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Day 227
March 4
I've seen these ants do great things, and year after year they somehow manage to pick food for themselves *and* you. So-so who is the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's *you* who need *us*! We're a lot stronger than you say we are... And you know it, don't you?
Flik
(Played by David Foley)
A Bugs Life
Kids in the Archive: Episode 10
welcome back to kids in the archive! to celebrate my college graduation + KITA's 10th installment + finally honor the request i received from @oliviaskithworld multiple months ago (thank you for your patience!) today i'm going to be showcasing the classic s1e3 sketch "Citizen Kane"
even if there are other sketches that i would choose as my personal favorite, i respect "citizen kane" so much as a feat of comedic timing. the premise and dialogue are funny enough, but what puts them over the top is the perfect rhythm kevin and dave establish - fast-paced dialogue that's occasionally repetitive in its text but each repetition leads to escalation in the performance.
Citizen Kane: June 3rd 1989
I actually have two copies of the script for Citizen Kane: both dated 06/03/89, and nearly identical, to each other and to the version of the sketch that aired. There really aren't many differences to point out: some sentences are shorter or longer for the purpose of timing, and there is one specific line missing from the "white" pages that's present in the "pink" pages
i assume the version i have may not be a first draft - this was likely a scene performed at the rivoli for years before making it to the screen. or perhaps this scene was mostly created via improv, so the first time on paper was less an act of creation and more documenting what already existed. the only "big" changes are removing a section of brief physical comedy before picking up the newspaper (which was not being held by another customer).
honestly, as much as i wish i could've honored this request in a timely manner, the wait has allowed this episode to be so much better. this could have been it. i would have had to stretch these tiny differences into 3 bullet points because i just couldn't show you how the sketch evolved. except, as i write this on december 21st 2024, now i can. but we have to push a bit further...
Citizen Kane: ~2002
the kids in the hall tour-film "tour of duty" was unavailable to stream for most of this year before finally being reuploaded by a fan in november. i've previously put out a full essay with general thoughts on tour of duty, but let's examine the show's version of citizen kane.
tour of duty's "citizen kane" barely changes, especially compared to some of the other sketches in this show. sure, the words don't always line up exactly and the rhythm is a bit slower (a product of enunciating for a large theater vs recording a sketch for television), but most changes are physical. in the original sketch, a fake-arm was made for dave foley for the purposes of stabbing his hand. in this one, a prop-knife was used for the effect, freeing up both hands for motioning. most notably, this version ends with dave falling out of his chair and flipping 360 degrees before landing on the floor.
immediately following the sketch is a transitional scene with bruce and mark, where they essentially replicate the "citizen kane" bit of forgetting a name and refusing to admit you're wrong, only this time they're trying to remember the name of the sketch they just watched. it's cute.
Citizen Kane: November 25th 2024
so that's all well and good, but still not a lot of differences to parse through. what would it take for them to take citizen kane in a completely different direction?
well, what if 22 years later the kids in the hall reunited to put on a show in support of paul bellini's medical expenses, but dave foley wasn't able to attend due to pneumonia and the other kids barely had time to rehearse?
a high-quality version of the full show will be available in the new year, but recently i found a fan's uploads of a few iconic sketches from the november 2024 show, including the perfect finale to my citizen kane post, because oh boy did they go off-script. for starters, the original "citizen kane" as uploaded onto youtube is 4 minutes and 16 seconds. the "tour of duty" version (not counting bruce and mark's tag) is just under 6 minutes long. the november 2024 version is NEARLY TEN MINUTES LONG
and uniquely i am actually in a position to explain how these changes happened: scott was chosen to take over dave's part in the sketch the day of the show. they added mark walking on as "constable bobby" as a way to acknowledge dave's absence (and i was actually riffing with mark, kevin, and scott when they decided the character's name. in rehearsal, mark improvised a bit about his character going undercover as a teenager). but scott responding to kevin's "was it citizen kane?" with "yes"? bruce walking on as another officer? kevin kissing scott's forehead when scott apologized for forgetting his line? that was all truly improvised, and i was standing backstage watching it happen.
prior to the show, citizen kane was one of the sketches scott was the most nervous about since it's actually quite difficult to memorize: so much of the comedy relies on repetition and timing. i've probably watched the sketch more times in the past year than he has and even i wouldn't get it word-for-word. but once you're out there onstage, you can't beat yourself up over forgetting a line. you make that part of the gag, and suddenly the sketch becomes citizen kane on top of citizen kane: a sketch about someone forgetting something and ignoring their friend's corrections becomes about scott forgetting his lines and ignoring kevin's corrections.
there's no way the kids in the hall could've replicated everything about citizen kane on the evening of november 25th 2024: the sketch was at least 35 years old, it was being performed with minimal sets and costumes in a 1500-seat theater, and the person whose comedic voice it most represented wasn't around. but in my opinion, citizen kane 2.0 reflects exactly what a live version of a pre-existing kids in the hall sketch should be: using the well-known framework as a basis for improv while still being grounded to the important beats. this attitude carried over into the night's other sketches, even ones which didn't feature dave at all like "salty ham." it gives fans new and old something new to appreciate, and allows the KITH to focus on making each other laugh. after scott got off the stage, he wasn't upset for flubbing citizen kane. he was smiling ear-to-ear, whispering to me "i forgot how fun this was". i would take this over "tour of duty" any day
or maybe i'm just saying that because i now own 2024 citizen kane's prop-knife
oh, and don't think i've forgotten the one line that changed between my two scripts, both dated 06/03/89.
"that's a hayley mills vehicle, that's not even close"
and because of scott's role in the 2024 show, i now know that's the one line HE contributed, leading me to believe the "white" pages were just kevin and dave's writing, and the "pink" pages were after the input of the other KITH on the same day.
god, i love how things become full-circle.
...
PREVIOUS KIDS IN THE ARCHIVE EPISODES:
Dave Foley as Danish Graves in Fargo — Season Five
Have you seen Dan Vs. (2011-2013)?
Yes
Partially
No, but I've heard of it
Never heard of it
"If your family studied for years, they couldn't rise to the level of gullible idiots."
Night Court (2023) S02E12 The Duke's a Hazard.
me remembering summer 2020 when everyone was worried about killer bees
Night Court S02 "The Duke's a Hazard" Welcomes Dave Foley, Rhys Darby
We have preview images for Melissa Rauch, John Larroquette & Dan Rubin's Night Court S02 "The Duke's a Hazard," with Dave Foley & Rhys Darby.
Before we take a look at the next episode of series star/EP Melissa Rauch, co-star/EP John Larroquette & writer/EP Dan Rubin's Night Court, we have to throw out some serious thanks once again to series star Lacretta for dropping us the news that The Kids in the Hall's Dave Foley would be appearing this during a conversation last month. Well, it turns out that Foley will be guest-starring in Tuesday's "The Duke's a Hazard" – and he's not alone because Our Flag Means Death star Rhys Darby will be joining him. For a look at what you can expect, check out the official overview & preview images that were released.
(Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC)
Night Court Season 2 "The Duke's a Hazard" Preview
Night Court Season 2 "The Duke's a Hazard": When Gurgs' (Lacretta) royal boyfriend pays a surprise visit, she questions their compatibility. Dan (John Larroquette) defends his family's honor after he discovers a feud that dates back centuries. Rhys Darby and Dave Foley guest star.
(Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC)
The eternally optimistic Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch) follows in the footsteps of her revered late father, Judge Harry Stone, as she takes on the challenge of overseeing the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court.
Abby always sees the best in people, and her passion for justice is undeniable. In her quest to bring order and dignity to the court and reign in its colorful crew of oddballs, she enlists former night court district attorney Dan Fielding (John Larroquette) to serve as the court's public defender. Still exceedingly self-confident, Fielding must adjust to a new boss and a new job – defending the downtrodden. And, beneath his arrogant demeanor, there is an empathetic side to Fielding that Abby is determined to unearth.
They both must contend with Olivia (India de Beaufort), the court's officious assistant district attorney. Driven and ambitious, she views the night court as a stepping stone on her way to bigger things. Wyatt Shaw (Nyambi Nyambi), the court's new quick-witted and sarcastic clerk, has seen it all. As a recently divorced, overprotective father of two young girls, he's determined to make sure his daughters see way less than he did.
Rounding out the staff is Donna "Gurgs" Gurganos (Lacretta), the night court's sharp-witted bailiff. Gurgs takes her job very seriously and is fiercely protective of her night court colleagues. Nikolai (Dimiter Marinov) is the court's maintenance man. A staple character within the building, Nikolai pops up in the day-to-day lives of the crew. He's a mystery to everyone around the courthouse (and he likes it that way).
Rauch and Winston Rauch executive produce via After January production company (based at Warner Bros. TV) alongside Rubin- with Larroquette set to produce. After January produces in association with the original series studio, Warner Bros.
Source: Bleeding Cool
-I'm a freak & nobody knows it 😎
