History StraightMan / WesternAnimation

*** Twilight Sparkle is the character to fill this role most often, thanks to her {{Only Sane Ma|n}}re status serving as a contrast to the various bizarre behaviors of her friends. Exceptions to this come whenever her [[SuperOCD neuroticism]] [[SanitySlippage gets the better of her sanity]], in which case the Straight Men are either Spike, who most often plays the role of exasperated observer to Twilight's antics, or the level-headed Applejack.

*** Additionally, Fluttershy and Applejack are usually the ones to play this to whatever character is serving as their comedic {{foil}} at the time, while it is more rare for [[BoisterousBruiser Rainbow Dash]], [[LargeHam Rarity]], and especially [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] to do so. The character dynamics of "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve Hearth's Warming Eve]]" are built around the three "straight" characters playing idealized versions of themselves that are paired with the three "funny" characters, whose personality flaws are dialed UpToEleven -- Twilight's studious mindfulness against Rarity's vocal drama, Fluttershy's quiet caution against Rainbow Dash's hot-headed MilesGloriosus, and Applejack's level-headed practicality against Pinkie's bizarre non-sequiturs.

* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'': Frylock is the Straight Man to lines that usually don't even make sense spoken by anthropomorphic food items and stoned two-dimensional aliens.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'': Charles Foster Ofdenson plays Straight Man to Dethklok and OnlySaneMan to the setting.%%ZCE
* ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'': Raffles the border collie is easygoing and slightly naive compared to the titular joker.
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
*** Twilight Sparkle is the character to fill this role most often, thanks to her {{Only Sane Ma|n}}re status serving as a contrast to the various bizarre behaviors of her friends. Exceptions to this come whenever her [[SuperOCD neuroticism]] [[SanitySlippage gets the better of her sanity]], in which case the Straight Men are either Spike, who most often plays the role of exasperated observer to Twilight's antics, or the level-headed Applejack.
*** Additionally, Fluttershy and Applejack are usually the ones to play this to whatever character is serving as their comedic {{foil}} at the time, while it is more rare for [[BoisterousBruiser Rainbow Dash]], [[LargeHam Rarity]], and especially [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] to do so. The character dynamics of "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve Hearth's Warming Eve]]" are built around the three "straight" characters playing idealized versions of themselves that are paired with the three "funny" characters, whose personality flaws are dialed UpToEleven -- Twilight's studious mindfulness against Rarity's vocal drama, Fluttershy's quiet caution against Rainbow Dash's hot-headed MilesGloriosus, and Applejack's level-headed practicality against Pinkie's bizarre non-sequiturs.
*** Cheerilee plays the comic foil to the Cutie Mark Crusaders in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11FamilyAppreciationDay Family Appreciation Day]]" and "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E17HeartsAndHoovesDay Hearts and Hooves Day]]".
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'': In the early sections of the movie, Hitch serves as the level-headed and mildly exasperated straight horse in contrast to Sunny's energetic activism and Sprout's incompetence.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Brian starts out as a simple foil for Peter and/or Stewie's wackyness. The evolution of Brian's character gives us an interesting case study in exactly what level of CharacterDevelopment is appropriate for these types. If all they ever do episode after episode is set up other character's jokes and snark at their buffoonery, you run the risk of having a FlatCharacter. Going too far in the other direction, though, takes us into [[{{Anvilicious}} much]] [[AuthorAvatar more malignant]] [[AuthorFilibuster territory]], as giving too much exposure to a character whose main purpose is appearing more sensible and intelligent than others will eventually necessitate the writers revealing their own prejudices about just what they think an intelligent or sensible way of life is.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Lisa has the thankless task of playing foil to ''her entire town''. In the early days she and Bart were a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy combo, and while this is still true, she often finds herself playing straight to almost everyone else in Springfield. Luckily, she is usually excellent at it.
** Superintendent Chalmers is the straight man to Principal Skinner, most notably in their "Skinner & the Superintendent" sketch from "22 Short Films about Springfield." Referenced in "Marge Simpson in: Screaming Yellow Honkers" when they perform a WhosOnFirst skit at the teachers' talent show.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
** Stan Marsh from is the Straight Man to the WHOLE town in later seasons. While Stan is probably the "straightest" character, others exist too.
** Kyle is Straight Man almost as much as Stan, especially compared to Cartman.
** Sharon will often play Straight Woman to her [[CloserToEarth less sane]] husband Randy.
** And in general, kids are often the Straight Boys and Girls [[AdultsAreUseless to the town's idiot adults]], though at times the Mayor will do this too (despite at other times being an AuthorityInNameOnly or be just as stupid as them). The premise of the entire show basically boils down to the idea that all kids are straight men to adults: they stand on the sidelines and comment with bewilderment on the insanity that is the adult world.
* WesternAnimation/KimPossible is a laser-focused StraightMan to her {{sidekick}} Ron, both comedically and in the action/adventure scenes.

*** Both of them regularly foil their mad scientist father whenever he comes up with a new invention.

* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts have a trio composed of two comedic characters, the [[TheChewToy unlucky]] and [[HairTriggerTemper irritable]] WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, and the clumsy and sometimes stupid WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}... and the everyman WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse. If Mickey isn't around, Donald will become the straight man to Goofy.
* Ever since soon after he was created, it has been customary to pair WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck with a Straight Man -- usually WesternAnimation/PorkyPig, who has been the go-to straight man for ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' ever since ''his'' creation years earlier -- but later on WesternAnimation/BugsBunny occasionally played straight man to his then more abrasive personality.
* Much like his ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' predecessor, Hamton Pig in ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' often plays this role. Babs even invokes the trope in the first episode, saying that every show needs a straight man. He's often straight man, to Daffy's counterpart Plucky, though one notable plot played ''Plucky'' as suffering straight man to ''Hamton'''s ridiculously nuclear family.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
** Perry's ''voicelessness'' puts him in the straight man position to Doofenshmirtz (and, to a lesser extent, Major Monogram).
** And, of course, Linda, despite her own goofy moments, plays the perfect straight woman to Candace's obsessive craziness.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'':
** Patricia generally functions as the straight woman to Peri, Entree, and Joe's craziness, though Peri fills in when she's not around.
** Octocat also is this to Smarty-Smarts.
* ''WesternAnimation/NedsNewt'': Ned serves this role to the rather chaotic and random Newton the newt.

* WesternAnimation/YogiBear may be "smarter than the average bear", but more often than not, his pal Boo-Boo has this role.
* Lana Kane usually fulfils this role in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', often being the only one taking the mission at hand remotely seriously while Archer is deliberately goofing off to get a rise out of her.

** As shown in "Earth Camping", the serious but full-of-himself Mr. Peterson is this to the more goofy, laid-back Carrot.
** Sean is usually this when with Jet, Sydney, and Mindy, since they (Jet especially) tend to come up with strange ideas while Sean is more practical.

* Zuko and Sokka take this role in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. In the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' it's Tenzin, Lin, and Mako.
* Huey Freeman of ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'' had become the straight man of Riley Freeman, Robert "Granddad" Freeman... and even Uncle Ruckus.
* Carey Means, who plays Frylock on ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'', has the added privilege of playing the Straight Man to lines that usually don't even make sense spoken by anthropomorphic food items and stoned two-dimensional aliens.
* Ditto for Charles Foster Ofdenson, who plays Straight Man to Dethklok and OnlySaneMan to the ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'' universe.
* Raffles the border collie from ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'' is easygoing and slightly naive compared to the title joker.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Twilight Sparkle is the character to fill this role most often, thanks to her [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Mare]] status (except for whenever her [[SuperOCD neuroticism]] [[SanitySlippage gets the better of her sanity]], which usually [[InvertedTrope inverts]] this trope).
** That said, whenever Twilight goes off her nut Spike typically steps up to fill the role.
** Additionally, Fluttershy and Applejack are usually the ones to play this to whatever character is serving as their comedic {{foil}} at the time, while it is more rare for [[BoisterousBruiser Rainbow Dash]], [[LargeHam Rarity]], and especially [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] to do so. The character dynamics of "Hearth's Warming Eve" are built around the three "straight" characters playing idealized versions of themselves that are paired with the three "funny" characters, whose personality flaws are dialed UpToEleven.
** Cheerilee plays the comic foil to the Cutie Mark Crusaders in "Family Appreciation Day" and "Hearts and Hooves".
* Ulrich of ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' often plays the Straight Man to Odd's antics.
* C.G. of The Future is wild, because of her time and her father, often plays this trope towards her crew, Ethan, Emily and Luis and Squibby as she is more serious and analytical than they were. Luis also plays this, toward his two friends, apparently even before they meet C.G. and Squibby.
* [[spoiler:Puck]] of ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' said of his [[spoiler:Owen]] persona, "The Trickster has played many roles, but [[AccidentalInnuendo never that of the straight man]]." The fangirls immediately [[HoYay latched on that one]].
* Brian of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' infamy started out as a simple foil for Peter and/or Stewie's wackyness. The evolution of Brian's character gives us an interesting case study in exactly what level of CharacterDevelopment is appropriate for these types. If all they ever do episode after episode is set up other character's jokes and snark at their buffoonery, you run the risk of having a FlatCharacter. Going too far in the other direction, though, takes us into [[{{Anvilicious}} much]] [[AuthorAvatar more malignant]] [[AuthorFilibuster territory]], as giving too much exposure to a character whose main purpose is appearing more sensible and intelligent than others will eventually necessitate the writers revealing their own prejudices about just what they think an intelligent or sensible way of life is.

* Much like his ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' predecessor, Hamton Pig in ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' often plays this role. Babs even invokes the trope in the first episode. He's often straight man, to Daffy's counterpart Plucky, though one notable plot played ''Plucky'' as suffering straight man to ''Hamton'''s ridiculously nuclear family.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Lisa has the thankless task of playing foil to ''her entire town''. In the early days she and Bart were a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy combo, and while this is still true, she often finds herself playing straight to almost everyone else in Springfield. Luckily, she is usually excellent at it. Occasionally, especially in later seasons, Lisa's more extreme personality traits will come to the fore and she gets to have someone else play off her for a change. Lisa was in danger of falling into the same trap as Brian (see above) in later seasons, as she began to turn into a SoapboxSadie. In more recent years the writers have dialed her back to her earlier, more sensible persona; she hardly ever mentions politics anymore, and she has once again become the straight man.
** Superintendent Chalmers is the straight man to Principal Skinner, most notably in their "Steamed Hams" bit from "22 Short Films about Springfield." Also referenced in "Marge Simpson in: Screaming Yellow Honkers" when they perform a WhosOnFirst skit at the teachers' talent show.