# Sitcoms where "sidekicks" steal the show. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498 "2010-12-09T03:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/61 "2010-12-11T15:27:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Harriet Sansom Harris (as his demonic agent) and the already mentioned Christine Baranski (as a Dr. Laura clone) both stole episodes of _Frasier_ from the regulars and both walked away with other episodes and shows they were in, so it makes you wonder who would steal a scene they were in together in which they both play over-the-top characters, and strangely, the answer seems to be neither- [they both hold their own](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYH5F6ggUg0). Oh, my god…I was there! Or at least I saw that production, if not that particular night. “Mame” at the Kennedy Center in 2006…and the whole production was spectacular! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/62 "2010-12-11T15:55:45Z")
Vote #2 for Karen and Jack on Will & Grace. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/63 "2010-12-11T16:13:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Oh, my god…I was there! Or at least I saw that production, if not that particular night. “Mame” at the Kennedy Center in 2006…and the whole production was spectacular! I am envious. My favorite moment of Baranski’s is her melodramatic “It… hurts… me…” moment. I’ve tried to find the “We Need a Little Christmas” number from that cast recently. I know I’ve seen a video of it online and it was great, but apparently it wasn’t on YouTube or Google video. Unfortunately clips from the Lucille Ball movie (which ranged from lackluster to bad due to the terrible miscasting of the too old-too zany-wrong type lead {sure you can imagine Lucy fox hunting and doing Mame’s zany stuff, but can you really imagine her being friends with intellectuals and artists and horribly offended by bourgeois bigotry yet doe eyed alluring enough to catch a good ol’ boy millionaire like Rosalind Russell or Angela Lansbury? The best thing about it is they brought Bea Arthur and Jane Connell from the Broadway cast}) is the main one available. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/64 "2010-12-11T16:37:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I am envious. Heh…the reason we went (aside from the combination of Baranski and Harris, which was a huge influence on the decision) was that I’d missed the Kennedy Center’s production of _Wicked_ the year before due to being in the hospital. I insisted that **supervenusfreak** go without me, and he wanted to make that up to me by taking me to this one. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/65 "2010-12-11T17:57:35Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > Most of them? The supporters in sitcoms are almost always more interesting than the straight-man or -woman main character. The three sidekicks in Seinfeld, for example, don’t steal the show, they _are_ the show. Jerry is hilarious too, of course, but he often acts a lot like a representation of the audience, reacting to and wise-cracking about the antics of his friends. Jason Alexander threatened to quit the show when they did The Pen two parter, where he didn’t even get one line. After that, they made a deal that the four primary characters must appear in every episode - that’s why they had those bizarre trip to Europe scenes with Elaine and her psychologist when the actress was away being pregnant. I believe all 4 of them got the same acting salary too, although Jerry made a whole hell of a lot more for his behind the scenes work on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/66 "2010-12-11T18:19:16Z")
Jeffrey Tambor and Rip Torn in _The Larry Sanders Show_ stole nearly every scene they were in. A couple of superb actors. Also, David Hyde Pierce on _Frasier_ and Christopher Lloyd on _Taxi_. ---
**Author:** ![Fishboy\_95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@Fishboy\_95](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishboy_95)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498/67 "2010-12-13T02:28:01Z")
For my taste, Jerry Stiller on King of Queens. Much funnier than the rest of the characters on the show. Also, doesnt think his son Ben is a very funny person. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcoms-where-sidekicks-steal-the-show/563498.md?page=3)