Deadpanner

/ˈdɛdˌpænər/ noun

Definition

A person, especially a comedian or performer, who specializes in delivering humor or other material with a completely expressionless face.

Etymology

From 'deadpan' (expressionless delivery style) plus '-er' (agent noun suffix, indicating someone who does something). The term emerged in the 20th century as deadpan comedy became recognized as a distinct performance technique.

Kelly Says

Famous deadpanners like Steven Wright and Aubrey Plaza have built entire careers on the principle that saying absurd things with a blank face makes them funnier—neuroscience suggests our brains work harder to resolve the mismatch between content and delivery.

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