Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Encyclopedia
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is a fictional character
played by Ben Schwartz
in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
. He is the cocky friend of Tom Haverford
(Aziz Ansari
) and, like Tom, believes himself to be a playboy and pickup artist
, although he is looked upon with contempt by most people around him. He tries to dress stylishly and often speaks in slang terms. At the end of the third season
, Tom leaves his city hall job to start an entertainment company with Jean-Ralphio.
) is a cocky friend of Tom Haverford who, like Tom himself, fancies himself a pickup artist
and baller, although he is looked upon with contempt by most people around him except Tom. He makes up and raps spontaneous rhymes and often speaks in slang terms such as variations of the suffix -izzle as popularized by rapper Snoop Dogg
; for example, while comforting Tom at one point, Jean-Ralphio encourages him to "Turn that frizown upside-diggity".
", when Tom brings him in for an interview to be Ron Swanson's new assistant; he is quickly rejected. In "Woman of the Year
", when Tom is trying to find investors to help him buy a share of the Snakehole Lounge nightclub, Jean-Ralphio contributes $5,000 of the $10,000 Tom needs. The two approach Donna Meagle about investing along with them, but after a sales pitch from Jean-Ralphio, Donna rejects them and tells Tom, right in front of Jean-Ralphio "I hate that guy." Jean-Ralphio also appeared in "The Master Plan
", where April Ludgate flirted with him at the Snakehole Lounge to make Andy jealous, prompting Andy to say of him, "That Ralph Macchio
guy's a total douche." Jean-Ralphio appears in "The Fight
", where he helps Tom raise awareness for his new drink Snakejuice at the Snakehole Lounge. At one point, after a fight between Leslie and Ann, a drunken Leslie demands that Jean-Ralphio "dance up on me", to which he immediately and excitedly agrees. In the third season finale, "Li'l Sebastian
", Tom encourages Jean-Ralphio to start a multimedia entertainment company called Entertainment 720. After their first successful job organizing a memorial event for celebrity miniature horse Li'l Sebastian, Tom decides to quit his city hall job to work with Jean-Ralphio and the company, which opens a modern office with strange decor and completely stark-white walls.
to discuss playing a different role on the show, and Schur liked him so much that the character Jean-Ralphio was created specifically for him. Schwartz said the character had "just a couple of lines" at first, but was eventually expanded. After making his first few appearances in the second season, Schwartz began to appear less frequently because he was cast in the NBC action spy series Undercovers
, but he was able to return more often after it was cancelled. Schwarz has been cast in the upcoming Showtime series House of Lies
, but Michael Schur said they hope to have Schwartz back "early and often". Like other cast members, Schwartz improvises a great deal during filming.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
played by Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz is a writer, actor and comedian. His feature film credits include Peep World with Rainn Wilson, Michael C. Hall and Sarah Silverman as well as Everybody's Fine with Robert DeNiro...
in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
. He is the cocky friend of Tom Haverford
Tom Haverford
Thomas Montgomery "Tom" Haverford , born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani, is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is a sarcastic, underachieving government official for the city of Pawnee who is revered for his high levels of swagger and unmatched entrepreneurial skills...
(Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari is an American actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. He currently stars as Tom Haverford on the NBC show Parks and Recreation....
) and, like Tom, believes himself to be a playboy and pickup artist
Pickup artist
Pickup artist describes a man who considers himself to be skilled, or who tries to be skilled at meeting, attracting, and seducing women.The use of pickup in this context, slang for making a casual acquaintance with a stranger in anticipation of sexual relations, dates from at least the World War,...
, although he is looked upon with contempt by most people around him. He tries to dress stylishly and often speaks in slang terms. At the end of the third season
Parks and Recreation (season 3)
The third season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between January 20 and May 19, 2011. Like the previous seasons, it focused on Leslie Knope and her staff at the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee...
, Tom leaves his city hall job to start an entertainment company with Jean-Ralphio.
Background and personality
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Ben SchwartzBen Schwartz
Ben Schwartz is a writer, actor and comedian. His feature film credits include Peep World with Rainn Wilson, Michael C. Hall and Sarah Silverman as well as Everybody's Fine with Robert DeNiro...
) is a cocky friend of Tom Haverford who, like Tom himself, fancies himself a pickup artist
Pickup artist
Pickup artist describes a man who considers himself to be skilled, or who tries to be skilled at meeting, attracting, and seducing women.The use of pickup in this context, slang for making a casual acquaintance with a stranger in anticipation of sexual relations, dates from at least the World War,...
and baller, although he is looked upon with contempt by most people around him except Tom. He makes up and raps spontaneous rhymes and often speaks in slang terms such as variations of the suffix -izzle as popularized by rapper Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
; for example, while comforting Tom at one point, Jean-Ralphio encourages him to "Turn that frizown upside-diggity".
Character biography
Jean-Ralphio is first introduced in "The Set UpThe Set Up (Parks and Recreation)
"The Set Up" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the nineteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 14, 2010...
", when Tom brings him in for an interview to be Ron Swanson's new assistant; he is quickly rejected. In "Woman of the Year
Woman of the Year (Parks and Recreation)
"Woman of the Year" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 23rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 4, 2010. In the episode, Ron is presented with a woman of the year...
", when Tom is trying to find investors to help him buy a share of the Snakehole Lounge nightclub, Jean-Ralphio contributes $5,000 of the $10,000 Tom needs. The two approach Donna Meagle about investing along with them, but after a sales pitch from Jean-Ralphio, Donna rejects them and tells Tom, right in front of Jean-Ralphio "I hate that guy." Jean-Ralphio also appeared in "The Master Plan
The Master Plan (Parks and Recreation)
The Master Plan is the 23rd and penultimate episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 29th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 13, 2010...
", where April Ludgate flirted with him at the Snakehole Lounge to make Andy jealous, prompting Andy to say of him, "That Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio
Ralph George Macchio is an American actor, best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and Johnny Cade in The Outsiders. He is also known to American television audiences for his season five recurring role as Jeremy Andretti on the...
guy's a total douche." Jean-Ralphio appears in "The Fight
The Fight (Parks and Recreation)
"The Fight" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 43rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, the parks department employees become very...
", where he helps Tom raise awareness for his new drink Snakejuice at the Snakehole Lounge. At one point, after a fight between Leslie and Ann, a drunken Leslie demands that Jean-Ralphio "dance up on me", to which he immediately and excitedly agrees. In the third season finale, "Li'l Sebastian
Li'l Sebastian
"Li'l Sebastian" is the sixteenth episode and season finale of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 46th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 19, 2011...
", Tom encourages Jean-Ralphio to start a multimedia entertainment company called Entertainment 720. After their first successful job organizing a memorial event for celebrity miniature horse Li'l Sebastian, Tom decides to quit his city hall job to work with Jean-Ralphio and the company, which opens a modern office with strange decor and completely stark-white walls.
Development
Schwartz originally met with Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael SchurMichael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
to discuss playing a different role on the show, and Schur liked him so much that the character Jean-Ralphio was created specifically for him. Schwartz said the character had "just a couple of lines" at first, but was eventually expanded. After making his first few appearances in the second season, Schwartz began to appear less frequently because he was cast in the NBC action spy series Undercovers
Undercovers (TV series)
Undercovers is an American action spy television series created by J. J. Abrams and Josh Reims for NBC. They were executive producers of the pilot along with Abrams' frequent collaborator Bryan Burk....
, but he was able to return more often after it was cancelled. Schwarz has been cast in the upcoming Showtime series House of Lies
House of Lies
House of Lies is an upcoming American comedy television series created by Matthew Carnahan. The show, which will premiere on Showtime on January 8, 2012, is based on Martin Kihn's book, House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time.-Cast:*Don Cheadle as Marty...
, but Michael Schur said they hope to have Schwartz back "early and often". Like other cast members, Schwartz improvises a great deal during filming.