Featured Funny Video: Chowder
Sometimes style is more important than sense. Making sense, that is.
In Chowder, director Paul Emerson brings to life a simple but meticulously styled scene between two divorcées Bonnie (Carrie Barrett) and Joanne (Katy Fullan). Joanne is spinning at the thought of what she’ll do with all the time after this weekend’s Saturday karate class, what with her child at ex-husband Paul’s and all. Meanwhile Bonnie, a recent transplant to Los Angeles, laments she’s “famished.” Joanne has a simple remedy: “Well, get yourself a cup of chowder then, Bonnie.” Bonnie wonders if it’s too hot outside for chowder, and Joanne serves up some tough love between elegant puffs on her indoor cigarette.
Wait, what is happening in this … sketch?
It’s not a sketch, it’s a short, and the reason it has nary a dislike on YouTube isn’t just because it’s only been watched about 1,500 times on the date of writing. No, it’s a marvel of absurd scripting brought to life by two performers who have mastered the difficult art of restrained silliness.
If we take away anything from this video, it should be that even the strangest ideas can turn into excellent contributions if they’re approached with a careful commitment to tone (in this case, David Lynch meets Melrose Place). Oh, and also: Los Angeles is almost always too hot for chowder.
Luke is executive producer and head of development at Big Breakfast and a watcher of many web videos. Send him yours @LKellyClyne.
