The Norwegian Editor
For some reason this guy reminds me of Yahoo Serious, the Australian actor known for such legendary work as "Young Einstein" and "Reckless Ned". That reason is that this guy--Lasse Gjertsen--looks just like him. I don't know if it there is some kind of crazy hair rule when it comes to foreign guys...Lasse, Yahoo, Andrei Kirilenko...nevertheless, I think The Pride of Norway has Yahoo beat on sheer innovation for this round. The Territorial Goose
This one had me rolling one morning. If you don't find it all that funny, keep in mind that when I say, "rolling one morning", I really mean, "I watched this by myself in a dark office at 2AM, so the concept of funny is at best a relative term." Please keep in mind that after the frustrated cameraman--who takes a video camera along on an early morning fishing trip with his dog?--gives up and finally flees the scene, if you look back in his wake, THE GOOSE IS STILL CHASING HIM.
The Problem Child
We didn't actually use this one for Catch of the Day...it was a package we found through our CNN feed. This punk seven-year-old decides to boost his grandma's SUV, cruise a mall parking lot and run into a few parked cars. Why? Because, "it's fun do do bad things". Really, what do you say to a kid like that? Nothing. You just go upside his head.
I'm going to be a great parent.
The Mama's Boy
Destiny led me to this one the Monday morning after Mother's Day this year. I'd have run the thing even without the holiday excuse, but the timing just made it sweeter. I'd actually seen this clip years before, on a self-esteem video Mr. T put out called--I kid you not--"Mr. T's Be Somebody or Be Somebody's Fool". It brought back memories of working at the Wherehouse music and video store before the mission, the constant quoting by my buddies Breto and Randy, and the ticket I got that summer while trying to race a Buick in my '83 Accord through Afton, Wyoming.
As for the video itself? Three words: Camo Nutters, Baby.
The Tuba Incident
I didn't run this because I got a kick out of the Tuba player dealing out a nasty bit of justice to a punk kid who didn't know how to behave during public performances. I didn't do it because tripping people is just plain funny, either. Nope...I ran this baby because the kid's face hits the pavement at the precise moment the cymbal crashes. I ran this thing because of the beauty of timing.
The Korean Drummer
To me this clip is a perfect storm of high comedy. So many elements combining to create a completely surreal product...you have this Korean band, dressed in these white lounge-singer suits, playing on a set that looks like they should be on Lawrence Welk or something. The song they are playing is this quirky ballad that sounds like Quentin Tarantino could have used it in one of the "Kill Bill" movies.
And into this mix you throw Exhibit A, Mr. Drummer Boy, who for some reason completely ignores the morose pacing and mood of the song and plays as if he's trying out for the spot John Bonham vacated in Led Zeppelin when he took 40 shots of vodka and died of alcohol poisoning. Seriously...the headbangs, the stick twirls, the constant STANDING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG??? This guy is seriously brilliant. One moment he's grinning like a madman, thrusting his stick triumphantly in the air, the next he's lip-synching the words and completely upstaging the poor lead singer. I just wonder whether this was a constant problem or if this was the one night this guy finally said, "screw this man...I deserve the spotlight, and I'm gonna take it."
Before he died, John Entwhistle was noted as the only guy in The Who who just stood and played his instrument while everyone else in the band went crazy twirling microphones, throwing drums or smashing guitars. This guy is just the opposite. Everyone else is playing like they're at a funeral. The drummer thinks he's at Woodstock. Pure, unadulterated brilliance.
The Towel
We ran this one a couple of months ago. Kind of an awkward clip, but the point still gets across. At the time I thought the joke was that this lady probably shells out top dollar for some courtside seats, or maybe she's thrilled because a friend scored her some sweet tickets, and she gets rewarded with a warm cup of sweaty-towel-in-yo-face, courtesy of Mr. 2007-08 NBA MVP himself. But now that I look back at it, I realize that this woman is a mere stand-in for the entire state of Utah.
Thanks a lot, Kobe. We'll get you next year.
