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Pay Attention to the Background in This Very Weird Sketch

The gang at New Feelings Time (who gave us the best version of Batman fighting Superman) are out with a new sketch that pits the foreground against the background.

Since there’s nothing worse than explain a joke to death, why don’t you watch it for yourself first?

The simplicity of the gag is fantastic, but the sketch really hums as it expands the abilities and storyline of the silent slapstick jogger. It goes from evoking Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks” to full-on Bugs Bunnying when the jogger starts creepily hitting on the young woman just trying to get a workout in (don’t do that, fellas). It’s impressive that they were able to create stakes (let alone raise them) on a comic concept that could have been a 30-second throwaway.

There’s also something ridiculously pleasant about the two guys having the foreground conversation. Do I hope mustache guy writes his novel? Yes! His friends seem so supportive. Do I hope flannel shirt guy gets the job he wants? Absolutely!

The Jogger has a meta element (intentional or not) that spoofs on the “Are you paying attention?” style videos that circulate constantly on Facebook thanks to all of your aunts. Videos where you’re supposed to count how many times a basketball gets passed, but there’s also a man in a gorilla suit you didn’t even realize was there because our primitive minds are weak and limited. This sketch riffs on that idea while making it glaringly obvious that something ridiculous is happening behind a banal conversation.

How many gorillas did you spot?

Image: New Feelings Time

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