History Main / DumbAndDrummer

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBeatles'' gives Ringo this treatment. [[RingoStarr The real Ringo]] reportedly wasn't too pleased about it.

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer:'' Faith's list of loser ex-boyfriends went "Ronnie: deadbeat. Steve: klepto. Kenny: '''drummer'''."

NOT TruthInTelevision. Playing percussion adequately often involves managing many more actions and ideas at the same time than most other instruments. Real drummers often refer to themselves as "[[InsistentTerminology percussionists]]" in an attempt to distance themselves from this trope.

* Averted hard by {{Rush}}'s drummer Neil Peart, who is incredibly technical in his playing, writes the band's lyrics, has authored several books, and is outright stated by both of his bandmates to "have a bigger brain than [they] do."

* While Dave Grohl averts this, he stated that when {{Nirvana}} was in Australia getting a visa to travel to New Zealand, the consultate wrote "musician" on both KurtCobain and Krist Novoselic's documents, but "drummer" on his.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* In the [[HomestarRunner Strong Bad E-mail]] "best thing", the drummer of Limozeen was made the [[FatIdiot fat, dumb]] PluckyComicRelief in their [[OneEpisodeWonder short-lived]] BandToon "[[ShowWithinAShow Limozeen: But They're In Space]]!"

In the eyes of many people, a percussionist isn't a real musician. After all, how many brain cells can it really take to bang on stuff with sticks? Probably not many. As a result, it's not rare for a drummer to be portrayed as, well, stupid.

NOT TruthInTelevision. Playing percussion adequately often involves managing many more actions and ideas at the same time than most other instruments. Real drummers often refer to themselves as "[[InsistentTerminology percussionists]]" in an attempt to distance themselves from this trope.

* ''Glee'': In some respects, Finn Hudson ''is'' a walking, talking (though not at the same time) drummer joke...

* Played with in ''ThisIsSpinalTap''. All of their drummers get killed off.

* In the Limozeen cartoon (part of ''HomestarRunner''), the following exchange takes place:
-->'''Drummer:''' How come they made me fat and have orange hair?\\
'''Lead Singer:''' Because you're the drummer! You're the PluckyComicRelief!

* In one episode, SpongeBobSquarePants' band, [=SpongeBob=] and the Hi-Seas, has the [[RalphWiggum village-idiot]] [[AchievementsInIgnorance character]] [[TooDumbToLive Patrick]] as its drummer.

-->'''Daz:''' Hey, I want some of this present. It sounds crazy.
-->'''Rocky:''' Sorry, Daz. Not for you.
-->'''Daz:''' And why not?
-->'''Rocky:''' Because... Because you're a drummer. And drummers... they're not meant to have life-changing transcendental experiences.

-->'''Drummer:''' "How come they made me fat and have orange hair?"\\
'''Lead Singer:''' "Because you're the drummer! You're the PluckyComicRelief!"

* Averted with ''{{Metalocalypse}}''; Pickles the Drummer is almost certainly the smartest member of the band (that is to say, [[SurroundedByIdiots the only member of even average intelligence]]).
* In one episode, SpongeBobSquarePants' band, [=SpongeBob=] and the Hi-Seas, has the [[RalphWiggum village-idiot]] [[AchievementsInIgnorance character]] [[TooDumbToLive Patrick]] as its drummer, and was lead singer and guitarist of Snakes & Barrels before joining Dethklok.

* In one episode, SpongeBobSquarePants' band, [=SpongeBob=] and the Hi-Seas, has the [[RalphWiggum village-idiot]] [[AchievementsInIgnorance character]] [[TooDumbToLive Patrick]] as its drummer.

* ''{{K-ON}}'' has Rit-chan. As the Light Music Club's drummer she isn't particularly stupid, just lazy and forgetful. Although the reason she plays the drums is because she thinks playing the guitar or keyboard is too complicated and would frustrate her.

Compare AllDrummersAreAnimals, as there can be some overlap.