Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Yacht Rock: Episodes 4 And 5

Episode 4:



Although the "Rosanna inspired 'Rosanna' " rumor is, as I've established, essentially false, the Yacht Rock writers gleefully run with it here. When all is said and done, Toto manages to bring Michael McDonald to this stunning conclusion: "I never knew that smooth music could rock so hard." Also, apparently there really was a skit on SCTV making fun of Michael McDonald, but I'm not sure if the footage here is from the original sketch. But yes, here we have a satirical sketch within a satirical sketch.

Yacht Rock is blowing my mind.

Episode 5:



Thumbs up for the depiction of Michael Jackson as a macho womanizer: "Fuck this smooth music, Steve! I ain't that little boy anymore, understand? How am I supposed to stick my dick into some pussy, when you got me singing like one? Hard rock has got me and Eddie drilling more cooch than Black & Decker!" Ah, but at the sight of Koko's ghost, he transforms into the tender MOR crooner as seen on this infamous record sleeve:

And yes, that is a real duet between Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry. I have it.

6 comments:

Herr Zrbo said...

The episodes are definitely getting better as time goes on. I loved Vincent Price and the way Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald put their hands to their ears as if they were cupping the headphones as they sang in parking lot.

Also, that's Dan Harmon as Michael McDonald (I think) who was on the short-lived but very funny Acceptable TV. And who plays Christopher Cross, because he seems familiar too?

Little Earl said...

You are so half-right you don't even know it. It's actually co-writer/co-creator J.D. Ryznar who plays Michael McDonald (the episodes are even posted through his own YouTube account - thanks J.D.), but Dan Harmon apparently plays Doobie Brothers/Van Halen producer Ted Templeman (who features more heavily in some episodes I haven't posted, so I don't know where you saw him). And Justin Roiland, who plays Christopher Cross, was, according to IMDB ... also on Acceptable TV!

Which leads me to ask: what is Acceptable TV, and where can I see this very funny but short-lived program?

Little Earl said...

We are both so half-right we don't even know it: J.D. Ryznar was also an actor on Acceptable TV.

In fact, the deeper I'm digging, the more I'm uncovering a sinister shadow world of low-budget comedy shorts. Acceptable TV seems to be related to Channel 101, which is what Yacht Rock originally "appeared" on. Other Channel 101 shows: "Gigabots," "Call Me Cobra," "Laser Fart," "House of Cosbys," "Shitbuster," "Sockbaby."

Further investigation is warranted.

Herr Zrbo said...

Acceptable TV was a comedy sketch show on MTV a few years ago, produced(?) by Jack Black. Our favorite series of sketches were the Kitten Calendar sketches, mocking reality TV, more specifically Donald Trump's The Apprentice.

Episode 4 was our favorite, mainly for the ridiculously dubbed song that Faux Trump sings and the comment he makes about the band immediately thereafter. I found it
here.

Little Earl said...

Good stuff, my friend, good stuff. May I mention that I also discovered Acceptable TV's YouTube channel? Let's hear it for "Prison Prison Break" and "Superhawk."

Also: the joke with Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald in that scene you mention is that they co-wrote "I Gotta Try" in 1982 and they both recorded it on their respective albums. Loggins actually sings back-up on McDonald's version. Of course, in the episode's plot, Loggins and McDonald had been fighting (the roots of the fight stretch to Episode 3), and the writers use the two versions to illustrate the two of them making up!

I'm a sick, sick puppy.

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