Second Look: Mr. Show with Bob and David ‘We Regret To Inform You’ – I’m Gettin’ Laid Tonight

‘We Regret To Inform You’ (aired 11/17/1995)

Letters – B-

There appears to be some idea shoved down deep into ‘Letters’ – particularly with David – but they never really come to light in the sketch, serving more as an amusing opening and an interesting way to introduce Sarah Silverman into the first sketch. There’s some great comedic touches amongst the absurd scene of David in a dress writing letters to Globo-Chem for free stuff while Bob sits at an adjacent desk, writing letters to David that he never mails, but they kind of stick out as silly little gags thrown in for the sake of having them (David running down the street in a dress and getting stuffed in a UPS box, Tom Kenny “delivering” the letters). It’s still a funny little sketch, but one that doesn’t really pay off until ‘Kissing Booth’.

Kissing Booth/Gay Porn Titles- B

‘Kissing Booth’ and ‘Gay Porn Titles’ are basically two transitional pieces tied together by the same theme: the homophobic tendencies of Hollywood in the early 1990s. ‘Kissing Booth’ sees Bob hiring a woman to play David because he’s nervous about kissing David on stage, which leads us to the informative gay porno tape – re-edited twice to be gayer, than again to competely replace the gay content with straight people on a honeymoon. Like the opening sketch, it feels like there’s something deeper to parse out about both ‘Kissing Booth’ and ‘Gay Porn Titles’ – but beyond the simple fact that people were uncomfortable with the growing vocality of the homosexual community in the 1990’s, and how much people tried to pussyfoot around their own preconceptions and prejudices.

Third Wheel/Writer in Audience – A

“Written” by Peter Kankatankon (more on that below), ‘Third Wheel’ is a prime example of why when Mr. Show was running at full steam, it’s one of the most enjoyable comedy shows ever. First of all, the commitment – both Jill and Bob commit to freezing their poses for the entirety of David’s singing diatribes, no matter if its five seconds or three minutes, like when he jumps into the crowd and a gospel chorus joins him in singing “Always in the Way”. Secondly, it’s actually quite a layered bit, playing on everything from dramatic monologues where a narrator steps on stage to explain things, to actual “third wheels”, and the disaster scenario of a third wheel happening on a honeymoon.

But it’s also about that word honeymoon – and the “tyranny” it holds over the average marriage. It’s an interesting thought: a honeymoon is this kind of culturally accepted thing, where two recently married people go off for a week of hanging out on beaches and having sex, as if in this day and age, most couples need time away to focus on learning about each other (in the physical sense). Who says a best friend can’t come on a honeymoon – and who says a honeymoon is a time where any disagreements or philosophical differences in a couple have to be shoved away? Putting that word on a married couple’s first vacation is kind of a secretly loaded phrase, and ‘Third Wheel’ closes by promising to end the tyranny of that word, once and for all.

Finally, there’s the big reveal: the sketch was written by Peter so he could tell his female friend Jerry that he’s in love with his friend Kenny, revealing that the true ‘tyranny’ behind the phrase honeymoon comes from Peter’s belief that it only applies to straight couples. It’s a very Bob and David kind of twist, wrapping the whole thing in an extra layer of absurdity (complete with a dramatic performance from Mary Lynn Rajskub as the scorned ‘third wheel’), putting a beautiful little cherry on top of the whole situation (and giving us the hilarious transition of ‘We apologize for the homosexual content of this last scene. We now join this fiercely heterosexual sketch already in progress).

Skrewballz – A

I LOVE THIS SKETCH. Even though it’s extremely short, it’s a disaster scenario based on a perfect topic for Mr. Show: dating game shows of the 70’s and 80’s. It’s got everything: Bob in wig, David doing a voice, and this asinine sense of masochistic masculinity that nobody seems to notice except the girl who has sex with David’s character in front of an audience of people. She hated it – but even if it was awkward and voyeuristic, Jim (David) had a great time, and says he’ll have sex with her again (and when she turns him down, Bob offers him $20 to jerk off in a cup, for reasons that are never explained). And even though it’s short, it’s full of great little touches: the way Bob sits on the couch, the show logo – and of course, how they integrate it into the next sketch, ‘Video Complaints’.

Video Complaints – A-

‘Video Complaint’ is framed as a 1990’s VHS clip show: but is really Bob and David giving a big fuck you to the people who hate and discriminate against things they don’t even try to understand (something that happens even more often in the age of the internet). Some people just need to hear about how awful something is before they’re tearing it apart on the internet, even if they’re months away from actually experiencing it themselves (or in most cases, will never bother to experience at all). Using a babbling David Cross, a pissed Bob, and a violent Bob Posehan, ‘Video Complaints’ makes its point quickly and moves on to ‘Borden Grote’, one of the show’s early rough spots.

Borden Grote – C+

It’s hard to turn one joke into a five-minute stretch, even if it’s a joke as great as the premise of ‘Borden Grote’. Borden Grote is one of those Christian Bale-type dedicated actors, who removes the frontal lobe of his brain to play a mentally challenged patient in an abusive facility. Of course, this leads him to be pretty much useless, and ‘Borden Grote’ is just a series of David Cross acting mentally retarded for the sake of laughter. The point they’re making is great (that some actors take a little too much stock in their art, like Grote going to medical school for two years to play a doctor in a Mel Brooks comedy), but it goes on for far too long, with only the Blueberry Head jokes and the first sight of Larry Black to fill the time.

Soul Singer (Larry Black) – C

Another thin joke that stretches out a bit too long, even thought it’s not nearly half the length of ‘Borden Grote’. Bob’s always a terrible singer – but his musical sketches work because he’s always so committed to them, even as they fall apart around him like ‘Soul Singer’, which doesn’t quite garner the audience resposne I think it did in the writer’s room. It’s a funny idea: talking over R&B songs was HUGE during the Boyz II Men era of the early-to-mid 1990’s, but ‘Soul Singer’ only embraces it for the simplest jokes, with Larry getting confused over the date and leading into a monologue about his schedule and when he’d be able to make love. Well intentioned, but poorly executed, something that would work better as a 15-second transition than a 3-minute sketch.

Supermodel Hotline – B+

After two sketches taking one joke too far, ‘Supermodel Hotline’ is a bit of redemption for the episode, taking a thin idea, and only allowing it to breathe for a minute or two before cutting it off and moving on. Back in the day, 900 numbers were all the rage, and I can remember watching TV with my parents and seeing those weird commercials promising to get you “hot connections” with “real people” (for the low cost of $.99/minute, of course). ‘Hotline’ simply takes this to the extreme: how would you like it if thousands of models called you endlessly? Essentially a sketch where a pimply-faced David sits on the couch and does reaction shots, ‘Hotline’ works for one easy to recognize reason: it keeps things simple and moving, using the narration to push the pace of the sequence, giving it a certain life that previous episodes were missing.

Film Festival – C

Mr. Show reveled in finding nonsensical ways to end the episode, and ‘Film Festival’ sees David and Bob getting into a physical fight over creative differences on their short film ‘Credits’. A silly gag that the audience seems completely disengaged from (though their audio may just be cut out), ‘Film Festival’ is just lots of goofiness, with homages to American and Mexican wrestling and the dramatic ridiculousness of stage fighting. Effective? Sure – but its one of those things you see and say “well, that must be more fun to act than it is to watch,” a thought I often having during those closing moments. But hey, you don’t want to have anything truly meaningful run over the credits (since most people stop watching once they begin): I understand why the structure and tone is what it is, but it doesn’t necessarily make the sketch any funnier given the context.

Grade: B

Other thoughts/observations:

– “Dear Globo-Chem, someone is trying to kill me. Please send as many free products as possible. Love, David Cross.”

– very small cast this episode – Tom and Jill are only in one sketch apiece, and the other ensemble members who appear are only for very brief moments.

– the rules of Screwballz: “Just go have some sex.”

– I don’t know what ‘Hug Therapix’ is supposed to mean, but David wearing it is pretty funny.

– as the gay porno gets gayer, the title changes from “A Pipefitter’s Union” to “Ramming Speed” to “Big Gay Boat Party”.

– although it takes the distracting vision of David choking himself, his voice in ‘Screwballz’ is fucking hilarious.