 Drama: January 11, 2012 Issue [#4800] |
  Drama
This week: A Baddie Can Also Be Funny Edited by: Joy  
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"The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture."
Alfred Hitchcock
"Villains never know they are villains in a picture so I play this like I'm the nicest guy in the world."
Wayne Rogers
"Mr. Bond! You defy all my attempts to plan an amusing death for you! You're not a sportsman, Mr. Bond!'
Hugo Drax. From 007 Moonraker
"I'm going to ask you to smell your armpits. That's the smell of failure, and it's stinking up my office. I'm revoking your tanning privileges for the rest of the semester."
From TV's Glee, 3rd Episode, the tyrannical coach Sue Sylvester's words
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. Our discussion in this issue is about injecting humor into villainous characters .
Note: In the editorial, I refer to third person singular as he, to also mean the female gender, because I don't like to use they or he/she.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
When writing a story, a novel, or a play, no matter what the genre, the comic relief is always welcome. Humor can dig deeper if supplied in the right dose to the antagonist or any other villainous character.
If a villain or an antagonist or any character brought over the edge is funny, the depth and drama of the story will be enhanced. Just listen to Dickens's Fagin from Oliver Twist.
"I'm reviewing the situation
Can a fellow be a villain all his life?
All the trials and tribulations!
Better settle down and get myself a wife.
And a wife would cook and sew for me,
And come for me, and go for me,
And go for me, and nag at me,
The fingers, she will wag at me.
The money she will take from me.
A misery, she'll make from me...
... I think I'd better think it out again!
What Fagin does is terrible. He teaches children to be pickpockets, then sends them to the hangman before they can betray him, but Fagin is also one of the most charismatic villains of the literary world.
Another funny charlatan is Alfred Jingle, in Pickwick Papers again by Charles Dickens. Alfred Jingle is an actor and trickster who tells wacky yarns and mangles the syntax of the English language.
Dean Koontz, too, introduces hilarity to a few of his villains, especially to Krait from the GoodGuy and to Corky from The Face. Corky is an anarchist professor of English who spreads chaos with inventive ways to alter reality slowly, subtly and scarily, and through sending odd gifts to his victims. Krait is a pervert lacking a past and he wants to have the world in his image, so he wants to kill every human being. His way of bragging and suppressing reason turns him into a funny blasphemer when he says, "Once I accept the concept you're selling, your world will be profoundly changed by my grace."
Then, Stephen King's Pennywise, the evil clown, in IT jokes, "Excuse me, ma'am. Is your refrigerator running? *gasp* It IS? Well, you better go catch it before it runs away! A-ha! A-ha! A-ha!"
As we learn from Dickens, Koontz, King, and many other authors, a creative writer can make his characters scary, obnoxious, egocentric, but still funny. Here are a few tips on how to endow the villains with humor while keeping them real.
 Give him a specific way of speaking.
Give him a physical flaw like a speech impediment, the habit of belching, or a tic.
Exploit his weaknesses and let them carry him to extreme actions that end up being funny.
Give him powers that he misapplies.
Have him become a wannabe at some art or skill and then flunk at it in an unusual way.
Give him an exaggerated persona like the Joker in Batman.
Show how he operates in everyday life, how he solves his problems, and what makes him tick.
Make sure he has several dimensions and character traits for him to become a real character.
Make sure he doesn't look too ridiculous all the time, for his negativity needs to have a fighting chance to create friction and further the plot.
It is also a good idea to study the popular and comical Disney villains for special effects, villains such as Scar in Lion King, Hook in Peter Pan, Cruella Deville of 101 Dalmatians, and the wicked queen in SnowWhite.
Witty and humorous villains are a lot of fun as they get most of the best lines that may be quoted over and over. Yet, they still succeed to create mayhem and suspense.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful 2012...
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 Enjoy!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Your Drama Newsletter Editors: NickiD89  Fyn-elf  Joy
Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
This Issue's Tip:
To find the perfect antagonist, start with the protagonist's specific goal; whoever wants to keep the protagonist from getting it the most is the right antagonist for your story.
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 Reading Recommendation: A book with drama
If you have a recommendation, a few words on a book or a product review, send it to me or to this newsletter. I'll highlight it here.
A Review by VictoriaMcCullough 
A Recently Published Book by the WdC Author Nomar Knight 
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SantaBee 
Joy, thanks so much for the review on Danube in Candlelight. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Excellent newsletter about voice. It's a bit hard to understand and master. It takes practice, but once obtained, it makes an author shine.
You're very welcome, Steph. It was a pleasure to read Danube in Candlelight.
And thanks for the input. Yes, voice takes practice, but it is well worth the time.
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billwilcox
Thanks for the plug Joy. This story has always been perfect Christmas fodder. 
Yes, Bill, it is a very good Christmas story, and your pen shows mastery, as always.
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BIG BAD WOLF is Merry 
BBWolf's submitted item is: "Eggnog and Werewolves Part 2"
"Beware the craziness."
We are well warned.
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