This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Working Title: Tom Hanks Syndrome: From YKTTW
DieHard - As the person that wrote that crappy paraphrased joke (which was just copied wholesale from the YKTTW, apparently), I would like it if somebody could change it to something a lot more fluid. Maybe find the original joke transcript or something. Thank you.
Yoshi348: Couldn't get started on finding the original joke, but I did rewrite the whole description. Now the lead isn't buried under a freaking avalanche. It's a little sparse, but that's what Wiki Magic is for.
As a side note, I never would have guessed what this trope was about, given that I didn't know Tom Hanks had a comedic career. Yet I did know about Leslie Nielsen. Go figure. (Actually, I knew Tom Hanks was in Bosom Buddies, but it didn't connect to my mind at all.)
Grimace: Is this trope just meant to be for Comedians who later do serious roles, or comedians/early actors with a remembered schtick (eg. Robin Williams "Nano nano!") that people still talk about? I ask only because of it being called "Tom Hanks Syndrome" - if it's the former, fine, he did lots of silly movies and is now greatly respected as a serious actor. If it's the latter...what particular comedy-bit is he remembered for?
Pure curiosity.
Phartman: Tom Hanks never had any particular schtick, but did all sorts of funny roles during the 80's (Bosom Buddies, The Man with One Red Shoe, Splash!, The Burbs, Dragnet, The Money Pit etc.). Unless A League of Their Own counts, Hanks pretty much never went back to comedy after his role in Philadelphia, so I'd say it's the former.
Superluser: I'm trying to figure out a good way to reference the "What if Peter Scolari...
" stuff that people do to lampshade this trope.
