Successful con men have excellent bonhomie.

Just the facts:

BONHOMIE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

BONHOMIE Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

Word of the Day: Bonhomie | Merriam-Webster

BONHOMIE Related Words - Merriam-Webster

BONHOMIE Synonyms & Antonyms - 28 words | Thesaurus.com

BONHOMOUS Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

BONHOMOUS Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

1 hour ago, Paladin said:

Successful con men have excellent bonhomie.

P.T. Barnum was not a malicious criminal con man, but a theatrical showman who proudly called himself a "humbug"—meaning he sold exaggerated entertainment rather than flat-out theft. 

Barnum often let the audience in on the joke. His exhibits, like the "Feejee Mermaid" (a monkey torso sewn to a fish tail), were designed to make people guess whether they were real or fake, charging them a penny to debate it.

Bonhomie comes from the French word bonhomme, meaning "good or cheerful man" or "good-natured fellow", and "simple friendliness".  It was formed by combining bon means "good" (from Latin bonus), and homme means "man" (from Latin homo), and adding the French suffix -ie to form an abstract noun describing the quality or state of being that way.  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the noun bonhomie in English is from 1777.  It appears in a written letter by the English author and politician Horace Walpole.

Bonhomie refers to a disposition of geniality, openhearted friendliness, and easygoing warmth. In storytelling,  Ut us tge secret ingredient that transforms a collection of fictional characters into a compelling, deeply relatable community that audiences want to spend time with.  While conflict and high stakes drive a plot forward, bonhomie provides the emotional glue that makes those struggles matter.  

Here is why bonhomie is vital to successful storytelling, broken down by how it impacts your narrative:  

Creating Earned Liability:  Audiences do not just want to watch characters achieve goals; they want to enjoy their company. Bonhomie injects natural charm into a cast. 
Softens rough edges: Even gruff, cynical, or deeply flawed characters become endearing when they display moments of genuine, warm camaraderie.  
Fosters audience investment: When characters genuinely like each other, the audience likes them too. It creates a welcoming atmosphere that invites the reader or viewer in.  

Heightening Emotional Stakes:  Conflict only carries weight if there is something valuable to lose. Bonhomie establishes the "peace" that characters are fighting to protect.  
Amplifies tragedy: A betrayal or a character's death hurts significantly more if the audience has watched the cast share laughs, meals, and easy warmth.  
Balances the dark times: In gritty or tragic stories, brief flashes of bonhomie offer the audience a necessary breather, preventing "misery fatigue.  

Driving Realistic Dialogue and Chemistry:  Dynamic dialogue relies on subtext and comfort. Bonhomie allows characters to interact with an established shorthand.  
Enables playful banter: True bonhomie allows characters to tease, rib, and joke with one another without it feeling malicious.  
Showcases history: It signals to the audience that these people have a shared past and a mutual comfort level, making the world feel lived-in and authentic.  

Building the "Found Family" Archetype:  One of the most beloved tropes in fiction—the found family—relies entirely on bonhomie.  
Bridges differences: It allows vastly different characters (e.g., a ragtag spaceship crew or an eccentric fantasy adventuring party) to unite constructively.  
Generates a sense of belonging: It taps into a universal human desire for community, making the audience feel like they are part of the inner circle.  

4 hours ago, drpaladin said:

The French gifted a ship to Captain John Paul Jones to use against the British. He named it Bonhomme Richard to honor his friend Benjamin Franklin. He shouted his famous "I have not yet begun to fight" from her deck.

This has always confused me.  If the French and King Louis XVI gifted a ship to Captain John Paul Jones to use against the British, named it Bonhomme Richard to honor his friend Benjamin Franklin, where did the name Richard come from?  

5 hours ago, Bill W said:

This has always confused me.  If the French and King Louis XVI gifted a ship to Captain John Paul Jones to use against the British, named it Bonhomme Richard to honor his friend Benjamin Franklin, where did the name Richard come from?  

4 hours ago, drpaladin said:

Poor Richard's Almanac authored by Franklin.

Jones renamed her Bon Homme Richard (usually rendered in more correct French as Bonhomme Richard) in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the American Commissioner at Paris whose Poor Richard's Almanack was published in France under the title Les Maximes du Bonhomme Richard.^[

Poor Richard's Almanack - Wikipedia

USS Bonhomme Richard (1765) - Wikipedia

A good question and a good answer. I just wanted to fill in a few of the gaps.

Thanks guys,