Doogie Howser Theme

Pop-ups (24 · 3 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Lorne's Lamps reaction

   3:14

   Klein's voice note says Lorne disliked Lamps, which came through Shoemaker. The hosts debate why Lorne would pick a sketch he didn't like, and whether Hugh Laurie was on Team Lamps.

   Basically, Shoemaker told Klein, Lorne hates lamps.

2. Jake Gyllenhaal's Laser Cats credit

   4:50

   Seth notes that a Playbill for Othello lists whether actors appeared in Laser Cats, a running joke about the cult film. Jake Gyllenhaal's Iago was the first to carry that credit.

   Jake is the first actor to play Iago who was also in a Laser Cats movie.

3. Quaid Army gets a righteous kill reply

   5:33

   Seth reports a fan shouting Quaid Army at him at Othello, and sets the rule that the correct reply is righteous kill. It's a callback to the group's standing identifier.

   I think obviously the obvious thing from now on is if anybody says Quaid Army to you, I think you just say righteous kill.

   Goes back to righteous kill, Ep. 52, 38:17: Oh, Righteous Kill. Have we ever talked about Righteous Kill as a saying?

   Quaid Armyrighteous kill

4. Jorma coins "Hauser" for pod haters

   5:48

   Jorma suggests haters of the pod be called Housers, after a friend named Jake's pitch. It's a nod to Carl Hauser, the alter-ego villain in Total Recall, and it's the spelling that sticks.

   I think if there's any haters of the pod, my friend Jake pitched this, that they should be called housers.
   Hauser

5. Fans point here

   14:53

   1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 7 likes.

   All right, first of all, before we talk about the idea, should we talk about the actual Doogie Howser theme song? Yes, it was a great theme song. And this is an ode to that. How long do you think the actual Doogie… — Seth

6. The Doogie theme lasts one solid minute

   15:13

   Seth asks how long the original Doogie Howser theme ran every episode. The answer is one solid minute, the same every week, which the short's piano version parodies.

   one solid minute start to finish. Wow. The same minute every week you watch the show.

7. Doogie theme origin: a rejected sketch

   16:50

   Akiva recalls that the piano-playing idea came from a sketch that was not picked, where NPH's playing impressed the writers. The short was built from that moment.

   we were like, whoa, he really can play it.

8. The Mariachis versus Ballerinas short

   17:31

   Jorma recalls a musical dance short with no joke, shot in stark white. It's cited as proof that early Digital Shorts weren't always comedic.

   the Mariachis versus Ballerinas. There's no joke to it, it was just a dance piece.

9. Lorne's old shorts weren't always funny

   17:58

   Akiva and Jorma talk about dinners with Lorne in which the early Digital Shorts didn't feel obligated to be funny every second. The hosts consider whether the podcast should similarly take a breath.

   people didn't feel the onus to deliver laughs on every second.

10. Why the applause at the pre-tape

    20:14

    Akiva points out the audience applauds the pre-taped piece because they are relieved they do not have to laugh. Pre-tapes rarely get live reactions like this.

    I think right away the relief they felt to not have to participate in that manner, to feel like the pressure to laugh made them applaud.

11. The single tear that ends the short

    21:41

    The short closes with NPH turning to the camera with a single tear running down his chest, which the hosts both call their favorite moment.

    Neil Patrick Harris turns to the camera and has a single tear running down his chest.

12. Wig-shredding electric car

    22:04

    The hosts pick the late appearance of a musician shredding on an electric car as their second favorite moment, comparing it to Jimi Hendrix's anthem.

    It's like Jimi Hendrix playing the National Anthem level shred.

13. Tom Hanks joke

    23:24

    Jorma says he feels they let Tom Hanks down with a short, which turns into an impression bit about Tom Hanks and a Forrest Gump reference.

    I'm so sorry we let you down, brother.

14. Casey Affleck's secret project call to Akiva

    27:13

    Casey Affleck contacted Akiva Schaffer, who had directed the Digital Shorts, to help him navigate SNL for a covert project with Joaquin Phoenix. The shoot was the basis for the later mockumentary.

    can Casey Affleck text you? Can we give him your cell phone number?

15. Joaquin Phoenix's Letterman appearance

    28:04

    Joaquin Phoenix's 2009 David Letterman interview, where he claimed to have quit acting and to be a rapper, had become viral and is the context for the SNL hallway prank.

    Joaquin Phoenix at this point on David Letterman saying he had quit acting in real life

16. Jorma's on-set prank with Joaquin

    32:19

    Joaquin asked Jorma to kick him out of the show during the shoot, and Jorma played along, ad-libbing a scene that interrupted the Doogie short while the whole cast watched.

    kick me out, kick me out. I'm going to come back in and kick me out.

17. Lorne's reaction to the hallway fallout

    34:09

    Word of the hallway incident reached Lorne through the talent department, and his response was that SNL loves stars and Joaquin would be hosting the following week.

    We love stars. He's hosting next week.

18. Fans point here

    37:44

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 7 likes.

    I want to blow through some other things because there's some very fun stuff in the show as well. I would think that one of the reasons, probably not, but certainly if you loved Broadway and you watch this show,… — Seth

19. Save Broadway: an all-cast Broadway sketch

    39:56

    Save Broadway, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, is an all-cast sketch where Sudeikis plays the Phantom, Taylor Swift plays Annie in her musical guest slot, and the Blue Man Group appears.

    Taylor Swift is in the sketch as Annie.

20. Two First Names: the Neil Patrick Harris talk show

    40:42

    In this sketch, every guest on Harris's talk show has two first names, Neil Patrick Harris included. Fred Armisen plays David Lee Roth and Abby Elliott plays Jamie Lynn Spears in the theme.

    Neil Patrick Harris hosted a show called Two First Names

21. Joe Pantoliano as Joey Pants

    41:36

    Joe Pantoliano, the Matrix villain and Sopranos actor, is referenced as Joey Pants in the Billy Bob Thornton sketch, with Forte playing him in a bad impression.

    It is Daryl Hammond as Tommy Lee Jones

22. The Daniel Dave Lewis mix-up

    41:54

    The booking team believed Daniel Day-Lewis was named Daniel Dave Lewis, which becomes the joke when the guest is kicked off the show for having one name.

    Take your one first name and get the hell off the show.

23. Actors playing their Green Mile characters

    44:48

    A recurring habit where cast members play actors by reprising their characters, here Kenan as Michael Clarke Duncan from The Green Mile.

    we just had them playing their character from The Green Mile.

24. The cut Upside Down Skier sketch

    45:47

    The Upside Down Skier was an update piece that Seth cut after dress rehearsal. Rob Klein's voice note explains why it was scrapped and how much logistics it required.

    Another eyeball popping, hanging upside down.

25. Akiva's righteous kill aside

    47:48

    During the Upside Down Skier discussion, Akiva jokes that the cut was a 'righteous kill,' a reference to the Quaid Army response.

    A righteous kill is when Baze cuts a update feature with cause.
    righteous kill

26. Fans point here

    50:37

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 3 likes.

    I agree. What happened? Indicated! A bunch of fucking Hausers make that decision. Damn. Yeah, it was real Hausers. So fucking good! This must have been a very good update. This must have been a really hot update.

27. Hauser reaction to the cut

    50:39

    Jorma and Andy blame the cut on Hausers, a term for haters of the show, and call for a vindication.

    A bunch of fucking Hausers make that decision.
    Hauser