Mystery Science Theater 3000: C/D, S/D.

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My sisters were really nice to me and bought me bootleg tapes of four episodes, covering many of my favorites: Racket Girls, Village of the Giants, Girls' Town, and the Colossal Beast one with "Mr. B Natural" on it.

Rodeo Daredevils:
"You should see the boys with her at the dances."
CROW: "Yeah, they buck her off right away."

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 10 January 2004 23:31 (twenty years ago) link

Search: Creeping Terror's dance sequence ("here comes some juicy rump, a little more rump here, a little more rump there...") and their use of the lame music in the next skit for about nine hours or so.

Destroy: MST3K: The Movie. I'll take their claims that it basically halted their momentum cold at face value. And it's really not even a very funny episode. If it was in with the rest of the magnificent season six it would easily be the worst in the bunch.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 10 January 2004 23:33 (twenty years ago) link

Search: San Francisco International, really one of my two or three favorite episodes ever...

"Ah yes, the opulently appointed San Francisco International"

"Ditch him at the gate."

"That bitch, I'm the hostage!"

"I made-for-TV love you."

"Meet the new boss."

"The parents of the Beatles!"

... and that magnificent run of jokes at the expense of the kid whose mom is trying to let him down gently.

Mom: I'm going to try to explain this to you again, Jimmie.
SERVO: You're a loser and we're sending you away.
Mom: It's just that sometimes married couples need to spend some time away.
SERVO: Apart from their kids, I mean.
Jimmie: You're going to get a divorce, aren't you?
SERVO: Yes, and I don't want custody.

I could go on all day with this episode.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 10 January 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago) link

"I'm going to miss my neo-Renaissance lifestyle...and my green jacket."

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Saturday, 10 January 2004 23:40 (twenty years ago) link

"...my WINDBREAKER." < / pedant >

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:07 (twenty years ago) link

Damn, yes, I knew that line was wrong.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:23 (twenty years ago) link

"junior rodeo daredevils" is some kind of peak of human endeavor

Old timer Billy Slater seems like he would be an unfortunate person to encounter.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:33 (twenty years ago) link

I love you windbreaker. Do you love me?

Perhaps if we had a child.

Insert Tab A into B movie.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:43 (twenty years ago) link

"Dig ME!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:45 (twenty years ago) link

I realize now that this little riff session went on a bit longer...

Mom: I'm going to try to explain this to you again, Jimmie.
SERVO (as mom): You're a loser and we're sending you away.
Mom: It's just that sometimes married couples need to spend some time away.
SERVO (as mom): Apart from their kids, I mean.
Jimmie: You're going to get a divorce, aren't you?
SERVO (as mom): Yes, and I don't want custody.
Mom: Now you know that hasn't been decided yet.
CROW (as mom): Although because of you it's very likely.
Jimmie: Do we have to go now?
SERVO (as mom): You have to go now!

Also, another great line: "Here's your script. You'll be playing 'Black Woman on Plane'."

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:10 (twenty years ago) link

And Chris Fujiwara is so dead wrong. Just like Jonathan Rosenbaum was (sort of... his negative review of the MST3K movie wasn't exactly misguided, and he admitted to not being familiar with the show... but he still complained about the homo cracks which I grant were perhaps an overused crutch, but didn't strike me -- Mr. Touchy-Feely wrt Homophobia -- as anything to get hepped up about.)

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:13 (twenty years ago) link

When I was bored this week, I checked out "I Accuse My Parents!" which reminded me how much I love this show. I don't know if it's a 'classic' or not, but the reaccurring "It's my birthday!" and "I won an essay contest" jokes got me every time.

― NA (Nick A.), Sunday, 11 January 2004 14:40 (twenty years ago) link

Wait, I want to hear more about this alleged homophobia on MST3K. I always assumed, by the way they handled it, that someone on staff was gay.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:25 (twenty years ago) link

I always thought in the later seasons it was Bill (certainly his character was meant to be gay insofar as he didn't actually have a body, but character does not equal actual person of course).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

I settled on Trace, but figured I was probably wrong. I mean, it could have been Paul, but that's hardly exciting!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:35 (twenty years ago) link

Heh. But I like Paul. In the book Mary Jo mentions overhearing phone conversations with Paul as he pleads with a 'Debbie' over something, so who knows?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:37 (twenty years ago) link

Ooh, well, uh...Trace was/is married.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:38 (twenty years ago) link

Was he trying to get more snack cakes?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:38 (twenty years ago) link

(I googled up a recent interview where Trace says he's not married but he does have a special lady.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:39 (twenty years ago) link

I like how that makes it look like Trace got married to get more snack cakes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:40 (twenty years ago) link

All I'm saying is, god bless Canada.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:40 (twenty years ago) link

In any event, I never noticed any homophobia myself -- it was more like a sense of joking around with various social conventions of homosexuality (for instance, the concluding sketch of The Human Duplicators where Crow and Tom finally confess that they are robots, to Joel's lack of surprise [Tom: "But how did you know?" Joel: "It's MORE than a little obvious." -- which was almost exactly the conversation I had with a gay friend of mine who came out of the closet shortly before I starting watching the show!]).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:42 (twenty years ago) link

Right, exactly -- that sort of thing (along with the way they teased out the lines in Frank and Forrester's relationship) made me think there was someone clued-in and sensitive. I can't really think of any offensive homophobic jokes.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:46 (twenty years ago) link

It goes back indirectly to the point I made at the start of this thread -- the crew there had a total loathing for bullshit, and that surely includes homophobia. And given that a good number of the performers are religious (Mike and Bridget are Christian, Kevin was raised Christian and has been a Buddhist for many years, Joel is religious as well though I don't recall his specific beliefs), it's all the more wonderful and appropriate.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:49 (twenty years ago) link

are you guys serious? i love MST as much as anybody but making an emasculated, lisping gay caricature of any 'weak' charecter (the lab assistant in this island earth, for one example of many) usually seemed to take up half their jokes in any given episode

― diamond princess, Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:52 (twenty years ago) link

My sense of the jokes about that character was mostly because of his weenieness, surely.

(Oh, hi there Mr. Trife!)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:57 (twenty years ago) link

Trina, it's certainly there but I think you're overstating its frequency. Well, yeah.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:58 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, MST3K successful navigated the straits between "pansy" and "gay".

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:59 (twenty years ago) link

Also, in a number of cases they were clearly dealing with characters portrayed by the *films* as emasculated gay caricatures, etc. Thus for instance Mr. "I'm a Virgin" in The Pod People.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:00 (twenty years ago) link

Like I say above there were a few things that bugged me, like the lesbian jokes in Racket Girls (none of them were offensive in of themselves, but gawd, so many) and a few lines I can think of here and there but it's nothing I dwell on. Even Buffy is more troubling for crying out tears.

BTW, "fembot" and "space swish" are my most favorite catty insults EVER.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:03 (twenty years ago) link

Chris, do you have any idea how much I love/loathe the term "snack cake" ?

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:05 (twenty years ago) link

SNNNACK. CHHAKE.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:06 (twenty years ago) link

No, I can honestly say that I had no idea that your emotions were so conflicted over this phrase.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:07 (twenty years ago) link

More evidence.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:09 (twenty years ago) link

The power of a Ding Dong. A Twinkie. God, snack cakes are rife with sensuality!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:12 (twenty years ago) link

Maple Creme Pies. Donut Sticks. Honey Buns. Banana Twins Cakes. Frosted Fudge Cakes. Cherry Cordials. Easter Brownies. Pumpkin Delights® Filled Cookies. Jelly Creme Pies.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:18 (twenty years ago) link

My bf has a strange hatred of the word "nosh", you guys should hang out, you'd never be able to eat anything between meals.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:20 (twenty years ago) link

I think Mike should visit Portland in late May like I am, then there would be fun. And we could all go to Powell's.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:22 (twenty years ago) link

Ned is coming to Portland solely for my KTMA episodes.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:30 (twenty years ago) link

Why sure!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:31 (twenty years ago) link

Meanwhile, in a bit of happy news, all the MST3K content from the scifi.com website, including all the show descriptions from the various staff members, will be moving over to Satellite News in February. Woo!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:34 (twenty years ago) link

To address the initial question... The show itself: classic. The legions of dorks who subsequently thought they were hip and clever for quipping during movies: dud.

― Prude (Prude), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:44 (twenty years ago) link

"Good? He'th the BETHT!"

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 11 January 2004 19:00 (twenty years ago) link

Yes, that was a slam on the dorkiness of the film's stereotypical gay character, not a reflection of homophobia on the part of any of MST3K's creators. The only peeve I have is the sometimes too-obvious pointing-out of whenever two males are in even remotely close proximity of each other, usually accompanied by exaggerated scoffing by the 'bots.

I think Servo was, um... that word I no longer use but everyone applied to David Beckham... long before we coined the term. Don't know if that means Kevin Murphy was this rumored "gay one" on the staff. I remember way back when how Joel's sexuality came into question occasionally. In any case, I usually got the vibe that they were more riffing on people's fear of homosexuality than slamming gayness itself.

Still, even San Francisco International has that out-of-the-blue "Well, hell-O, I just have to sah-shay across the airport, I'll be back, bye!"

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:34 (twenty years ago) link

Don't know if that means Kevin Murphy was this rumored "gay one" on the staff.

As he's married as well, that would be an interesting situation.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:35 (twenty years ago) link

... Mike?

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:36 (twenty years ago) link

haha, Eric, I just really wanted to quote Pod People (the worst I'd accuse Mst of is painfully unfunny evils once Trace and Frank left). Cuz if "Hear The Engines Roll Now" got any more soul they would have had to order out for greens.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:37 (twenty years ago) link

... Mike?

...is married to Bridget Jones.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:38 (twenty years ago) link

Cuz if "Hear The Engines Roll Now" got any more soul they would have had to order out for greens.

I absolutely loved it when Bob Fingerman quoted a hunk of the song in an issue of Minimum Wage. Beautiful stuff.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:39 (twenty years ago) link

I know... actually I think no one on the staff is gay, even Mary Jo. Just remarkably cool.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:40 (twenty years ago) link

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