He had a primly pointed jaw, a primly straight nose, and a prim manner of speaking that was so correct, so gentlemanly, that he seemed a comic antique.
With politicians tending to become too egotistical or overbearing at times, comedy has been the most effective vehicle that indirectly exposes issues and concerns to the general public.
A humorous or farcical interlude in a serious literary work, especially a tragedy, intended to relieve the dramatic tension or heighten the emotional impact by means of contrast.
These are more notional than real, as the farcical second show trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oil boss and a Putin rival, which is taking place on Mr Medvedev's watch, demonstrates.