Appropriately hashtagged as #ThreeFictionalCharacters, a meme has been making it way around social media getting participants to name three fictional characters that best describe who they are. Talk show host Conan O’Brien says he is “obviously” Big Bird, Archie Andrews and Thor. This got me thinking. If I were to sum up the entirety of my personality and my existence in such a way, who would my three characters be?
Let’s dive in.
Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
The first choice seems pretty obvious. As one of my TV dad role models, Phil Dunphy from Modern Family has a lot in common with me. I’d say he has a lot more in common with me than some of the other TV dads I considered, like Danny Tanner or Philip Banks.
For starters, he is armed with a very strong “dad joke” game filled with plenty of terrible puns. I can only aspire to reach his level one day, perhaps when I have a team of comedy writers working for me. Phil is also just a big kid at heart; he just wants to be best friends with his kids, especially Luke. And finally, he just so happens to be a self-employed professional too. Now I just need to get my ad on a bus stop bench.
Tweek Tweak, South Park
An ongoing joke that I’ve spewed many times before is that I am fueled by caffeine and Wi-Fi. As long as I have those two things in my life, I am reasonably functional. While he may not have the same relationship with access to the Internet, Tweek Tweak from South Park is wildly addicted to a great cup of java.
It probably doesn’t help that his parents run one of the most popular coffee joints in town (next to “Harbucks”); my parents were in the restaurant business for a number of years and I was introduced to coffee at probably too young of an age too. And despite what my outward appearance may sometimes lead you to believe, I am riddled with a terrible sense of anxiety most of the time. I’m usually on edge about something.
I may not be as angry and as entitled as Cartman. I may not be as generic as Stan or as foul-mouthed as Kenny. Tweek? Yup, he’s my guy, uncontrollable shaking and all.
Owl, Winnie the Pooh
I like to think of myself as educated and wise and cultured and worldly. The weekly Sunday Snippet series on this blog is a testament to that. Like Owl from Winnie the Pooh, I like to think of myself as a proud intellectual. And also like this fine-feathered resident of the Hundred Acre Wood, my supposed “wisdom” can probably be questionable at times too.
As a result of thinking himself so wise, Owl has grown increasingly pretentious and obsessive, particularly in his more modern incarnations. He’s become an elitist, though he still cares very deeply for his friends. He just needs to stop looking down on them as a means of lifting himself up.
#ThreeFictionalCharacters Honorable Mentions
One other character I considered including in my mighty triumvirate was Christopher Moltisanti from The Sopranos. Drug and marital issues aside, Chris dabbled in writing and he struggled with being his own man. I really identified with that sense of existential angst and the desire to be respected.
There’s also Rubble from PAW Patrol. Odd choice? Maybe. From what I can gather, Rubble is the youngest of the bunch and, for better or worse, I’ve always had a “little brother” mentality. Rubble also loves to eat and sleep, with several episodes exploring the content of his dreams. Michael on the double? I can dig it.
Who are your #ThreeFictionalCharacters and why? Share your trio by posting a comment below!
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