"The State" appreciation thread

I loved this show when it was on, and it was too short-lived I think. I want to see who else out there was a fan. If you are, you should see the movie Wet Hot American Summer if you haven’t already.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear CORN!!”

“Where’s mousey?!”

“Most people don’t know, but me and G-d are like this!” and from the same sketch (singing) “Please kill Tim.”

Barry and Levon: “Awwwwwwwww yyeeeeaaaaaahh” with their $240 worth of puddin’.

“You did *what * to your seamonkeys?”

The sketch where the boy and girl are making out on a couch and they each have hormones dancing around. I wish I could recall the name of that one.

“Yes, I was raised in a barn!”

I assume you’re probably interested in this? Their bandwidth is exceeded right now, but try back later, you’ll be glad you did. You’ll want to dip your balls in it.

I loved WHAS. Check out the movie Martin and Orloff. It’s mostly the same crew. And Upright Citizens Brigade too.

The State is great!

“Little guy was trying to learn his letters off of the license plate”

“Maybe you should try pants”

The fabric softener bear one killed me. I must have laughed for 15 minutes.

What’s this blue meat? Is it fish?

No, it’s muppet!

You just take a monkey, and torture the hell out of it.

Absolutely! In my humble opinion, these guys deserve to be in the post-Python cannon along with Kids In the Hall, Mr Show, SCTV, and (select seasons of) SNL.

It’s a damn shame that they haven’t been released on DVD yet (it’s my understanding that a DVD is in the works, but licensing the music–as a show on MTV, they used a lot of music popular at the time–has been a major stumbling block).

Er, make that the post-Python canon.

The post-Python cannon, of course, is rserved for Carrot Top, Yakov Smirnoff, and recent seasons of SNL.

I loved the show, and I’m glad to see that it hasn’t been forgotten. I think the comparison to Python is a bit of a stretch. I mean, I’d put Kids in the Hall or Mr. Show up against Python, but The State had a lot of hillarious sketches that ended awkwardly. They got right in the funny, and somehow couldn’t extract themselves gracefully.

I also wish they’d put Viva Variety out on DVD.

The official State webpage says that the troupe members and MTV are still hammering out plans for a DVD set.

Cross yer fingers.

“Oh, no! All over the Pope-a’s nice-a white suit!”

“Heeey! I’m-a the Pope-a! Forgetaboutit!”

I love the “Pants” sketch with the Breeders’ Cannonball in the background. And the mailman who decided to switch from mail to… tacos?

One of my all-time favorites.

“No, no! I love the tacos! It’s just that…well, I’d kind of like to get my mail, too.”

It’s great that nearly all of them have had had careers after the show, too. I annoy the hell out of my wife by always going, “Hey, it’s that guy from the State!” whenever someone has a bit part in a TV show or movie.

“CHICKEN SANDWICH CARL!!!”

Fucking classic.

Oh, and lest we forget, “Penguins ain’t natural!”

“I’m Doug, and I’m out of heeeeeeeeere.”

The Taco mailman sketch never fails to crack me up, but the real gems from the series were, of course:

[ul]
[li]Porcupine Racetrack [/li][li]Cutlery Barn (the one where they squeeze about 5 heads into the frame, all speaking monotone and Frank, the talking sandwich shows up)[/li][li]The Bearded Men From Space Station… “Eleven”? I think? Amazing. “Because as we all know, beards don’t grow in space.” “Uh, yes they do.”[/li][li]The USMBTRT – The US Men’s Bikini Thong Rollerblade Team. “For various reasons, Bikini Thong Rollerblading is not an Olympic Sport…”[/li][li]Getting to know “The State” – “My name’s Michael Ian Black, but my real name is Michael Schwartz which I changed because I’m ashamed of being Jewish.” or… “My name is Joe Lo Truglio, founder of Jit Kun Do, ‘Way of the Fist’ and I fled to this country from Hong Kong after killing a man there.” “See, that’s a good story, Joe – of course, it’s not your story, it’s Bruce Lee’s story…”[/li][li]Not really a sketch, but the Get Laid with The State contest they had to begin the new season. “It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, you just have to be alive – and Ben’s flexible on that part.” (cut to a shot of Ben smiling, adjusting his bowtie)[/li][/ul]

I wanna dip my balls in it!

Lest us not forget the funniest incarnation of The State in recent years: The wonderful Reno 911 (especially season one).

I posted about a year or so ago that the State would be releasing a DVD. It would seem that things are a just a tad more tied up than it previously seemed.

I’m a huge State fan and I thought Wet Hot American Summer was a giant pile of steaming bull dung. (Just MHO).

mmmmmmmmmmmmonkey torture.

We have a guy in our group that comes to Halloween every year as a different State character. One year he wanted to dip his balls in it, next, he was Doug and he was out of heeeeeeere. One year, he and a friend came as Barry and Lavon.

Oh man I’d forgotten about Porcupine Racetrack! (approximating) “I know I’ve been a sinner, but G-d make this a winner, or the orphanage will clooooose”

Anyone remember Fragments? I always felt like other State fans didn’t recall that sketch.

You know what I’m gonna say!