court jester

A reference to members of noble or royal households in the medieval or Renaissance periods who were employed to entertain their masters and their masters' guests.

1. Someone who entertains others with humor, silly antics, or buffoonery. Tom is pretty much the court jester in our office. You can always count on him for a laugh. If you spent more time studying instead of acting like a court jester, you wouldn't be failing this class! I was a bit of a court jester growing up as a way to get attention.

2. A fool or buffoon, especially within an otherwise serious space, such as politics or business. He is seen by many on the global stage as nothing but a court jester, yet he has continued to rise through the political ranks over the years. Don't let her façade as the court jester fool you—she's one of the shrewdest CEOs out there. If I screw up another big account, I'll never be able to shake my reputation in the office as court jester.