‘Growing Up Fisher’s’ Jenna Elfman On Origins of Comedic Timing

With her work on Dharma & Greg, the short-lived 1600 Penn, and now Growing Up Fisher, Jenna Elfman has crafted a solid acting career that’s partly anchored by her impeccable sense of comedic timing. Of course, a bit of that elusive charm and a subtle sense of self-confidence are also part of the mix, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to place her in a lineage that includes Carole Lombard, Judy Holliday, and Carol Burnett.

During our interviews with the actress, Elfman talked about presenting Burnett collaborator Tim Conway with an 80th birthday cake. “That was awesome for me,” said Elfman, who also cites Harvey Korman, Lucille Ball, and Judy Holliday as influences. “I kind of couldn’t believe it, because I used to sit in front of the TV with bated breath waiting for them to break down laughing. I was obsessed with them.”

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As for Growing Up Fisher, one hopes the show’s easy as pie chemistry among the leads and the solid comedic writing will constitute for a long TV life. Inspired by executive producer DJ Nash’s childhood, Growing Up Fisher airs Tuesdays on NBC (9:30 pm et/pt). The last episode, titled “The Date from Hell-nado” contains a memorable sequence in which Joyce Fisher (Elfman) is asked out on a date while shopping at the supermarket. Actually, the whole episode has a bunch of memorable moments (including Mel Fisher comparing his son to a Prius), so give the show a shot, especially if you value well executed comedy.

I’ve always wondered how Elfman developed her sense of comedic timing. Click on the video below and find out:

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