The First JarJar

[Mrs. Darth Vader]

I was watching an old TV show they put on DVD. It is called "The Andy Griffith Show". It stars Andy Griffith, Ron Howard and Don Notts. Don Notts plays the role of deputy sheriff to Andy Griffith who plays Sheriff Andy Taylor. Don Notts plays name on the show is Barney Fife. Don Notts was a famous comedian of that day. The show started in 1960. Barney Fife is a very clumsy person who is scared alot and is very shy with women. He is always needing Sheriff Taylor to get him out of a jam. Barney Fife is also is supposed to be very dumb. So I wonder if Lucas remembered this funny character and created JarJar? Back then the incompetent Barney Fife was considered very funny. No one hated him. He just made you laugh. So I wonder if George Lucas thought to create an alien that is in many ways similar to the old Barney Fife, to add humor to the Star Wars series? After watching the old "Andy Griffith Show it sure made me think of JarJar.

I could be wrong but I can not ask Lucas directly so I had to just guess. ;D

[Jedi Archivist Kethrim]

Interesting thought! I don't think that Lucas intended to create a character that people hated, but more of a clown character, comic relief. C-3PO provided that a bit in the original trilogy, but JarJar went a bit over the top, and I think that that was the problem. If he was a bit toned down, he could have been a great character.

[Mrs. Darth Vader]

Jedi Archivist Kethrim
That was why I thought that JarJar was invented by old memories of Don Knotts playing the role of Barney Fife. He was over board as well. He was also incompetent and dumb. Barney was always getting into trouble and Andy Griffith had to bail him out all the time. Back then it was considered funny. People really loved Don Knotts so I wonder if Lucas thought that people would love JarJar as much as they loved Barney Fife. Just time marched on and peoples opinions changed and Lucas did not realize it until people's harsh reaction to JarJar after Episode I. At least that was what I thought after seeing those old Episodes of the Andy Griffith Show.

[Mrs. Darth Vader]

Ooops. I forgot Gomer Pyle might also make a very good JarJar. He even is more accident prone than Barney Fife. Gomer also gets his Sargent mad at him all the time.