The funniest part of this skit isn't any of the absurd lies or Chalmers reaction. It's the moment Chalmers asks to see the "aurora borealis" and Skinner legitimately thinks before responding "no"
Well, if he had turned the oven off, we wouldn't have gotten to hear about the aurora borealis at that time of year, at that time of day, in that part of the country, localized entirely within Skinner's kitchen
A U R O R A. B O R E A L I S. At this time of year? At this time of day? IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY? LOCALIZED ENTIRELY WITHIN YOUR KITCHEN?? No May I see it? Yes
Another underrated part of this scene: Skinner struggles to answer questions about the "steamed hams," then IMMEDIATELY is able to concoct the Aurora Borealis story.
All Skinner said in regards to the Aurora Borealis story was saying "Aurora Borealis" in response to Chalmers asking "What is happening in there?" and subsequently "Yes" after Chalmers' seemingly rhetorical sequence of inquiries.
I always found it odd that they are both wearing full suits and coats; despite neither being at the school. The fact that they are eating *lunch at Skinner’s mom’s house* implies that this is a weekend and school’s out; but that they dress in work clothes even during their off-days.
Skinner is actually very relatable in this skit, because I too would rather let my house burn down than admit I made a mistake to someone important I was trying to impress.
If Skinner had an Aurora Borealis to produce, he would've let Chalmers see it immediately. Do you know how impressive that would be to have the Aurora Borealis localized entirely within your kitchen?
@@Sonnakai “I once convinced a super intendant that I had aurora borealis localised entirely within my kitchen in this part of the country, at this time of day, at this time of year. And he bought it because I believed it.”
This is the Golden Ratio of comedy. Not only is it so simple and easy to follow, but even if you'd never watched Simpsons before, if we were 1000 years into the future, and this were the only clip to survive a media purge, you'd completely understand both these characters, the comedy is super universal because of its simplicity, and in less than 3 minutes its crafted perfect parallel arc while ramping of the hilarity and absurdity of the situation.
According to the creators, Chalmers is the only person in the show able to function outside of Springfield. He knows everyone is crazy, but he gets by by not asking too many questions so he doesn’t get sucked down a rabbit hole, hence why he indulges in Skinner’s lies.
@@JuhoEronenSpongebob isn’t just for kids, it’s a show for everyone. If you watch the original seasons of Spongebob you’ll see that it’s a perfectly worthy contender to the Simpsons.
@@walterthemighty7549 Eh, I would be inclined to agree, but The Simpsons had FIVE absolutely outstanding years (seasons 4 - 8), and three really sold ones (seasons 1 - 3). Spongebob only had three extraordinary seasons (1 -3).
Chalmers knows most of Seymour is saying is a lie, he just doesn't care. It just aurora borealis is a rare sight to behold and he doesn't want to miss it if Seymour is telling the truth.
in 2018, i was a 13 year old boy from china who had just moved to the US with family, in a completely new environment. new school, new home, new internet, new people around me, and i was struggling to adjust because my english was terrible and i knew little about the western culture. i opened youtube for the first time to try and figure out what was popular over here, and i dug into the hole of memes. since i was lonely and didn't have much friends, i spent most of my time on this side of youtube, enjoying all the memes and ytps that were popular back then. but among all of them, the steamed hams meme stood out to me as incredibly funny, and i loved watching all the edits, even memorized the script of the original simpsons clip somehow. 4 years later, almost 5, life has changed and i now feel happy and at home here, but i always look back at the steamed hams meme with a smile because it kept me laughing when life was hard.
This was actually shot in 3 takes. Take 1: Chalmers is OBLIVIOUS to Skinner’s lies. Take 2: Chalmers is SUSPICIOUS that skinner is lying. Take 3: Chalmers is AWARE that skinner is lying. These takes were spliced together to create tension, making the audience unaware of how much Chalmers knew.
@@benjamina6618 Sure! So, when they filmed the scenes between Christian Bale and Willem Defoe in American Psycho, they filmed three takes for every scene. One take where Dafoe's character knew Bale was the killer, one where he suspected he was the killer, and one where he had no idea that he was the killer. The editors then spliced these takes together to form each scene, making it extremely equivocal as to how much Dafoe's character knows. This makes the audience feel more uncertain and paranoid, just as Bale's character would be feeling under interrogation, and helps to create further tension.
Plot twist: Chalmers didn't buy any of it for a second. It's just that he, as a politician, was impressed with Seymour's ability to lie at the drop of a hat.
He wanted a show and he got a good show, which is why he let it happen. It helped that in the end Seymour was still suffering because he still almost burnt his house down.
@@chaos_omega If I understand correctly, the office of Superintendent is a government-appointed position that works as the administrator of a particular school district. Therefore, it counts as a government office.
snazztacular language doesn't evolve in that manner. You can't blame every piece of incorrect grammar on linguistic evolution or else i could be speaking french right now and call it english.
@@niccster1061 If it's used as a word, and people understand it, it becomes part of English. That's why "Doh!" was added to the dictionary, and why "stan" was, as well. Also, you could be speaking what is _technically_ French right now, and I might actually consider it to be English, because English borrows words from other languages- just as many other languages do, as well.
My friend and I re-enacted this skit as a campfire skit at our summer camp, in front of the entire population of the camp. We also trained another friend to shout Seymour's mother's lines on cue. It went surprisingly well, and I got to go home knowing that I had taught Steamed Hams to many an uncultured person.
All of a sudden it MAY be possible at that time of day, at that time of year, in that part of the country-and just maybe, localized entirely within his kitchen.
"Aurora Borealis?! At this time of year At this time of day In this part of the country Localized entirely within your kitchen?! "Yes." May I see it? 😳" This part KILLS me. From the first time I watched it, to the millions of memes that followed, this part is just gold every single time.
My favorite part of this ingeniously-written and impeccably-delivered clip is how Chalmers points out how absurd it would be to have the phenomenon of aurora borealis occur within Skinner’s kitchen, to which Skinner replies with a simple “Yes”. Chalmers then pauses as if immediately abandoning all logic and reason while seeming to actually believe Skinner. Chalmers reacts with a very intrigued and curious, “May I see it?” Skinner: ..... *No*
Hi! In a couple weeks from now, me and a buddy of mine will perform a live-action recreation of Steamed Hams for my Theatre class. I'll do my best to upload it. Expect it to come late February.
seeing old cartoons in this high quality is weird you can see all the artifacts of the old cartoon making proccess. the characters jittering slightly after every frame. the shadows under different layers of animation. all the imperfections in color filling. it's wonderful.
I got to see aurora borealis at this time of year, at this time of day, in my part of the country, but it wasn’t localized entirely within my kitchen. Damn Skinner with his crazy explanations!
And that these two men, who have worked with each other for years, never asked each other where they're from. And that Skinner pulled off the Albany thing so effortlessly that Chalmers didn't question it.
i mean they call hot dogs "glizzies" up there bc of some bizarre chain of events originating in washington dc, so honestly yeah i could see it too. i could see specifically albany inhabitants calling hamburgers "steamed hams"
@@JaxontheOkay We don’t say steamed hams, we say hamburgers here in Albany. Though I prefer a cheeseburger over a hamburger. Also we call them hotdogs but glizzies for comedic value, more popular with the youth. For example, I usually say hotdog but when I want to make a sus joke, I say “this nigga is eating a glizzy with the works, ayoooo”
Random videos that nobody watches! “Ah- Aurora borealis?! At this time of year, at this time of day, localized entirely within your kitchen?!” Seymour: *_no hesitation whatsoever_* “Yes.”
watching this as i see aurora borealis for the first time, living in the midwest. its not extremely visible or the most breathtaking sight, but its my first and probably ever time and first thing that came to mind
1:52 I love how Superintendent Chalmers takes one bite from the burger but somehow it magically grows back to a full burger once presented as grilled lol
Lines in this video that are statements of fact: “My roast is ruined!” “These hamburgers are quite similar to the ones they have at Krusty burger.” “You call them steamed hams despite the fact that they are obviously grilled.” “Seymour! The House is on fire!” “Well, Seymour, you are an odd fellow...”
Agree. Now it’s just a laughingstock of what it was. However, I continue watching it, because of Tress MacNeille. That woman was a very big part of my childhood. I can’t imagine the show without her. And I’ll make sure everyone gets hurt losing their childhood idol.
Fun fact : We had a very rare aurora borealis in France recently, it was visible in Belgium and Netherlands too. My reaction was "Aurora Borealis ? At this time of year ? At this time of day ? In this country ? Localize in Europe ?" So I bought steamed clams (at mac donald's)
Superintendent: *takes bite of the hamburger* 10 seconds later: Superintendent: “despite the fact they are Obviously grilled” *shows whole burger, uneaten*
In episode 2F09, when Itchy plays Scratchy's skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is a magic xylophone, or something? Ha ha, boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder.
Memorised this whole scene as a kid, 20 years before any memes. Just an exquisitely crafted masterpiece of comedy. My fave bit now is that little aborted "uh..." Chalmers makes as he discovers Skinner sneaking out of his kitchen with the oven smoking.
2:28 You can actually see Superintendent’s thought process where instead of just pointing out Skinner’s lies and firing him, he decides to play along because he understands what skinner is trying to do and is sympathetic.
@@gokud.uzumaki1520 if you went blind you'd see he put it on the stove top. Not the oven the oven is the inside of machine. The top is called the stove you absolute dickwad
I always wonder if Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria are actually aware of how much a cultural phenomenon this scene they worked on has become within the current modern age of the internet. It’s just too perfect. Even without the internet memes. This is gold.
This scene starts, as many scenes do, with an establishing shot. Not only that, but this also doubles as an action shot, having Chalmers ring the doorbell. The next shot shows Skinner approaching the door. He wears a dimpled smile and a frilly apron. He looks childish and innocent. We then get an odd cut. Where there’s a close up kf Chalmers in the middle of Skinner opening the door. This adds a bit of drama, as it had a similar effect as a zoom in, but much less on the nose. It’s also good to get a close up of Chalmer’s face, as his expression is the opposite of Skinners, cold and harsh and stern. Chalmers does not begin with a hello. He says “Well, Seymour, I made it, despite your directions.” This line tells us multiple things. One, Chalmers knows Seymour. Two, Chalmers is a jerk, but not a blunt jerk. He doesn’t simply say “your directions suck”, he takes a passive aggressive act. The “well” is also interesting, as very rarely do people start a conversation with that word. Well is a word for the in between. It further drives home the point that this is merely a small part of The Continuing Story of Chalmers and Skinner. We then zoom out, meaning that it feels like Skinner’s reaction is revealed, placing some emphasis on said reaction, but not too much. Skinner does not seem to be hurt. It doesn’t even look like he’s holding in some anger or sadness. He’s either incredibly stupid, or is used to this. Or both. The answer is both. “Ah! Superintendent Chalmers, welcome. I hope you’re prepared for an unforgettable luncheon!” Skinner’s head swings wildly about when he says this, while Chalmers head didn’t move as he said his last line. This clearly shows how one is much more performative, and much less stern. It also looks a tad bit like Skinner is puffing out his chest, but that could just be a quirk of animation. Now, Skinner’s “Ah!” is interesting in how forced it sounds. If Skinner had just noticed Chalmers, then it would make sense. But, Chalmers already said his line. It’s likely that Skinner was planning on saying this before he opened the door. Skinner preparing what he says is a recurring theme throughout this scene. This line also clearly shows us that Chalmers is a superintendent, and Skinner knows him from his job. The way Skinner acts suggests he’s an underling. Sure, the The Simpsons fans who watched this episode when it aired knew that, but the way this sketch is written means people who don’t know their Barts from their Homers can understand this. The dynamic of the two characters is very present from these two lines, Chalmers is a jerk, and Skinner is constantly ready to lick Chalmer’s shoes clean. There is also Skinner’s vocabulary, extraordinarily distinct from Chalmers. He does not say ready, he says “prepared”. He does not say “a great dinner” he says “an unforgettable luncheon”. It’s clear that he wants to impress Chalmers, who doesn’t say any words longer than three syllables in the line before this. We’re only two lines in, and our two characters and their dynamics could not be more clear. It’s some truly genius writing. Chalmers next line is “eh”, which is in extreme contrast to Skinner’s line. There is no eloquence, there aren’t even any sentences. Chalmer’s then brushes past Skinner, not even asking to be let in. This is the most damning evidence which suggests that Chalmers is not a vampire. We then get a very brief shot of Chalmers sitting down. Notice how does not ask if he can be seated, or which seat to take. Then, we get a POV shot of Skinner opening the door, and then we break from the POV and have a zoom. This is a very nifty trick which makes the dramatic zoom feel even more dramatic. It’s even more dramatic because the oven is exactly in the center of the frame. There’s also two different pillars of smoke coming from both ends, adding to the feeling of symmetry. This is also the first point in the scene where we get a non-diagetic sound, a single dramatic sound effect. It’s very Simpsons-esque. We get a quick close of Seymour gasping, giving a sense of urgency. It should be noted that this is the first time we have a close up on Seymour. Then, we travel inside the oven for the next shot. What’s great about this shot is that our whole screen is filled with smoke, so it looks like the entire world is on fire. Not only that, but it sticks Skinner in a box, showing the way he is trapped. “Oh, yegads my roast is ruined!” Seymor shouts. The yegads reveals that Seymour’s eloquence may not have actually been that performative, but it’s too late for that, the idea is already in our brain. Plus, we are always performing. There’s no one around to hear Seymour, and yet he speaks, for what other reason then the Panopticon? Skinner is so used to being viewed, he acts like there’s always someone monitoring and judging him. This also factors into the next line, which we’ll get into in a moment. The shot inside the oven only lasts during the “Yegads” part of the line. The quick shots once again extenuate the frenetic feeling. Seymor’s hand is on his head, but it is removed as his expression then changes to inquisitiveness. It is at this moment when we get our next non-diagetic sound, a whimsically sinister set of notes. We then see Skinner peer at a Krusty Burger through the window. Even as he speaks, there is still some non-diagetic sound, a faint sinister drone. “But what if, I were to purchase fast food, and disguise it as my own cooking. Oh, ho ho ho. Delightfully devilish Seymour.” Skinner’s expressions as he says this are, of course, fantastic. As Seymour opens the window, he places his apron on the oven. Perhaps he doesn’t want to get it dirty. Perhaps he doesn’t want to look weird. Perhaps he simply feels like he doesn’t need it anymore. We then get an opposite shot of Seymour in the window, and notice how similar this shot is to the one of him looking into the oven. Once again, Seymour is in a box, but he’s not alone. Chalmers is positioned as small in this shot, but he still doesn’t feel powerless, simply because of the build up we’ve been given. In about fifteen seconds, Steam Hams shows us exactly how bad it would be for Skinner’s situation to occur, and then places him in said situation. We next get a close up of Chalmers, framed similarly to the close up before.
Then, we get the song. My music theory knowledge is by now means comprehensive, and I certainly don’t have perfect pitch, so I may be wrong on some points, but I think I have the main idea down. The first chord is a Gmaj7, a very jazzy chord. While on an instrument like guitar or piano, it would sound melancholic, a horn section is used, giving it a jazzy feeling. A swing rhythm is also given to increase this jazzy feeling. This is done, of course, to parody old sitcoms, which had jazzy soundtracks. We are firmly in the key of G here. We then get “Ski-in-ner”, a descending line, going from G down to E down to C. Then, with “With his crazy explanations) we go up, going to F (briefly moving outside the G major scale to prevent the devil’s interval), then to D, then back to G, ending an octave above where we started. The next line is the same. The line after that continues the upwards motiff, but this time starts at G, going up to C, then to E, then to A. The intervals are the same, we’re just starting from a different place. The “they’ll be trouble in town, tonight.” Turns the entire song into a palindrome, following the same path as the “Ski-in-ner”, but enlarged, going down 28 half steps (two octaves, plus the A) instead of 9 half steps. What’s genius about this is that it gives the final note on “tonight” such a satisfying impact. The chords are extremely simple, Gmaj7, Am7, D7, then Gmaj7. A jazzy chord progression if there ever was one. Obviously, this melody is a happy one. One would think the melodie’s brief dip into minor with the F would change that, but it works out. The composer for The Simpsons, Benito Mussolini, cleverly decided to have it at the same time as the Am7. The notes on Am7 are A, C, E, and G. All of these notes sound well with F, with F and C forming a perfect fifth. Okay, that’s what we hear, but what are we seeing? There’s the background, which grows stranger the longer I look at it. It’s a pattern consisting of a muted light brown and a muted dark brown, a rather drab image which gives the illusion of texture when viewed from afar, but is clearly not textured when one sees it. There are also the images, which are framed by muted orange and red. The muted colors really make the bright saturation of the images really pop. I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the font. I did some digging, and apparently this font is called Parlor Sans. It’s often used on greeting cards and on the cover of smooth jazz albums. There’s that very clever transition with Chalmer’s shouting, his deep, judging voice contrasting with the cheery, saccharine voices of the chorus. It’s funny how Chalmers immediately assumes Skinner is up to no good, and he’s right. Skinner is never up to or down to There’s then a close up on Skinner. “Superintendent! I was just, uh, stretching my calves on the windowsill! Isometric exercise, care to join me?” The use of the word “care” here is very formal, and not all that common in the US. An American may connect this turn of phrase with a posh, high class, British person. This makes Seymour even more uppity in our eyes. In order to increase the comic funniness, we get a zoom out away from Skinner’s face, straight into one of the greatest shots of the entirety of The Simpsons. We get Chalmer’s large, hulking form, taking up almost half of the screen. Then, there’s a pillar of smoke, going between Chalmers and Skinner like a wall. This pillar grows as it moves upward. Obviously, this is just something that smoke does, but it also adds foreshadows how this situation can only get worse from here. Skinner is small, tiny, and pathetic, dwarfed by both Chalmers and the smoke. He’s in a rather erotic position, and the “care to join me?” doesn’t help. However, all good things don’t last, and Skinner moves out of this position, while Chalmers remains still as stone. We’ve seen this happen before. Skinner is full of life and energy, while Chalmers has had it beaten out of him with a giant stick. Chalmer’s gets straight to the punch, as he usually does. “Why is there smoke coming from the oven, Seymore?” he says in a medium shot. “Ah!” Seymor says, it does sound a bit like “uh”, but the script says “ah!”, and if you slow the clip down, he does say “ah!”. It appears that when Seymor usually says “Ah!” , it’s in surprise. Unless of course, he’s pretending, and he has prepared. Then he goes “Ooh! That isn’t smoke, it’s steam, steam from the steamed clams we’re having. Mmmmm, steamed hams.” His head shakes in beat to the swirling of his hand as he says “Mmmm”. The window is still in view, a reminder of Seymour’s desperate need to escape. Chalmer’s next shot is the same as his last. Overall, Chalmer’s shots are a lot less free and elastic than Skinners. Chalmers doesn’t say a word, because of course he doesn’t. We then get Seymour skedaddling to some more non-diegetic music. It’s whimsical, with flutes, muted horns, and a dash of xylophone. Of course, xylophones are like cyanide, even a dash of them will really stand out in a dish. Seymour runs away, and the camera does not follow. As such, he gets smaller and smaller, descending into nothing. Meanwhile, the smoke looms in a corner of the screen like an angry grey sun.
Then, we get the resolution to the rising riff of the previous musical passage when we cut to Chalmers. The transition is rather jarring visibly, but the sonic stylings smoothen it out. Chalmer’s puts on a bib. He looks almost vulnerable in this brief moment, perhaps because he is alone. However, Skinner then enters, and it looks like he’s come from a different world because the walls in the kitchen are colored differently. “Well Superintendent, I hope you’re ready for mouth water hamburgers!” Skinner remarks as the creaky door groans in horror behind. “I thought we were having Steamed Clams.” Chalmers ponders. His DIY bib sits upon his chest. One thing I forgot to mention is Chalmer’s wine. He brings it and puts it in an ice bucket which Skinner already has out. It’s possible Skinner had his own wine planned, but it’s also possible that Chalmer said he was bringing wine. However, would Skinner have wanted that? He wants to serve Chalmers. “Oh no, I said Steamed Hams, that’s what I call Hamburgers.” The smile on Skinner’s face seems kiddy, like a child’s, out of context. But in context, it's the fake smile of a smarmy salesman. We can see Skinner did his best to put the pistick on the lig, and by that, I mean he arranged the burgers and fries on a nice tray, one with curved edges. I should also note that there’s a tablecloth on the table. In these first few shots of the scene, Chalmers is all alone in a medium shot, while Skinner is forced to suffer Chalmers gaze in every shot he’s in. In these shots, Chalmers is closer to the camera, meaning he’s always larger than Skinner. “You call hamburgers steamed hams?” “Yes. It’s a regional dialect.” With this shot, Skinner is finally alone. What’s clear from this conversation is that Skinner prepared. We can tell from later moments that he isn’t very good at improv. The phrase “regional dialect” is another professional assemblage of words. “What region?” “Uhhh…upstate New York.” Now, does the uhh suggest this is the part Seymor didn’t plan, or was this just a natural uhh? This is the first time in this scene where Seymor’s smile drops, but it's momentary. Perhaps he did plan this part, but not very well. Perhaps he said his opening lines over and over, but not this line. Notice how little frills there are in his speech. Also notice how this shot is the same as Seymour’s previous shot. This helps with the rapid fire feeling of the banter, as well as showing us how they are locked in a fight, like two muddy lions wrestling with each other. “Really. Well, I’m from Utica, and I’ve never heard anyone use the phrase Steamed Hams.” “Oh, not in Utica, no. It’s an Albany expression.” Note how Skinner’s smile disappears for about thrice as long. Not only that, but he gives an unnecessary “no”. This part appears to be unplanned. “I see.” Chalmers is so distracted by Skinner’s odd behavior, he forgot that he’s supposed to be mean. It’s clear he’s putting on a facade as much as Skinner is. Then, we cut to a wide shot. In this one, both men are at an even playing field. Note how Skinner drinks first, while Chalmers chooses to eat a hamburger. It makes sense, Skinner’s nervous. Speaking of alcohol, an interesting question comes to mind. Did Chalmers drive to Skinner’s house? The first line seems to suggest this. But, he has a poured glass of wine, and did he just bring wine for Skinner? That’s awfully kind of him. To be honest, him bringing Skinner wine at all shows he is not a cruel man, merely a grumpy one. Sure, his bringing of the wine is probably merely an act of politeness, but squirrels eat nuts, and so do we. “You know, these hamburgers are quite similar to the ones they serve at Krusty Burger.” The phrase ‘quite’ is rather Skinner-ish, don’t you think? It seems that Chalmers is less grumpy than before, and it also appears that his grumpiness is what leads to his bluntness. “Ho,ho,ho, no. Patented Skinnerburgers, old family recipe.” The way Skinner turns in his chair when he says this is magical, he almost appears to grow and shrink, his power increasing and decreasing with every second of the conversation. “For steamed hams.” “Yes.” Seymour’s being blunt again. “Yes. And you call them Steamed Hams, despite the fact that they are obviously grilled.” Now, Chalmers does not put two and two together and realizes that the burgers were in the oven, not grilling, but rather ovening. Not how Chalmer says “you”. If only we knew whether this was a plural or a singular you. Chalmer’s voice is seething with seethfulness, but his posture is calm. This is fitting of a Superintendent. It should also be noted that in the “old family recipe” shot, both Chalmers and Skinner are in frame. Chalmers is once again suspecting Skinner of some Skinnanigans. I’m saying this because we get a similar shot after Chalmers says “obviously grilled”. However, the table is lower, meaning that Chalmer looks smaller, and the door is more pronounced. The door symbolizes escape, a portal to another world where Skinner can jerk off for as long as he wants into the hot, smoldering, flames. We hear a sizzling sound as Skinner stutters. Perhaps it is his brain, coming back for revenge. He dabs his yellow lips with a white handkerchief. “One thing I-“ What is this one thing? Why is it one? “Excuse me for one second.” “Of course.” Of course? It’s clear that Chalmers is a victim to the rules of politeness, as are we all. Skinner is obviously hiding something, but Skinner did also ask to be excused, so Chalmers hands are tied. BDSM. We see that the smoke has begin to bleed through the cracks in the door, showing that dreams become nightmares when they enter reality. The door swings, screaming in metal as they do so. Why did Skinner buy more than two hamburgers? And why do so many appear to be eaten? Skinner once again appears to enter and disappear from another world, but this time, it has turned from green to red. “Aaaahhhh. Well that was wonderful.” Skinner’s body moves in that strange way again, growing bigger and smaller. The position of the shot may seem the same, but if you go through the shots then you’ll see that everytime we cut back to the dinner shot, our view point is a little bit higher. This is symbolic of how the tension is rising. Skinner continues. “A good time was had by all. I’m pooped.” This is a reference to the fact that Skinner poops his pants on the regular. “Yes, I should be g-“ Chalmers is about to say the word “going” before he interrupts himself with a “Good lord what is that!” In this shot, the table isn’t visible at all, just the burgers, the tray, the bucket, a glass, and the bottle. Chalmers will not take this bottle with him, and it won’t matter. “Good lord, what is happening in there!” Notice how Skinner says “egads” whereas Chalmers says “good lord”. “Aurora Borealis.”
The next shot is beautiful. Chalmers has never appeared like this before. Shot slightly from below and a bit to the left. After Chalmers says that, we don’t get a zoom. Instead, we get the cinematic equivalent of being hit in the head with an electric guitar. “At this time of year.” With every move in, Chalmer’s face changes. This is because he is in control. If you go back and look, you’ll see how the camera responds to his movements, but not Skinner’s. This is because Chalmers has sex with the computer with every Tuesday evening, but Skinner can only manage every two months or so. “At this time of day.” “In this part of the country.” “Localized entirely within your kitchen.” Chalmers eyebrows lower. He thinks he’s won. He hasn’t. “Yes.” is the ultimate retort with its swiftness. Chalmer is shocked. He thought he trapped Skinner in a lie, but Skinner said yes, and why would Skinner say “yes” if he was lying. Chalmers thinks he knows Skinner, a sniveling, weak pricked, wet towel of a human. Little does he know that Skinner is so much like a tree, he can change the world, and probably yours as well. As such, when Chalmers asks if he can see it, his expression is not one of “Aha! I got you! You little peice of schnitzel! I shall un-roll you back into dough!” It is one of a man, a father, and a mountain of skin and muscle. He wants to see it. But, Skinner rejects him. “No.” This is obviously all a metaphor for sex, and the kinds of things it can lead to. Nearby Skinner is a bar of orange, burning so bright, you just want to put it in your salad to remove the water. Skinner briefly considers it because he’s stupid, and in that moment, he is a newborn baby again, naked as the pears on a pear tree. “No.” Skinner says. And with that, it’s over. It is not with a hooray-ish fanfare that are anti-hero descends the stage. He has won, but at what cost? Chalmers is lead away by security, traveling into a great unknown previously only visible by dreams and giant bears. His eyes are round as basketball, but only the kind shaped like ovals. “Seymour!” Angou Skinner, Skinner’s grandmother, shouts. Ten years later, a jazz musician named Miles Davis would meet her and name an album “B*tches Brew.” After her. “Seymour, the house is on fire.” She said, echoing the words said by a shadow (to me). “No mother, it’s just the northern lights.” Seymour needs to see more b*tches, and start brewing some babies. He also needs to stop being so British. “Well, Seymour, you are an odd fellow, but I must say, you steam a good ham.” And with that, for the first time since he gazed at the lights of the maternity ward, Chalmers smiles. The angels weep far past the gate of unforgiven sin, but closer to the stars then we’ll ever be. And it’s true. He didn’t just steam the ham. He brewed if. He b*tched it. He bought a bit of batter butter, but the batter butter was butt hurt because John Hurt hurt its butt. Never hurt my buttery butt again. No “ands”. No “ifs”. No “buts”. Just. Silence. And the evil dispair of Christmastime, of course. “Help!” If Seymour could turn into a hand to give a bigger and bugger thumbs up, then he would. “Heelp!” If Angou Skinner could turn into a cow to yodel better, then she wouldn’t. She can’t even drive a car anymore without knitting sixteen sweaters for the steering wheel. “It doesn’t need that many,” the rearview mirror says. “Just four will do.” “I ate your mother” Angou replies. In and through the early morning fog comes sounding in and through a battle drum. Just like me and mine only son, Miles Davis, we are joined together in everlasting brewing. But, I can’t believe it is butter, and not a wet towel made of much smaller wet towels. I can’t believe I ated the whole 8. Why was 6? Because. He is only alive for the final shot of the short shot on a short subject, the firetruck. It sounds like a parasitic computer, complaining about the room service in hells. It knows now what to do with its pearls, who it has named after its seven fingers. “Wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, fire truck, noises.” It remembers me, honestly, of being reminded of something. It is not the mind, but the member. And I am truely a member of this society. If only I could dismember my self from its evil, icey spicey grip. Alas, I have been grippled by the evil Grinch of the Netherlands, Benito Muscles enee minee mo, himself. Him is a shelf, but not just a shelf, the belief that I can change the world, and you are the world, and I am the platypus, and the platypus can’t live without the platypus showdown. It’s not alive for much longer, Mr. Mexico, it’s only paris in the haris in the son of harrison. George. Brownie. Is brown. Town. Cown. Of the cow. His crown has fallen into a cromulent crumpet. It ain't a trumpet more than I am, a trumpet (I’m am) the am is not the amateur the am is not the amateur the am is not the anateur the pro is not the proateur. It is the PROSTHETIC WINDOW GUARDIANS!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. Leprechaun challenge. Fourty six and the arms go fire fired andh how have U not lived and how have I not livedin anothetsay dand hwgy nyst U continue to be this wag and why Must I continue to eat and think like a robotuc volcanoe in the moon on the spokny spaceship of dark damsels in dureyess. And not only ib the ricj band vest if alk tune,!)65!7! The way thenkavryunth never ceases to aboud nr un a wawash of awe snaf si Uu ba dbd sorctacle andu btibsyf gir ntsrlf vy yirg wirld abd ny witkd anf the labd if thenih and beans abd benay teuonhganr anfheihevbshsytdr gosh the gabdsmg are steam are hayrybtyethe hit the iniy ibe tibi ir bitbtheninyo ieb tibivirbthe the only ine ti lovebtheiit bit theydhiniyribryititititudgdvrruxj thzpzoen. Orn forn morn lorn. Dorn corn shindo, essem semper interfill. Ontarnsam, killgrip bellfar farp semble. Kimperton en lo kimperpich! Uzoon? Imeda bargo garton. STEAMED HAMS
He was right. This was an unforgettable luncheon.
MSM
Yo I still play My Singing Monsters
And still another...
Love the game, had multiple accounts in my past though
Do
I like how he says Aurora Borealis without even waiting a second.
That’s probably the funniest part, how easy and quickly Seymour can lie.
He probably planned it when he went in the kitchen.
Quick thinker that skinner is
He is a member of Mensa, you know.
It had gone too far at that point. All Seymour knew was how to lie.
“Good Lord, what is happening in there?!” I love how Skinner doesn’t even hesitate, just says “Aurora Borealis”
Doesn't miss a fucking beat
his mother was burned to death
Charisma 100
My favourite part is when Chalmers asks with genuine curiosity (a really good job on the va’s part btw) “Can I see it?”
@@xXgoturpistolaXxNat 20 Deception.
The funniest part of this skit isn't any of the absurd lies or Chalmers reaction. It's the moment Chalmers asks to see the "aurora borealis" and Skinner legitimately thinks before responding "no"
Man literally forgot he was in the middle of a blatant lie 😂
It was so good, even Skinner forgot that it's a lie for a moment.
Subjective
I love how he's clever enough to improv his way out, but he's still dumb enough to not think about turning off the oven
He's way too caught up in figuring how to keep Chalmers calm he forgets to turn the oven off.
@@harizotoh7 Yep, when panic sets in, it’s easy to overlook an obvious solution.
Forgetting something on is not a matter of stupidity, but of distraction.
im ur 1000 like even tho nobody cares
Well, if he had turned the oven off, we wouldn't have gotten to hear about the aurora borealis at that time of year, at that time of day, in that part of the country, localized entirely within Skinner's kitchen
*Localised entirely within your kitchen?*
Yes
*may I see it?*
No
A U R O R A. B O R E A L I S. At this time of year? At this time of day? IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY? LOCALIZED ENTIRELY WITHIN YOUR KITCHEN??
No
May I see it?
Yes
*SEYMOUR! THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!*
No mother; it's just the northern lights!
(He had guts to stand up to chalmers with that no though)
HEEEELLLP HEEEELLLP
Sounds like a half-life joke...
This aged well, because the Aurora lights are actually everywhere tonight.
May I see it?
@@SCAR-FACE-99.....no
In honor of The Northern Lights last night
In upstate New York
@@kdpowers Or in England, upstate York.
💀💀💀
Man, you have a BIIIIG kitchen. May I see it?
Another underrated part of this scene: Skinner struggles to answer questions about the "steamed hams," then IMMEDIATELY is able to concoct the Aurora Borealis story.
As the pressure builds, it's as if he becomes emboldened by his increasing panic
All Skinner said in regards to the Aurora Borealis story was saying "Aurora Borealis" in response to Chalmers asking "What is happening in there?" and subsequently "Yes" after Chalmers' seemingly rhetorical sequence of inquiries.
Yes, that's the joke.
"mm-yea-eh, ya know th-, eh-one thing i sh- excuse me for one second" gets me every time
@@OpheliaFantasy embiggened
I doubt the Simpsons creators realized just _how_ unforgettable of a luncheon this would turn out to be.
@Russo Is A Genius, Bro! Delightfully devilish.
@Russo Is A Genius, Bro! Superintendent, I was just stretching my calves on the windowsill. Isometric exercise. Care to join me?
@@leonardosanchezaguirre2459 Why is there smoke coming out of your oven, Seymour?
@@dryft7906 huh? Oh! That isn’t smoke. Its steam. Steam from the steamed clams we’re having. Mmm. Steamed clams (rubs stomach)
Is among Matt Groening's favorite moments of the entire series.
watching this while aurora borealis is sort of visible in my back yard
At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your backyard?
@@toadturnpike3064Yes!
@@MetallicaRules May I see it?
@@toadturnpike3064 ....no.
@@DasNordlicht91 Seymour! The yard is on fire!
What an unforgettable luncheon, Chalmers only got 3 bits of his hamburger and he is already full xD
Those steamed hams, you know, are really fulfilling.
It seems like there's a time skip at 1:38
@@isavenewspapers8890Yes the burgers and fries are gone
I think he just wanted to get the heck out of there because skinner was being weird
I always found it odd that they are both wearing full suits and coats; despite neither being at the school.
The fact that they are eating *lunch at Skinner’s mom’s house* implies that this is a weekend and school’s out; but that they dress in work clothes even during their off-days.
Skinner is actually very relatable in this skit, because I too would rather let my house burn down than admit I made a mistake to someone important I was trying to impress.
And that’s where brown-nosers come from
Are you sure?
agreed. burning mother included
The number at the end of your username really explains why you are so prideful.
@@mookly1056 His mom seems to be only scared of the fire, it did'nt look like she was actualy burning.
I love how he actually thinks about letting Chalmers see the "Aurora borealis" before saying no, as if he forgot that was a blatant lie
If Skinner had an Aurora Borealis to produce, he would've let Chalmers see it immediately. Do you know how impressive that would be to have the Aurora Borealis localized entirely within your kitchen?
@@mikebliss3153 Indeed, especially at that time of day, at that time of year, in that part of the country.
@@mrreyes5004 AND localized entirely inside his kitchen?
the best liars are the ones that can convince even themselves
@@Sonnakai “I once convinced a super intendant that I had aurora borealis localised entirely within my kitchen in this part of the country, at this time of day, at this time of year. And he bought it because I believed it.”
We ALL know why we're here this weekend.
This is the Golden Ratio of comedy.
Not only is it so simple and easy to follow, but even if you'd never watched Simpsons before, if we were 1000 years into the future, and this were the only clip to survive a media purge, you'd completely understand both these characters, the comedy is super universal because of its simplicity, and in less than 3 minutes its crafted perfect parallel arc while ramping of the hilarity and absurdity of the situation.
And that's why it's a truly immortal meme.
I am sorry but this was maybe a bit humorous but it certainly isn't 'Golden'. This show should have quit YEARS ago.
It's a Albany expression! 🗣
My wife can’t stand Simpsons and she said this is the funniest clip from it she’s ever seen
If we were watching this 1000 years in the future we'd be watching Futurama
According to the creators, Chalmers is the only person in the show able to function outside of Springfield. He knows everyone is crazy, but he gets by by not asking too many questions so he doesn’t get sucked down a rabbit hole, hence why he indulges in Skinner’s lies.
Last guy who asked too many questions got electrocuted in a power plant imitating Homer.
@@damsen978 was his name Homer Simp....
@@Thunderchild-gz4gc I think he liked to be called Grimey.
@@e-122psi3 good old grimey
Weed
As absurd as Skinner's plan was, he technically DOES get away with it.
Chalmers just doesn't care
It's because Skinner steams a good ham.
Lies again? Face Of StarHub
At the cost of pretty much half a house 😂
Gotta love Chalmers’s apathy and ambivalence
Nothing will ever beat this show in it's prime
Spongebob in its own prime is a solid contender, but otherwise I agree.
@@walterthemighty7549 That's a kids' show, not that it matters but don't compare it to simpsons...
@@JuhoEronenSpongebob isn’t just for kids, it’s a show for everyone. If you watch the original seasons of Spongebob you’ll see that it’s a perfectly worthy contender to the Simpsons.
@@walterthemighty7549 Eh, I would be inclined to agree, but The Simpsons had FIVE absolutely outstanding years (seasons 4 - 8), and three really sold ones (seasons 1 - 3). Spongebob only had three extraordinary seasons (1 -3).
Nothing lasts forever
Also Zombieland Saga
Krusty Burgers with champagne in fluted glasses. Truly, an unforgettable luncheon.
it's been confirmed in the same episode that krusty burgers are virtually identical to McDonald's Quarter Pounders with Cheese
@@hoghuhaghu8506a quarter pounder with cheese? Well I can picture the cheese, but uh…
@@dylansherman9539 ...do they have crusty, partially gelatinated, non-dairy, gum-based beverages?
Yeah, they call em shakes.
@@kyerannisbet8895
@@kyerannisbet8895 Yep. They call them shakes.
Despite the oddness of Seymour's response, I love how genuinely Chalmers becomes interested in seeing the aurora borealis
He proved himself as gullible and foolish to me.
And the fact that Seymour just said "no" to the person he wants to impress with a straight face.
@@MH-up1xe its a skit...
that was to help get us ready for him being fooled overall when he leaves
Chalmers knows most of Seymour is saying is a lie, he just doesn't care. It just aurora borealis is a rare sight to behold and he doesn't want to miss it if Seymour is telling the truth.
I love how they only eat for only 30 seconds and then they’re done
A good time was had by all
They're P O O P E D.
Id say because it is fast food 😂
Yes they should be- GOOD LORD *WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THERE!?*
@@matthewisguy7336 aurora borealis
in 2018, i was a 13 year old boy from china who had just moved to the US with family, in a completely new environment. new school, new home, new internet, new people around me, and i was struggling to adjust because my english was terrible and i knew little about the western culture.
i opened youtube for the first time to try and figure out what was popular over here, and i dug into the hole of memes. since i was lonely and didn't have much friends, i spent most of my time on this side of youtube, enjoying all the memes and ytps that were popular back then. but among all of them, the steamed hams meme stood out to me as incredibly funny, and i loved watching all the edits, even memorized the script of the original simpsons clip somehow.
4 years later, almost 5, life has changed and i now feel happy and at home here, but i always look back at the steamed hams meme with a smile because it kept me laughing when life was hard.
I love this
Good story.
Cringe
wholesome detector: this comment is wholesome
@@oldman396 no u
This was actually shot in 3 takes.
Take 1: Chalmers is OBLIVIOUS to Skinner’s lies.
Take 2: Chalmers is SUSPICIOUS that skinner is lying.
Take 3: Chalmers is AWARE that skinner is lying.
These takes were spliced together to create tension, making the audience unaware of how much Chalmers knew.
Nice American Psycho reference!
Christian Bale played Skinner mother.
@@pacoramon94680:34 skinner & the superintendent
@@elijahmeilak2906 I'm afraid I missed the reference, care to explain?
@@benjamina6618 Sure! So, when they filmed the scenes between Christian Bale and Willem Defoe in American Psycho, they filmed three takes for every scene. One take where Dafoe's character knew Bale was the killer, one where he suspected he was the killer, and one where he had no idea that he was the killer. The editors then spliced these takes together to form each scene, making it extremely equivocal as to how much Dafoe's character knows. This makes the audience feel more uncertain and paranoid, just as Bale's character would be feeling under interrogation, and helps to create further tension.
Memes aside this skit is actually genuinely funny
Hanzo no skill, Mercy main BTW your post had 69 likes and I didn’t want to ruin that but I totally agree with you
The aurora borealis part makes me laugh no matter the edit. Genius writing
That's why it's a meme.
**GOOD LORD WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THERE?**
This is when the Simpsons was in their golden age.
Steamed Hams but it's the original. xD
Steamed hams but its steamed hams.
I ruin the 69 likes
No regrets
Steamed Hams but it's skinner
Steamed Hams but it's stretched to 16:9.
It’s not the original. They changed the sharpness. The original looks old
All of us in May 2024 seeing Skinners steamed ham fire in the sky
watching this when we can see the aurora borealis from our kitchen window after having burgers for dinner is iconic honestly
A once in a lifetime opportunity 😂
I hope you were ready for an unforgettable luncheon.
Plot twist: Chalmers didn't buy any of it for a second. It's just that he, as a politician, was impressed with Seymour's ability to lie at the drop of a hat.
That's the most realistic reason of this
He wanted a show and he got a good show, which is why he let it happen. It helped that in the end Seymour was still suffering because he still almost burnt his house down.
Politician? I figured he was an educator.
@@chaos_omega If I understand correctly, the office of Superintendent is a government-appointed position that works as the administrator of a particular school district. Therefore, it counts as a government office.
@@CoriSparx Government office ≠ politician.
Seeing it unedited in 1080p is strangely aesthetic
Tilt it’s cropped and stretched (during the song)
Aesthetic or aesthetically pleasing. Aesthetic is not an adjective
@@niccster1061 language evolves
snazztacular language doesn't evolve in that manner. You can't blame every piece of incorrect grammar on linguistic evolution or else i could be speaking french right now and call it english.
@@niccster1061 If it's used as a word, and people understand it, it becomes part of English. That's why "Doh!" was added to the dictionary, and why "stan" was, as well. Also, you could be speaking what is _technically_ French right now, and I might actually consider it to be English, because English borrows words from other languages- just as many other languages do, as well.
Finally got to see it localised entirely within Berkshire. Had to watch this as a rule
Watched it from the south of Ireland, and I just so happened to have had a burger earlier that day.
I like how Seymour neatly arranges the burgers on that big silver platter surrounded with french fries. I want to be served burgers that way.
Aurora Borealis, at this time of year, at this time of day, this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen?
*_Y E S_*
Can I see it
No
@@justinstephens8432 Seymour the house is on fire
fockoroni No mother it’s just the northern lights
Help!
My friend and I re-enacted this skit as a campfire skit at our summer camp, in front of the entire population of the camp. We also trained another friend to shout Seymour's mother's lines on cue. It went surprisingly well, and I got to go home knowing that I had taught Steamed Hams to many an uncultured person.
Justin were you Seymour or Chalmers?
@@OfficerFriendly2006 Chalmers! It was fun playing the "straight man," so to speak.
Justin must have been. 👍🖖
You guys are absolute madlads
How did you recreate the song part?
All of a sudden it MAY be possible at that time of day, at that time of year, in that part of the country-and just maybe, localized entirely within his kitchen.
The aurora borealis brought me here
"Aurora Borealis?!
At this time of year
At this time of day
In this part of the country
Localized entirely within your kitchen?!
"Yes."
May I see it? 😳"
This part KILLS me. From the first time I watched it, to the millions of memes that followed, this part is just gold every single time.
Skinner's response is pure gold too. "Mmmm... No." Like for a second he was actually considering it. XD
that line happened when i read that
nice name
I like how it zooms in on Chalmers when he says it
Yess true
I like how chalmers is as gullible as he is skeptical
You really hit the essence of this bit
hes smart enough to question, but dumb enough to trust skinners word
I think Super Nintendo Chalmers realised the less questions he asked the better.
@@ShanesAutos You know it's "super intendent" right?
@@bocelott Ralph Wiggum calls him Super Nintendo Chalmers in one episode, so...yeah.
Aurora Borealis? In Alabama? Localized entirely across the mid latitudes?
may I see it?
@@thingsprings5493 No.
@@imperiallegionnaire6943 simore the house is burning down !!
No @@josem588 it's just the northern lights
Only here because I saw Aurora Borealis last night and this was the only thing that I thought of all night.
My favorite part of this ingeniously-written and impeccably-delivered clip is how Chalmers points out how absurd it would be to have the phenomenon of aurora borealis occur within Skinner’s kitchen, to which Skinner replies with a simple “Yes”. Chalmers then pauses as if immediately abandoning all logic and reason while seeming to actually believe Skinner. Chalmers reacts with a very intrigued and curious, “May I see it?”
Skinner: ..... *No*
True haha, also how uncharacteristic it was for Skinner to bluntly refuse Chalmers' request despite how afraid he is of him.
He seemed genuinely fascinated and interested, he just wanted to see the beautiful northern lights but Skinner wouldn't let him... Poor Chalmers
For people who speak English:
lol skynners so funny when he say yes and no
Damn, your vocabulary is sharp af. O_O
@@Lun4rS0ulz_ That's why you should download Grammarly today! It's totally free. This sentence is grammatically correct.
Why didn't Skinner just turn the oven off?
That's what I'm wondering!
That's like the whole point.
How Steamed Hams should have ended
Because he forgot... because he’s not very smart
He's an odd fellow
Going off the theory that Springfield is in Oregon, the northern lights could be "in this part of the country" tonight!
As someone who witnessed the northern lights in Oregon just now, I can confirm this.
Watching the northern lights from my back porch, which is right in front of my kitchen
Me too! I thought of this video and came to see if anyone else was commenting about it lol
I hope you were having a steamed ham to perfect the moment.
@@eoinoconnor5783 I found out about it so last minute, but if it happens again I gotta go across the street and I mean I'll steam some hams
@@blueberry_lemon They say it will happen again tonight.
Someone should make a live action comedy skit of this to perform in theatres
CheesyGarlicMan funny, me and my friend actually performed this as our piece in drama for an assessment
Trump just did it in the White House. Does that count?
Hi! In a couple weeks from now, me and a buddy of mine will perform a live-action recreation of Steamed Hams for my Theatre class. I'll do my best to upload it. Expect it to come late February.
@@hazycosmicjive8174 bookmarking this, must be seen
@@theredvelveteer4721 I'll be uploading it next weekend
seeing old cartoons in this high quality is weird
you can see all the artifacts of the old cartoon making proccess. the characters jittering slightly after every frame. the shadows under different layers of animation. all the imperfections in color filling.
it's wonderful.
Xinus22 🍑💨
Honestly it’s so much more pleasing than the modern simsons. It just gives it a lot of character.
The imperfections add character.
Chalmers neck line when Seymour opens the door is just ever so slightly off.
Its really noticeable when they are talking to eachother while eating the hams
I got to see aurora borealis at this time of year, at this time of day, in my part of the country, but it wasn’t localized entirely within my kitchen. Damn Skinner with his crazy explanations!
Unfortunately didn’t get to see it, but giving it did cover most of the U.S. had to come here and watch this clip.
They say that there's another chance tonight.
1:35 I love the way he said "It's an Albany expression" with such confidence that it could have genuinely fooled anybody who didn't know better.
And that these two men, who have worked with each other for years, never asked each other where they're from. And that Skinner pulled off the Albany thing so effortlessly that Chalmers didn't question it.
wheres your pfp from?
i mean they call hot dogs "glizzies" up there bc of some bizarre chain of events originating in washington dc, so honestly yeah i could see it too. i could see specifically albany inhabitants calling hamburgers "steamed hams"
@@JaxontheOkay We don’t say steamed hams, we say hamburgers here in Albany. Though I prefer a cheeseburger over a hamburger. Also we call them hotdogs but glizzies for comedic value, more popular with the youth. For example, I usually say hotdog but when I want to make a sus joke, I say “this nigga is eating a glizzy with the works, ayoooo”
And there isn't even watermarks. Thanks, man!
no problem!
But where's the Fire Truck?
twas an editing mistake on the original uploader of steamed hams
Was it?
Heath Mitchell yes
I like how Skinner proceeds to try to hide in his kitchen despite the fact that it is literally an inferno
You know, one thing I always wondered is how did Chalmers not notice how hot it obviously would have been getting?
@@jenniferadams7582 Because it's just aurora borealis.
@@alial3437 at this time of year, as this time of day, at this part of the country, localized entirely within his kitchen??
@@James817lol Yes.
@@alial3437 can i see it?
Aurora Borealis just passed over the UK right now. I whipped this video out so unbelievably fast when it was over!
I love that Skinner does not hesitate, not even for one second, before responding with "aurora borealis"
The only reason why Chalmers belived it. He said it with such confidence that there was no way to tell if he's lying or not.
@@robertlupa8273 Other than the fact that the Northern Lights were in his kitchen during the daytime.
They should have the voice actors reenact this skit in real life.
*Wassup can a loc come up in your crib?*
@@squash589 Wæt
Why?
Why here?
*_WHY?_*
Yee yee ass steamed hams
*ah yes just casually burn a house down-*
@@Plasmaboiiscool 😂
Came back from seeing the Aurora Borealis in Southeastern Ontario.
Timestamps
0:00 Beginning
0:13 Kitchen
0:34 Theme
0:49 We’re Back
1:11 Steamed Hams
2:06 Aurora Borealis
2:31 Ending
Thanks now I know what to set up in LiveSplit.
@@scoopishere7881 SteamedHams%
why
It's a video less than 3 minutes why is this needed
@@imkool51391 Thankyou! You beat me to it.
The way Skinner said "No" to Chalmers was uncharacteristically brave, makes it even funnier.
Armin killed a lot of men in 'Nam
Don't confuse his submissive posture with cowardice.
Skinner didn’t focus around that No, but just had to refuse Chalmers to cover himself more after
I like the way he says yes.
Yes
Random videos that nobody watches! “Ah- Aurora borealis?! At this time of year, at this time of day, localized entirely within your kitchen?!”
Seymour: *_no hesitation whatsoever_* “Yes.”
yEs!
Yis
Yes
*YES*
watching this as i see aurora borealis for the first time, living in the midwest. its not extremely visible or the most breathtaking sight, but its my first and probably ever time and first thing that came to mind
I guess we finally got to see it.
DM: alright, Seymour. Roll a Deception check.
Seymour: Nat 20.
Cool so that's gonna be my next character
Convenient that my friends and I have started playing Dungeons and Dragons. Lol
That’s way too accurate
Why didn’t I think of this? That’s genius
1:52 Yes, and you show me a whole burger despite the fact it was obviously bit
czcams.com/video/JQH2rmQ5-vk/video.html
@@jgianelli 2 Q’s = Rick roll
Yes
@@barry2629 wrong
@@jgianelli Well why would you post a link and not say what it’s for?
"Seymour! The house is on fire!" "No, mother, it's just the Northern lights." That's gold is what that is.
the prophecy has been fulfilled
we saw it, the aurora borealis at that time of year, at that time of day, in that part of the country.
This reads perfectly like an improv skit. The superintendent just buying every premise like a good sport
1:52 I love how Superintendent Chalmers takes one bite from the burger but somehow it magically grows back to a full burger once presented as grilled lol
Why else do you think he's called *Super* intendent?
a wizard did it
cartoon logic
a few seconds later, he puts it in his pocket
he applied the infinite enchantment to the burgers
2:15 - The UK on the 10th May 2024 at about 11PM.
It REALLY happened!
The northern hemisphere*
@2:16 everyone in the northern hemisphere tonight watching the solar winds light show
Lines in this video that are statements of fact:
“My roast is ruined!”
“These hamburgers are quite similar to the ones they have at Krusty burger.”
“You call them steamed hams despite the fact that they are obviously grilled.”
“Seymour! The House is on fire!”
“Well, Seymour, you are an odd fellow...”
"Delightfully devilish Seymour"
"You steam a good ham"
"Well Seymour, I made it"
@@DerpiestGameBlast No Mother, It’s Just The Northern Light’s.
“Well, Seymour, I made it”
I just love how confidently Skinner says yes when Superintendent asks about aurora borealis in his kitchen.
I love how Skinner immediately jumps to Aurora Borealis with no hesitation to describe what's happening.
2:37
"Well Seymour, you are an odd fellow, but I must say...you steam a good ham."
"HELP!!"
"HEEEAALPP!!!"
Last night at the White House.
The House is on fire!!
AHHHHHH THE BRITISH ARE HERE😱😱😱
Steamed Hamberders
Mick Swann 🤣🤣🤣
@@HomingFung no mother it's just the northern lights
Back when the Simpsons was the gold standard for TV
Agree. Now it’s just a laughingstock of what it was. However, I continue watching it, because of Tress MacNeille. That woman was a very big part of my childhood. I can’t imagine the show without her. And I’ll make sure everyone gets hurt losing their childhood idol.
All it really did over the years was get more political amd needy for guets stars.
@@McFlakies Its just y’all are old and don’t understand the jokes anymore
@@dummy3467 Or y'all are young and ruin everything that's funny.
To me, it ended in the year 2000 with "Behind the Laughter" being the final episode.
Fun fact : We had a very rare aurora borealis in France recently, it was visible in Belgium and Netherlands too. My reaction was "Aurora Borealis ? At this time of year ? At this time of day ? In this country ? Localize in Europe ?" So I bought steamed clams (at mac donald's)
Magnifique 😂
@@culinarianjacques1798 ahi 😂
Stop being French
May I see it?
no@@TOBY-jy7bz
Solar Storm May 10th 2024 AURORA BOREALIS?! AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AT THIS TIME OF DAY, LOCATED ENTIRELY OVER THE WORLD SIMULTANEOUSLY?!
Superintendent: *takes bite of the hamburger*
10 seconds later:
Superintendent: “despite the fact they are Obviously grilled” *shows whole burger, uneaten*
Tyranitar Time That’s cartoon logic for ya
Illuminati confirmed
It was all a dream
Ikr
In episode 2F09, when Itchy plays Scratchy's skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is a magic xylophone, or something? Ha ha, boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder.
*1 millisecond of the fire truck siren*
REEEEEEEEEEE
I knew this video would get a lot of views with the recent Aurora
I think we all know why we’re here :)
Yes. For a good steamed ham.
1:26
"What region?"
"Uuuuuuuuhh-pstate New York."
is a criminally underrated exchange from this segment.
Really well I'm from utica and I never heard anyone use the phrase steamed hams
2:19 AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AT THIS TIME OF DAY, IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, LOCALIZED ENTIRELY WITHIN YOUR KITCHEN
Yes. 😀
May I see it?
Yes!
Brendan Christopher SEYMOUR THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE
Twisted Ragdoll
No, Mother, it’s just the Northern Lights.
Chalmers delivery of "Well, you are an odd fellow, but you steam a good ham" kills me every time
If the Northern Lights can be fully localised in Skinner’s kitchen then surely a burger putting itself back together isn’t too incredible!
Finally, someone who thinks like me.
0:17 when someone has a good comeback for your burn
mY rOaSt Is RuInEd
I have to admit that took me longer than it should of to get that joke
@mohamed zayan And called Hamburger Streamed Hams
@@account4249 But what if…
I were to purchase fast food, and disguise it as my own cooking?
@@daryantsns3448 You're so Delightful devilish dude.
Memorised this whole scene as a kid, 20 years before any memes. Just an exquisitely crafted masterpiece of comedy. My fave bit now is that little aborted "uh..." Chalmers makes as he discovers Skinner sneaking out of his kitchen with the oven smoking.
Where?
SpongeBob Miscellaneous
0:32
Memes are as old as man
Uh huh
Hahahaha definitely glad to see someone appreciate it for how intensely amazing this is 😂
2:28 You can actually see Superintendent’s thought process where instead of just pointing out Skinner’s lies and firing him, he decides to play along because he understands what skinner is trying to do and is sympathetic.
i like to think seymour responded with such unabashed confidence that chalmers had no choice but to believe him
any solar flare gang here?
I'm from Albany and can say for certain we have steemed hams.
as long as you steam a good ham...
Were they around before this episode?
I see.
Clearly it’s a restaurant chain waiting to happ...
I’ve said too much
Oh, not in Albany, no it’s a Springfield expression?
0:31 something nobody talks about. Skinner put his apron on top of the stove. That's what caused the fire, not the burnt roast.
Or maybe it was Aurora Borealis
He used the Oven not the stove dumb fuck
@@gokud.uzumaki1520 if you went blind you'd see he put it on the stove top. Not the oven the oven is the inside of machine. The top is called the stove you absolute dickwad
@@steveogrills6646 he meant that Seymour was using the oven to cook and not the stovetop, you goddamn disgrace to this website.
So, some of the fire of the roast leaped and touched the apron?
I just wanted to see if anyone else from Vancouver, Canada thought about watching this clip tonight! 😂
Had to have a burger (or should I say “Steamed Ham”) before watching.
LOL me
Lmao northern lights boys
I love how, despite knowing the burgers are obviously grilled, he still acknowledges that Skinner knows how to steam a good ham lol
I always wonder if Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria are actually aware of how much a cultural phenomenon this scene they worked on has become within the current modern age of the internet. It’s just too perfect. Even without the internet memes. This is gold.
Who else watching on May 10th, 2024
Are you from the past?
Same here I don't know why I suddenly want to see this clip.
@@JoelJoel321 Typo lmao
Did the Simpsons unintentionally predict the future again?
Indeed. How’d they know I’d be having a burger today?
Aurora borealis happens all the time
Skinner answered "Aurora borealis" and "yes" with such confidence that Chalmers actually belived him. Wow, huge respect.
no one talks about how chalmers’ burger patty reforms when he shows it to skinner. like he takes a bite and it’s whole again
Not a particularly interesting subject to talk about...
Krusty Burger uses reconstituted meat-- everybody cool with that? Alright. NEXT!!
the magic of aurora borialis
Who cares
A wizard did it.
No need to worry about the flames, Chalmers. It is just levitation
This scene starts, as many scenes do, with an establishing shot. Not only that, but this also doubles as an action shot, having Chalmers ring the doorbell.
The next shot shows Skinner approaching the door. He wears a dimpled smile and a frilly apron. He looks childish and innocent.
We then get an odd cut. Where there’s a close up kf Chalmers in the middle of Skinner opening the door. This adds a bit of drama, as it had a similar effect as a zoom in, but much less on the nose.
It’s also good to get a close up of Chalmer’s face, as his expression is the opposite of Skinners, cold and harsh and stern.
Chalmers does not begin with a hello. He says “Well, Seymour, I made it, despite your directions.”
This line tells us multiple things. One, Chalmers knows Seymour. Two, Chalmers is a jerk, but not a blunt jerk. He doesn’t simply say “your directions suck”, he takes a passive aggressive act.
The “well” is also interesting, as very rarely do people start a conversation with that word. Well is a word for the in between. It further drives home the point that this is merely a small part of The Continuing Story of Chalmers and Skinner.
We then zoom out, meaning that it feels like Skinner’s reaction is revealed, placing some emphasis on said reaction, but not too much. Skinner does not seem to be hurt. It doesn’t even look like he’s holding in some anger or sadness. He’s either incredibly stupid, or is used to this. Or both. The answer is both.
“Ah! Superintendent Chalmers, welcome. I hope you’re prepared for an unforgettable luncheon!”
Skinner’s head swings wildly about when he says this, while Chalmers head didn’t move as he said his last line. This clearly shows how one is much more performative, and much less stern. It also looks a tad bit like Skinner is puffing out his chest, but that could just be a quirk of animation.
Now, Skinner’s “Ah!” is interesting in how forced it sounds. If Skinner had just noticed Chalmers, then it would make sense. But, Chalmers already said his line. It’s likely that Skinner was planning on saying this before he opened the door. Skinner preparing what he says is a recurring theme throughout this scene.
This line also clearly shows us that Chalmers is a superintendent, and Skinner knows him from his job. The way Skinner acts suggests he’s an underling. Sure, the The Simpsons fans who watched this episode when it aired knew that, but the way this sketch is written means people who don’t know their Barts from their Homers can understand this.
The dynamic of the two characters is very present from these two lines, Chalmers is a jerk, and Skinner is constantly ready to lick Chalmer’s shoes clean. There is also Skinner’s vocabulary, extraordinarily distinct from Chalmers. He does not say ready, he says “prepared”. He does not say “a great dinner” he says “an unforgettable luncheon”. It’s clear that he wants to impress Chalmers, who doesn’t say any words longer than three syllables in the line before this.
We’re only two lines in, and our two characters and their dynamics could not be more clear. It’s some truly genius writing.
Chalmers next line is “eh”, which is in extreme contrast to Skinner’s line. There is no eloquence, there aren’t even any sentences. Chalmer’s then brushes past Skinner, not even asking to be let in. This is the most damning evidence which suggests that Chalmers is not a vampire.
We then get a very brief shot of Chalmers sitting down. Notice how does not ask if he can be seated, or which seat to take.
Then, we get a POV shot of Skinner opening the door, and then we break from the POV and have a zoom. This is a very nifty trick which makes the dramatic zoom feel even more dramatic. It’s even more dramatic because the oven is exactly in the center of the frame. There’s also two different pillars of smoke coming from both ends, adding to the feeling of symmetry.
This is also the first point in the scene where we get a non-diagetic sound, a single dramatic sound effect. It’s very Simpsons-esque.
We get a quick close of Seymour gasping, giving a sense of urgency. It should be noted that this is the first time we have a close up on Seymour.
Then, we travel inside the oven for the next shot.
What’s great about this shot is that our whole screen is filled with smoke, so it looks like the entire world is on fire. Not only that, but it sticks Skinner in a box, showing the way he is trapped.
“Oh, yegads my roast is ruined!” Seymor shouts. The yegads reveals that Seymour’s eloquence may not have actually been that performative, but it’s too late for that, the idea is already in our brain. Plus, we are always performing.
There’s no one around to hear Seymour, and yet he speaks, for what other reason then the Panopticon? Skinner is so used to being viewed, he acts like there’s always someone monitoring and judging him. This also factors into the next line, which we’ll get into in a moment.
The shot inside the oven only lasts during the “Yegads” part of the line. The quick shots once again extenuate the frenetic feeling.
Seymor’s hand is on his head, but it is removed as his expression then changes to inquisitiveness. It is at this moment when we get our next non-diagetic sound, a whimsically sinister set of notes.
We then see Skinner peer at a Krusty Burger through the window. Even as he speaks, there is still some non-diagetic sound, a faint sinister drone.
“But what if, I were to purchase fast food, and disguise it as my own cooking. Oh, ho ho ho. Delightfully devilish Seymour.” Skinner’s expressions as he says this are, of course, fantastic.
As Seymour opens the window, he places his apron on the oven. Perhaps he doesn’t want to get it dirty. Perhaps he doesn’t want to look weird. Perhaps he simply feels like he doesn’t need it anymore.
We then get an opposite shot of Seymour in the window, and notice how similar this shot is to the one of him looking into the oven. Once again, Seymour is in a box, but he’s not alone.
Chalmers is positioned as small in this shot, but he still doesn’t feel powerless, simply because of the build up we’ve been given. In about fifteen seconds, Steam Hams shows us exactly how bad it would be for Skinner’s situation to occur, and then places him in said situation.
We next get a close up of Chalmers, framed similarly to the close up before.
Then, we get the song. My music theory knowledge is by now means comprehensive, and I certainly don’t have perfect pitch, so I may be wrong on some points, but I think I have the main idea down.
The first chord is a Gmaj7, a very jazzy chord. While on an instrument like guitar or piano, it would sound melancholic, a horn section is used, giving it a jazzy feeling. A swing rhythm is also given to increase this jazzy feeling. This is done, of course, to parody old sitcoms, which had jazzy soundtracks.
We are firmly in the key of G here. We then get
“Ski-in-ner”, a descending line, going from G down to E down to C. Then, with “With his crazy explanations) we go up, going to F (briefly moving outside the G major scale to prevent the devil’s interval), then to D, then back to G, ending an octave above where we started.
The next line is the same.
The line after that continues the upwards motiff, but this time starts at G, going up to C, then to E, then to A. The intervals are the same, we’re just starting from a different place.
The “they’ll be trouble in town, tonight.” Turns the entire song into a palindrome, following the same path as the “Ski-in-ner”, but enlarged, going down 28 half steps (two octaves, plus the A) instead of 9 half steps. What’s genius about this is that it gives the final note on “tonight” such a satisfying impact.
The chords are extremely simple, Gmaj7, Am7, D7, then Gmaj7. A jazzy chord progression if there ever was one.
Obviously, this melody is a happy one. One would think the melodie’s brief dip into minor with the F would change that, but it works out. The composer for The Simpsons, Benito Mussolini, cleverly decided to have it at the same time as the Am7.
The notes on Am7 are A, C, E, and G. All of these notes sound well with F, with F and C forming a perfect fifth.
Okay, that’s what we hear, but what are we seeing? There’s the background, which grows stranger the longer I look at it. It’s a pattern consisting of a muted light brown and a muted dark brown, a rather drab image which gives the illusion of texture when viewed from afar, but is clearly not textured when one sees it. There are also the images, which are framed by muted orange and red. The muted colors really make the bright saturation of the images really pop.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the font. I did some digging, and apparently this font is called Parlor Sans. It’s often used on greeting cards and on the cover of smooth jazz albums.
There’s that very clever transition with Chalmer’s shouting, his deep, judging voice contrasting with the cheery, saccharine voices of the chorus.
It’s funny how Chalmers immediately assumes Skinner is up to no good, and he’s right. Skinner is never up to or down to
There’s then a close up on Skinner.
“Superintendent! I was just, uh, stretching my calves on the windowsill! Isometric exercise, care to join me?” The use of the word “care” here is very formal, and not all that common in the US. An American may connect this turn of phrase with a posh, high class, British person. This makes Seymour even more uppity in our eyes.
In order to increase the comic funniness, we get a zoom out away from Skinner’s face, straight into one of the greatest shots of the entirety of The Simpsons.
We get Chalmer’s large, hulking form, taking up almost half of the screen. Then, there’s a pillar of smoke, going between Chalmers and Skinner like a wall. This pillar grows as it moves upward. Obviously, this is just something that smoke does, but it also adds foreshadows how this situation can only get worse from here.
Skinner is small, tiny, and pathetic, dwarfed by both Chalmers and the smoke. He’s in a rather erotic position, and the “care to join me?” doesn’t help.
However, all good things don’t last, and Skinner moves out of this position, while Chalmers remains still as stone. We’ve seen this happen before. Skinner is full of life and energy, while Chalmers has had it beaten out of him with a giant stick.
Chalmer’s gets straight to the punch, as he usually does.
“Why is there smoke coming from the oven, Seymore?” he says in a medium shot.
“Ah!” Seymor says, it does sound a bit like “uh”, but the script says “ah!”, and if you slow the clip down, he does say “ah!”. It appears that when Seymor usually says “Ah!” , it’s in surprise. Unless of course, he’s pretending, and he has prepared.
Then he goes “Ooh! That isn’t smoke, it’s steam, steam from the steamed clams we’re having. Mmmmm, steamed hams.” His head shakes in beat to the swirling of his hand as he says “Mmmm”.
The window is still in view, a reminder of Seymour’s desperate need to escape.
Chalmer’s next shot is the same as his last. Overall, Chalmer’s shots are a lot less free and elastic than Skinners. Chalmers doesn’t say a word, because of course he doesn’t.
We then get Seymour skedaddling to some more non-diegetic music. It’s whimsical, with flutes, muted horns, and a dash of xylophone. Of course, xylophones are like cyanide, even a dash of them will really stand out in a dish.
Seymour runs away, and the camera does not follow. As such, he gets smaller and smaller, descending into nothing. Meanwhile, the smoke looms in a corner of the screen like an angry grey sun.
Then, we get the resolution to the rising riff of the previous musical passage when we cut to Chalmers. The transition is rather jarring visibly, but the sonic stylings smoothen it out.
Chalmer’s puts on a bib. He looks almost vulnerable in this brief moment, perhaps because he is alone.
However, Skinner then enters, and it looks like he’s come from a different world because the walls in the kitchen are colored differently.
“Well Superintendent, I hope you’re ready for mouth water hamburgers!” Skinner remarks as the creaky door groans in horror behind.
“I thought we were having Steamed Clams.” Chalmers ponders. His DIY bib sits upon his chest.
One thing I forgot to mention is Chalmer’s wine. He brings it and puts it in an ice bucket which Skinner already has out. It’s possible Skinner had his own wine planned, but it’s also possible that Chalmer said he was bringing wine. However, would Skinner have wanted that? He wants to serve Chalmers.
“Oh no, I said Steamed Hams, that’s what I call Hamburgers.” The smile on Skinner’s face seems kiddy, like a child’s, out of context. But in context, it's the fake smile of a smarmy salesman.
We can see Skinner did his best to put the pistick on the lig, and by that, I mean he arranged the burgers and fries on a nice tray, one with curved edges.
I should also note that there’s a tablecloth on the table.
In these first few shots of the scene, Chalmers is all alone in a medium shot, while Skinner is forced to suffer Chalmers gaze in every shot he’s in. In these shots, Chalmers is closer to the camera, meaning he’s always larger than Skinner.
“You call hamburgers steamed hams?”
“Yes. It’s a regional dialect.” With this shot, Skinner is finally alone.
What’s clear from this conversation is that Skinner prepared. We can tell from later moments that he isn’t very good at improv.
The phrase “regional dialect” is another professional assemblage of words.
“What region?”
“Uhhh…upstate New York.”
Now, does the uhh suggest this is the part Seymor didn’t plan, or was this just a natural uhh?
This is the first time in this scene where Seymor’s smile drops, but it's momentary. Perhaps he did plan this part, but not very well. Perhaps he said his opening lines over and over, but not this line. Notice how little frills there are in his speech. Also notice how this shot is the same as Seymour’s previous shot. This helps with the rapid fire feeling of the banter, as well as showing us how they are locked in a fight, like two muddy lions wrestling with each other.
“Really. Well, I’m from Utica, and I’ve never heard anyone use the phrase Steamed Hams.”
“Oh, not in Utica, no. It’s an Albany expression.” Note how Skinner’s smile disappears for about thrice as long. Not only that, but he gives an unnecessary “no”. This part appears to be unplanned.
“I see.” Chalmers is so distracted by Skinner’s odd behavior, he forgot that he’s supposed to be mean. It’s clear he’s putting on a facade as much as Skinner is.
Then, we cut to a wide shot. In this one, both men are at an even playing field. Note how Skinner drinks first, while Chalmers chooses to eat a hamburger. It makes sense, Skinner’s nervous.
Speaking of alcohol, an interesting question comes to mind. Did Chalmers drive to Skinner’s house? The first line seems to suggest this. But, he has a poured glass of wine, and did he just bring wine for Skinner? That’s awfully kind of him. To be honest, him bringing Skinner wine at all shows he is not a cruel man, merely a grumpy one. Sure, his bringing of the wine is probably merely an act of politeness, but squirrels eat nuts, and so do we.
“You know, these hamburgers are quite similar to the ones they serve at Krusty Burger.” The phrase ‘quite’ is rather Skinner-ish, don’t you think? It seems that Chalmers is less grumpy than before, and it also appears that his grumpiness is what leads to his bluntness.
“Ho,ho,ho, no. Patented Skinnerburgers, old family recipe.” The way Skinner turns in his chair when he says this is magical, he almost appears to grow and shrink, his power increasing and decreasing with every second of the conversation.
“For steamed hams.”
“Yes.” Seymour’s being blunt again.
“Yes. And you call them Steamed Hams, despite the fact that they are obviously grilled.” Now, Chalmers does not put two and two together and realizes that the burgers were in the oven, not grilling, but rather ovening.
Not how Chalmer says “you”. If only we knew whether this was a plural or a singular you. Chalmer’s voice is seething with seethfulness, but his posture is calm. This is fitting of a Superintendent.
It should also be noted that in the “old family recipe” shot, both Chalmers and Skinner are in frame. Chalmers is once again suspecting Skinner of some Skinnanigans. I’m saying this because we get a similar shot after Chalmers says “obviously grilled”. However, the table is lower, meaning that Chalmer looks smaller, and the door is more pronounced. The door symbolizes escape, a portal to another world where Skinner can jerk off for as long as he wants into the hot, smoldering, flames.
We hear a sizzling sound as Skinner stutters. Perhaps it is his brain, coming back for revenge. He dabs his yellow lips with a white handkerchief.
“One thing I-“ What is this one thing? Why is it one?
“Excuse me for one second.”
“Of course.”
Of course? It’s clear that Chalmers is a victim to the rules of politeness, as are we all. Skinner is obviously hiding something, but Skinner did also ask to be excused, so Chalmers hands are tied. BDSM.
We see that the smoke has begin to bleed through the cracks in the door, showing that dreams become nightmares when they enter reality.
The door swings, screaming in metal as they do so.
Why did Skinner buy more than two hamburgers? And why do so many appear to be eaten?
Skinner once again appears to enter and disappear from another world, but this time, it has turned from green to red.
“Aaaahhhh. Well that was wonderful.” Skinner’s body moves in that strange way again, growing bigger and smaller. The position of the shot may seem the same, but if you go through the shots then you’ll see that everytime we cut back to the dinner shot, our view point is a little bit higher. This is symbolic of how the tension is rising.
Skinner continues. “A good time was had by all. I’m pooped.” This is a reference to the fact that Skinner poops his pants on the regular.
“Yes, I should be g-“ Chalmers is about to say the word “going” before he interrupts himself with a
“Good lord what is that!” In this shot, the table isn’t visible at all, just the burgers, the tray, the bucket, a glass, and the bottle. Chalmers will not take this bottle with him, and it won’t matter.
“Good lord, what is happening in there!” Notice how Skinner says “egads” whereas Chalmers says “good lord”.
“Aurora Borealis.”
The next shot is beautiful. Chalmers has never appeared like this before. Shot slightly from below and a bit to the left.
After Chalmers says that, we don’t get a zoom. Instead, we get the cinematic equivalent of being hit in the head with an electric guitar.
“At this time of year.”
With every move in, Chalmer’s face changes. This is because he is in control. If you go back and look, you’ll see how the camera responds to his movements, but not Skinner’s. This is because Chalmers has sex with the computer with every Tuesday evening, but Skinner can only manage every two months or so.
“At this time of day.”
“In this part of the country.”
“Localized entirely within your kitchen.”
Chalmers eyebrows lower. He thinks he’s won. He hasn’t.
“Yes.” is the ultimate retort with its swiftness. Chalmer is shocked. He thought he trapped Skinner in a lie, but Skinner said yes, and why would Skinner say “yes” if he was lying. Chalmers thinks he knows Skinner, a sniveling, weak pricked, wet towel of a human. Little does he know that Skinner is so much like a tree, he can change the world, and probably yours as well.
As such, when Chalmers asks if he can see it, his expression is not one of “Aha! I got you! You little peice of schnitzel! I shall un-roll you back into dough!”
It is one of a man, a father, and a mountain of skin and muscle. He wants to see it.
But, Skinner rejects him.
“No.”
This is obviously all a metaphor for sex, and the kinds of things it can lead to.
Nearby Skinner is a bar of orange, burning so bright, you just want to put it in your salad to remove the water.
Skinner briefly considers it because he’s stupid, and in that moment, he is a newborn baby again, naked as the pears on a pear tree.
“No.” Skinner says. And with that, it’s over. It is not with a hooray-ish fanfare that are anti-hero descends the stage. He has won, but at what cost?
Chalmers is lead away by security, traveling into a great unknown previously only visible by dreams and giant bears.
His eyes are round as basketball, but only the kind shaped like ovals.
“Seymour!” Angou Skinner, Skinner’s grandmother, shouts. Ten years later, a jazz musician named Miles Davis would meet her and name an album “B*tches Brew.” After her.
“Seymour, the house is on fire.” She said, echoing the words said by a shadow (to me).
“No mother, it’s just the northern lights.”
Seymour needs to see more b*tches, and start brewing some babies. He also needs to stop being so British.
“Well, Seymour, you are an odd fellow, but I must say, you steam a good ham.” And with that, for the first time since he gazed at the lights of the maternity ward, Chalmers smiles. The angels weep far past the gate of unforgiven sin, but closer to the stars then we’ll ever be.
And it’s true. He didn’t just steam the ham. He brewed if. He b*tched it. He bought a bit of batter butter, but the batter butter was butt hurt because John Hurt hurt its butt. Never hurt my buttery butt again. No “ands”. No “ifs”. No “buts”. Just. Silence.
And the evil dispair of Christmastime, of course.
“Help!”
If Seymour could turn into a hand to give a bigger and bugger thumbs up, then he would.
“Heelp!”
If Angou Skinner could turn into a cow to yodel better, then she wouldn’t. She can’t even drive a car anymore without knitting sixteen sweaters for the steering wheel. “It doesn’t need that many,” the rearview mirror says. “Just four will do.”
“I ate your mother” Angou replies. In and through the early morning fog comes sounding in and through a battle drum. Just like me and mine only son, Miles Davis, we are joined together in everlasting brewing. But, I can’t believe it is butter, and not a wet towel made of much smaller wet towels. I can’t believe I ated the whole 8.
Why was 6? Because.
He is only alive for the final shot of the short shot on a short subject, the firetruck. It sounds like a parasitic computer, complaining about the room service in hells. It knows now what to do with its pearls, who it has named after its seven fingers. “Wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, wee-you, fire truck, noises.”
It remembers me, honestly, of being reminded of something. It is not the mind, but the member. And I am truely a member of this society. If only I could dismember my self from its evil, icey spicey grip. Alas, I have been grippled by the evil Grinch of the Netherlands, Benito Muscles enee minee mo, himself.
Him is a shelf, but not just a shelf, the belief that I can change the world, and you are the world, and I am the platypus, and the platypus can’t live without the platypus showdown. It’s not alive for much longer, Mr. Mexico, it’s only paris in the haris in the son of harrison. George. Brownie. Is brown. Town. Cown. Of the cow. His crown has fallen into a cromulent crumpet. It ain't a trumpet more than I am, a trumpet (I’m am) the am is not the amateur the am is not the amateur the am is not the anateur the pro is not the proateur. It is the PROSTHETIC WINDOW GUARDIANS!!!!!!
AHHHHHHH. Leprechaun challenge. Fourty six and the arms go fire fired andh how have U not lived and how have I not livedin anothetsay dand hwgy nyst U continue to be this wag and why Must I continue to eat and think like a robotuc volcanoe in the moon on the spokny spaceship of dark damsels in dureyess. And not only ib the ricj band vest if alk tune,!)65!7! The way thenkavryunth never ceases to aboud nr un a wawash of awe snaf si Uu ba dbd sorctacle andu btibsyf gir ntsrlf vy yirg wirld abd ny witkd anf the labd if thenih and beans abd benay teuonhganr anfheihevbshsytdr gosh the gabdsmg are steam are hayrybtyethe hit the iniy ibe tibi ir bitbtheninyo ieb tibivirbthe the only ine ti lovebtheiit bit theydhiniyribryititititudgdvrruxj thzpzoen. Orn forn morn lorn. Dorn corn shindo, essem semper interfill. Ontarnsam, killgrip bellfar farp semble. Kimperton en lo kimperpich! Uzoon? Imeda bargo garton.
STEAMED HAMS
You started serious and lured readers in before very gradually descending into nonsense. Well done.
Even Matpat would gave up on readig your comment.