Team America (On Pluto)
We were DENIED last week, but like any good American, I do not give up*. Here it is! Team America. Let’s keep that July 4th vibe going. I was super tired over the 4th, I spent most of it travelling. I got home on the 4th, and slept to the sound of fireworks going off everywhere. On the 5th the whole world smelled like fireworks, which is how it should be. But again, I felt DENIED, because I was too beat to stay up for fireworks. Thankfully my neighbors have been providing a nightly fireworks show ever since then. Americans find a way!
Now, on to Team America. Does this really need an introduction? To me, this was a timeless classic from the moment it came out. What i will do is give you some great trivia. Look around, and you might see a lot more fun details. Trivia courtesy IMDB:
- The streets are paved with croissants in the opening scene in Paris.
- All the background foliage in the Panama sequence is cannabis plants.
- The Team America male puppets have the tails side of an American Susan B. Anthony one-dollar coin on the front of their belts.
- The statue in Jong-Il Kim’s palace is actually a human in heavy makeup. In the first scene in which he appears, you can see his eyes blinking.
And now, a game – How many times is the word “f*ck” used in the song “America, F*ck Yeah?” Get it right and get ten Glib points. What else can you see or hear tonight? I look forward to your thoughts in the comments. The detail in this film is incredible. Enjoy!
So watch! Or don’t! Everything is voluntary! Next week, we will have someone’s suggestion for our audience appreciation Thursday! Not sure which one yet. Leave me some ideas below!
*Excluding our soccer team
Murica!
Fuck yeah!
Diving in. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this.
Same here. *presses play*
(On Pluto)
So far didn’t crash like every other time.
Good
The puppets walk like they are in the Ministry of Silly Walks skit. I never noticed that.
I couldn’t find any good trivia on that. I think that is just how marionettes walk.
Matt Damon though – apparently his mask came back from the shop horribly distorted, and he looked retarded. So Trey decided to play him that way.
Matt Damon!
Fun fact: Both Trey Parker and Matt Stone voiced the Matt Damon puppet. Why? Because: Why not?
There was also a rumor going around, probably apocryphal, that the first time movie execs saw the film was close to the final cut. There was palpable panic in the room for about 15 seconds on the opening scene. It’s too good not to be true.
I can’t remember if it’s in the ‘uncensored’ version or theatrical, but there’s a great line after the Panama Canal where Gary is all shook up that everyone hates them now. something like:
Spottswoode: Well everybody hates Winnie the Pooh too, and that doesn’t stop him!
Gary: No they don’t! Everyone loves Winnie the Pooh!
Spottswoode: Well I do. That cocking-sucking bear killed Jack Kennedy!
I researched it. Couldn’t find a connection between Pooh and Kennedy, but… And of course now I can’t find the line in the movie, so maybe I just hallucinated it.
He was nine-years-old.
Such a fantastic flick, project, and legit message. Nails it all.
“Kim Jong Il died on 17 December 2011 as reported. December at 8:30 am of a massive heart attack while traveling outside Pyongyang.” Many big laughs were had, and this flick came up repeatedly. No outward celebration, IIRC, from the SoKos, but I’m quite sure certain things weren’t allowed to be said or done.
Repeatedly, the North would do some drill or something and I’d see/ hear US Americans on FB+ screeching in fear. Folk’d would message me to see if I was okay, or what the ‘word on the ground’ was. I quickly learned no Koreans gave a shit. Same ol’ same ‘ol, on repeat for ~60yrs. I found that rather entertaining.
Chauffeur looking longingly.
Buck oh five?
I wonder what that is with inflation.
$20, same as downtown
I heard it’s now $25 downtown.
So, I’ve never seen this before. I feel like I’m about to get an education.
*Inserts STEVE SMITH joke.
*squints* Not sure I recognize you, though ya still seem familiar. Welcome, hazy Tulpa. *squint … tightens*
Don’t tighten if you see Steve, relax. Think loose thoughts.
Bad OpSec
In the opening Paris scene, there is one puppet with a velvet jacket walking in the background. I looked closely. It’s Jon Pertwee wearing his Doctor Who costume.
I just went out to eat. Had fish and chips and a beer. I then was perusing outdoor furniture at Nebraska Furniture Mart, got sick and barfed it all up in the bushes outside. Fantastic evening.
Yuck. Sorry.
The upcoming vomit scene (spoiler) was quite similar.
Reenacting the scene from the film?
Almost exactly!
Is Team America the new Rocky Horror Picture Show?
It should be
“You gave up on life, didn’t you?!
Capitalism can be sickening.
Yikes! You OK now?
Kinda. I think it was food allergy. Too fast for food poisoning. Wife is driving us home.
The salmon mousse?
(Seriously, feel better)
I had lasagna.
It’s better to let it out and bear the shame than hold it in and bear the pain. Just like flatulence.
Corporation-y.
Huh. That’s all we need.
Lots of commercials.
That is a downside to Pluto
About the same as Tubi for me.
Quite possibly the best song is at the end of the credits, so it’s worth sitting through the credits.
And if you sit through the credits, you can see the two great talents, yes two, that were required to voice Matt Damon properly.
La Cucaracha?
Ah, beat me to it.
RJ, you don’t give up or surrender because you aren’t French.
(Just kidding,my French brothers).
Bad Guy Mistake.
Just launch the weapons.
I know. Countdowns are for Bond villains.
I think I’m going to make the wife watch this one.
Well, I’m sorry to say but this wasn’t as good as I remember. But, I still made it to the end.
Thanks RJ!
It was a bit a product of it’s time.
Yeah, I have to agree. And it’s no Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
Pluto worked.
The curse is lifted?
Playing an on-demand movie was surprisingly effortless on this hotel TV, unlike Pluto “Live TV” which is flaky as shit here. If I get a channel running I don’t dare change it.
Rhy at checkout “What is this $2,000 additional charge?”
Desk Clerk “Working video.”
Weirdly I didn’t see any of the PPV and bow-chicka-bow-wow channels I recall seeing from most previous hotel stays. Just basic cable, sports, and some streams like Netflix, Youtube, all of which require an account except for Pluto.
“you had me at dicks fuck assholes”
That is the beat speech.
Beat=best.
*Vomits again
I don’t care, but I kinda hope Morocco wins. I’m really glad I went on that trip. Volubilis was a Roman fort, a few hundred years before Christ and a couple after. Columns, Forum architecture, fresca’s on the streets. I loved it was pretty much *the* westernmost bit of the Empire. It was 2015 and I only had a tablet with a dying battery to take pics. I technically have them, but I’m unable to get the few pics I was able to get with it. Dies as soon as I hit share and has to ‘do’ something.
France also deserves to lose. WTF is ‘France,’ anyway? And.. “K. MBappe” just scored for the surrender monkeys. It really is silly.
I hope the fans rush the field and rip both teams to shreds along with the officials.
/Blood Bowl
Are you… writing from the past?
UCS may be. It’s on FS1 right now and it doesn’t say “Encore” or “Replay.” I just saw it was on and am background watching. If you placed a bet, let me know *wink wink* and I’ll see *cough* if I can make events unfold in your favor.
Don’t be absurd. If anything I’m posting from the future! It’s the Year 2000
*Error in Real Time Clock Module
I have found that if it doesn’t say “LIVE” it isn’t live. I only caught the last five minutes or so earlier but I won’t spoil.
I’m not ‘watching,’ though I did see the ending. Diamondbacks @ San Diego’s is live! I like Arizona more than many others. 2001 WS was epic.
On my drive today, fantastic Cubs @ Baltimore game to radio-listen. Didn’t end how I wanted, but we took 2/3. Near the IN/MI border, I drove through a downpour that, for perhaps the first time in memory, considered pulling off because of the rain alone. It was nuts. Swept by fairly quickly, but everyone was driving carefully. Successfully, AFAICT.
Was joking today was like a VisionQuest Vacation Drive. I really like taking 31 north. Crosses the Continental Divide!