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Move over Karens, Jerrys are the new name in TV comedy and they’re usually the worst character.
The name Karen has built itself a negative reputation over the last few years, becoming associated with people who are entitled and full of complaints. But in comedy shows, there’s an even more iconic name that’s used for characters who are less than impressive — Jerry. While some comedy shows, like Seinfeld, feature a successful Jerry that reaches fan-favorite status, many others go the opposite way. Jerry has become almost a household name due to characters like Jerry Gergich from Parks and Recreation and Jerry Smith from Rick and Morty.
Because of the way these characters are portrayed and treated in their respective shows, Jerrys are starting to get a bad name. They are often the worst character and disrespected by everyone, all the time. In fact, the other characters often find joy in seeing the Jerrys fail.
Jerry Smith is a prime example of a “Jerry.” For the most part, he’s weak, ineffective, and often finds himself in ridiculous situations due to his own mistakes or lack of understanding. He’s constantly trying to prove that he’s more than what people think of him, but in doing so often makes himself look even worse. This is partly the reason why no one in his family respects him, including his wife, Beth. Some of the most hilarious episodes of Rick and Morty are framed around Jerry succeeding in some way, only to be torn down to his original level of mediocrity.
The name Jerry also has power in the show. When Beth or Rick say Jerry’s name, they always say it with an undercurrent of condescension. It’s hard for them to take Jerry seriously, and the way they say his name is the most obvious reflection of that. While Jerry does get a few redeeming moments in the show, overall his character is treated as a joke.
Similarly, Jerry Gergich from Parks and Recreation is always the butt of the joke. He’s known as a “sad excuse for a human being” because he can’t seem to do a single thing right. Not only is he clumsy, but he does everything, even menial tasks, wrong. The other characters in the show treat him with zero respect, even though Leslie Knope always tries to show him kindness. Jerry is treated as a joke, and his name is the biggest part of it — Jerry isn’t actually his name, Gary is. He messed up his own name once, though, and since then everyone just called him Jerry.
The sad part is that Jerry Gergich is actually a very talented and confident person, but only outside of work. Unfortunately, because the entire show revolves around the employees at the Parks and Recreation department, no one gets to see that side of Jerry. They only see the utter mess that Jerry becomes in their presence. His character only further reinforces the new Jerry stereotype set out by comedy shows. Another notable Jerry in this vein is Jerry from Tom and Jerry, who is portrayed as the villain in every scenario.
Move over Karens, Jerrys are taking the comedy scene by storm. Though they’re the butt of every joke, Jerrys provide an important outlet for comedy shows to use slapstick techniques or more basic comedy styles. They’re almost always a show’s worst character, but it’s always for the sake of comedy.
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