Sketch War

Tag: humor

  • Friday Night Sketch War: Learning Something New About History Edition

    Another tough topic, though not nearly as painful, or likely to make a grown man cry and jump on a couch, as Oprah. Again, we had three warriors enter the fray. They acquitted themselves well.

    Three solid sketches on a beyatch of a topic. Next week’s topic: first dates.

    If you want to play along, write a sketch and send a link to it to sketchwar at dreamloom.com. And be sure to come back next Friday when we’re hoping to have a few new competitors.

  • FSW: The Truth About Harry

    Quick point of order: Peter is a bastard for coming up with this week’s theme, Learning something new about history. May a thousand beetles crawl into his closet and take up residence in his favorite sneaker. The left one, not the right one.

    Come back on Saturday for the recap, where I give you links to the (hopefully) better sketches on the theme.

    The Truth About Harry

    INT. BAR – NIGHT

    A dark, quiet hideaway where men go to get drunk. MICHAEL early 40s and reedy, with the wild eyes of a hunted man, and Peter, late 20s and not crazy, sit nursing scotches. A BARTENDER wipes glasses at the other end of the bar.

    MICHAEL

    Truman was a Freemason.

    PETER

    What?

    MICHAEL

    Haberdasher is a code word for Freemason.

    PETER

    No, haberdasher is a code word for “guy who sells belts and socks.”

    MICHAEL

    C’mon! All the evidence is right in front of you and you just won’t see it.

    PETER

    Enlighten me, oh wise one.

    MICHAEL

    Yeah, the Illuminati got their start in the Enlightenment, but we don’t have to go that far back. (Beat) So what do you think Truman was doing at Yalta while Roosevelt was negotiating with Stalin?

    PETER

    What do I think Truman was doing at Yalta?

    MICHAEL

    Yeah.

    PETER

    I think Truman was asking himself how the hell he ended up in Yalta when he never went to Yalta.

    MICHAEL

    What do you mean?

    PETER

    I mean, Roosevelt went to Yalta, not Truman.

    MICHAEL

    Are you sure? I read somewhere that Truman and Churchill ganged up on Stalin at the conference.

    PETER

    A, that was Potsdam, after the war. And B, if you thought that, why would you imply he was off doing God-knows-what instead of negotiating the peace?

    MICHAEL

    Exactly. See, if Truman was at Potsdam, it’s not too far to conclude that he was working in the shadows at Yalta, right? Behind the scenes, pulling the strings.

    PETER

    (To the bartender)

    Excuse me, can I get whatever he’s drinking?

    MICHAEL

    I’m serious.

    PETER

    You think the Vice President of the United States spent a month out of the country, in the middle of a war, and no one knew it?

    MICHAEL

    See how impossible that sounds? Only the Freemasons could have pulled something like that off.

    Peter stares for a second. He opens his mouth to talk…then shakes his head.

    MICHAEL (CONT’D)

    But he wasn’t there for a month, just a few days. The Freemasons smuggled Truman over in their secret submarine–

    PETER

    –What?

    MICHAEL

    Their submarine. The Nautilus.

    PETER

    Like from the book?

    MICHAEL

    Which book is that?

    PETER

    Um…20,000 Leagues Under the Ocean? Sea. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The Verne.

    MICHAEL

    I knew you weren’t completely ignorant. Right. Jules Verne. He was too proud to let his work go unnoticed.

    PETER

    You’re saying Jules Verne built the Nautilus. A real submarine. And then he wrote about it.

    MICHAEL

    Yeah, and it got him kicked out.

    PETER

    (Playing along, now)

    I didn’t know. So, the Masons kicked him out.

    MICHAEL

    The Illuminati. It was their sub. They just leased it to the Freemasons. Anyway, they got Truman to Yalta two days ahead of Roosevelt and he and Churchill divvied up Germany. Roosevelt thought he was so tough with his big stick…

    Peter winces at this latest bit of stupidity from Michael…

    MICHAEL (CONT’D)

    …but it was Truman who really talked softly.

    PETER

    You know that was Teddy not…oh, nevermind.

    MICHAEL

    Then Howard Hughes flew him back home in the Spruce Goose right before Roosevelt showed up. The rest of the conference was just for show. Same with Potsdam. And once Truman gave Einstein the plans for the A-bomb–

    PETER

    –What?!?

    MICHAEL

    Scary, isn’t it? The New World Order is coming, man, and you can’t stop it.

    The bartender comes toward our boys.

    BARTENDER

    Closing time, gents.

    PETER

    Okay, I’ve had my fill for the night, anyway. Michael. Seriously. You need help.

    MICHAEL

    I know. That’s why I keep writing on my blog and mailing out the newsletter. I can’t stop them alone.

    PETER

    (Sad for his friend)

    Yeah. That’s what I meant. Um, I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you around, okay?

    MICHAEL

    Sure man. Next time drinks are on me.

    Peter exits quickly. Michael downs the rest of his drink and gets up to go.

    BARTENDER

    Mr. Howard, I’m afraid we can’t let you leave.

    A hidden door behind the bar slides open and reveals a huge Masonic crest. Two men in monk’s habits step out behind two serious looking pistols.

    BARTENDER (CONT’D)

    You know too much.

    BLACKOUT:

  • Friday Night Sketch War: Oprah Edition

    Yours truly – like many before him – fell under the spell of one Ms. Oprah Gail Winfrey’s hypnotic powers. I thought to myself did I, “oh, Oprah would make a great theme for Sketch War. So many topics. So many sketch ideas. This will be great!” She’s ephemeral. Like a ghost, or Duke Nukem Forever, just when you think you’ve got a firm grasp on her she disappears.

    We all struggled this week and weren’t able to bring our usual B-games. Still, there are a few chuckles to be had. Next week, in what is hopefully an easier topic, Peter’s selected learning something new about history.

    If you want to play along, write a sketch and send a link to it to sketchwar at dreamloom.com. And be sure to come back next Friday when we’re hoping to have a few new competitors.

  • FSW: Oprah’s Favorite Things

    Holy crap. I swear, when I thought of Oprah last week, I had visions of sketches writing themselves. So many ideas filled my head: Oprah as a cruel taskmaster; Oprah as an international spy; Oprah giving hitmen assignments with envelopes under their seats. Those ideas? They don’t work. Nothing worked. I was going to do a dinner party where Steadman was the butler? Crap. Everything crap.

    Then I realized I really needed to take Oprah *out* of the sketch.

    This isn’t comedy gold, but I think it’s alright. As for the products mentioned…thank you Wikipedia!

    Peter’s sketch is up already – and is both funny and disturbing. I credit him for reminding me that Oprah permeates our culture. Of course, I won’t be crediting him when I have nightmares tonight. No word yet from anyone else, but come on back for the recap this weekend.

    Oprah’s Favorite Things

    INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY

    MAYBELLE and her guests JO, JOLLY, and AMY sit in the cleanest, classiest, brightest doublewide in town. JOSH GROBAN’S “NOEL” plays in the background. The women are all in their late-30s to late-40s and well turned out. A careful observer might notice they’re all wearing the same RACHEL PALLY SWING TURTLENECK AND SAILOR PANTS. The truly observant might see the matching UGG BOOTS and TOYWATCH CRYSTAL WATCHES. That observer would be very much like these women if she knew the significance of that.

    JO

    These cookies are fantastic, Maybelle.

    MAYBELLE

    Thanks, Jo. I found the recipe in last month’s “O” and just whipped them up in my KitchenAid Artisan Mixer.

    JOLLY

    The cookies are good, but this sorbetto is to die for. Ciao Bella?

    MAYBELLE

    Of course! Is there any other?

    The ladies all laugh. Amy picks up a dog-eared book. It’s a copy of KEN FOLLET’S “THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH”. She flips through it.

    AMY

    Jack’s dreamy.

    The ladies all sigh.

    MAYBELLE

    Oh, oh! It’s time!

    Maybelle picks up a remote and mutes the music. She turns up the TV. OPRAH’S THEME MUSIC plays. Jolly mans a SONY NOTEBOOK. Jo and Amy have pencils, paper, and BLACKBERRIES ready.

    OPRAH (O.S.)

    These are my favorite things…with a twist! Today, we’re going to learn how to have the thriftiest holiday ever!

    MAYBELLE

    Uh-oh…

    OPRAH (O.S.)

    In a time of such economic trouble and uncertainty, I can’t in good conscience give away lavish gifts. Instead I’m going to show you some do-it-yourself gift ideas for the holidays.

    Jo’s cellphone rings. She answers and immediately pulls the phone from her ear. We hear…

    STEFFI (O.S.)

    There’s nothing under my goddamn seat! No gift basket! Nothing here!

    (muted, to someone at her location)

    No! No, I will NOT calm down! I didn’t ride 13 hours on a Greyhound bus for macaroni frames and hugs!

    Sounds of a scuffle, coming through the phone and the TV. Then silence. Maybelle turns off the TV.

    AMY

    “Gratitude boxes?”

    JOLLY

    Great. What am I supposed to wear for the next year? This turtleneck?

    JO

    I love you guys.

    MAYBELLE

    Can it, Jo.

    JO

    No, I mean it. If Oprah thinks we should cut back, maybe we should. I’m still paying off my Dell 30″ Wide-Screen LCD TV.

    JOLLY

    That was from 2004!

    JO

    I know. Ricky had to take an extra shift just to keep us from losing the Taurus.

    AMY

    I hate Scrabble!

    JOLLY

    I don’t understand you guys. Just because Oprah says we should cut back, you’re going to cut back? That makes no sense. I mean, if she told you to buy something useless, would you?

    MAYBELLE

    You watch a lot of shows on that LG HDTV refrigerator at your place?

    JOLLY

    Sometimes!

    JO

    Look, I can’t keep up anymore. I think Oprah’s right. This year, I’m giving out handmade gifts.

    AMY

    Me too.

    MAYBELLE

    So am I. Jolly?

    JOLLY

    Alright. Fine. Let’s put something else on. I don’t feel like talking much right now.

    Maybelle picks up the remote and clicks away. She stops and we hear…

    ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

    Doors open at midnight Thursday with low-low prices throughout the store. Don’t be late for the After Thanksgiving Sales Event at Wal-Mart!

    The women look lustfully at the TV, and then each other.

    MAYBELLE

    I’ll bring the coffee. Amy, bring lawn chairs.

    BLACKOUT:

  • Friday Night Sketch War: Horrible Holidays Edition

    The battle continues apace; tonight we’re joined by a new warrior. Fresh-faced and unscathed from previous battles, will Peter Rogers kill or cower, fight or flee?

    This week’s theme is brought to us by one of our legion of fans: horrible family holidays.

    Next week, in honor of the orgy of food and retail shopping, the theme will be…Oprah!!!

    If you want to play along, write a sketch and send a link to it to sketchwar at dreamloom.com. And be sure to come back on Friday for fun, fun, fun!

  • FSW: Chinatown Christmas

    Blogging buddy @tjonsek suggested this week’s theme in comments: horrible family holidays. I didn’t have to reach too deep into my bag of painful, poorly suppressed memories to pull this sketch out. Still rubs me raw.

    You know of course that comedy often requires painting in broad strokes and exaggerating. Comedy in real life is much more subtle because people aren’t caricatures. That’s good, right? I mean, it would *suck* if there were actually people like these in the real world. Can you imagine actually having a mother like Miriam? Can you imagine the psychic damage that would do? Can you imagine how twisted that would make someone?

    Come back later for a recap with links to the other sketches and information on submitting for next week. And if you’ve got a theme you’d like to see us try out for next week, leave it in comments here, or on one of the other blogs when their sketches are up.

    Chinatown Christmas

    INT. CAR – DAY

    The rain is pouring from the leaden sky in buckets on an unseasonably warm Christmas day. NOAH, late 20s, attentively pilots a sturdy SUV through heavy New York traffic. His father GERRY, 50s and balding, rides shotgun offering “helpful” tips. In the back sit MIRIAM, the matriarch of the ROSEN clan, looking older and feebler than her mid-50s warrant, HANNAH, Noah’s college-age sister, and in the middle, BECKY. With her perky nose, blond hair, and blue eyes, Noah’s fiancee looks as out of place as a slice of ham between two pieces of marble rye.

    MIRIAM

    Hop Kee is good. You liked Hop Kee last time, right Gerry?

    GERRY

    That’s the one with the Hot and Sour I like–

    MIRIAM

    –No. That’s Congee. Hop Kee’s the one where the hostess always gives you the extra shrimp roll, like I’m not supposed to know she’s flirting?

    NOAH

    Ma, we’re going to Wo Hop, right?

    MIRIAM

    Yeah, yeah. I was just saying, Hop Kee’s good too. You should ever decide to come back and visit, we could go there, nu? It’s just down the street.

    NOAH

    Ma, we’re visiting right now.

    Miriam pats Becky on the knee.

    MIRIAM

    And we’re so glad the two of you are here. Aren’t we glad, Gerry?

    GERRY

    Yeah, sure.

    (on traffic)

    You want the right lane. It’s clearer. You can get around two, maybe three of these

    (yelling, as though the other drivers can hear)

    slowpokes!

    Noah moves aggressively to the right and accelerates. He is his father’s son.

    BECKY

    Hannah. What are you taking next semester?

    HANNAH

    Sight and Sound Studio and Documentary, the Femme Fatale in the films of Roman Polanski, and Spanish.

    GERRY

    My little baby’s going to be a big filmmaker someday.

    HANNAH

    Dad…

    GERRY

    Going to walk down that red carpet.

    HANNAH

    Dad…

    MIRIAM

    Muriel Goldstein’s boy wanted to be in pictures. But he’s still waiting tables, waiting to be a star. Breaks poor Muriel’s heart. He could have gone to Columbia Medical School, but that wasn’t good enough for him.

    NOAH

    Barry Goldstein failed high school biology. Three times.

    MIRIAM

    I’m just saying–

    HANNAH

    –You’re just saying I’m going to fail, aren’t you ma?

    MIRIAM

    Of course not, dear. I just think you could get a law degree first, and then try with your moviemaking. Is it too much to ask that one of my babies doesn’t go hungry?

    NOAH

    Ma! I’m not going hungry. I’m doing just fine.

    GERRY

    (on traffic)

    You’re taking the Cross Island?

    NOAH

    Yeah, that’s the way I always go.

    GERRY

    Well, that’s a fine way, I guess, but the Van Wyck’s faster. But you’re driving. Don’t mind me.

    (beat)

    The middle lane’s open.

    MIRIAM

    Becky!

    Becky jumps. Her attempt to become invisible failed.

    BECKY

    Yes, ma’am?

    MIRIAM

    Don’t call me ma’am, dear. Just call me Miriam. Or mom. Is it too soon for that?

    BECKY

    No, ma’am. I mean Miriam. I mean…

    GERRY

    You’re spooking the poor girl, Miriam.

    MIRIAM

    What? I just told her to call me ‘mom’. I’m welcoming. Who’s spooking?

    HANNAH

    You are. I don’t even want to call you ‘mom’ most of the time.

    GERRY

    The turn for the Van Wyck is coming up if you change your mind.

    BECKY

    How much longer?

    EXT. STREET – DAY

    The buckets of rain have turned to barrelfuls. Gerry, Miriam, and Hannah stand under Gerry’s huge umbrella, trying to stay dry, as they talk to Noah through the window.

    GERRY

    You know where the garage is, right? Two blocks down and one over. You sure you don’t want me to park it?

    NOAH

    No, that’s alright. You three go in and get us a table. Becky and I will be back in a few.

    GERRY

    You want the umbrella, at least?

    NOAH

    Uh, it looks like it’s clearing up.

    Lightning splits the sky.

    INT. CAR – DAY

    Noah rolls up the window and pulls from the curb.

    NOAH

    I figured you could use a few minutes to catch your breath before dinner.

    BECKY

    Thanks. How do you do it?

    NOAH

    What?

    BECKY

    Not be crazy?

    INT. RESTAURANT LOBBY – DAY

    There’s a small crowd at the front desk. Miriam pushes her way to the front.

    MIRIAM

    Excuse me? Excuse me?! Can we get some help, please?

    HOSTESS

    How many?

    MIRIAM

    Excuse me?

    HOSTESS

    How many in your party?

    MIRIAM

    Five.

    HOSTESS

    20 minutes.

    Miriam ponders for a second and then…

    MIRIAM

    Come on. Let’s go to Hop Kee.

    HANNAH

    But Noah and Becky are expecting us to be here.

    MIRIAM

    We talked about both. He’s a smart boy. He’ll figure it out.

    INT. RESTAURANT – DAY

    Hop Kee. Noah and Becky are soaked through. Miriam, Gerry, and Hannah sit in front of many plat
    es of demolished food.

    NOAH

    I thought we were meeting at Wo Hop?

    MIRIAM

    We talked about both, nu?

    BLACKOUT:

  • Friday Night Sketch War: Autumn Edition

    A two-man grapple in Sketch Stadium this week, as Coyote challenges Ken. Last week’s secret ingredient was autumn. In Battle Autumn, whose cuisine sketch reigns supreme?!

    Next week’s theme, provided in comments by @tjonsek, is horrible family holidays.

    If you want to play along, write a sketch and send a link to it to sketchwar at dreamloom.com. And be sure to come back on Friday for fun, fun fun. 

  • FSW: Leafer’s Paradise

    Autumn. A wide open theme. Could have gone so many ways, that I expect we’ll get some nice variation this week. Let’s hope so! Come back later for a recap with links to the other sketches and information on submitting for next week.

    And if you’ve got a theme you’d like to see us try out for next week, leave it in comments here, or on one of the other blogs when their sketches are up.

    Leafer’s Paradise

    EXT. RURAL ROAD – DUSK

    A lone luxury sedan drives over rolling hills in the golden sunset, the millions of brightly colored autumn leaves glowing in shades of red and orange. Perfect foliage.

    VANESSA (V.O.)

    Oh, Marcus! It’s beautiful. You were right, this was the perfect weekend to drive up. Sorry I doubted you.

    MARCUS (V.O.)

    No worries, babe. I checked the almanac, the National Weather Service, and had the boys in accounting run some numbers based on the last 20 years, factoring in warming trends. I knew this would be the peak weekend.

    VANESSA (V.O.)

    I just wish we could have skipped work and had an extra day. But anyway, this place I booked should be perfect. The Double-A Guide gave it three coffee cups.

    MARCUS (V.O.)

    You mean the Triple-A Guide.

    VANESSA (V.O.)

    Uh-oh.

    INT. HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT

    RUPERT and MAGGIE stand behind the desk. He’s in his 50s, balding, and looking rumpled-casual in a button-down shirt. She’s in her 30s and crisply turned out. The door opens and MARCUS and VANESSA stroll in with too many bags for a weekend trip. He and she are both in their 30s, decked out in the flannel, cashmere, and special boots they bought just for this weekend.

    MAGGIE

    Good evening, and welcome to Hearth House. Are we the Pithbottoms?

    VANESSA

    Yes, we are. I’m Vanessa and this is Marcus. Your inn is beautiful, really.

    Maggie taps at her computer.

    MAGGIE

    Thank you. Let’s see, we have you for three nights, checking out Sunday morning, and you wanted to do two of our foliage tours, one tomorrow and then the special Leaves & Lakes Tour on Saturday. How fun!

    RUPERT

    Will you be dining in the restaurant this evening?

    MARCUS

    Honey?

    VANESSA

    Sure. Sounds good.

    (to Marcus)

    Doesn’t he look like Bob Newhart? You think he’s like him?

    (to Rupert)

    Aren’t you chilly? Maybe you should put on a cardigan?

    Rupert gets this a LOT. He rolls his eyes and gives the couple a withering look.

    MARCUS

    Yes, yes! Now I see it.

    RUPERT

    Maybe later, ma’am. Right now, let’s just get you two finished with check-in.

    Maggie taps a bit more, Rupert shuffles some papers.

    MARCUS

    (to Vanessa)

    Doesn’t she remind you of that Gilman Girl?

    VANESSA

    (to Marcus)

    Who’s that?

    MARCUS

    You know, Laura Gilman, from that show you like?

    VANESSA

    Oh you mean–

    MAGGIE

    –Okay, we’re almost done. Will you be keeping this on your American Express?

    MARCUS

    Actually, I’d like to put it on this Visa, instead.

    Vanessa looks at Marcus questioningly while he hands his card to Maggie.

    MARCUS (CONT’D)

    (to Vanessa)

    Double miles.

    The wind outside kicks up. Rupert and Maggie look at each other and hurry up the process. She drops the card in her haste and both get looks of abject terror at the delay. The wind picks up more. Just as Maggie runs the card through the reader, the front door FLIES open and a mass of dead leaves blow into the lobby, propelled by a whipping wind.

    MAGGIE

    If I could just get you to sign here?

    Maggie and Rupert look at each other with a mixture of relief and amused resignation.

    VANESSA

    Wow, that was some wind. Hope it doesn’t effect the leaves too much.

    EXT. RURAL ROAD – DAY

    A van drives through a vast wasteland. I mean, like Tunguska AFTER the event. Dead, gnarly trees as far as the eye can see beneath a leaden sky. Swirling piles of leaves gather in little eddies.

    TOUR GUIDE (V.O.)

    On the right, you’ll see a stand of Vermont maples, renown for their beautiful, deep red leaves in autumn.

    BLACKOUT

  • FSW: Extremes Attraction

    Reconciliation. This week, I read about the woman on the Texas School Board who thinks Barack Obama is going to open the doors for terrorists. And I saw all three anti-gay amendments pass in state elections, presumably because hearing the word ‘gay’ might make innocent people turn gay. RedState has begun its Operation Leper, so they might throw out all the reasonable voices in the GOP and turn it into a teeny-tiny echo chamber of Sarah Palin and her ilk (and her elk, presumably.)

    And let’s not forget that the President-Elect is a Marxist/Islamist/Radical Black Christian and Dick Cheney planned 9/11. There are crazies all around. Enough crazies to fill a small city (although the right-wing half of them would rather stay in small towns.)

    So I give you this. It’s rough. It needs many, many revisions. And I did NOT pick the craziest of the crazies. But I think it’s not so terrible. Let me know what you think.

    Come back later tonight/this weekend for my on-time wrapup. I’ll have links to the other sketches then. But for now, please enjoy mine. And comment! Comment! Comment!

    Extremes Attraction

    INT. SPACESHIP PASSAGEWAY – PERMANENT NIGHT

    Curved plasteel walls stretch into the distance. The thrum of the Keeslar-Morales drive is just audible. With a WHOOSH, a door slides open and SUB-COMMANDANT BILL O’REILLY enters in his skin-tight utility uniform. He is followed by ARCH-LIEUTENANT MICHELLE MALKIN, sashaying in her skin-tight utilities, unzipped provocatively, exposing cleavage.

    MALKIN

    Sub-commandant! You can’t let them on the ship, they’ll infect us all!

    O’REILLY

    It’s a risk we’ve got to take!

    INT. SPACESHIP TRANSPORTER ROOM – PERMANENT NIGHT

    CHIEF RUSH LIMBAUGH tests the limits of his kevlar-spandex uniform standing at a control panel.

    O’REILLY

    Bring them over, Limby.

    LIMBAUGH

    Aye, Sub-commandant.

    Limbaugh pushes buttons, turns dials, and slides a lever. Twinkling lights and tinkling chimes fill the room and three forms take shape. KEITH-O in a custom tailored suit, JANEANE in hemp clothing cut like potato sacks, and AL FRANKEN in tweed appear.

    MALKIN

    Look out! She’s got a gun under her burka!

    TWO SECURITY OFFICERS appear out of the corners and tackle Janeane.

    MALKIN (CONT’D)

    Good job! She was–

    SECURITY OFFICER #1

    It’s just a hooka, sir.

    MALKIN

    That’s just as bad! She was going to make all our children smoke

    (whispering)

    mar-ee-wan-ah.

    LIMBAUGH

    You’d better let me search her. No telling what other drugs she may be carrying.

    O’REILLY

    Belay yourself, Chief! Doctor Phil tells me you’ve been spending quite enough time in sickbay.

    (beat)

    I’m Sub-commandant O’Reilly of the Earthship John Wayne. Welcome aboard.

    KEITH-O

    You’re a terrible person, O’Reilly. Truly. The. Worst. Person.

    MALKIN

    Maybe we shouldn’t have responded to your distress signal then!

    Janeane and the security guards get up and she gives each of them a little baggie.

    JANEANE

    We responded to yours, you bimbo!

    MALKIN

    Don’t be rid–

    O’REILLY

    –Can it, Michelle! It was our distress signal. I told you that.

    MALKIN

    But you told me–

    O’REILLY

    You have anyone like this?

    AL FRANKEN

    (sighs)

    We’ve got Sharpton.

    O’REILLY

    I’m actually truly sorry.

    (beat)

    Okay, here’s the problem, our jump drive computers are fried.

    KEITH-O

    Don’t you have a backup?

    O’REILLY

    The backup computers are all infected with a virus. Our morale officer, Bennett, installed poker on all of them, but the software was a Trojan Horse. We’re practically drifting. All we’ve got is our Hadron drives for maneuvering. We’re stuck sub-light.

    LIMBAUGH

    We’ve only got six months supply in the mess!

    AL FRANKEN

    (looks at Limbaugh)

    I’d guess only three.

    JANEANE

    What do you want from us, O’Reilly?

    O’REILLY

    Can you send over your Systems Officer to assist with a complete overhaul of our network? Ours isn’t up to the task.

    AL FRANKEN

    Why’s that?

    O’REILLY

    No one properly vetted Ensign Palin. Apparently MIT was not one of the many schools she attended.

    KEITH-O

    We’d like to help, we honestly would–.

    MALKIN

    But you won’t right? Typical. You elites just want to take and take from the hard-working people and–

    KEITH-O

    –but we don’t have a Systems Officer, per se.

    O’REILLY

    What do you mean?

    JANEANE

    We don’t have ranks or titles. Everyone just pitches in on the Gaia. From each according to his abilities…

    AL FRANKEN, JANEANE, KEITH-O

    …to each according to his needs.

    JANEANE

    It works pretty well, other than all those course corrections. Someday it would be nice to reach a planet.

    O’REILLY

    You need to have a clearly defined chain of command.

    AL FRANKEN

    We don’t really believe in that. That’s why it took us an hour to come over. We had to get the crew together and debate who should come. Then we had to debate whether to bring the talking stick or leave it back on the Gaia.

    MALKIN

    (under breath)

    Gay-uh is right.

    Limbaugh snickers like a schoolboy and minces in the background for Malkin’s benefit.

    AL FRANKEN

    I guess we could ask around and see if anyone’s got any experience with this sort of problem.

    INT. SPACESHIP CONFERENCE ROOM – PERMANENT NIGHT

    O’Reilly, Malkin, and the three from the ESS Gaia are joined by JOSEPHINE JONZZ, mid-20s and transgendered, wearing a skimpy dress and JOE WURLZ, late 30s and bald, wearing a gray jumpsuit. O’Reilly frequently leers at JOSEPHINE.

    MALKIN

    Do you have a lot of experience with computer systems?

    JOSEPHINE

    Nah, not really. Sometimes I’d cash out customers at the salon, but I’d usually make a mistake and the owner’d have to come help.

    AL FRANKEN

    It was her or Steve Jobs. Even I don’t hate you enough to do that.

    MALKIN

    Joe, why don’t you take him/her/it down to the computer core.

    JOE

    No.

    O’REILLY

    Are you disobeying a direct order, mister?

    JOE

    Sub-commandant, arch-lieutenant…all due respect, but I can’t work with *that*. Back when I was a Telephone Sanitizer I wouldn’t even have cleaned its phone. Just spit on it when it wasn’t looking.

    JOSEPHINE

    Hey, that’s not nice!

    O’REILLY

    (leering again)

    No, it’s not nice Ms. Jonzz.

    JOSEPHINE

    Josie. You can call me Josie.

    O’REILLY

    And you can call me Papa Bear.

    MALKIN

    Oh, get a room! We’re spinning out of control here.

    A communicator on the table dings and Malkin presses a button.

    MALKIN

    Go ahead.

    TECH (FILTER)

    Arch-lieutenant, the Gaia has docked with us!

    MALKIN

    You see! I told you they were going to come over here and kill us all and introduce Sharia and make us get gay married and take away our guns!!!

    AL FRANKEN

    All at once? How would…never mind.

    JANEANE

    It must be hard to be you.

    O’REILLY

    What’s the meaning of this, Franken?!

    AL FRANKEN

    I have no idea. We never discussed docking.

    TECH (FILTER)

    It appears that our computer systems are back online. They’ve networked with the Gaia’s. There’s–

    A hologram – much like the CNN hologram – shimmers into view. BARACK OBAMA and JOHN MCCAIN stand arm-in-arm.

    OBAMA

    We hope you’re all enjoying your accomodations.

    MCCAIN

    Is Sarah doing well, I hope?

    OBAMA

    You might wonder why we’ve brought you all together.

    MALKIN

    You had nothing to do with it! We take personal responsibility for our actions!

    OBAMA

    (laughs)

    Yes, of course you do, Michelle. Anyway, we brought your ships together so we could say goodbye one last time.

    AL FRANKEN

    What? I don’t understand! I supported you!

    OBAMA

    Yes Al, thank you for that. I know you did. But America needs to come together now, and voices like yours are part of the old, divisive ways.

    MCCAIN

    We don’t have the time or room for any more of the extremes to be tearing the middle apart.

    KEITH-O

    And Senator McCain, sir, do you believe you are in the middle? You are not, sir.

    MCCAIN

    What can I say? I’m a maverick. Always bouncing around. I woke up and realized America needs to move forward, not rightward or leftward.

    O’REILLY

    So the world we were supposed to be colonizing? The one filled with willing slaves?

    MCCAIN

    That was a lie to get you on the John Wayne.

    JANEANE

    And the one we were going to, with universal healthcare and legalized pot and no corporations conspiring against us? That was a lie, too?

    OBAMA

    “Lie” is such an ugly word, Janeane. Let’s just say it was a campaign promise that didn’t come true.

    MCCAIN

    Your ships are now in a decaying orbit around the sun. You have another day before the boys in NASA say the heat will be too much and the hull will vaporize.

    MALKIN

    I thought we were hundreds of light years away!

    OBAMA

    Well, Michelle, perhaps if you had paid a little more attention in your science classes and not believed every silly anti-scientific fantasy that crossed before you, you would know that isn’t possible. And now we’d like to say our goodbyes. Have a pleasant journey and know that your sacrifice is going to make America and the world a better place.

    The hologram cuts out. Silence. The thrum of what clearly are NOT Keeslar-Morales drives is audible.

    Joe the Phone Sanitizer looks at Janeane.

    JOE

    You wanna?

    JANEANE

    Sure.

    Joe and Janeane leave with lust and despair in their eyes. Al Franken nods to Keith-O and Michelle Malkin.

    AL FRANKEN

    Not much time left. Whatdya think?

    The three of them leave the room. Michelle looks like a schoolgirl, giddy with the knowledge that she can drop the act.

    O’REILLY

    (To Josephine)

    Right here on the table works for me.

    BLACKOUT

  • Friday Night Sketch War: Trick of Treat Edition

    Again, I’ve *got* to pick up the pace with these wrapups. Soon, I’ll be posting them five minutes before sticking up my last-minute entries for the following week. But it’s here, so let’s take a look-see.

    Again we asked our legion of fans to leave comments on our sites with theme suggestions for this week. Again our legion of fans let us down. We’d be upset, but we do so love you. So our mothers *will* be continuing to pay your mothers to be nice to us for at least one more week. So this week’s theme, in honor of the mood of the day, is reconciliation.

    If you want to play along, write a sketch and send a link to it to sketchwar at dreamloom.com. And be sure to come back on Friday for fun, fun fun.