I have a question about this comedy technique...?

Question

I wanted to know the official name for the comedy skit where it is two people and one acts as the other person's arms. Usually one person stands behind the other, the one in front has their arms wrapped around their back and the person behind puts their arms through the persons' arms wrapped around them and acts as their arms. It's been bugging me and i wanted to know if this skit has an official name.

Answer 1

I consider it an improvizational technique as it is really only funny when done for a short time and when the audience believes the two people are acting independently. As a rehearsed skit, it is much less funny. The humor comes from the inappropriate movements of the arms - making big gestures for little things, or little for grandious statements, or making distracting movements (picking the nose, feeling the face) or obscene moves. Since one person is always hidden, it doesn't play well as a partner thing for long.
Variations include one person laying down supplying the legs of another person who is straddling them and a dummy costume where a person uses their hands to animate the fake feet of the costume, famously done in a movie with, I think, Nanette Fabrey, Gene Kelly, and ????

Answer 2

Often seen it done in comedy improvs..simply called arms..dunno if theres any real name for it

Answer 3

At theatre school we used to call it "wimps." Always hated the name, and would love to hear something more appropriate.