Cherry Battle

Pop-ups (23 · 3 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Cherry Battle born from a late-night car ride

   16:37

   Akiva recalls that the idea came together at 3:30 or 4 a.m. as he and Andy pulled up to his house. The pair had been stuck on a short idea for days, and reversing the Phantom slow-motion footage gave the cherry-spitting its look.

   what if we use the Phantom camera from my, threw it on the ground again, do super slow-mo and put it all in reverse.

2. Monday brainstorms and last-minute shorts

   17:31

   Jorma explains that the team usually began brainstorming on Mondays, but many ideas only clicked under deadline pressure. Akiva adds that a good enough idea only shows up when a new one is genuinely needed.

   It takes it being at the last minute where you just need something where you can go, okay, let's give that a go.

3. Seth's Cherry Battle continuity error

   17:53

   Seth reveals his private gripe with the short: a smug Andy shot cuts to a wide with him screaming. Akiva explains the edit choice was arbitrary since everything was doctored anyway.

   There's a shot that bothers me, Keev.

4. Cherry Battle as a museum piece

   19:17

   Akiva compares the short to a gallery video piece, the kind you sit with on a padded stool in a museum. The hosts agree it's among their artiest work.

   this is maybe the closest to art.

5. Cherries had to be moved over

   24:12

   Jorma says the cherries had to be repositioned by hand because they weren't reaching each other. This is why the 'battle' looks like the two actors work in unison.

   Remember, we did have to move the cherries over because they weren't reaching, obviously.

6. Cherries composited in Final Cut Pro

   26:54

   The effect was built entirely in Final Cut Pro using masks and layered footage rather than heavy VFX. Strong lighting turned the background pure black, letting the team cut cherries from separate tanks and arrange them freely.

   We did this all in Final Cut Pro. With masks and things like that.

7. Singing cherry added late in editing

   28:06

   The animated singing cherry was a last-minute addition that came after editing had begun to a choral-style track. A VFX artist and a child voice were brought in within hours of the deadline.

   we went, what if this guy starts singing along to the song?

8. Andy's Queen Bee brag

   29:57

   In his recorded voice-note, Andy brags about getting Queen Bee clean in the Spelling Bee, a reference to the NYT game the hosts keep discussing. The bit doubles as a jab at Seth.

   So the answer is I got Queen Bee clean.

   Goes back to Queen Bee, Ep. 8, 18:30, Seth: By the way, I also got, he didn't tell me to check my phone, but he also got Queen Bee on the spelling bee, which he texted me right before this started.

   cleanQueen Bee

9. Andy recalls the Cherry Battle origin

   31:26

   Andy describes a last-minute gladiator-themed idea that grew from a slow-motion cherry-spitting bit. He names the moment the singing cherry arrived as his favorite part of the short.

   My favorite part of it by far obviously is when that last cherry gets spit and we go to super close on it

10. Gandalf's bird-rescue reference

    31:36

    Andy wanted the cherry's singing moment to echo the score in The Two Towers when a bird flies off to get help. The Howard Shore score carries that emotional lift.

    I believe I said I wanted it to be exactly like when the bird flies away from Gandalf on the top of the tower

11. Cherry Battle near the Kim's Video tier

    32:20

    Andy suggests Cherry Battle might sit in the conversation for Kim's Video, the second tier of Digital Short rankings. He is less sure it reaches Criterion.

    But I would maybe I would maybe posit that it's like in the conversation for Kim's video.
    Kim's VideoCriterion

12. Blueberry jam tradition

    32:48

    Lauren's yearly blueberry jam gift is a running bit. Jorma's story shows how it lands on Andy, Akiva and Yorm, and even the MacGruber cast.

    every Christmas, when you get a jam jar, a blueberry jam from Lauren, every Christmas, I just picture him slaving over a stove

13. Lorne's Meyer lemons

    34:07

    Before Jorma's time, Lorne gave staff boxes of Meyer lemons. Rachel Dratch's reaction, 'when Lorne gives you lemons,' became a small staff joke.

    And I remember once Rachel Dratch opening a box of lemons and saying, when Lorne gives you lemons.

14. Lorne impressions and Dr. Evil

    37:54

    Listener Maddie asked whether Mike Myers based Dr. Evil on Lorne Michaels. The hosts recall Mike always denied it, and the press at the time did not miss the comparison.

    I figure if there were anyone who could maybe figure this out, it would be this crack team of quades.
    Quaid

15. Fans point here

    38:00

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 11 likes.

    So it's interesting because I feel like generationally we know that that's 100 percent what Mike Myers is doing. But it was denied at the time because it was all the press. Yes. When those movies were coming out, the… — Seth

16. Lorne's Dr. Evil denial

    38:33

    At a Hallmark-style dinner, Lorne told Jorma that Brain Candy's Lorne-like character was him, but Dr. Evil was not. He said Mike had told him so.

    And Lorne, we started talking about impressions that were done of him.

17. Fans point here

    45:02

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 4 likes.

    And then there was definitely I mean, I think the sketch I watched the most is her singing the national anthem, which is what Liz wrote. Remember, she like just make it a meal of singing. Can I add on to that last like… — Seth

18. Maya Rudolph and 'Boiled Goose'

    45:46

    A listener asks which line Maya Rudolph repeats back most, and the hosts recall her pronouncing Hyundai and the 'T.T. and Mario' soul duo. Her 'T.T. and Mario' sketch is quoted often.

    Kenan and Maya were soul singers named T.T. and Mario based on like Ashford and Simpson.

19. Fans point here

    55:45

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 5 likes.

    So the quick answer is it is possible. Well, but then it's only open through business hours. So I don't know. Oh, you finally mentioned it. You did beep it last time. Oh, shit. I didn't mean to. Now we have to beep it.…

20. Galvin Penton and the medication mix-up

    56:51

    A listener's email reveals a mishearing: Galvin Penton, the friend Jorma keeps calling, is actually gabapentin that Jorma took for his fall injury. The hosts laugh about Galvin being a running joke.

    we'd absorbed info about Yorm's medications for his injury with the latter, and actually we're thinking of Gabapentin.

21. Music videos and record rights

    57:39

    Akiva explains that Lonely Island songs were written with videos in mind, but costs and guest schedules limited which got made. Record label and SNL split licensing costs, which is why many clips live on the group's own YouTube channel.

    When we're writing the songs, like in the studio, goofing around, having a laugh, we are picturing a video

22. Quatto swap and live-audience giggles

    1:01:17

    Live audiences often notice prop or actor swaps during camera cuts, especially in long swaps like 'Quatto.' The hosts say the extra dialogue added to bridge swaps is a favorite writer's trick.

    And so you can kind of still switch something out.

23. Online comedy groups and SNL

    1:03:29

    Asked about peers like College Humor and the Britannic brothers, Akiva says the hosts followed viral videos via text and email rather than scene-chasing. Some of the same circle later joined SNL.

    we were not, we were sort of aware because that wasn't like, it's not like we went to comedy clubs or to comedy shows.

24. Sabrina Carpenter day drinking

    1:04:45

    Seth previews a day-drinking segment with Sabrina Carpenter and says she was cautious about drinking. Akiva's daughters, who are big fans, bring up her music.

    I'm very excited. I'm jealous, you know. My daughter went to the concert.

25. Getting wet, Akiva style

    1:07:05

    Akiva explains the slang 'getting wet' to his daughters as a PCP-laced cigarette term. It's a comedic callback to the 'wet' lore the hosts keep joking about.

    If you sprinkle angel dust on top of it or on tobacco, it's called getting wet.

26. Later Quaids sign-off

    1:07:45

    The show closes with 'Later Quaids', the official parting words that originated with Arnold Schwarzenegger's recorded line.

    Later, Arnold. Later, Quades.
    later, Quaids