Why David S. Pumpkins Went Viral (It's Not What You Think)
164,681
Published 2023-01-30
America fell in love with this weird, silly comedy sketch. I explore how that happened.
The Sketch: • Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpki...
HOW TO FOLLOW/KEEP UP WITH ME:
Subscribe ► goo.gl/qVF6Cu (and click the bell)
Website ► t1j.site/
Twitter ► twitter.com/the1janitor
Instagram ► instagram.com/the1janitor
If you or someone you care about is depressed/in pain and cant see any way out, please call 1-800-273-8255 in U.S, 1-833-456-4566 in Canada, or 0800 689 5652 in the UK. For more options: bit.ly/32somNn
HOW TO TALK TO ME/ASK ME STUFF:
Say hi ► www.the1janitor.com/contact
Business inquiries ► [email protected]
Anonymous Q&A ► curiouscat.me/the1janitor
Discord ► the1janitor.com/discord
Leave me a Voicemail ► 205 - 433 - 9516 (ONLY If you agree to the terms below)
NEW HERE?
New Viewer Playlist ► bit.ly/3fbNIPy
Livestreams ► goo.gl/VfK2vP
HOW TO SUPPORT ME:
Become a Patreon Homie ► patreon.com/the1janitor
PayPal► the1janitor.com/paypal
Merch ► the1janitor.com/store
Amazon Wishlist ► a.co/5jRUmEa
AFFILIATE LINKS (i make money if you buy any of this stuff):
Literally Everything I use for YouTube/Streaming ► amzn.to/39E7DFQ
Budget YouTube Starter Kit ► amzn.to/2XnJZZt
Budget Streaming Starter Kit ► amzn.to/2DhRnhs
FAQS/MISC:
What does StayHAKO mean? ► www.the1janitor.com/hako
FAQs about T1J ► www.the1janitor.com/faq
TERMS OF CALLING THE VOICEMAIL:
By calling or texting this number, you agree to allow me to record your voicemail and use the recordings and texts for personal and commercial use. I agree, however, not to give or sell any of your information to any parties unafilliated with video production on this channel.
1. No one will ever answer this number, it should always go straight to voicemail, so don't expect to talk to a human.
2. It is very, very, unlikely that anyone will call or text you back. If you get a response, it will be in a public way, such as when part of a video.
3. There's a caller ID, so I will generally be able to see the number you called from. As mentioned above, none of this information will be shared or used, but if that makes you uncomfortable then I suggest not calling. I also suggest that you do not share any unecessary personal information.
4. Your basic rates and charges for calls, whatever they may be, will still apply.
5. Your voicemail might be used for or responded to in a future video!
Did you see a unpleasant ad on my channel? Let me know: www.the1janitor.com/contact
If would like a source for or elaboration of a claim made that is not listed here, contact me at www.the1janitor.com/contact
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Music by Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com/creator
Outro Music by John Ivory: www.soundcloud.com/kingjohnivory
#T1J #the1janitor #DavidSPumpkins
youtube.com/@t1j
All Comments (21)
-
My favorite part of the original sketch is when Keenan says, "hey it's 100 floors of frights, they can't all be winners," and gives a sly lingering glance at the camera. Contextualizes the whole thing as a meta commentary on criticisms of SNL.
-
My favorite line from the original sketch is “Look man, it’s 100 floors of fright, not all of them are gonna be winners”
-
What always made this sketch so funny to me was that it really shouldn't be funny. It's just so stupid that I don't want to laugh, but I can't help it, which makes it funnier.
-
Aside from the goofy skeleton dance, my favorite part of that sketch is the end when he pops up behind them and legitimately scares them.
-
What I loved about the sketch is how it took a weird aspect of Halloween - that half of it is comprised of genuinely scary shit (the undead, creepy ghost girls, monsters, masked killers), while half of it is comprised of "spooky" things that aren't scary at all but symbolize scariness (black cats, skeletons, jack-o-lanterns) - and played with the intersection of that. David S Pumpkins is both the LEAST scary and MOST scary thing they encounter.
-
"Is it 'more cowbell' funny?" No sketch is "more cowbell" funny. In fact that's exactly what David Pumpkins needed, more cowbell.
-
Why does nobody mention Dolly Parton as "one of those celebrities everyone just seems to like." Not just T1J, but it sometimes seems that she's so unproblematic and loved that everyone forgets she exists.
-
The absurd sketches are always my favorite. Tiny Horse lives in my head rent free.
-
An essential part of the gag - as I see it - is that he actually DOES scare them at the end. Yes, DSP is the least scary imaginable character, but they're puzzled by him, disconcerted, and confused as to exactly what his point and frame of reference might be - and then he breaks the fourth wall and pops up behind them with his "ANY QUESTIONS?"
-
I actually didn't even see the sketch until years later when youtube randomly recommended it and I became mildly obsessed with it. There was something I couldn't put my finger on as to why exactly it was so funny and I found that compelling.
-
Didn't know I needed a David S. Pumpkins video in January of 2023 but here we are. I think your explanations are really astute. I remember watching that sketch after months of stress over the election and feeling so relieved at how good it felt to laugh at something totally goofy and not at all rooted in anxiety, politics, etc. It still elicits that feeling for me when I rewatch it.
-
Additionally, John Cleese apparently feels the same way about the Ministry of Silly Walks bit. He doesn't understand why people like it, and he often refused to do it live.
-
2016 was a collective fever dream. Not the worst year ever but the weirdest I remember
-
David S Pumpkins has a Kids In The Hall surrealist feel that's hard to describe. I watch it every Halloween. The Tom Hanks angle just adds to the strangeness.
-
I think we live in an era where everything has to be part of some extended universe and monetized in some way. that made David S Pumpkins feel refreshing. He is his own thing and we get to be part of it.
-
The final jumpscare and freezeframe justifies literally anything that precedes it, it's pure art.
-
I'm both impressed and mad that you dropped the hot take "David S. Pumpkins is the Result of Liberal Huberis" without explanation directly before the Nebula add and in the direct middle of the video. Effective tactic.
-
I feel like I woke up in a different dimension. This is the first I'm hearing of this. It's a bizarre experience.
-
the "long ass cable" gag in black jeopardy will live in my heart forever. I have drilled holes in the floor. Screw wifi.
-
As a fellow aging Millennial I loved David S Pumpkins. The goofy expression Tom Hanks wears through the whole skit just tickles my boomer funny bone
