Jorma Taccone,Akiva Schaffer,andAndy Samberghave an amazing success story asThe Lonely Island, as they went from making digital shorts onSaturday Night Liveto creating a brand for themselves, and eventually grew involved in many major films and television productions. Although all three members of the group are talented, Schaffer has stood out as the most prominent filmmaker, as he directed The Lonely Island filmsHot RodandPopstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, as well as the science fiction comedyThe Watch. Although these films sadly didn’t have the commercial impact that they deserved,Schaffer also helmed the hilarious visual albumThe Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, which debuted on Netflix as a surprise in the summer of 2019.
One of the most underrated reasons why The Lonely Island has been so successful is that they are quite talented as musicians, and have been able to apply their quick-witted sense of humor to the lyrics of their catchy songs. AlthoughPopstar: Never Stop Never Stoppingallowed them to incorporate music into the narrative,The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experiencefelt like an extended versionof an early Lonely Island music video, as it was completed by visual gags and many celebrity cameos.
What Exactly Was ‘The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience’?
Although it was described as a “visual poem,”The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experienceis a parody of athlete-led rap albums that had grown popular in the late 20th century.Samberg and Schaffer star as fictionalized versions of the real baseball playersJose CansecoandMark McGwire, respectively, who were collectively known as the “Bash Brothers” during the winning season of the Oakland Athletics during the 1989 championship season. The 30-minute special contains many musical numbers that are intended to satirize the self-absorbed, performative appeal of athletes who are trying to break into an artistic field, as well as additional storylines related to the baseball community and the Oakland fanbase. Although all the songs are hilarious in their own right, the combined special achieves the sustained mix of surrealism and absurdismthat has always made the humorof The Lonely Island so successful.
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The Lonely Island is often effective because of the attention to detail within their work, asThe Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experiencehas a lot of inside jokes made about what baseball media was like in 1989. Between cameos by Taccone asJoe Montanaand a recreation of press conferences, it is evident that Schaffer had a genuine interest in the Oakland Athletics, and that the parody was coming from a wholesome place. While this specificity is what elevates The Lonely Island above a standard short-form piece of comedy that can be found on the Internet, it’s still a universally funny album that does not require background knowledge to be fully enjoyed. Even for those who weren’t aware of who the original “Bash Brothers” are, a sequence in whichMaya Rudolphharasses Samberg and Schaffer in a parking lot is universally funny. As with the other projects Schaffer has directed,The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experienceis a crisply directed, well-crafted production that was clearly not just thrown together at the last minute. There was obviously timetaken to nail the historical details, particularly in the lampooning of “So Cal” culture.
The Lonely Island Are Still Making Cutting Edge Comedy
The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experienceis a surprisingly dense production, as the 30-minute short is more layered with background gags and nuanced popular culture references than most mainstream comedies that get a theatrical release. Even beyond the obvious jokes that are made at the expense of athlete musicians, there are references to the wider scope of popular culture, withSterling K. Brown’s role asSiabeing a standout. What’s also impressive is that The Lonely Island is consistently able to attract in-demand talent to their projects, even if it’s only for a brief role, with the song “IHOP Parking Lot” features a number by Haim, It also served as a reunion with performers who had worked with members of The Lonely Island over the years, asStephanie BeatrizandJim O’Heirappeared inThe Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experienceafter appearing alongside Samberg inBrooklyn Nine-Nine.However, some of the cameos required slightly more knowledge on the part of the viewer, as the special also featured an appearance byWhitney Moore, an actor known for his role in the infamous “so bad it’s good” classicBirdemic: Shock and Terror.
The Lonely Island have developed a talent for applying their sense of humor to different situationsand finding unique ways to gain an audience. Although it is unfortunate thatPopstar: Never Stop Never Stoppingwas a box office disappointment, Schaffer later directed the Disney+ original filmChip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, which was a massive streaming success and earned a Primetime Emmy Award. Even the newThe Naked Gunreboot that Schaffer directed allowed him to pay tribute toLeslie Nielsen,whilst also including the sense of humor that he developed with The Lonely Island. There’s really no reason that a random 30-minute special centered on a niche baseball reference should exist, but The Lonely Island has never turned down an opportunity to make people laugh.
The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experienceis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
