Cameron Tucker
Encyclopedia
Cameron Scott Tucker is a fictional character
on the American
television series Modern Family
. He is portrayed by Eric Stonestreet
.
Cameron, also referred to as Cam, is Mitchell's partner of five years, and one of Lily's fathers, who has a very big dramatic personality. His bubbly outgoing personality contrasts to Mitchell's uptight manner, which causes them to be very opposite. Cameron grew up on a farm in Missouri. He is a very big sports fan. Currently, he acts as a stay-at-home dad to Lily, though it is mentioned that he had taught music prior to this. Cameron is also an experienced rock drummer. It is also mentioned that Cameron was considerably thinner and in better shape when he first started dating Mitchell. For the first few episodes, his relationship with Mitchell was somewhat strained (being that they disagreed on almost everything and showed very different parenting techniques). But in more recent episodes the relationship is much happier.
Despite the show being strictly ensemble, with no character larger than the other, Cameron Tucker has grown to become one of the show's most popular characters. He has been identified as a minor breakout character
, with Phil Dunphy
being the show's largest. Stonestreet won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010, beating out two of his castmates (Ty Burrell
and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
), for his performance as Cam in the episode Fizbo
.
of each other. Mitchell, who often acts very mature and does not like to act like a gay stereotype, is the opposite of Cam's outgoing, dramatic personality. Mitchell often does not approve of Cam's actions, such as dressing up Lily (their adopted Vietnamese
baby) in diva
attire, or auditioning her for commercials at a young age. Mitchell also does not approve of Cam's clown
alias, Fizbo
.
Despite their numerous differences, Mitchell and Cam are shown to have a very good relationship. Cam's carefree nature acts as a balance to Mitchell's uptight nervousness, such as in the Pilot
, when Mitchell was nervous about presenting Lily to the family.
Mitchell and Cam have been compared to Claire
and Phil
, respectively.
, and was therefore unsupportive of Mitchell's relationship with Cam. However, Jay and Cameron have improved their relationship over time, mainly by bonding over their mutual love for sports, much to Mitchell's dismay. In Moon Landing
, Jay is nervous to go to the gym with Cam because of the locker room, which he thinks would be a "showroom" to Cam, because he is gay. The situation worsens when Jay and Cam's buttocks
accidentally press against each other while they are changing.
. Whenever he is seen wearing a suit
, he always wears a carnation
.
Cameron has been shown to very be conscious about his appearance. In "Strangers on a Treadmill
", he wore bike shorts (which were censored) while beginning to work out again, before Claire told him they did not look good on him, which caused him to cry. The censorship of the bike shorts in this episode sparked controversy, although both Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
, who plays Mitchell, confirmed that the censorship was intentional and not an act by the network or the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC).
to Lily, though he taught music before.
In Travels with Scout
, it is revealed that Cam is an experienced rock drummer, and he filled in for Haley's boyfriend, Dylan's, band at the last minute. The episode also reveals that Cameron grows attached to things very quickly, as he was heartbroken when the original drummer returned.
Cameron grew up on a farm in Missouri. He was a third string center
for the University of Illinois football team (which he and Jay bond over, much to Mitchell's envy) and is a very big sports fan.
Throughout the series, Cam is shown to be very emotional, often crying when even the slightest bit upset, and reacting dramatically to startling news. In multiple episodes he often feels betrayed by Mitchell in some way, be it Mitchell forgetting to send out invitations to a party he was throwing, or participating in a flash mob without inviting him, and he invariably responds by dramatically saying "How could you, Mitchell!?!" In The Bicycle Thief
, Cam became very upset when a woman at Lily's playschool criticized a performance by Meryl Streep
. He is also shown to be the 'tougher' one in the relationship (always very protective of his loved ones and family) but has a share of wimpy moments however Mitchell has been shown to be an even larger one. He is also portrayed as clumsy in social situation's such as Mitchell's job interview, when interacting with Lily's pediatrician, and when he had to explain to Gloria a misinterpreted remark.
He believes his mother is 'the greatest woman that ever lived' and is very protective of her and easily becomes irate from certain remarks.
Cam is an avid fan of musical theater. He particularly enjoys Meryl Streep
and Laura Linney
. In Airport 2010
, Mitchell stated that Cameron once cried for an entire flight from New York
to Los Angeles
(which is at least a five hour flight) because the two were unable to get tickets to see Billy Elliot
on Broadway.
, in the episode of the same name. Eric Stonestreet created Fizbo himself when he was eleven years old. His performance in the episode featuring Fizbo earned Stonestreet the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010. He reprised his performance as Fizbo in the season two episode Princess Party
.
", we learn that Mitchell is uncomfortable around Barb because she always seems to "feel him up" when they are alone. Cam eventually solves this problem.
named Cameron Tucker the best character of the season saying, "Cameron's many talents and passions revealed over the course of this first year became an ever-building running gag. But it will be hard to top the sheer joy that was "Fizbo"." He also called Fizbo, the episode and the clown, the highlight of the season. Along with Ty Burrell, Stonestreet received a Television Critics Association
Award nomination for Individual Achievement in Comedy. He also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The reception of Cameron and Mitchell has led to the idea of a spin-off of the two titled Mitchell and Cam.
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...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series Modern Family
Modern Family
Modern Family is an American television comedy series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, which debuted on ABC on September 23, 2009. Lloyd and Levitan serve as showrunner and executive producers, under their Levitan-Lloyd Productions label...
. He is portrayed by Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet is an American actor, known for his starring role as Cameron Tucker on the ABC comedy Modern Family. Stonestreet has received critical acclaim for his performance in Modern Family and won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his...
.
Cameron, also referred to as Cam, is Mitchell's partner of five years, and one of Lily's fathers, who has a very big dramatic personality. His bubbly outgoing personality contrasts to Mitchell's uptight manner, which causes them to be very opposite. Cameron grew up on a farm in Missouri. He is a very big sports fan. Currently, he acts as a stay-at-home dad to Lily, though it is mentioned that he had taught music prior to this. Cameron is also an experienced rock drummer. It is also mentioned that Cameron was considerably thinner and in better shape when he first started dating Mitchell. For the first few episodes, his relationship with Mitchell was somewhat strained (being that they disagreed on almost everything and showed very different parenting techniques). But in more recent episodes the relationship is much happier.
Despite the show being strictly ensemble, with no character larger than the other, Cameron Tucker has grown to become one of the show's most popular characters. He has been identified as a minor breakout character
Breakout character
A breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated. Most often a breakout character in a television series captures the audience's imagination and helps to popularize the show, sometimes inadvertently...
, with Phil Dunphy
Phil Dunphy
Phil Dunphy is a fictional character on the American television series Modern Family. He is portrayed by Ty Burrell.Phil is a real estate agent who lives in California with his family. An Irish American, he has been married to Claire Dunphy for sixteen years and has three children, Haley, Alex, and...
being the show's largest. Stonestreet won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010, beating out two of his castmates (Ty Burrell
Ty Burrell
- External links :*...
and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an American actor who portrays Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family. Previously he played the role of Richie Velch in the CBS sitcom The Class. He is openly gay.-Life and career:...
), for his performance as Cam in the episode Fizbo
Fizbo
"Fizbo" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American comedy series, Modern Family. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company in the United States on November 25, 2009...
.
Mitchell's overview
Mitchell and Cam are shown to be foilsFoil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
of each other. Mitchell, who often acts very mature and does not like to act like a gay stereotype, is the opposite of Cam's outgoing, dramatic personality. Mitchell often does not approve of Cam's actions, such as dressing up Lily (their adopted Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
baby) in diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
attire, or auditioning her for commercials at a young age. Mitchell also does not approve of Cam's clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
alias, Fizbo
Fizbo
"Fizbo" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American comedy series, Modern Family. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company in the United States on November 25, 2009...
.
Despite their numerous differences, Mitchell and Cam are shown to have a very good relationship. Cam's carefree nature acts as a balance to Mitchell's uptight nervousness, such as in the Pilot
Pilot (Modern Family)
The pilot episode of the television series Modern Family, written by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd and directed by Jason Winer, premiered on ABC in the United States on September 23, 2009. The pilot introduces viewers to three sets of people who make up a single family...
, when Mitchell was nervous about presenting Lily to the family.
Mitchell and Cam have been compared to Claire
Claire Dunphy
Claire Dunphy is a fictional character on the American television series Modern Family. She is portrayed by Julie Bowen.Claire is the daughter of Jay, Mitchell's older sister, and the overprotective mother of the Dunphy family and its three very different kids...
and Phil
Phil Dunphy
Phil Dunphy is a fictional character on the American television series Modern Family. He is portrayed by Ty Burrell.Phil is a real estate agent who lives in California with his family. An Irish American, he has been married to Claire Dunphy for sixteen years and has three children, Haley, Alex, and...
, respectively.
Jay's overview
Jay was originally (and is sometimes shown to still be) unsupportive of Mitchell being gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, and was therefore unsupportive of Mitchell's relationship with Cam. However, Jay and Cameron have improved their relationship over time, mainly by bonding over their mutual love for sports, much to Mitchell's dismay. In Moon Landing
Moon Landing (Modern Family)
"Moon Landing" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of Modern Family. The episode was originally scheduled to premiere on ABC on January 27, 2010, but it was preempted by the State of the Union address and pushed back a week to February 3, 2010....
, Jay is nervous to go to the gym with Cam because of the locker room, which he thinks would be a "showroom" to Cam, because he is gay. The situation worsens when Jay and Cam's buttocks
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
accidentally press against each other while they are changing.
Physical appearance and typical attire
Cameron is often the target of insults because of his weight, mostly by Mitchell's mother, DeDe, though it is implied that before they were expecting Lily, prior to the beginning of the show, Cam was considerably thinner. Cam often wears turtle neck sweaters or a dress shirtDress shirt
A shirt, or dress shirt in American English, is a garment with a collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem, and sleeves with cuffs. Shirts are predominantly used by men, since women usually wear blouses...
. Whenever he is seen wearing a suit
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
, he always wears a carnation
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus is a species of Dianthus. It is probably native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years. It is the wild ancestor of the garden carnation.It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall...
.
Cameron has been shown to very be conscious about his appearance. In "Strangers on a Treadmill
Strangers on a Treadmill
"Strangers on a Treadmill" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American sitcom, Modern Family. The episode originally aired October 13, 2010 on American Broadcasting Company...
", he wore bike shorts (which were censored) while beginning to work out again, before Claire told him they did not look good on him, which caused him to cry. The censorship of the bike shorts in this episode sparked controversy, although both Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an American actor who portrays Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family. Previously he played the role of Richie Velch in the CBS sitcom The Class. He is openly gay.-Life and career:...
, who plays Mitchell, confirmed that the censorship was intentional and not an act by the network or the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC).
Quirks and personality traits
Cameron has a bubbly and outgoing personality, and is considered a stereotypical gay man. He acts as a stay at home dadStay at home dad
A stay-at-home dad is a term used to describe a father who is the main caregiver of the children and is the homemaker of the household...
to Lily, though he taught music before.
In Travels with Scout
Travels with Scout
"Travels with Scout" is the twenty-first episode of Modern Family. The episode originally aired April 28, 2010 on American Broadcasting Company . The episode was written by Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh and directed by Seth Gordon. In the episode "Travels with Scout", Claire is suspicious when...
, it is revealed that Cam is an experienced rock drummer, and he filled in for Haley's boyfriend, Dylan's, band at the last minute. The episode also reveals that Cameron grows attached to things very quickly, as he was heartbroken when the original drummer returned.
Cameron grew up on a farm in Missouri. He was a third string center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
for the University of Illinois football team (which he and Jay bond over, much to Mitchell's envy) and is a very big sports fan.
Throughout the series, Cam is shown to be very emotional, often crying when even the slightest bit upset, and reacting dramatically to startling news. In multiple episodes he often feels betrayed by Mitchell in some way, be it Mitchell forgetting to send out invitations to a party he was throwing, or participating in a flash mob without inviting him, and he invariably responds by dramatically saying "How could you, Mitchell!?!" In The Bicycle Thief
The Bicycle Thief (Modern Family)
"The Bicycle Thief" is the second episode of the ABC series Modern Family. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company in the United States on September 30, 2009...
, Cam became very upset when a woman at Lily's playschool criticized a performance by Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
. He is also shown to be the 'tougher' one in the relationship (always very protective of his loved ones and family) but has a share of wimpy moments however Mitchell has been shown to be an even larger one. He is also portrayed as clumsy in social situation's such as Mitchell's job interview, when interacting with Lily's pediatrician, and when he had to explain to Gloria a misinterpreted remark.
He believes his mother is 'the greatest woman that ever lived' and is very protective of her and easily becomes irate from certain remarks.
Interests
Cameron has a wide variety of hobbies. They include collecting antique fountain pens, being adept in Japanese flower arrangement and filming home movies.Cam is an avid fan of musical theater. He particularly enjoys Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
and Laura Linney
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney is an American actress of film, television, and theatre. Linney has won three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has been nominated for three times for an Academy Award and once for a BAFTA Award...
. In Airport 2010
Airport 2010
"Airport 2010" is the twenty-second episode of the American television sitcom series Modern Family. The episode premiered on May 5, 2010, on American Broadcasting Company...
, Mitchell stated that Cameron once cried for an entire flight from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
(which is at least a five hour flight) because the two were unable to get tickets to see Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot the Musical
Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...
on Broadway.
Fizbo
One of the most critically acclaimed parts of the series was Cam dressing up as an Auguste clown named FizboFizbo
"Fizbo" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American comedy series, Modern Family. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company in the United States on November 25, 2009...
, in the episode of the same name. Eric Stonestreet created Fizbo himself when he was eleven years old. His performance in the episode featuring Fizbo earned Stonestreet the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2010. He reprised his performance as Fizbo in the season two episode Princess Party
Princess Party
"Princess Party" is the fifteenth episode of the American comedy television series, Modern Familys second season and the 41st overall. It originally aired on February 16, 2011 on the American Broadcasting Company...
.
Family
Cam has a great relationship with his mother, Barb, calling her "the greatest woman who ever lived." In "Mother TuckerMother Tucker (Modern Family)
"Mother Tucker" is the ninth episode of the second season of the sitcom, Modern Family and the 33rd overall. It originally aired on November 24, 2010 on the ABC...
", we learn that Mitchell is uncomfortable around Barb because she always seems to "feel him up" when they are alone. Cam eventually solves this problem.
Reception
Cameron and Eric Stonestreet have received positive reviews for the character. In a review of the season, Robert Canning of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
named Cameron Tucker the best character of the season saying, "Cameron's many talents and passions revealed over the course of this first year became an ever-building running gag. But it will be hard to top the sheer joy that was "Fizbo"." He also called Fizbo, the episode and the clown, the highlight of the season. Along with Ty Burrell, Stonestreet received a Television Critics Association
Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian journalists and columnists who cover television programming...
Award nomination for Individual Achievement in Comedy. He also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The reception of Cameron and Mitchell has led to the idea of a spin-off of the two titled Mitchell and Cam.