History Main / Cloudcuckoolander

* Cloudcuckoolander/RealLife

On rare occasions, a Cloudcuckoolander may become BoredWithInsanity and become more normal. If this happens, sometimes it sticks, and sometimes a [[WeWantOurJerkBack "we want our Cloudcuckoolander back" movement]], subsequently getting bored with ''sanity'' too, or some other means of inducing insanity will make him or her a Cloudcuckoolander again (since, after all, StatusQuoIsGod).

* TheMadHatter: Aware that he/she is insane — and proud of it.

Cloudcuckoolanders are [[LoonWithAHeartOfGold rarely malicious]]. They are far more likely to be PluckyComicRelief. Maybe he's one of ThoseTwoGuys or the crazy member of the ComicTrio. They [[{{Cloudcuckoolanguage}} lapse into non sequitur]] [[TalkativeLoon a lot]], and while they aren't totally insane, they act it much more than some other crazier characters. They also [[ShiftingVoiceOfMadness talk like they're nuts as well by a speech pattern]].

* TheFool: [[TheDitz Not too bright,]] but [[DumbIsGood good enough]] of heart that [[BornLucky luck's always on their side.]]

If a Cloudcuckoolander is dangerous, then that is BewareTheSillyOnes. If they fight for a random rather than heroic reason, see ClassicalAntihero or NominalHero. Because of the humor value in doing so, they're more likely than most characters to be a SpannerInTheWorks that stops a seemingly unstoppable plan, leaving viewers wondering if they were aware of what they were doing. For that reason, when it's time for a show to get serious, these characters are likely to be [[ShooOutTheClowns killed or detained]] so the viewers know they won't be responsible for yet another DeusExMachina.

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool, or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, [[TheKlutz clumsy,]] over-the-top, [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish,]] illogical, outright eccentric, [[TheDitz goofy,]] etc. And because [[MrImagination imagination often runs wild,]] they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

Cloudcuckoolanders are [[LoonWithAHeartOfGold rarely malicious]]. They are far more likely to be PluckyComicRelief. Maybe he's one of ThoseTwoGuys or the crazy member of the ComicTrio. They [[{{Cloudcuckoolanguage}} lapse into non sequitur]] [[TalkativeLoon a lot]], and while they aren't totally insane, they act it much more than some other crazier characters. They also [[ShiftingVoiceOfMadness talk like they're nuts as well by an speech pattern]].

Another notable mark is that often there is nothing actually ''wrong'' with what they do, but it is most assuredly not something a normal person would do. Sit down with a Cloudcuckoolander and try to explain to them that normal people don't wear the clothes of a dead man. They will ''never'' understand what your problem is. It's not like the dead guy cares, is it? Likewise they would fail to understand the reason for wearing shoes in a public place (it's warm and cosy, so [[BarefootLoon why not go barefoot?]]) or using the pronoun "I" when referring to yourself (you use other people's names when speaking about them, so [[ThirdPersonPerson why not use your own name when you speak about yourself?]])

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, [[TheKlutz clumsy,]] over-the-top, [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish,]] illogical, eccentric, [[TheDitz goofy,]] etc. And because [[MrImagination imagination often runs wild,]] they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

When their weirdness delves into disturbing territory, they have taken a job as a NightmareFuelStationAttendant.

On rare occasion, a Cloudcuckoolander may become BoredWithInsanity and become more normal. If this happens, sometimes it sticks, and sometimes a [[WeWantOurJerkBack "we want our Cloudcuckoolander back" movement]], subsequently getting bored with ''sanity'' too, or some other means of inducing insanity will make him or her a Cloudcuckoolander again (since, after all, StatusQuoIsGod).

If a Cloudcuckoolander is dangerous, then that is BewareTheSillyOnes. If they fight for a random rather than heroic reason, see ClassicalAntihero or NominalHero. Because of the humor value in doing so, they're more likely than most characters to be a SpannerInTheWorks that stops an seemingly unstoppable plan, leaving viewers wondering if they were aware of what they were doing. For that reason, when it's time for a show to get serious, these characters are likely to be [[ShooOutTheClowns killed or detained]] so the viewers know they won't be responsible for yet another DeusExMachina.

The name of the trope comes from the city built on air above the Greek plain in Creator/{{Aristophanes}}' play ''Theatre/TheBirds'', 414 B.C., whose ruler had quite a large mental gap between the [[WideEyedIdealist dreamy, wide-eyed, idealistic]] {{Utopia}} that he imagined his city to be and the brutal totalitarian regime that he had actually imposed on it. He also came up with brilliant ideas like keeping people out of his city — a city you could only reach through flight — by building a really, really tall wall around it. ([[FridgeLogic We'll give you a minute to figure out why that wouldn't have worked so well]].)[[note]]Subversion: Go high enough and there's no air, so, even for a city accessible "through flight", [[FridgeBrilliance you need air to fly in]].[[/note]]

* {{Cloudcuckoolanguage}}: Eccentricity manifesting itself in speech mannerisms, such as strange {{Verbal Tic}}s, [[ThirdPersonPerson referring to oneself in the third person]], making up nonexistent words, etc.
* CuckooSnarker: When this trope meets DeadpanSnarker.

* ManicPixieDreamGirl: "Wacky" love interest to a "normal" person.

* RamblingOldManMonologue: senile rather than crazy.
* StraightManAndWiseGuy: When a Cloudcuckoolander is paired with a StraightMan.
* TheWonka: Authority figure whose eccentricity is the ''catalyst'' for their success.

!!Examples Subpages:

!!Other Examples:

* HollywoodPersonalityDisorders: Characters that are supposed to exhibit Schizotypal Personality Disorder are often depicted as Cloudcuckoolanders.

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, a Cloudcuckoolander isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, [[TheKlutz clumsy,]] over-the-top, [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish,]] illogical, eccentric, [[TheDitz goofy,]] etc. And because [[MrImagination imagination often runs wild,]] they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

This character is a mainstay of SurrealHumor, DadaComics, WidgetSeries, and WordSaladHumor. Even in a series with a little more structure overall, the Cloudcuckoolander's wacky and bizarre antics will often be used for an easy gag, particularly when paired with a [[StraightMan straight foil]] to drive insane. This is probably why there are so many WebComics examples. Often this character will also be a GranolaGirl or NewAgeRetroHippie.

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, a Cloudcuckoolander isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, [[TheKlutz clumsy,]] over-the-top, [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish,]] illogical, eccentric, etc. And because imagination often runs wild, they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

* TheFool: Not too bright, but good enough of heart that luck's always on their side.

A character with their head in the clouds. They are strangely oblivious to things that everyone else takes for granted. They may have an argument with themselves for fun, make points in an argument [[InsaneTrollLogic with no basis in logic or reality]], or tell [[TalkativeLoon rambling stories that have nothing to do with the point they're trying to make]]. They make totally unintentional {{double entendre}}s, and are great for GettingCrapPastTheRadar. Sometimes also called "Space Case" or "Space Cadet", or plain old "Strange", a cuckoo clock chime is used as an indicator of one.

Cloudcuckoolanders are [[LoonWithAHeartOfGold very rarely malicious]]. They are far more likely to be PluckyComicRelief. Maybe he's one of ThoseTwoGuys or the crazy member of the ComicTrio. They [[{{Cloudcuckoolanguage}} lapse into non sequitur]] [[TalkativeLoon a lot]], and while they aren't totally insane, they act it much more than some other crazier characters.

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, a Cloudcuckoolander isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, over-the-top, [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish,]] illogical, eccentric, etc. And because imagination often runs wild, they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

* ''Literature/TheBible'': John 8:1-11 has an interesting story about when Jesus saved a women from being stoned to death. When a [[SmugSnake group of pharisees]] along with a crowd of people brought an adulteress to Jesus, telling him the woman should be stoned for committing the sin of adultery and demanded Jesus answer on what they should do to her, he responded by drawing a line in the sand. Confused, the pharisees demanded an answer for Jesus’s response, which he responded by saying that anyone who had never sinned could step up to the line in the sand, and begin stoning the woman to death. The pharisees realized Jesus had caught them in their own trap which was designed to discredit Jesus. If he had allowed the crowd to stone the woman, it would look like Jesus had ordered the woman’s death, and thus make him look like a villain to his followers. But if he refused, he would deny Jewish law, thus inciting the wrath of the Jewish people nearby. However, by giving Jesus the power to decide the woman’s fate, they allowed him to add his own conditions to the case, thus exposing a loophole the pharisees unwittingly gave him. Now anyone who tried to stone the woman would be declaring themselves sinless, which was also against Jewish law, causing the mob to disperse in humiliation and sparing the life of the woman. The story is treated by Christians and non-Christians alike to this day as one of the oldest written cases of TakeAThirdOption, and thus a [[SubvertedTrope subversion of this trope]], something which would end up being a defining feature of Jesus’s life when dealing with the pharisees who plotted his downfall time and time again.

Though they may overlap or go hand and hand with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, a Cloudcuckoolander isn't necessarily stupid. Some Cloudcuckoolanders can be highly intelligent, very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, over-the-top, illogical, eccentric, etc. And because imagination often runs wild, they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

Though they may overlap with TheDitz, TheFool or the KindheartedSimpleton, a Cloudcuckoolander, by definition, isn't stupid. They can be highly intelligent and very insightful or even geniuses, it's just the things they sometimes say and do may come off as weird, awkward, over-the-top, illogical, eccentric, etc. And because imagination often runs wild, they tend to be EasilyImpressed.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinkie_cloudcuckooland.png]]]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Art]]

* It was incredibly hard to find in which folder this belonged, but considering Vocaloid is a voice-synthesizing program this will do. Many of the voicebanks have characters attached to them. However most of the time they have no canon personality at all. Yet, looking at Nico Nico Concerts, it seems this trope is often given to Gakupo. He's often seen appearing at random moments on stage, portraying questionable behavior, such as putting on weird costumes (alternatively: wearing no clothes at all), forgetting the dance routine, or trying to hug one of the girls mid-concert. He's also the most likely one to break the fourth wall, if it were to happen at all.
** The fact that for the longest time this guy was best known for his troll songs, didn't help in bettering his image. Hell, to this day his best known songs is arguably Dancing Samurai. It is hard to describe what's going on in that video clip, but it includes horse masks, naked people, SM whips and kiddie pools, so believe me when I tell you it's weird.

-->'''Jack:''' Dennis, I didn't know you had relatives in New York.
-->'''Dennis:''' No, my family lives in Jersey. I had to drive under the Hudson River to visit them, and gee was it damp! Boy, did I get wet!
-->'''Jack:''' Was there a leak in the tunnel?
-->'''Dennis:''' Ohhhhh, ''tunnel''!

[[caption-width-right:350:Her brain is like its own alien world.]]

[[caption-width-right:300:Her brain is like a world.]]

Another notable mark is that often there is nothing actually ''wrong'' with what they do, but it is most assuredly not something a normal person would do. Sit down with a Cloudcuckoolander and try to explain to them that normal people don't wear the clothes of a dead man. They will ''never'' understand what your problem is. It's not like the dead guy cares, is it? Likewise they would fail to understand the reason for wearing shoes in a public place (it's warm and cosy, so [[BarefootLoon why not go barefoot?]]) or using the pronoun "I" when referring to yourself (you use other people's names when speaking about them, so [[ThirdPersonPerson why not use your own name when you speak about yourself]]?)

* It was incredibly hard to find in which folder this belonged, but considering Vocaloid is a voice-synthesizing program this will do. Many of the voicebanks have characters attached to them. However most of the time they have no canon personality at all. Yet, looking at Nico Nico Concerts, it seems this trope is often given to Gakupo. He's often seen appearing at random moments on stage, portraying questionable behavior, such as putting on weird costumes, forgetting the dance routine, or trying to hug one of the girls mid-concert. He's also the most likely one to break the fourth wall, if it were to happen at all.

* It was incredibly hard to find in which folder this belonged, but considering ''Music/Vocaloid'' is a voice-synthesizing program this will do. Many of the voicebanks have characters attached to them. However most of the time they have no canon personality at all. Yet, looking at Nico Nico Concerts, it seems this trope is often given to Gakupo. He's often seen appearing at random moments on stage, portraying questionable behavior, such as putting on weird costumes, forgetting the dance routine, or trying to hug one of the girls mid-concert. He's also the most likely one to break the fourth wall, if it were to happen at all.