# Chevy Chase's humour **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541 "2008-12-10T09:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/1 "2008-12-10T09:57:23Z")
Does anyone else do his kind of humour? I am talking about in many movies like ‘Fletch’ and ‘Seems like old times’, he makes self-deprecating stoical and sarcastic jokes like he does not really care. Is there a name for this kind of humour? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/2 "2008-12-10T11:01:21Z")
Deadpan? ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/3 "2008-12-10T12:14:00Z")
Bob Newhart does it too. I don’t know if anyone from the younger generations has that style. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/4 "2008-12-10T15:39:15Z")
Rodney Dangerfield does something similar. “I can’t get no respect…” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/5 "2008-12-10T16:44:00Z")
Deadpan’s probably as close as you’re going to get if you’re looking for a general style other than “Chevy Chase’s shtick in Fletch.” In particular, it’s sarcastic deadpan (which is probably redundant anyway) with a strong streak of absurdity. > [@](#): > > Gail Stanwyk: I really should change. > Fletch: No! I think you should stay the same wonderful person you are today. > Gail Stanwyk: I mean, put clothes on. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/6 "2008-12-10T18:43:09Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Rodney Dangerfield does something similar. > > “I can’t get no respect…” Nah, Dangerfield is schtick perfected. ---
**Author:** ![PharmBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@PharmBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PharmBoy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/7 "2008-12-10T18:59:29Z")
Chevy Chase and Humor are not often seen in the same sentence… ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/8 "2008-12-10T19:12:17Z")
When I see Chevy Chase do it, I call it “unfunny”. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/9 "2008-12-10T19:13:09Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > with a strong streak of absurdity That’s a big factor in Chevy’s unique quality. Not as absurd as, say, Steven Wright, but still head and shoulders above most of his peers. BTW, I think using examples from movies like _Fletch_ and _Vacation_ is a dead-end, since he didn’t write any of those. His SNL stuff is your best bet to see his real humor. I’m not a big Chevy Chase fan, but I do recognize his contributions from ca. 1975-1985 as important. I would say that Bobcat Goldthwait picked up where Chevy left off, but I fear I’d just be setting myself up for criticism from people who can’t separate Bobcat’s _schtick_ from his _style_. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/10 "2008-12-10T19:20:38Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > BTW, I think using examples from movies like _Fletch_ and _Vacation_ is a dead-end, since he didn’t write any of those. Fair enough, I didn’t know that. He performed well in them, though. Excellent timing. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/11 "2008-12-10T19:34:32Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Fair enough, I didn’t know that. He performed well in them, though. Excellent timing. Oh, I concur totally: he’s got many gifts as an performer. Strong physical presence, a fearlessness that few can match, and impeccable timing from what I can tell. I just tend to discount film performances because (a) usually the comic isn’t responsible for the actual humor, that comes from the writers and (b) you can never tell how much of the timing and other harder-to-quantify aspects are actually the work of gifted editors. 🙂 Note that I’m not discounting the possibility that some of the best lines in _Fletch_ (particularly) may have been ad-libbed by Chevy. But by and large, I give writing credit to the person who gets the credit in the film. Trust me, I’d like nothing more than to believe that the same person who (as far as I know) wrote the line “Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead” also wrote “Don’t talk to me like that ass-face, I don’t work for you yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/12 "2008-12-10T19:36:03Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > BTW, I think using examples from movies like _Fletch_ and _Vacation_ is a dead-end, since he didn’t write any of those. Can’t speak for the _Vacation_ films, but I think you’re being a little unfair in regards to _Fletch_. From the _Fletch_ wikipedia entry: Chase has said that this film is his favorite to date because “it allowed me to be myself. Fletch was the first one with me really winging it. Even though there was a script, the director allowed me to just go, and in many ways, I was directing the comedy.” ETA: Oops, sorry **KneadToKnow**. Your second post wasn’t there when I posted. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/13 "2008-12-10T20:07:34Z")
I was going to suggest Vince Vaugn (Swingers, Old School, Weding Crashers, The Breakup) and Ryan Renolds (Van Wilder, Just Friends, Blade Trinity). They both have that same sort of deadpan sarcasm where they can make totally ridiculous statements with a straight face. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/14 "2008-12-10T21:45:26Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Rodney Dangerfield does something similar. > > “I can’t get no respect…” Yeah, but at least he’s funny. Or was. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/15 "2008-12-10T21:51:47Z")
> [@blinkingblinking](#): > > Does anyone else do his kind of humour? I am talking about in many movies like ‘Fletch’ and ‘Seems like old times’, he makes self-deprecating stoical and sarcastic jokes like he does not really care. Is there a name for this kind of humour? Self-deprecating humor. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/16 "2008-12-10T22:29:02Z")
Most of my favorite Chevy Chase moments are the complete non sequitur deadpan stuff, like his entire role in Caddyshack. It’s almost like he’s acting in a totally different but quite similar film from the other actors and the effect is hysterical, at least to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/17 "2008-12-10T22:43:55Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Most of my favorite Chevy Chase moments are the complete non sequitur deadpan stuff, like his entire role in Caddyshack. It’s almost like he’s acting in a totally different but quite similar film from the other actors and the effect is hysterical, at least to me. Well put! Fletch and Caddyshack are two of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/18 "2008-12-10T23:08:43Z")
I always like to recommend _Funny Farm_ as, IMO, a pretty funny and underappreciated Chevy Chase movie with the same kind of self-deprecating humor as in Fletch, Caddyshack The Three Amigos, and the Vacation movies. Oh, and _Spies Like Us_ is great, too. I also liked _Under The Rainbow_ as a kid, but I can’t remember it well enough to recommend it now. I’d agree somewhat with the **Ryan Reynolds** comparison. Maybe **Jeremy Piven** as well. **Will Ferrell** reminds me of Chevy’s more slapstick moments from some of the above movies. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/19 "2008-12-11T00:10:39Z")
He’s rarely in movies (though he’s done a few), but the OP describes pretty much every role Matthew Perry has ever played. Jason Bateman also reminds me of Chase (not in looks but in type) a bit. And Kal “Kumar” Penn in the _H & K_ movies. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541/20 "2008-12-11T00:25:59Z")
I don’t know. When I remember Chevy Chase’s humor, especially in the SNL days, I almost believe that he invented the concept of _irony_ (and not in the Alanis Morisette way). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chevy-chases-humour/476541.md?page=2)