We are a part of the rhythm nation
November 20, 2015 11:40 AM   Subscribe

Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes lip syncing seriously. Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrived on Lip Sync Battle with a mission. It's been over two years since his epic battle on The Tonight Show where he set the gold standard for celebrities mouthing words, and a lot has changed since then. The bit grew into a full-fledged show on Spike, and became grander, more spectacular, and the network's biggest hit.

To get right to the good stuff, here's a direct link to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's recreation of Janet Jackson's “Rhythm Nation."
posted by Windigo (30 comments total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
 
i love jgl so much.
posted by nadawi at 11:51 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm pretty sure Joseph Gordon-Levitt could defeat me in any competition of anything.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:52 AM on November 20, 2015 [10 favorites]


This is made of win. A friend of mine posted this earlier today right when I was dealing with a Stupid Work Thing I Mean Come ON People! and it brought me directly to a happy giggly place.
posted by rtha at 11:56 AM on November 20, 2015 [5 favorites]


I would sell this planet to an alien race that wants to do something to our species that our minds are incapable of inventing words for if JGL would go on to do a lipsync cover of "Nasty."
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:10 PM on November 20, 2015 [12 favorites]


OK so Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing around on Reggie Watts' Trap Set makes me feel all *swoon*.

For either or both of them if that needs clarification.
posted by pipoquinha at 12:12 PM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


Oh and Bryan Cranston in the mix. +Yes
posted by pipoquinha at 12:20 PM on November 20, 2015


I have watched this at least ten times today. He kills it. Just kills it.

Also it reminded me of all the hours I spent on the playground in 4th grade learning the first ten seconds of that choreography.
posted by annathea at 12:58 PM on November 20, 2015


I'm pretty sure Joseph Gordon-Levitt could defeat me in any competition of anything.

Wait, no. I'd kick his ass at sports trivia. Whew! #stillalive
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:13 PM on November 20, 2015


That's one of the first "celebrities do silly things" shows I've see where the participants and the hosts seem to be having genuine fun.

I've never seen it before, I'm guessing it's summer filler?

The dancing is impressive, but I don't think it beats Emma Stone doing Blues Traveller(timestamped to avoid Fallon-ness), where you get the distinct impression she had that song on repeat for a week before the show, so much that her neighbors are freaking sick of it.
posted by madajb at 1:39 PM on November 20, 2015 [15 favorites]


Yeah, watching this I wasn't sure which I was enjoying more - JGL absolutely killing it, or LL Cool J practically crying with laughter. The entirety of the thing, to paraphrase rtha above, is composed of win.
posted by nevercalm at 2:11 PM on November 20, 2015 [7 favorites]


I saw this last night, and I have to say I went to bed heartwarmed. Also, you need to check out Anthony Mackie's 2 Legit 2 Quit from the same episode. For reasons.
posted by KathrynT at 3:12 PM on November 20, 2015


The dancing is impressive, but I don't think it beats Emma Stone doing Blues Traveller

Oh my god though that dress I need it.

*bites fist*
posted by Windigo at 3:18 PM on November 20, 2015 [4 favorites]


madajb: That's one of the first "celebrities do silly things" shows I've see where the participants and the hosts seem to be having genuine fun.

I've never seen it before, I'm guessing it's summer filler?

The dancing is impressive, but I don't think it beats Emma Stone doing Blues Traveller yt (timestamped to avoid Fallon-ness), where you get the distinct impression she had that song on repeat for a week before the show, so much that her neighbors are freaking sick of it.


It sort of started as summer filler? It started in April, but the show got good ratings for Spike and the second season is starting in early January.

I don't have Spike so I only know the show through the full performances they've put on YouTube, but there's been a lot. I agree that Emma Stone's "Hook" is top notch (as are the performances on Fallon from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Stephen Merchant), but there are a lot of gems on the show Lip Sync Battle.

Anne Hathaway's Wrecking Ball vs Emily Blunt's Piece of my Heart are both amazing. John Krasinski's Bye Bye Bye is another one where you can tell he's done this a million times before. Ilana Glazer's It's Raining Men is good, but Abbi Jacobson's And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going is perfect. Terrence Howard does a stellar I'll Make Love To You.

I enjoy most of the performances I've seen, they're not always good lip-syncing, but they are generally devoted performances that are entertaining.
posted by mountmccabe at 3:59 PM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


Anne Hathaway's Wrecking Ball...

Are you funning me? Did this really happen? Or are you trolling me like larrybob did?
posted by wenestvedt at 4:05 PM on November 20, 2015


Feast your eyes on this glorious thing, wenestvedt.
posted by Stacey at 4:13 PM on November 20, 2015 [5 favorites]


Also, are we going to talk about The Rock performing "Shake it Off"? Because I don't even watch this show but I seem to get sent links a lot and that might be the most delightful.
posted by Stacey at 4:15 PM on November 20, 2015 [9 favorites]


Oh, Anne Hathaway's "Wrecking Ball" is quite real.

It's the full production number (the battle includes a straight lip sync performance and then a full production number with costumes, dancers, props (such as the JGL "Rhythm Nation") and it's spectacular. Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt seem to get a really good (fun) rivalry going, so it's worth watching the simple one first (also while for me Anne Hathaway wins the full production, Emily Blunt does better here).
posted by mountmccabe at 4:19 PM on November 20, 2015 [2 favorites]


Wowee-wow-wow! I flipped by this show the other day but I wasn't sure what it was all about, so I didn't stay. If it had been this number going on, I definitely would have! I've been a big fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt since his child star days.

Now I'm going to have to catch up on the series. It may scratch a little bit of the itch until they make new episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race. "And now the time has come to lip sync for your life!"
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:57 PM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


The lip sync battles videos are like falling into a TVTropes hole. Where'd that two hours go?
posted by dirigibleman at 5:42 PM on November 20, 2015 [2 favorites]


I've been seeing links for this all day but couldn't watch it until I felt prepared. How is even better than I'd hoped?
posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:59 PM on November 20, 2015 [2 favorites]


I feel like there's a huge mash-up possibility in 2Legit and Rhythm Nation. Where the verses of 2Legit end with 'Sing' and lead in to the Hook, imagine following that up with "We are a part of a rhythm nation." Somebody should make a thing.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:36 PM on November 20, 2015


JGL does everything right. His no-shame, all-fun attitude is so charming and fresh. Not to mention he's, you know, GORGEOUS. Goodness gracious.

He lip-synced Nicki Minaj's "Superbass" on The Jimmy Fallon Show - how could your heart not be aflutter after watching that?!
posted by rachaelfaith at 7:04 PM on November 20, 2015 [6 favorites]




This is on Comedy Central in the UK and I haven't watched it but the commecials are on all the time and I think I just Don't Get It.
But this post. The video is not supported in the UK and I can't see it and I have never wanted to see something so much in my life!
Brb setting my Sky recorder to follow this show.
posted by like_neon at 2:28 AM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]


I don't have Spike so I only know the show through the full performances they've put on YouTube,.

Thanks for that link.

Most of the time I don't miss cable, but sometimes I really do.
Glad they're one of the shows that understand the modern media world.
posted by madajb at 2:58 AM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


You guys, I got all excited thinking that this was a show where each episode Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes on a new challenger like some kind of lip sync Iron Chef. Now I'm sad.
posted by deludingmyself at 1:42 PM on November 21, 2015 [6 favorites]


And now I wish to see JGL vs. Justin Timberlake. That would be epic.
posted by vignettist at 1:50 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


I've never seen a full episode of Lip Sync Battle so part of me is concerned that it will be a Teen Wolf situation, that I've developed a completely wrong idea of the show from what I've seen via the web (YouTube instead of tumblr) and it'll turn out there's several more people on the show I've just never seen.
posted by mountmccabe at 5:24 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


Emma Stone, All I Do Is Win. YEP.
posted by effugas at 7:40 PM on November 21, 2015


I liked Ellen Degeneres lip syncing to a not so poppy upbeat tune.

And Hathaway is also a blast of course.
posted by jouke at 2:10 AM on November 22, 2015 [1 favorite]


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