Holy shit these guys are amazing. The Kids in the Hall is the greatest sketch comedy show, ever (Ok, Monty Python is up there, but I connected with KITH at the right age). It is irreverent, hilarious, absurd, and bizarre. How can you not just love these guys:
Lil’ background
I started watching KITH when it was on Comedy Central in the early 90’s (so I was like… 11? 12?). I loved how weird and funny the show was, and I developed crushes on all of the guys (well, except Kevin. Nobody likes Kevin). I had a few years where I didn’t think about the show that much, but when it was released on DVD I was able to experience it all over again. The DVDs also featured some sketches that didn’t make it on American television (is it not ok to say “photocopy my balls” here?).
The best sketches
My favorite sketch, ever. “The Salty Ham” sketch.
My favorite sketch as a kid: “The Pear Dream”
Ohh oh! Wait, I like this sketch too. “Daddy Drank”:
No no no… THIS one. Last one. “America”
The characters
Oh god the characters (all of these are links to the bestest sketches: they open in a new window)
The Chicken Lady, Gavin, Simon and Hecubus from the Pit of Ultimate Darkness, Cathy and Kathie, Danny Husk, Bauer, Bobby, Francesca Fiore, Mr. Heavyfoot, Darrill, Buddy Cole, and everyone’s favorite: the Headcrusher
There’s also a lot of other random sketches that stand out in my mind, like Becoming a Man, Lost and Found, Car Ride, My Pen!, Girl Drink Drunk, and the most surreal of them all: Sausages.
OH GOD THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD ONES
I try to forgive them…
For Brain Candy. Seriously guys, what the fuck happened. The greatest fault of the movie is that they didn’t use any of the characters we were familiar with: they were all new and mediocre at best. The movie was just awful and I really don’t want to think about it.
Also, season 5.
But they more than made up for it!
I got to see them a couple years ago. Live. AND I MET THEM.
For some fucking reason they were doing a show in Salt Lake City, and not Denver. I flew out the evening of the show, and Carly and I headed to Kingsbury Hall on the U of U campus. They started by showing footage of the guys talking about how they needed to perform new material for the fans. They bounced ideas around with little success, and finally Mark says, “Hey I know! Let’s rape Kevin!” They start chasing after him and the first notes of the theme song started playing: crowd goes apeshit. They all run out on stage chasing Kevin (who is now in his underwear).
The show of course was fucking hilarious: it was primarily new sketches with familiar characters, and man they nailed it. I had just had surgery* a few days before and I was afraid I was going to bust my stitches out, I was laughing so hard.
After the show about 40 people hung around the foyer of the auditorium. All of the guys came out for a meet and greet!! I was speechless. The culmination of over 15 years of fandom, all I could do was approach each of them in turn, smile broadly, hand my autograph paper over to them, and get a hug. Dave Foley said, “Wow, you have a beautiful smile!” and Bruce McCulloch kissed me on the cheek. I WILL NOT WASH THAT CHEEK NOT EVER
I fucking LOVE The Kids in the Hall.
*My surgery story has to be told in person. So if you buy me a beer, I will tell it to you.
