Jeff Winger

Jeffrey Tobias "Jeff" Winger is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Community.[1] He is portrayed by Joel McHale and first appeared in the pilot episode of Community. Jeff was created by producer Dan Harmon, who briefly attended Glendale Community College. While at Glendale Community College, Harmon became involved in a Spanish study group. Harmon designed the character of Jeff around himself, creating the character as a solipsistic narcissist.

Jeff Winger
Community character
Jeff Winger
First appearance"Pilot" (2009)
Last appearance"Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television" (2015)
Created byDan Harmon
Based onDan Harmon
Portrayed byJoel McHale
In-universe information
Full nameJeffrey Tobias Winger
NicknameJeff
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • Law Professor
AffiliationGreendale Community College
Family
  • William Winger, Sr. (father)
  • Doreen Fitzgerald Winger (mother)
  • William "Willy" Winger, Jr. (half-brother)
Significant others
NationalityAmerican

In season 1, Jeff forms a fake Spanish study group when he arrives at Greendale to try to form a relationship with his classmate Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs). However, Britta invites their classmate Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) to the study group with them. Abed invites more of the class, Annie Edison (Alison Brie), Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), and Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) and the originally fake study group becomes a real one. The group all eventually become close friends and Jeff becomes the rational agent of the group, He is the self-proclaimed patriarchal leader of the study group and embodies a sardonic and cynic personality and traits of a stereotypical sociopath: he is manipulative, resentful, self-obsessed, derisive, megalomaniacal, and inveterate to lying. However, Jeff's abiding relationship with members of his study group eroded many of his sociopathic traits. The group stays together all the way until Jeff and Pierce graduate in the season 4 finale.

In season 5, Jeff returns to Greendale after failing to become a prominent lawyer again. He becomes a law professor and forms the Save Greendale Committee with the re-enrolled members of the study group (Britta, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and Abed) and his office mate Professor Buzz Hickey (Jonathan Banks). Later additions to the Committee include staff members Ben Chang (Ken Jeong), Dr. Ian Duncan (John Oliver), Frankie Dart (Paget Brewster), and Elroy Patashnik (Keith David). Greendale's Dean Craig Pelton (Jim Rash) also befriends the group despite not being an official member.

Role in Community

Jeffrey Tobias Winger is the son of William and Doreen Winger.[2][3] Jeff attended Greendale Community College as a student, until graduating in "Advanced Introduction to Finality". In the following episode, "Repilot", Jeff is offered a job as a teacher at Greendale by Dean Craig Pelton, an offer he accepts.[4] Prior to serving as a teacher, Jeff served as a criminal defense lawyer for a major law firm. During his tenure, Jeff landed multiple cases for the firm, attracting the attention of Alan Connor, who discovered that Jeff's degree was illegitimate, and sent an incriminating email to the Colorado Bar Association. Jeff, in turn, made a deal with the bar to prevent him from getting disbarred, on the condition that he would earn a degree from an accredited institution, ultimately deciding to attend Greendale.[5][6]

Jeff's exact age has changed multiple times, and is unknown. In "Early 21st Century Romanticism" (season two, 2011), Jeff's driver's license lists his birthday as November 20, 1971, making him 40 years old at the time of the episode's airing.[7] This was later clarified as a mistake by the props department, who used Joel McHale's birthday in place of Jeff's.[8] In "Intro to Political Science" (season two, 2011), Annie Edison plays a clip of Jeff's audition tape for MTV's The Real World: Seattle, with the clip dated to 1997 and Jeff estimated to be 19 at the time of the tape, placing him in the age range of 32-33 at the time of the episode's airing.[9] This was retconned in "G.I. Jeff" (season five, 2014), when Jeff suffers a mental breakdown upon turning 40.[10]

Character

Creation
Dan Harmon, the creator of Community and a source of inspiration for Jeff's character

Jeff's last name, Winger, was named after Bill Murray's character John Winger in the film Stripes.[11] Jeff's archetype—a narcissistic egoist—was derived from Community producer Dan Harmon, who was inspired to create the show following his experience with a Spanish study group at Glendale Community College. Harmon, who self-described himself as agoraphobic and solipsistic, developed a deeper relationship with the members of his study group. According to Harmon, "I had spent all of my life empowering myself, proving I was a big boy and could do whatever I wanted. But that's only half of a life. So, in that respect, [Jeff Winger] is me."[12]

Portrayal

I did terrible on my SATs. I couldn't read the way that other students read so I would just cheat, which, you know, in my silly brain I was like this is a skill that I'm developing, how to just get around everything, so in a way that really helped inform the character.

—Joel McHale, speaking to Terry Gross on Fresh Air[13]

Jeff is portrayed by Joel McHale, who had previously hosted The Soup on E!. Jeff's portrayal was shaped by McHale's experiences with dyslexia. According to McHale, he cheated his way through high school and college, akin to Jeff's lie about having an undergraduate degree from Columbia University.[13]

McHale was cast for his likeability. Harmon later stated, reflecting upon his casting of Jeff, "Unless you’re doing something for HBO or FX, it really comes down to whether your star is likeable. And Joel is likeable to the extreme—to the point where you can give him a little bit of unlikable characteristics and all it is is Han Solo, a loveable scoundrel."[12]

Personality

Jeff's notably abrasive personality and vanity have made him a contemptible yet praised character. Jeff's initial demeanor, described by McHale as "wildly arrogant and selfish", began to dissipate over the course of the series.[14] These narcissistic behaviors manifested in the form of sexual desires in early episodes. In "The Politics of Human Sexuality" (season one, 2009), Jeff's romantic endeavors are revealed to be short, with his phone contact for Britta Perry listed as "Hot Blonde Spanish Class".[15]

Jeff is agnostic, revealing himself to be such in "Comparative Religion" (season one, 2009), describing religion as "Paul Rudd".[16]

Reception

Commendations
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Community

Joel McHale has been nominated for and has received several accolades for portraying Jeff. In 2011 and 2012, McHale was nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series at the Critics' Choice Television Awards.[17][18] In addition, McHale received a nomination for Best Actor in a Series – Comedy or Musical at the 16th and 17th Satellite Awards.[19][20] McHale was nominated three times at the EWwy Awards, first for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy, and then twice for Best Actor in a Comedy, winning both nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy.[21][22][23]

Analysis

Jeff has been compared to Rick Sanchez, another character created by Harmon. Both characters possess attributes of wit and sarcasm, and are of above-average intelligence.[24]

References

Citations
  1. Marsh, Calum (July 23, 2021). "Comfort Viewing: 3 Reasons I Love 'Community'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2022. My closest counterpart, with a 96 percent match, was Jeff Winger, the charismatic lead character played by Joel McHale on NBC's cult sitcom 'Community.'
  2. Ganz, Megan (May 9, 2013). "Advanced Introduction to Finality". Community. Season 4. Episode 13. NBC.
  3. Ganz, Megan (February 17, 2011). "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking". Community. Season 2. Episode 16. NBC.
  4. Hale, Mike (January 1, 2014). "Regaining Footing, and a Leader". The New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  5. Cutler, Emily (September 30, 2010). "Accounting for Lawyers". Community. Season 2. Episode 2. NBC.
  6. VanDerWerff, Todd (September 30, 2010). "Accounting for Lawyers". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  7. Dornetto, Karey (February 10, 2011). "Early 21st Century Romanticism". Community. Season 2. Episode 15. NBC.
  8. Steven Sprung (2011). Community: The Complete Second Season (DVD). NBC.
  9. Chandrasekhar, Jay (February 24, 2011). "Intro to Political Science". Community. Season 2. Episode 17. NBC.
  10. Stamatopoulos, Dino (April 3, 2014). "G.I. Jeff". Community. Season 5. Episode 11. NBC.
  11. Busis, Hillary (June 17, 2013). "Dan Harmon on 'Community' season 4: Not good". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 29, 2022. Community's creator had long hoped to snag Bill Murray for that role — he even named McHale's Jeff Winger after John Winger, Murray's character in Stripes.
  12. Hyden, Steven (October 19, 2009). "How Dan Harmon went from doing ComedySportz in Milwaukee to creating NBC's Community". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  13. Joel McHale (2015). Comedian Joel McHale Talks Dyslexia, Bad TV And Filming A Thriller. Fresh Air.
  14. Zakarin, Jordan (September 7, 2011). "'Community': Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs On Season Three & Its Unique Place On TV". HuffPost. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  15. Winston, Hillary (December 3, 2009). "The Politics of Human Sexuality". Community. Season 1. Episode 11. NBC.
  16. Cackowski, Liz (December 10, 2009). "Comparative Religion". Community. Season 1. Episode 12. NBC.
  17. "BTJA Announces Nominations for First Critics' Choice Television Awards". Business Wire. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  18. "2012 – Critics' Choice Television Awards Announces Nominations". Broadcast Television Journalists Association. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  19. "2011 Categories". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  20. "2012 Categories". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  21. Slezak, Michael (August 26, 2010). "EWwy Awards 2010: Here's to the Winners!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  22. "EWwy Awards 2011: Here's to the Winners!". Entertainment Weekly. September 16, 2011. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  23. "EWwys 2012: Meet Your Winners!". Entertainment Weekly. September 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  24. Eckhart-zinn 2020, p. 269.

Sources
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