Chronics of Narnia
December 19, 2005 9:28 PM   Subscribe

Lazy Sunday. Apparently SNL occasionally can be funny still. Points for giving shoutouts to magnolia bakery and MeFi's favorite recent web toy google maps
posted by piratebowling (83 comments total)
 
The sad thing about this video is that it was the only funny moment in a show hosted by Jack Black.
posted by jeffmik at 9:33 PM on December 19, 2005


Very cool...

It seems that this wack flik is the shiz-nit with all the wiggas in the hiz-ouse.
posted by Balisong at 9:33 PM on December 19, 2005


Ah, Magnolia. Love their Icebox Cake.
posted by dotreptile at 9:34 PM on December 19, 2005


Saw this earlier today. Thank God somebody at SNL still understands the concept of comedy, because it's been all crap for the past few years.
posted by fungible at 9:36 PM on December 19, 2005


Could someone explain to me why this is funny. Please.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:38 PM on December 19, 2005


Does anyone still think Jack Black is funny?..
posted by clevershark at 9:40 PM on December 19, 2005


Courtesy of the lonely island, SNL's funniest new members
posted by jimmy at 9:42 PM on December 19, 2005


Because it takes something mundane and blows it out of proportion. If everyone thought it was funny, then it definitely would not be anymore.
posted by fungible at 9:43 PM on December 19, 2005


The sad thing about this video is that it was the only funny moment in a show hosted by Jack Black.

Yeah, not too many funny moments. I thought weekend update was funny, though. Also the 'spelling bee' skit had me laughing.

The recent episode with Dane Cook was helarious.

Could someone explain to me why this is funny. Please.

Um, it's funny because those guys were rapping about doing boring everyday stuff and watching a Christian pop movie in the most hardcore-gangster style. It's a juxtaposition.
posted by delmoi at 9:43 PM on December 19, 2005


Also, I think Jack Black is funny
posted by jimmy at 9:43 PM on December 19, 2005


Anyone else think Rachel Drach is way to old to be on SNL anymore?
posted by delmoi at 9:44 PM on December 19, 2005


Delmoi, thanks. My response would be "I've seen similar things done many times before, and therefore it's not funny." Guess I'm too old.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:45 PM on December 19, 2005


Crazy Delicious!
posted by Scoo at 9:49 PM on December 19, 2005


I shudder to imagine what Paris finds amusing.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 9:49 PM on December 19, 2005


Dude, Sugar Sweet Sunshine is soooo much better.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:51 PM on December 19, 2005


"I shudder to imagine what Paris finds amusing."

Well, how about the interactions on Metafilter? Several of the YTMND things. Older SNL. Mark Steyn. Some other things, too, but not this.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:59 PM on December 19, 2005


Could someone explain to me why this is funny.

Are you kidding me? If you can hear a line like "You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we're dropping Hamiltons" and not laugh your ass off then you either didn't get the reference (unlikely for most people on this site) or you just flat out don't know what funny is.

It's all about the Hamiltons baby!
posted by willnot at 9:59 PM on December 19, 2005


Yeah, the Aaron Burr/Hamiltons thing was the best part.
posted by panoptican at 10:06 PM on December 19, 2005


panoptican! You and I were just discussing Jingle Rock Bell on Fittz's journal! small world.
posted by piratebowling at 10:08 PM on December 19, 2005


Is there hope for Saturday Night Live? Possibly. I saw one of the new cast members on Conan O'Brien last week, and the guy did an imitation of James Mason at a Dunkin' Donuts trying to redeem an expired coupon. It was genius and about the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Of course, don't expect to see it on the show. Because that wouldn't be near as funny as a sketch where -- get this! -- people sit in front of a windy door! At a Sbarros! And the pizza hits somebody in the face!
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 10:08 PM on December 19, 2005


Puhleeze, everyone knows Cupcake Cafe has the best cupcakes in the city.
posted by slogger at 10:22 PM on December 19, 2005


If you don't think this is funny then there is something seriously wrong with you. The gunshot at the end totally seals it. I've been checking NBC's website all day today to check for it because I laughed so hard when it originally aired I missed most of the lyrics. Awesome.

And re: old cast members - I think its pretty obvious at this point that they are going to have to kill Darryl Hammond to get him off the show. He's been doing the same Bill Clinton impersonation since the 1994 campaign.
posted by ChasFile at 10:23 PM on December 19, 2005


Didn't George Burns just do a rap parody?
posted by Ohdemah at 10:29 PM on December 19, 2005


It's not that funny. It's on par with 1000 other failed SNL efforts.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:31 PM on December 19, 2005


That was hilarious.

"We love the Chronic-WHAT!-cles of Narnia"
posted by omarr at 10:55 PM on December 19, 2005


The Lonely Island is rapping on about Chronicles of Narnia where the Lone Islands lie. That's got to be ironical to the Max. Azlan would be all kind of proud. A pride is a group of lions.
posted by I Foody at 11:03 PM on December 19, 2005


Does SNL no longer suck? Because this was really funny. Is it worth watching again?
posted by Opposite George at 11:06 PM on December 19, 2005


Oy, OG, what the people have been sayin' SNL still sucks, this was an abberation, except to PP.
posted by edgeways at 11:30 PM on December 19, 2005


I liked a lot of the stuff last night. Christmas for the Jews was excellent. Jack Black's King Kong song. Tracy Morgan's witch-doctor / tourguide. And I was amazed by the Chronicles video. But the Sbarro skit was one of the worst attempts to be funny I've seen.
posted by eighth_excerpt at 11:36 PM on December 19, 2005


The sad thing about this video is that it was the only funny moment in a show hosted by Jack Black.

Though not "funny" necessarily, the skit involving Black trying to sell a Christmas tree was an uncannily accurate portrait of a certain type of person that those of us in the service industry have to deal with way too often.

If fact, I've been searching for it all day so I can just show it to my friends and say "Look...I deal with this for eight hours a night."
posted by Ian A.T. at 11:45 PM on December 19, 2005


Anyone else think Rachel Drach is way to old to be on SNL anymore?

We can't all be Anthony Michael Hall.
posted by dhartung at 12:46 AM on December 20, 2005


Anyone else think Rachel Drach is way to old to be on SNL anymore?

If she is, let's get rid of Fred Armisen and Chris Parnell, who are the same age, and Darrell Hammond who is six years older, and keep the door open for Horatio Sanz and Tina Fey who are only a couple of years younger.

I was unaware that comedy had an age limit. Or does it just have an age limit for women?
posted by Dreama at 1:14 AM on December 20, 2005


i've seen the whole season thus far with the exception of the newest one and without a doubt, the chronic-WHAT-cles of narnia is the funniest thing i've seen this season.

what's especially funny is that i went on a man-date tonight with my friend with whom i always see the blockbuster epics. on the way in to the theatre, i asked for tickets to "kingkong mountain" but the joke, such as it was, was lost on the salesperson, because, alas, "brokeback mountain" isn't playing in my area.

parnell has been tremendously unfunny (like, will somebody please kill the fucking "merv the perv" skit? please?) with the exception of the rare occasions where he demonstrates that his flow ain't all that bad. he's done it on 'weekend update' a bunch.

i was hoping for more with the dane cook episode, because i've really been digging "retaliation" lately, especially the "shit on the coats" bit.

well, there's MY opinion!
posted by Hat Maui at 2:27 AM on December 20, 2005


Excellent.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:30 AM on December 20, 2005


I am so glad someone posted that....I wanted to see it again and now I can share it with a few friends.
If it wasn't for the DVR we couldn't watch SNL. We are basically shrinking a 90-minute show into 30-minutes. It is nice to decide when a skit is too long (like the Sbarro skit).
The funniest thing last week was the last in the show, Alec Baldwin re-enacted his Glenngarry Glen Ross role in Santa's workshop....other than that ffwd.....
posted by TheLibrarian at 4:51 AM on December 20, 2005


Seriously, I loved 'Christmas Time for the Jews'. It has claymation John Stewart and Darlene Love.
posted by Alison at 4:58 AM on December 20, 2005


That was good. But then I find real rap videos funny too. It's something about all that absurd signing shit, and the baggy clothes. It's sort of like watching clowns only less scary.
posted by Decani at 5:01 AM on December 20, 2005


another rad bit to attribute to the lonely island kids. glad to see that all this fame hasn't ruined the awesome trio.
posted by lotsofno at 5:01 AM on December 20, 2005


Can anyone tell me how to rip + play that piece of flash locally?
posted by filmgeek at 5:16 AM on December 20, 2005


This is a pretty funny (recent) SNL clip.
posted by Witty at 5:42 AM on December 20, 2005


{bangs head on desk}
posted by Witty at 5:43 AM on December 20, 2005


No, right on, Witty. I welcome another format added to the thread. ;)
posted by piratebowling at 5:54 AM on December 20, 2005


My response would be "I've seen similar things done many times before, and therefore it's not funny."

I'm with PP on this one. The concept has been done to death and this iteration doesn't bring any new flavor to the party.

Although I did giggle at the Hamiltons.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:14 AM on December 20, 2005


Anyone else think Rachel Drach is way to old to be on SNL anymore?

Dratch is only two years older now than Phil Hartman was when he started the show. He left the show at age 46, after 8 years. Phil Hartman was SNL.
posted by Pollomacho at 6:21 AM on December 20, 2005


This reminds me of their (the Lonely Island's) song The Heist, even almost lifting a line from it. "Chamomile, motherfucker!" The Heist had a slightly funnier concept, at least, in the first half, but the execution and smaller parts (Aaron Burr!!!) of this new one are brilliant.
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 6:24 AM on December 20, 2005


Anyone else think Rachel Drach is way to old to be on SNL anymore?

Whuh? Older people can't be good comics now? And she's what... 40, I calculate from Pollomacho's post? Good grief. She must be in incontinence pants by now.
posted by Decani at 6:24 AM on December 20, 2005


Jack Black's monologue was funny and something only he could do.

This film is funny. But, let's face it: the suburbanite acting ghetto is an easy way to get a laugh. Stewart uses the "ghetto-schtick" almost everytime he needs a laugh.

That being said, "Mr. Pibb + Red Hots = Crazy Delicious" is funny.
posted by narebuc at 6:54 AM on December 20, 2005


It's "Mr. Pibb + Red Vines," which makes me think of biting the ends off both ends of the redvines to use it as a staw for your Mr. Pibb.

I know I'm not the only one to have made a redvine straw for my soda. I am? Oh, okay then...I'll just stand over here.
posted by piratebowling at 7:01 AM on December 20, 2005


Yikes....I wanted to go back and check but I guess, growing up in the South, Red Hots were more popular and our red vines were Twizzlers -- for which we cut to drink our pop?

"Choppin' some red vines and strawin up Pibb is vicious...sucking up that soda is crazy delicious...."

Ok -- maybe comedy is harder than I think. :)
posted by narebuc at 7:10 AM on December 20, 2005


There's humor in the details, too, like how "Double True" was in Google colors.

Oh, yes, piratebowling, me, too. However, the most recent pack of Twizzlers I got was *gasp* solid. Fuckers.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:10 AM on December 20, 2005


Okay I wikied Aaron Burr...

"He is remembered not so much for his tenure as the third Vice President, under Thomas Jefferson, as for his duel with Alexander Hamilton and his trial and acquittal on charges of treason."

'Dropping Hamiltons' - By jove I've got it!
posted by zeoslap at 7:41 AM on December 20, 2005


Yo, Beastie Boys wid some lingo I tight with is dope funny.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 7:43 AM on December 20, 2005


How about Tokyo Breakfast?
posted by MarkO at 10:01 AM on December 20, 2005


When I saw this on BoingBoing I assumed the fault lay solely with Jenny Gardner Xeni Jardin, but apparently other people find this tedious clip funny too? Huh. How about that. Me, I thought it sucked.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:13 AM on December 20, 2005


On Dratch and age and SNL... I think Lorne Michaels learned his lesson about hiring too young between Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Michael Hall.
posted by frecklefaerie at 10:52 AM on December 20, 2005


The suburbanite acting ghetto is an easy way to get a laugh

True, the concept isn't new. But then, very few comedy concepts are new. What was funny was the sharp, clever wordplay, and the sheer length of it. And, musically, it didn't even suck.
posted by Miko at 12:53 PM on December 20, 2005


This is still my all time favorite Lonely Island short. Pure genius!
posted by jcruelty at 1:09 PM on December 20, 2005


Can anyone tell me how to rip + play that piece of flash locally?

I've got a Quicktime version up on my server (and the mp3):

-M.
posted by reidsrow at 1:42 PM on December 20, 2005


Okay I wikied Aaron Burr...

You had to look this up? *cries for the future*
posted by kindall at 2:18 PM on December 20, 2005


The suburbanite acting ghetto is an easy way to get a laugh

They're not "acting ghetto," they're doing an impression of the (white!!! OMG) Beastie Boys. And they do a pretty good job of it, too.
posted by rxrfrx at 3:44 PM on December 20, 2005


Okay I wikied Aaron Burr...

You had to look this up? *cries for the future*


I know, right? There was a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial about the Burr/Hamilton duel like 10 years ago.
posted by rxrfrx at 3:45 PM on December 20, 2005


Wasn't it a "got milk" commercial?
Anyway, it seems to me that no matter what year it is, people lament that SNL isn't funny anymore... I think I first heard that when Eddie Murphy was doing Buckwheat. Those were the days... oh wait, these are those days.
posted by hypersloth at 4:18 PM on December 20, 2005


I used to live in Chicago, and loved Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch's work at Second City. Also Amy Poehler's work with the Upright Citizen's Brigade when it was at ImprovOlympic instead of on television via Comedy Central.

When I heard that the three of them were signed on for SNL, I started watching the show again on occasion; when the lonely island guys joined, I got myself a TiVo season pass. Keep Parnell and Armensen and trim off some of the dead weight, and it'll be just what I wanted for Holiday.

Oh, and that ParisParamus didn't find that bit funny doesn't surprise me in the least. Not intended as a slam, though; it just makes sense that someone who is so different from myself on political issues should be significantly different in other ways as well.
posted by davejay at 5:12 PM on December 20, 2005


Which lonely island guys joined the show? I'm glad they didn't get their own show to crash and burn with, they should do well in this environment.

If anyone hasn't seen The BU' on channel 101, you should really watch all the episodes in order. Towards the end the show shifts gears, and is so uneven it's hilarious.
posted by parallax7d at 5:44 PM on December 20, 2005


They're not "acting ghetto," they're doing an impression of the (white!!! OMG) Beastie Boys

well, i have to disagree. i think what they're going for is as follows:

1) it's hilarious that the two late twenties/early thirties buddies are getting together to go see 'chronicles of narnia' not because it's absurd, but because they're telling on themselves. it's dorky and sorta gay to go on a man-date to see 'narnia' ('harry potter' would have worked almost as well in this capacity, but the series isn't new like narnia, nor does it have the eminently dorky christian theology behind it). they're aiming to capture the humor in their real selves going to see a fantasy movie aimed at people 1/3 their age, and they magnify that humor by

2) presenting it with cheast-beating intensity of "straight outta compton," only

3) the lyrics are about their otherwise embarrassing adventure to see a fantasy movie aimed more at children than them, so the boasting aspect of gangsta rap is turned on its head: they're bragging about something they'd otherwise be slightly ashamed of (imagine these guys running into two attractive women of their same ages and being asked "so what are you guys up to?").

4) furthermore, the lyrics are particularly clever, with dense couplets and references that are both pithy and original -- i had yet to see someone use 'tha hamiltons' as a way to mock the wealth obsessiveness of rap, for instance, and it's brilliant -- and the delivery is staccato, precise, and slick, which are all adjectives almost never applied to white people when they rap. (on a side note, this skit would not have worked unless parnell and other dude could have come off credibly while rapping -- it ain't jay-z by any means, but it also demonstrates that they take rap seriously enough to put some effort into it, neatly escaping the pit of unfunny so many white people fall into when they try to rap on commercials or television shows).

i mean, you could compare it to the beastie boys, and there's elements of them in the skit, but you'd be missing a lot to reduce it that much.
posted by Hat Maui at 6:26 PM on December 20, 2005


Barf Magnolia. Most overrated cupcakes in NYC. You want good cupcakes (they are *hard* to find, btw, pretty much all of them in the city suck), try Out of the Kitchen. Now those are some gooood cupcakes!
(yes, I am obsessed with cupcakes)
posted by ch1x0r at 6:31 PM on December 20, 2005


parallax7d: All three members of Lonely Island are onboard now - Andy Samberg as a regular cast member, and Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer as writers. Regarding Lazy Sunday, according to their site, "it stars Ardy and Chris Parnell. Kiv directed, Jorm made the beat, and all 4 of them wrote it."
What I don't get is why they sometimes spell it Ardy, and other times Andy.. Is it just lazy typing or am I missing something?
posted by hypersloth at 7:08 PM on December 20, 2005


I'm with PP on this. I think the music videos from early Mad TV seasons were much funnier, especially when Debra Wilson did her larcenous take on a certain diva. (Flash) (NSFW) (NSFMilk)
posted by rob511 at 7:21 PM on December 20, 2005


Uh, MadTV is the unfunniest show on TV.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:01 PM on December 20, 2005


Hat Maui- the Beasties comment was in reference to the style, not the content of the video... obviously, talking about Magnolia cupcakes in a rap (and adding some gunshots at the end) is playing heavily off of the old 'acting hood while talking about suburban white stuff' routine. I mean, the whole thing is a humorous SNL skit. The rhymes and the beat were good enough that I wasn't really too concerned about that.

Stylistically, I think they borrowed a lot from the Beastie Boys (and so did N.W.A.!). I'm especially thinking of the whiny Mike D voice thing that Samberg does towards the beginning.

Maybe it's just that they're white and from New York. I dunno.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:17 AM on December 21, 2005


This redeemed SNL for me. It's brilliantly executed. Even kind of catchy(!)

Snack Attack Motherf*****!
posted by flippant at 7:36 AM on December 21, 2005


Hat Maui nailed it.
posted by Miko at 7:54 AM on December 21, 2005


Parnell is a bad-ass MC. Did a great love song for Jennifer Garner back in '02.
posted by Dean King at 9:18 AM on December 21, 2005


Hat Maui: remind me to never invite you to a party. Jesus, you could analyze the fun out of an orgasm.

And, you don't know shit about the Beastie Boys, because this is a STRAIGHT parody of them.

ParisParamus is a miserable human being. It surprises me 0% that he finds the the opposite of funny.

This is the funniest thing off of SNL in 10 years. Even if you think its not very funny, that statement is still a truism.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:26 AM on December 22, 2005


ynoxas, i'm hereby reminding you not to invite me to your ytrap. FYI, i don't analyze orgasms. that would be, well, gross. but hey! thanks anyway for the image.
*pictures ynoxas' cum-face, cringes*

look, all i was doing was trying to expound on some of the nuances i found in the skit, which would be lost on someone taking it as a straight send-up of the beastie boys. apparently my opinion and analysis on the website devoted to links and the ensuing discussion thereof bothered you, seemingly because it was too analytical. my suggestion? fark is always looking for "good time charlies" who don't analyze stuff. perhaps you'll find better commentary there.

And, you don't know shit about the Beastie Boys, because this is a STRAIGHT parody of them

well, i don't know how you could conclude i don't know "shit" about the beasties based on one comment, jerkstore, but let me just say that i know an awful lot about them and leave it at that. you'll have to trust me.

you, however, must not know much about comedy, because implicit in "parody" is the ridicule of its object, and this skit in no way ridicules the beasties. sure, it's a couple white guys rapping about stuff in new york city, in a similar style as the beasties, but the only overt reference to them is the stop-motion shots that might be an allusion to the video for 'pass the mic' or something. but that's a stretch.

i stand by my analysis (written while i was high, i'll have you know, which some people call "partying"). and really, we're in agreement. that shit was funny. but not simply because it reminds you of the beastie boys.
posted by Hat Maui at 12:29 PM on December 22, 2005


hey, my cumface should be enshrined in a museum of, uh, cumfaces. Somewhere. Asshat.

I thought it was a little strange to overanalyze something that was BOTH rather obvious in nature and quite funny.

Knowing you were high helps put things in perspective. That's okay, thinking you're profound while high is a common mistake everyone is prone to.

I never said nor implied it was ONLY a mimic of the Beastie Boys. In fact, I didn't say anything except it was funny, and that it WAS done in the style of the Beastie Boys.

It was funny, and it was most assuredly straight theft of the beastie's style. This is a good thing, and it made it much more believable because it could almost PASS as a beastie's song.

It would, you see, have been much more absurd and "comical", perhaps, if it was done in the slow-flow west coast style of the day, say Snoop Dogg or Warren G. And you had to be fucking high to think this had more in common with NWA than the Beastie Boys. I think you're concentrating too much on the visual aspect.

I did however appreciate the jerkstore reference.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:49 PM on December 22, 2005


And pick me up a hamilton-bag next time you're out.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:52 PM on December 22, 2005


I never said nor implied it was ONLY a mimic of the Beastie Boys. In fact, I didn't say anything except it was funny, and that it WAS done in the style of the Beastie Boys.

well, if you'll pardon the facts, your direct statement was "this was a STRAIGHT parody of them."

as long as i'm taking heat for being all analytical n' shit, something being done "in the style of the Beastie Boys" is a far cry from "a STRAIGHT parody of them." so decide what you want to say before you take me to task for "not knowing shit".

And you had to be fucking high to think this had more in common with NWA than the Beastie Boys. I think you're concentrating too much on the visual aspect

well, actually, i was concentrating on the nigh-angry delivery and cadence, and the music itself, which has way, way more in common with NWA's "Straight Outta Compton" than any beasties song. the beasties tend not to be so strident and in-yo-face as this was. it seems clear that you've given this some amount of thought as well, which renders neutral your contention that i'm overanalyzing, since now you're sorta doing it too. here, you want to try some of this sinsemilla?

And pick me up a hamilton-bag next time you're out.

don't get it, sorry. maybe i'm not high enough. i even bothered to look it up -- some kind of recycled backpacks? seems vedddy british.

in conclusion, we're splitting hairs. i'm an asshat, you're a jerkstore, let's call the whole thing off.
posted by Hat Maui at 5:37 PM on December 22, 2005


and don't throw out the "some voices have treble/ some voices have bass/ we got the kinda voices that are IN-YO-FACE" line at me either. that was long ago.
posted by Hat Maui at 5:38 PM on December 22, 2005


so some dude in slate writes something similar to what's been written here...

should we bust that ass/ for plagiarizin'?/get all up in his grill until/ he's 'pologizin'?

ynoxas, whatchyou think b?/what should our course of action be?/bite his story for some rhymes/or slap him 'til he can't see?

fwiw, he seems to support ynoxas' contention the most. but fuck him, what do he know? slatewritin' muhfuhhhha
posted by Hat Maui at 6:57 PM on December 23, 2005


The music video of 'Lazy Sunday' is available for free on itunes right now.
posted by Alison at 7:59 PM on December 23, 2005


OMG, the Slate article: what a waste of a web page. Do 1/3 funny SNL skits deserve that much analysis?!
posted by ParisParamus at 8:08 PM on December 23, 2005


And it has now officially jumped the shark.
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:37 AM on December 27, 2005


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