We’re all spoiled. We literally have on-demand video entertainment in our pockets.
I’m old enough to remember the days of bootleg VHS tapes, CD-Rs and other movie files saved and swapped on ZIP disks. This was the way to see hilarious or unseen videos. Sharing them through real person-to-person connections. In the “old days” you couldn’t actually type in a a few search terms to immediately find any video you could possible imagine. You had to know a guy or be part of some weird, hobbyist group, or be a member of a cool mom and pop video rental place.
Before you assume I’m complaining about it, let me set you straight. I’m actually quite glad and grateful for the ridiculous amounts of content and entertainment at our fingertips.
That’s why I want to simply say “Thanks YouTube.” This is Part 1 of what I hope will be an ongoing segment of this blog. I will share random tidbits that tickle my fancy, There’s so much good stuff out there, it’s unfathomable.
Thanks, YouTube. I’m even more grateful for you now that I have kids. Ha! Ever since they’ve joined the family, I’ve been using YouTube and the like to my advantage. It’s been a great resource for instant gratification for kids’ shows and clips. In fact, it’s a great resource to expose my kids to what I loved as a kid. (That’s when the curmudgeon in me comes out.)
As I dug into my TV memories, I quickly jumped onto my fond memories of Sesame Street. It’s a staple in kids’ entertainment, but I’ve noticed over time, the entertainment and comedic qualities have diminished and now it’s all about safe, predictable and quite dull educational “lessons.” I’m all about teaching kids, but why not actually make it funny or memorable? After a few minutes of searching on YouTube, I rediscovered what i loved so much about the the old show.. namely Bert and Ernie.
Anyway, I love their dynamic. They are essentially the “Odd Couple.” and these few clips will bring back old memories of the geniuses, Frank Oz and Jim Henson. They really could create highly entertaining skits all while still sneaking in lessons for the kids.
These are just a couple I stumbled upon that still make me laugh no matter how many times I watch.
First up? Ernie is thirsty
Next up? That pesky leaky faucet.
Looking at it these guys through adult eyes, I can see Ernie really was one sarcastic ass. Not sure if what he did was intentional or just cluelessness. Either way, It is pure gold.
And last but not least, I want to thank YouTube again for not only letting me see anything I want when I want it, but it’s a great resource for others with time on their hands and a spark of inspiration to create mash-ups like this.
Bert and Ernie sing “gangsta rap.” The song is catchy, and now anytime I ever hear it, I imagine Bert and Ernie telling me to “Ante Up.”
So if you can’t be original or make stuff on your own, just take a couple of popular pop culture things and mash them up. It’s bound to be entertaining to <em>someone</em> 😉
