the “Astoryline” to the stars of the show. But sometimes writers will make the ITOUthe main focus of an episode, especially a break-out character. If that’s thecase, you will see that the ITOU will present a problem or something that theyare obsessing about right at the beginning of the episode and it will carrythrough to the end, regardless of what is happening around them. The writersof “Seinfeld” frequently put Kramer in the “A storyline.”

As an example, think of the episode where Kramer spends the wholetime obsessing over the fact that Newman (Wayne Knight) used his birthday

wish against him.

KRAMER: I got to his birthday party, and just before he blew out his candles, he gives me

this look.

JERRY: Crook eye?

GEORGE: Stink eye?

KRAMER: EVIL eye! (Shudders)

The ITOU is always focused on the task at hand, much like how aNeurotic obsesses. This is a characteristic that you can really play up in anepisode or a scene. Look for what the character wants



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and really focus on that, regardless of what the other person is saying or

whatever else is going on in the scene. That doesn’t mean you should stoplistening, but you (as your character) should only really take in the informationthat will help you with your specific “want.” And then when you have thatinformation (or whatever is given to you in the scene), you simply skew it. Iknow, it’s easier said than done.

Commercial BreakUsing physicality

This is another character where physicality comes into play. Think of Kramer'sentrance every time he came into Jeny's apartment. Often you could even see the othercharacters laughing. It's the way the ITOU often reacts to something or carries themselvesthat gets a laugh. If you're playing this character, you might want to play around with some

physicality, as long as it doesn't take away from the script or the other action in the scene.


Be true to thyself

The ITOUs are very opinionated. They might not necessarily seethemselves as being opinionated or direct, because to them, they’re justspeaking the truth. They say things that nobody else dares to mentionbecause, in their universe, it’s okay to be straightforward and opinionated.Unlike The Bitch or The Bastard, they don’t do it in a mean-spirited way.Rather, they are simply more positive and direct (like The Dumb One).

JOEY: Phoebes, you wanna help?

PHOEBE: Oh, I wish I could. But I really don't

want to.

(Notice The Turnaround.)

Within their system of values, this is an appropriate response. But, asopinionated as they are, these are people that are very accepting ofeverybody because nothing seems too weird to them and nobody really seemsstrange. With the exception of Jack and Karen,



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the ITOU is also typically non-judgmental. It’s because in their heart, they

really do have good intentions. They will be sarcastic just like any of theother characters at times, but they also have a “live and let live” mentality, andthey expect others to feel the same way.

They are shameless. They have no internal censor, so they just say whatever’s on their mind. They are not ashamed to say or do anything, andthere is proof in their dialogue. As a great example, here’s Jennifer Finnigan asMarni Fliss on the short-lived “Committed.” When her boyfriend asks her

what she wants to do in the morning, she enthusiastically replies ...

MARNI: Well, usually I poop first thing in

the morning, but I can put that off.

In general, the ITOUs lead unorthodox lives and they don’t apologizefor anything. Because, in their mind or universe, their odd behavior isacceptable. They chalk up everything they do to “life experience” and as such,they have no regrets. Latka (Andy Kaufman) doesn’t regret his time as aplayboy. Kramer has no regrets about not having a real job. Jack has noregrets about living off Will. Karen’s certainly proud of her pill-popping,martini-flowing, lush life. And Phoebe doesn’t regret her thievery when she

was younger or really anything else she has done or will do.

RACHEL: I've never asked a guy out before.

PHOEBE: You've never asked a guy out?

RACHEL: No. Have you?

PHOEBE: (Being serious) Thousands of times.

(Notice the punctuation and the Extended Triplet.)

They are exciting and unpredictable people. In fact, they often talk oftheir exploits (things that would be a major deal to you and me) off-handedly.Meanwhile, all of the other characters are stunned. But it’s “just life” to theITOU. No shame, no regrets. You never know where they’re coming from or

where they’re going next.



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JIM: I wonder about things, like, if they call

an orange an orange, then why don't we call a banana a "yellow" or an apple a "red?"

Blueberries I understand. But will someone

explain gooseberries to me?

Who in your life is In Their Own Universe?

ACT THREE IN THEIR OWN UNIVERSE ... AND MORE

The In Their Own Universe characters work well with just aboutanybody. They actually serve the same purpose as The Dumb One, in terms ofproviding constant comedic relief. In fact, it can sometimes be easy to mistakethe ITOU for The Dumb One. But be warned, these are two very distinctcharacters with personality traits all their own. Remember, The Dumb One isoblivious where the ITOU character is actually smart. He or she just has a verydifferent frame of reference.

MORK: I know about jail. It's when you get free

food, free clothes and no rent.

PRISONER: It sounds better the way you say

it. I got caught shoplifting.

MORK: Wow, you must be strong!

Even though he is naive and childlike, Mork is not dumb. It’s just thatthings are different where he comes from (Ork). For those ITOUs like Morkthat are actually from another universe, place or time, they bring with themtheir own values, morals and beliefs from their place. And this “fish out of

water” character and his or her beliefs often conflict with what othercharacters or the audience considers “normal” life. Therefore, the ITOUs canappear dumb at times. They’re not, they’re simply from a different place.



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BUT there are a couple Dumb Ones that often slip in and out of the

ITOU character. Both Woody (Woody Harrelson) from “Cheers” and Rose(Betty White) from “Golden Girls” will tell stories of their old hometowns.

When they do, you can almost see a flip in their character. They go someplacethat nobody else knows about. They go into their past, into their own universe.

Rose always talks about her days at St. Olaf with a certain awe and wonderment that is different than how she talks about other things.

ROSE: Like we say in St. Olaf, Christinas

without fruitcake is like St. Sigmund's Day

without the headless boy.

Woody also talks about his hometown, often revealing some bizarre facts,

as in this example where he’s trying to cheer up Dr. Frasier Crane (KelseyGrammar).

WOODY: Boy, Dr. Sternin-Crane having an affair

with another guy. This reminds me of a terrible

scandal we had back in Hanover, rocked the

whole town to its core. Mayor's wife ran off

with old Mr. Smithers.

FRASIER: (Confused) Well, that's not so

scandalous, Woody.

WOODY: Well, Mr. Smithers was a goat.

This chapter (or book) would not be complete without discussing two ofthe most popular and most complex characters on television today, JackMcFarland and Karen Walker on “Will & Grace,” played hilariously by SeanHayes and Megan Mullally.

To get a sense of what these two are like when they’re with each other,check out this hysterical scene in which Jack is trying to avoidtalking on thephone to his son Elliot.



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JACK: No, no, he's gonna ... he's gonna try to

get me to another one of his basketball games.It's just not my thing. Make up an excuse.

KAREN: Alright. (Into phone) Um, Elliot, yeah.

I've got some bad news. Jack and I were figure

skating and he plunged through the ice. Haven't

heard from him since. Could I take a message?

Okay. You're trying out for the cheerleading

squad?

JACK: (Grabs phone) Brrr ... I'm back!

(Notice The Turnaround.)

These two are the most talked about characters when I do my One DayComedy Intensive Class because they seem to fall into all of The EightCharacters of Comedy. And they do, kind of.

When the show began, Jack was definitely the narcissistic Manizer (“thereare no straight men, only men that haven’t met Jack”), while Karen was TheMaterialistic Bitch (“Honey, the only thing I file is my nails”).

To the credit of both of these actors and their skilled work, the writersdecided to add even more depth to Jack and Karen. While they still play upthese characteristics, they also encompass other characters. They can beneurotic, bitchy, clueless, money-hungry, sex- crazed and believe it or not,even logical and smart at times. But when you look at them, who they reallyare and where they came from, they showcase all of the characteristics we justdiscussed in this chapter, especially illogical logic.

JACK: I don't know how much longer I can live

with Will. I mean, every time I get in the

shower with him, he's like "Jack, get the hell

out!"



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KAREN: I know, honey. Grace is driving me nuts

too. She can't concentrate on work anymore. Shejust sits around all day, doodling pictures of

people's houses on these enormous sketch pads.

And then she's on the phone all the time

ordering furniture. Honey, where's she going to

put all that, huh? In those "houses" she's

drawing? (Both laugh mockingly)

Not only are these two characters in their own universe, but tocomplicate matters, when they come together they enter a whole new universe:the “Jack and Karen universe!” In this universe, anything goes, includingtrading sexual innuendoes, charging up Stan’s credit cards, bumping bellies orsharing grandiose drama over the superficial.

Possible intentions for the In Their Own Universe character are ... to do any of the other character intentions but do it in their own specialway!

Final Thoughts On Playing In Their Own Universe

The ITOU “hands down” is the most difficult character to play,especially for those actors who fall naturally in The Logical Smart One orNeurotic area. This is a character that can’t be forced. It needs to be organic

because there are a lot of traps in playing this character, and it’s easy to comeoff fake. Try to associate with the characteristics, and think of times whenyou’ve been in awe, felt shameless or convinced yourself of something othersthought was crazy.

Remember, these are the people that grew up in an “odd” world that they were either born into or created in their own mind. It means that they simplylook at life in a different way and they go through life at their own pace andtheir own rhythm. If you’re going to play this character, it’s important for youto understand this world of theirs, this way of thinking. The more convincingyou can be in creating— and then believing in—this character’s universe, thefunnier it will be for us to watch you.



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To make things even more difficult, the ITOU also tends to adapt

characteristics of other characters. But the ITOU puts their own spin on them.Confused yet? Essentially, the ITOU is able to tap into all the traits of theother eight characters and make them fit into their own universe (like Jack andKaren).

It’s not uncommon at times for the ITOU to become The Logical SmartOne, like Phoebe often does when she helps out one of her “Friends.” She

will, for a moment, have a clear, logical thought that will actually make senseand help out another character. But, before the commercial break, Phoebe willhave the blow (the joke) that will bring her back into her own universe.

Remember, in general, the ITOUs are endearingly wacky, and they all live within their own frame of reference. They simply don’t hear or comprehend

things like most people do. In my class, after a 10 minute lecture onsomething, there is always at least one student who raises his or her hand andasks a question that will have absolutely nothing to do with what I was justtalking about. All heads will turn and some people will laugh, and he or she

will be clueless as to why. It’s not that they are dumb or slow, it’s that they areprocessing my speech in a totally different way, usually from a totally differentplace.

That’s where you need to be to play this character. You need to come up with your own universe, and you need to play the scene through it. It’s tough,but if you can pull it off, the result can be strong comedy.

As a conclusion, let’s have Kramer sum it up himself. Remember this

famous episode where he discusses the Soup Nazi with Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who’s trying to figure out what mulligatawny is?

KRAMER: ... It's a delightful Hindu concoction

simmered to perfection by one of the great soup

artisans in the modern era.

ELAINE: Who, the Soup Nazi?

KRAMER: He's not a Nazi, Elaine. He just

happens to be a little eccentric. Most geniuses

are.

FADE OUT.

END OF SHOW



ROLL CREDITS ...

Here is a list of some of the great In Their Own Universe characters.

Character Actor Show

Aunt ClaraBalki BartokomousBuster BluthPhoebe BuffayPearce ChaseD.J. ConnerDeweyFezMarni FlissLatka Gravas

Jim Ignatowski Jimmy James JeannieMaxwell KlingerLenny KosnowskiCosmo KramerLarry,

Darryl andDarryl

Jack McFarlandEddy MonsoonMork from OrkHarry SolomonSquiggy SquiggmannPatsy Stone Jordan ThomkinsUncle MartinKaren Walker

Marion LomeBronson Pinchot

Tony HaleLisa Kudrow

Johnny LewisMichael FishmanErik Per Sullivan

Wibner Valderrama Jennifer Finnigan Andy KaufmanChristopher LloydStephen RootBarbara Eden

Jamie FarrMichael McKeanMichael Richards

William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss, John VoldstadSean Hayes

Jennifer SaundersRobin WilliamsFrench StewartDavid Lander

Joanna Lumley Jeremy SuarezRay WalstonMegan Mullally

BewitchedPerfect Strangers

Arrested DevelopmentFriendsQuintupletsRoseanneMalcolm in the Middle

That ‘70s ShowCommitted

Taxi TaxiNews RadioI Dream of JeannieMASHLaverne & ShirleySeinfeldNewhartNewhartNewhart

Will & Grace Absolutely FabulousMork & Mindy3rd Rock From The SunLaverne & Shirley

Absolutely Fabulous The Bernie Mac ShowMy Favorite Martian

Will & Grace

in their own universe

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