When you find that sweet spot between funny and serious... A character that is a single really bad joke but fleshed out so much that people don't realise the joke until several sessions in... Ooh, that's the good stuff.
I once spent an inordinate amount of time fleshing out a character who was low-key meant to be the dwarf equivalent of Indiana Jones. Used a chain whip, had a trademark hat and the first name of a well-known dwarven realm, was trained in history, etc.
In our first session, I rolled a crit fail on an athletics check and fell into a chasm full of magma. It was the equivalent of Indy getting smashed by the boulder because he tripped. I didn't even get to pull out my character's irrational fear of drakes.
You gotta live it. And make it progress. I also one time did Smokin Joe Rudeboy. If you do not know who that is, you are missing out. Try in in youtube and tell me this isn't an epic concept for a character.