Episode 245 — Poehler Ice Caps

[HipGuide 196]

You clearly didn't like it. That's cool. All I can say is that I think PFT's performance was funny and that I absolutely feel that he captured Thicke's personality. It's a successful impersonation in my book.

 

 

there wasn't too much thicke-based humor, per se. "pains" was good. the theme songs were good. rest was just paul being funny.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

tompkins does accents, not impressions. garry marshall is literally just him doing a brooklyn accent. herzog is him doing a german accent.

 

No...Even if that's the only vocal aspect of those characters (and it's not), there's way more to the characterization than the voice.

[joebronx 16]

The Alan Thicke "character" or whatever we want to call it is just a flat-out failure. While it did hit some high notes, every single other character of his that I've heard is about 8 billion times funnier. The voice wasn't remotely close to Alan Thicke's voice.

 

If you think it was good, then you are wrong. Just wrong. On second thought, I'll instead grant you the benefit of the doubt that you are an optimist.

 

And I disagree with Scott1326657704's reduction of PFT to mere "accents." His Garry Marshall is definitely a knowing exaggeration of the way Marshall actually talks. He has the cadence, vocal mannerisms and timing down. For Thicke, he has almost nothing. There are occasionally syllables. If he just says, "Sorry" he's more or less OK. But otherwise, I have to say, this is a talented guy. Why was he wasting our time with this half-cooked impression?

 

Word.

[justinmh05 1968]

And I think you are are wrong. Just wrong. So, there you go. The world keeps spinning.

[ChaseRoper 64]

I don't really think anyone turns to PFT's impressions for vocal accuracy. That's Adomian's bag. Paul takes the shell of the C-list famous person and spins it off into weird, crazy areas.

 

As far as why is it worth doing an Alan Thicke impersonation? You could say the same for Garry Marshall, or Andrew Lloyd Webber. Or Adomian's Paul Giamatti (not, inherently, a funny guy) or Huell Howser.

 

The answer is because the characterizations are funny. The person doing the impression imbues those "celebrities" with a quirk that they don't really have. For Thicke, it was Paul's characterization of a snooty actor.

 

So to me, this Alan Thicke impression was the exact opposite of an "epic fail". Total opposite.

What are you even talking about!? PFT's Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber is SPOT ON.

[TacoSmith 83]

I'm not sure what's more irritating, this guy's obnoxious insistence that he is right and everyone is wrong or ending every post with "Word." What are you, a Looney Tunes sweatshirt with Daffy Duck wearing baggy pants and a backward baseball cap?

[BuckinKaeding 28]

This episode was amazing and at the end of plugs when Alan Thicke claimed they had 3 bloopers on Growing Pains, I cried from laughter. Might be my perfect episode. Haven't laughed this hard since the first time I heard Jazz-Jazz.

[Jachin 123]

I think my favorite moment in this episode was Paul's uproarious laughter when Scott mentions that engineer Cody froze up when he asked for a suggestion.

[MattCameron 595]

I thought PFT completely captured the essence of Thicke. It's not about being a perfect vocal impression. Similar to ALW, he doesn't talk that grandiosely all the time, but it's about the essence. The general attitude and what everyone perceives that character would think or say.

 

Get off your soapbox. Word?

 

And, for the record, I think the vocal impression was pretty spot on as well.

[joebronx 16]

And I think you are are wrong. Just wrong. So, there you go. The world keeps spinning.

 

This impression was so bad that the world actually stopped spinning for 47 minutes on Monday.

 

Word.

[joebronx 16]

I thought PFT completely captured the essence of Thicke. It's not about being a perfect vocal impression. Similar to ALW, he doesn't talk that grandiosely all the time, but it's about the essence. The general attitude and what everyone perceives that character would think or say.

 

Get off your soapbox. Word?

 

And, for the record, I think the vocal impression was pretty spot on as well.

 

I agree that it's not about perfection. It's about giving the audience some context for the jokes. I think you at least need to be able to discern who the character is without being told. As someone who is familiar with Alan Thicke, I wouldn't have had a clue that this was supposed to be him if they hadn't told me. I even wondered if this was intentionally bad. He wasn't even close. The material was inconsistently funny. The execution was consistently poor.

 

Anyway, it's not a home run. I like a lot of his characters. I really liked the concept of the ghost of that character from Boardwalk Empire. But this was just way off. And if you think that youtube clip sounds like what PFT did on CBB, then I guess your hearing has a better sense of humor than mine does.

 

Word.

[VinsanityV22 500]

Scott: "Uh, well, y'know, uh... like Rob Lowe. Your mortal enemy"

Amy: "Sure"

Scott: "I - I told him, y'know, you gotta get in there, and, uh, y'know, like, move on... from the, uh, the scandals. Y'know, back in the 80's and -- y'know what I mean?"

Amy: "Smart"

 

....

 

HOW COULD THE NEXT LINE BY SCOTT NOT BE "MOVIN' ON DOT ORG"!?! Wompler should be pissed. Scott's not even trying to help her brand here!

 

Also, damn Scott, your "uh's" and "y'know's" can get out of hand sometimes.

[Hot - Slunch 772]

For the love of God, Neil needs to record a rap album.

[AJValliant 266]

PFT is talented enough that even a dud character is entertaining, and I'm glad he's trying new things, but I can't see this one sticking around for the long haul. Though I'd absolutely be up for a second visit from the ghost of Richard Harrow.

[Bernard_Shakey 3484]

I'm not sure what's more irritating, this guy's obnoxious insistence that he is right and everyone is wrong or ending every post with "Word." What are you, a Looney Tunes sweatshirt with Daffy Duck wearing baggy pants and a backward baseball cap?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. hold the phone. That sounds kinda racist. Daffy Duck is the black Looney Toon after all.

That being said, I find myself agreeing with joebronx on this one folks, but hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[rachelpi 228]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. hold the phone. That sounds kinda racist. Daffy Duck is the black Looney Toon after all.

That being said, I find myself agreeing with joebronx on this one folks, but hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

 

Not sure if joking...or didn't get the reference:

The "Word" thing absolutely needs to stop.

[Hot - Slunch 772]

 

Not sure if joking...or didn't get the reference:

The "Word" thing absolutely needs to stop.

 

It's either a joke, or he's under 15. How could you not remember the fashion travesty that was ghetto Looney Tunes?

[PhillipMedoc 648]

"Rowdy Roddy Piper, I believe."

 

"You don't have to believe."

 

From Paul's amazing jacket, I take it that he recently vacationed in the village of Portmeirion. Congratulations on finding your way back, Paul.

Glad to see other people remember The Prisoner. Tip of the hat, sir.

[strit 29]

wow, time signature jokes ~worlds collide~

[Bernard_Shakey 3484]

 

Not sure if joking...or didn't get the reference:

The "Word" thing absolutely needs to stop.

That's Kris Kross "my pants to the back that's my everyday uniform" Totally Krossed Out came out in the 6th grade. Changed my life.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

I think my favorite moment in this episode was Paul's uproarious laughter when Scott mentions that engineer Cody froze up when he asked for a suggestion.

 

After listening to the rap battle three times, I can say that there are THREE times that Paul laughs VERY hard within about a minute:

1) Scott announces that there will be a freestyle rap battle

2) That Cody moment

3) Rather than waiting for the next entry point in the beat, Scott blasts through "WellmynamesRappinScott" in order to catch up to the just-passed entry point

[Shannon 2953]

The awesome YouTuber who makes videos of the rap battles has come through yet again!!

 

[Bucho 188]

Paul's Alan Thicke was VERY Ron Burgundy, and since I don't know what Real Alan Thicke sounds like I was all for it.

 

So many ace eps lately but I think this one made me laugh out loud the longest and the most often.

[The Burning Gentleman 67]

I remember Bill Hader saying that, before his first Vincent Price holiday special sketch on SNL, Lorne said to him, "Why now?" meaning, "Vincent Price? In 2005?" That's what I thought about PFT doing Alan Thicke in 2013 - why now? I'd forgotten about Robin, though, so there you go (I can't keep up with these kids and their crazy music). It wasn't a dead-on impression, it was less accurate than Garry Marshall or Werner Herzog. a less formed character than either of those...but I still really enjoyed it, and the whole episode.

[ocean_machine 56]

Heavens to Betsy, I've invented an applause machine!!

 

*Applause machine, guests love my applause machine, crankin' up my applause machine, givin' my guests applauuuuuse! thank you."