Editing Deadpan

{{Short description|Emotional neutrality that contrasts comedy}}
{{redirect|Deadface|the electrical engineering technique|Deadfacing}}
{{distinguish|Anti-humor}}
'''Deadpan''', '''dry humour''', or '''dry-wit humour'''<ref>{{cite book|last=Rishel|first=Mary Ann|title=Writing humor|year=2002|publisher=Wayne State University Press|location=Detroit|isbn=0-8143-2959-4|page=166|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sBsC3ItxoYQC&q=%22dry+wit%22&pg=PA166}}</ref> is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of [[Comedy|comedic]] delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blunt, [[ironic]], [[Laconic phrase|laconic]], or apparently unintentional.

==Etymology==
The term ''deadpan'' first emerged early in the 20th century, as a [[compound word]] (sometimes spelled as two words) combining "dead" and "pan" (a [[slang]] term for the face). It appeared in print as early as 1915, in an article about a former baseball player named [[Gene Woodburn]] written by his former manager [[Roger Bresnahan]]. Bresnahan described how Woodburn used his skill as a ventriloquist to make his manager and others think they were being heckled from the stands. Woodburn, wrote Bresnahan, "had a trick of what the actors call 'the dead pan.' He never cracked a smile and would be the last man you would suspect was working a trick."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bresnahan|first=Roger|date=20 Jan 1915|title=Roger Bresnahan's Own Tale|page=10|work=490 Washington Street}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Deadpan – Caught in the Web of Words|url=https://etymology.kenliss.com/blog/?p=490|access-date=2021-11-13|language=en}}</ref>

[[George M. Cohan]], in a 1908 interview, had alluded to dead pans without using the actual term "deadpan". Cohan, after returning from a trip to London, told an interviewer that "the time is ripe for a manager to take over about a dozen American chorus girls and wake up the musical comedy game. The English chorus girls are dead–their pans are cold.”<ref>{{Cite news|last=Darnton|first=Charles|date=1 Feb 1908|title=George M. Cohan Froze in London, But in Paris–Ah!–He Managed to Thaw Out|page=3|work=New York World}}</ref>

The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' cites a 1928 ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' article as having the first appearance of the term in print.<ref name="oed">''Oxford English Dictionary''. [http://oed.com/view/Entry/47677 "dead-pan, adj., n., adv., and v."] Second edition, 1989; online version December 2011. accessed 17 February 2012. First published in ''A Supplement to the OED I'', 1972</ref> That article, a collection of film slang compiled by writer and theatrical agent [[Frank J. Wilstach]], defines "dead pan" as "playing a role with expressionless face, as, for instance, the work of Buster Keaton."<ref>{{Cite news|date=11 Mar 1928|title=Slang of Film Men|page=6 (Section 8)|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1928/03/11/94127931.html?pageNumber=112|access-date=13 Nov 2021}}</ref> There were several other uses of the term, in theater and in sports, between the 1915 Bresnahan article and the 1928 article in the ''Times''.<ref name=":0" />

The usage of deadpan as a [[verb]] ("to speak, act, or utter in a deadpan manner; to maintain a dead pan") is recorded at least as far back as 1942.<ref name="oed" />

==Examples==
{{see also|List of deadpan comedians}}
[[File:USO Vietnam 1968 Troop - Jennie Frankel, Tony Diamond, Sara Sue, Sig Sakowitz, Joey Bishop, Tippi Hedren, Mel Bishop, Jennie Frankel.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rat Pack]] comedians [[Joey Bishop]] and Brad Jewell, noted for their deadpan style, with Jennie and Terrie Frankel (Doublemint Twins), Sig Sakowicz, Tony Diamond, Sara Sue, Tippi Hedren and Mel Bishop]]
The English [[music hall]] comedian [[T. W. Barrett]], working in the 1880s and 1890s, is credited with being the first to perform in a deadpan manner, standing completely still and without a smile.<ref name=busby>{{cite book |last=Busby |first=Roy |author-link= |date=1976 |title=British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day |url= |location=London |publisher=Paul Elek |page= 22|isbn=0-236-40053-3}}</ref>

Early in his vaudeville days, [[Buster Keaton]] developed his deadpan expression.  Keaton realised that audiences responded better to his stony expression than when he smiled, and he carried this style into his silent film career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/deadpan-the-comedy-of-buster-keaton|title=Deadpan: the comedy of Buster Keaton|work=[[Telescope (TV series)|Telescope]]|publisher=[[CBC.ca]]|date=17 April 1964|access-date=4 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101220315/http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/deadpan-the-comedy-of-buster-keaton|archive-date=2016-01-01|url-status=live}}</ref> The 1928 [[Vitaphone]] short film [[The Beau Brummels (film)|''The Beau Brummels'']], with [[vaudeville]] comics Al Shaw and Sam Lee, was performed entirely in deadpan.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Knipfel|first1=Jim|title=Shaw and Lee: Vaudeville's Loony Futurists|url=https://www.ozy.com/performance/shaw-and-lee-vaudevilles-loony-futurists/41753/|website=OZY|access-date=16 January 2020|date=29 May 2015}}</ref> The 1980 film ''[[Airplane!]]'' was performed almost entirely in deadpan;<ref>{{cite news| last=Dudek| first=Duane| title=25 years and still laughing; 'Airplane!' maintains its cruising| work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]| url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=332493|access-date=23 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430053901/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=332493 |archive-date=30 April 2008}}</ref> it helped relaunch the career of one of its supporting actors, [[Leslie Nielsen]], who transformed into a prolific deadpan comic after the film.<ref name="CastType">{{cite news |last1=Dalton |first1=Andrew |last2=Thomas |first2=Bob |title='Airplane!', 'Forbidden Planet' actor Nielsen dies |work=[[The Monitor (Texas)|The Monitor]] |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208205723/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |archive-date= 8 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Actor and comedian [[Bill Murray]] is known for his deadpan delivery.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/what-to-watch/bill-murray-best-worst-movies/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/what-to-watch/bill-murray-best-worst-movies/ |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Will Bill Murray ever make another good movie?|last=Bernstein |first=Jonathan |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=October 30, 2015|access-date=November 3, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Many popular American sitcoms use deadpan expressions to deliver dry humour, including ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'', ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'', and ''[[My Name Is Earl]]''. More recent examples are [[Andre Braugher]] as Captain Raymond Holt from the TV show ''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]'', [[Matthew Perry]] as [[Chandler Bing]] in ''[[Friends]]'', [[Nick Offerman]] as [[Ron Swanson]] and [[Aubrey Plaza]] as [[April Ludgate]] in ''[[Parks and Recreation]]'', [[Jennette McCurdy]] as Sam Puckett in ''[[iCarly]]'', and [[Louis C.K.]] in ''[[Louie (U.S. TV series)|Louie]]''. Another example is the comedy of [[Steven Wright]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Thomas | first=E. C. | title=The Everything Big Book of Jokes: Hundreds of the Shortest, Longest, Silliest, Smartest, Most Hilarious Jokes You've Never Heard! | publisher=Adams Media | year=2014 | isbn=978-1-4405-7698-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1zrsDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA16 | access-date=June 29, 2017 | page=16}}</ref>

Deadpan delivery runs throughout [[British humour]].<ref>Andy Bloxham (10 March 2008). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581251/British-humour-dictated-by-genetics.html "British humour 'dictated by genetics{{'"}}], ''Daily Telegraph''. Accessed 31 July 2019</ref> In television sitcoms, [[John Cleese]] as [[Basil Fawlty]] in ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' and [[Rowan Atkinson]] as [[Edmund Blackadder]] in ''[[Blackadder]]'' are both frustrated figures who display little facial expression in their put-downs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Blackadder rides again in festive schedule|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/nov/25/blackadder-bbc-christmas-tv-schedule |access-date=22 July 2021 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Atkinson also plays authority figures (especially priests) while speaking absurd lines with a deadpan delivery. [[Monty Python]] include it in their work, such as "[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]" sketch.<ref>{{cite news |title=John Cleese and Mick Jagger are wrong – Monty Python's silly walks are still hilarious |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jul/01/john-cleese-mick-jagger-monty-python-silly-walks-funny |access-date=26 August 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> For his deadpan delivery [[Peter Sellers]] received a BAFTA for Best Actor for ''[[I'm All Right Jack]]'' (1959). A leading figure of the British [[satire boom]] of the 1960s, [[Peter Cook]] delivered deadpan monologues in his double act with [[Dudley Moore]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, The 25 best comedy duos|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/the-25-best-comedy-duos/peter-cook-and-dudley-moore/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/the-25-best-comedy-duos/peter-cook-and-dudley-moore/ |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=22 July 2021 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In his various roles [[Ricky Gervais]] often draws humour from an exasperated sigh.<ref>{{cite news |title=The king of deadpan |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/the-king-of-deadpan-1.900652 |access-date=31 July 2019 |work=The Irish News}}</ref> While in his various guises such as [[Ali G]] and [[Borat Sagdiyev|Borat]], the comedian [[Sacha Baron Cohen]] interacts with unsuspecting subjects not realising they have been set up for self-revealing ridicule; on this ''[[The Observer]]'' states, "his career has been built on winding people up, while keeping a deadpan face."<ref>{{cite news |title=Sacha Baron Cohen: Our man from Kazakhstan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/sep/10/comedy |access-date=19 October 2019 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Deadpan delivery is a particular staple of New Zealand comedy, with [[Flight of the Conchords]] being the best-known example internationally.

Dry humour is often confused with [[highbrow]] or [[egghead]] humour, because the humour in dry humour does not exist in the words or delivery. Instead, the listener must look for humour in the contradiction between words, delivery and [[Context (language use)|context]]. Failure to include the context or to identify the contradiction results in the listener finding the dry humour unfunny. However, the term "deadpan" itself actually refers only to the method of delivery.

==See also==
{{Portal|Comedy}}
* [[Black comedy]]
* [[Blank expression]]
* [[Minimisation (psychology)]]
* [[Straight man]]
* [[Throwaway line]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{wiktionary-inline|deadpan}}

{{Comedy footer}}

[[Category:Comedy]]
[[Category:Humour]]