Space Olympics

Pop-ups (15 · 4 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Space Olympics premiere pick

   4:29

   Space Olympics was the season premiere and Phelps hosted. The hosts say it was chosen for that slot because of Phelps's hosting, not because it was their top short.

   Is it because Phelps is the host?

2. Solo writing and Drew Campbell beat

   6:14

   Andy wrote most of Space Olympics alone, built on a Drew Campbell beat. Akiva and Jorma later note its long vamp intro was almost dead air.

   Space Olympics was very much a solo joint.

3. Space Olympics slow burn

   9:48

   Akiva argues the sketch's quiet opening pays off in the final minute with rapid-fire twists. The hosts debate whether the vamp is intentional anti-comedy.

   it ends so strong in the last minute with all the twists

4. Fans point here

   18:39

   2 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 23 likes.

   I liked remembering that we didn't build a single set, that we made an entire short set in outer space and didn't do anything. We did build one set. Which one? The very end spaceship is a flat in front of a green… — Akiva

5. Only one set built

   18:50

   The only built set in Space Olympics was the spaceship end piece in front of green screen. The floor shots were 30 Rock under construction.

   The very end spaceship is a flat in front of a green screen.

6. Fans point here

   22:50

   1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 4 likes.

   So there is a feeling. That's the anarchy I'm getting at. They can tell. They know there's no oversight. It is so funny to think of you having to go to Lorne's office and be like, it's the Space Olympics. Yeah.…

7. Andy as Kathy on Update

   24:50

   Andy played Kathy, a comic strip character, on Weekend Update, joking about dating and work life. The sketch riffed on the strip's Kathy and Irving characters.

   Andy, do you remember who you were in update?

8. Kathy creator's framed strip

   27:18

   Kathy's creator sent Andy a framed original three-cell Kathy strip referencing his SNL portrayal, which he still keeps on his wall. He sent flowers in return.

   She sent me a framed, original three-cell Kathy strip

9. Queen Bee Spelling Bee callback

   28:24

   Seth says Bill Gates told him he plays Queen Bee on the NYT Spelling Bee, which he finds funny given that Andy is also a Queen Bee player.

   I go to Queen Bee. And I thought it made me laugh so hard
   Queen Bee

10. Fans point here

    34:52

    2 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 23 likes.

    You want to go to Seth's Corner real quick? Seth's Corner, you're all invited. Seth's Corner, it's happening right now. Yeah, it was the cold open. It was the Tina Fey, Ez Palin, Amy Poehler, Sally Clinton cold open.

11. Palin/Clinton cold open

    35:10

    The Tina Fey and Amy Poehler cold open of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton addressing the nation is called an all-time classic. Seth felt more confident about it than most sketches he had written.

    That's an all-time classic.

12. Doorman Palin gift story

    37:48

    Lorne reportedly heard the Palin casting praised everywhere he went, including from his doorman, who said it was a gift. Seth later notes the story differs in who told him.

    it's a gift, Mr. Michaels, like his doorman.

13. Lorne's flag note

    38:38

    At dress rehearsal Lorne objected to the flags in the Palin cold open. Seth says Lorne always has a note on details, like flags that look like they are coming out of someone's head.

    get Keith, because he was upset where the flags were in the sketch.

14. Phelps flubbed Justice League

    40:26

    The Seth-written Justice League sketch with Phelps as Aquaman was cut at dress rehearsal after Phelps blanked on a line. The hosts recall it as a rough sketch.

    Michael Phelps, who is not an actor, in the middle of a line, just couldn't get his line.

15. Fans point here

    42:20

    2 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 3 likes.

    It's full on surfing. We went back to the well. Hey, what's up? What are we talking about? Oh my gosh. Will you guys do something for me? Yeah. Go to dress. It's Don's script. Don Roy King, the director. And if you…

16. Quiz Bowl homeschool sketch

    43:07

    Quiz Bowl pits a public school team against a homeschooled family, with Phelps, Forte, and Poehler playing the weird homeschooled kids. Wig plays their mom.

    There's a really funny game show called Quiz Bowl that Lutz, Jost, and Rich wrote

17. Lorne's nice-work handshake

    44:50

    Akiva recalls Lorne often gave writers a nice handshake or a 'good one tonight' after a short aired, though some writers avoided approaching him at parties.

    Lorne did often, after a short, be like, it played, nice work.

18. The Gauntlet: ten shows in eight weeks

    48:35

    Seth recalls the gauntlet, a stretch of ten shows in eight weeks that included Thursday election specials, and the team printed T-shirts reading 'the gauntlet.'

    We had t-shirts printed up that said the gauntlet

19. Wig's theme voice note

    48:56

    Seth plays a voice note from Wig suggesting a new theme for the podcast, 'The Lonely Island Self-Wise Podcast.'

    I thought of a new theme for you guys.