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It’s rumoured to be the meaning behind the term “friend of Dorothy”. Somewhere along the way a hero picks up a chum who sees the world from an alternative viewpoint. But what is it about sidekicks that lend themselves to characteristics meek, effeminate, camp or even, gasp, completely over the top?
In television we’ve had a string of famously camp characters: Mr Humphries from Are You Being Served?, Will & Grace’s Jack, Ugly Betty’s Marc. We’ve seen two named Niles (Frasier, The Nanny). Jay Leno has the foppish Ross the Intern. Don had Bert. Even Bart has Milhouse.
Like a well-meaning scarecrow or cowardly lion, these characters frequently offer guidance, distraction and a barrage of visual gags and verbal quips. In sitcom writing, that’s only bettered by those trusty plot devices, Unresolved Sexual Tension 101 and Mistaken Identity 102.
Very occasionally the lily sidekick graduates to lead hero (Carson Kressley, Felix Unger) but you can almost count those on one hand.
When used to great effect they are endeared far and wide. Molly Meldrum demonstrated exceeding tolerance as the target of John Blackman’s gags on Hey Hey for years. But I still don’t know what was achieved by Roland Rocchicciolli’s antics on The Footy Show. There is a difference between laughing ‘at’ and laughing ‘with’, surely?
More recently, we have two new candidates who fit the mould. In the hilarious 30 Rock, Kenneth as Jack McBrayer plays a whimsical TV network gopher, taking charge of studio tours or running errands for Alec Baldwin. His character is a cheery simpleton from the Deep South. While he isn’t necessarily gay he is softly spoken, devoid of masculine traits (and a delight).
Over on the sometimes-amusing Big Bang Theory, two geeks room across the hall from a buxom blonde. Sheldon, played by Jim Parsons, is a mild-mannered techie, more interested in tidying her messy apartment in the middle of the night than peeking on her asleep. While pal Leonard burns brain cells trying to concoct accidental dates with her, Sheldon is busy selling the Sword of Aseroth on eBay.
So we salute you Waylon Smithers, Lt. Gruber, Klinger, Big Gay Al, Beverley Leslie, Stanford, Xandir, Uncle Arthur (that’s Bewitched not The Comedy Company, thanks). One day you’ll all get a great big pink Emmy.
30 Rock screens 10:30pm Mondays and Wednesdays on Seven.
Big Bang Theory airs 7.30pm Mondays on Nine.
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