No one helped me. No one. Well, maybe a bit of cigarette smoking. . .

July 26, 2021 5:11 PM

A daytime TV talkshow host interviews successful business entrepreneur, a cancerous tumor. [SL: 8 minute video; includes brief but cavalier references to suicide and unhoused people.]

[Disclaimers: this was made by a friend of a friend. There are good reasons to criticize it, but I found it interesting.]

posted by eotvos (7 comments total)

I fail to see how any body (sic) could fail to see it as satire.
posted by jamjam at 5:48 PM on July 26, 2021

Mod note: Deleted a complete transcript with too many time stamp numbers that took up several screens -- tough for people on mobile.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:05 PM on July 26, 2021

I was surprised that this is (seems to be?) viral messaging for early detection of cancer. I mean, it starts like the comparison was meant to show how awful businessmen are because, of course, cancer is awful. But if it is a cancer PSA, then the comparison is that cancer is as bad as vile, malevolent entrepreneurs.
posted by snofoam at 6:29 PM on July 26, 2021 [5 favorites]

I enjoy the idea of comparing smug business guy to cancer. I am particularly happy if the gold standard for awfulness is insufferable libertarian techbro. Perhaps could have been tightened up a bit.
posted by snofoam at 6:33 PM on July 26, 2021 [7 favorites]

I enjoyed it. Lots of nerdy references to cancer biology.
posted by biogeo at 9:05 PM on July 26, 2021 [2 favorites]

I thought it was interesting how many common phrases were rendered in English (e.g. “self made man”) instead of Czech.

I feel like the metaphor of cancer as a “disruptive” business in a loosely-regulated capitalist system, or vice versa, is a vein that could be mined for more humor.
posted by panglos at 12:09 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

I mean, it starts like the comparison was meant to show how awful businessmen are because, of course, cancer is awful. But if it is a cancer PSA, then the comparison is that cancer is as bad as vile, malevolent entrepreneurs.

That it seems to be doing both at the same time is what I found most intriguing. I can't tell whether it assumes an audience that is already very familiar with the comparison and is just riffing on the idea or whether it is aimed at a more specific goal.

Lots of nerdy references to cancer biology.

The guy playing Mr. Tumor is a professional cancer researcher, as well as a theater person. I don't get many of the specific references, but I like the way they're just dropped into conversation, in the same way IPO or DP might be used by famous people in real interviews.
posted by eotvos at 9:28 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]