Escape from the Commercials

Escape from the Commercials (Do It!)
Aired	November 27, 2018
Running Time	34:44
Previous Review	A Wrinkle in Time
Next Review	TBA
Link	http://channelawesome.com/escape-from-the-commercials-nostalgia-critic/

(The Channel Awesome logo is shown, but suddenly, Shia LaBeouf appears in the logo, while the words "DO IT" appear below)

Shia LaBeouf: Do it!

(Then the NC appears, wearing his "I [Donut] Donuts" t-shirt)

NC: Do it!

(He holds up a remote control and pushes a button. And then, like always, we are treated to the same old opening: the clay-animated "After These Messages" Saturday morning bumpers from ABC)

Three Clay Singers: After these messages...

Clay Fire Hydrant: (sings) After these messages...

Clay Cowboy: (sings) After these messages...

Clay Dog: (sings) After these messages...

(The title "Do It!" is shown)

Three Clay Singers: (audio) ...we'll be right back!

Shaq Fu

(TV static transition to: Shaq Fu commercial)

Announcer: Shaquille O'Neal, AKA Shaq!

NC: Well, anything with Shaq's name on it has to be of quality.

(A montage of commercials showing Shaq is shown, starting with his appearance in an ad for Carnival Cruise Lines, as a Chief Fun Officer)

Shaq: The Carnival 30-Minute Tour!

(Cut to a commercial for JCPenney's, also featuring Shaq)

Shaq: Go big at JCP!

(Cut to Shaq in an Age of Beard commercial)

Shaq: With the Age of Beard, I got my mojo going strong!

(Another clip of the Carnival commercial is shown, showing the (ahem) Chief Fun Officer in the...)

Shaq: Pool! (dances)

(Cut to a clip of Shaq in an ad for Medea Vodka)

Shaq: It's the award-winning Medea Vodka with the world's only personal programmable LED display on the bottle.

(The words on the displays on the bottles read, "SHAQ'S BOTTLE")

NC: Yeah, I guess you'd need some vodka after watching his movies. (a shot of the poster for Madea Gets a Job appears in the corner) As well as some choice words written in lights.

(Cut back to the vodka bottles, with the words reading, "WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK FOR BOO 2")

Shaq: What will your Medea bottle say?

NC: Okay, so, what do we have this time?

(A coach is addressing a team by gesturing toward a wall on which Shaq is displayed)

Coach: This... is your target!

(Cut to footage of the video game Shaq Fu as the coach laughs maniacally)

Commercial Announcer: Introducing Shaq Fu.

NC: Ah, yes, the palette cleanser after watching Kazaam.

(More footage is shown by the coach)

Coach: But first... / Enforcer of justice... / Register– (gasps)

NC: What's even up with this guy?

NC (vo): It's like he's so ashamed to be advertising this product his body is rejecting the idea.

Coach: Justice... / Register– (gasps)

NC: (as coach) This is Shaq... Fu! It's really... good! I really recommend... Oh, God, I'm going to Hell!

NC (vo): No wonder the villains in this game lost; they couldn't even understand who they're going up against.

Coach: Shaq! / (?) / Sized 22! (shudders)

NC: (as coach) All right, be on the lookout for a guy, sized 22! (shudders)

Commercial Announcer: Introducing Shaq Fu. Kung fu, Shaq style.

NC: What exactly is "Kung fu, Shaq style"?

NC (vo): Is it throwing all left over copies of (A poster for the following pops up:) Steel nobody bought, while building a fort behind An image of Shaq drinking Pepsi appears in the upper-left corner) Pepsi cans and (An image of Shaq drinking All Sport appears in the upper-right corner) All-Sport?

NC: Hmm, let me check the instruction book.

(He examines the instruction book for the game, which reads exactly as NC described it previously, that it is indeed about throwing away all left over copies of Steel while building a fort behind Pepsi cans and All-Sport)

NC: Wow, lucky guess.

NC (vo): This ad is every level of '90s, with its need to feel EXTREME, wide-angled closeups, black Wonder Woman – I think that was a thing (One black woman in the room looks like she is wearing Wonder Woman's attire); it's funny for the time period it came out in.

Coach: Sized 22!

NC: It's corny, but a lot (shudders) of fun!

Announcer: Kung fu, Shaq style.

(The coach laughs insanely as the camera focuses on the cover for this game)

Announcer: Sega Genesis and Super NES.

(The shot of Shaq as Carnival's Chief Fun Officer in the pool appears in the corner)

Shaq: Pool!

Mr. T Cereal

(TV static transition to: Mr. T Cereal commercials. They are animated, and we start with the one that begins with Mr. T on the cereal box coming alive: "Mr. T Cereal Talk No. 1")

Announcer: New Mr. T breakfast cereal.

NC (vo): Speaking of celebrities that were disturbingly on everything...

(In another ad, Mr. T and four kids slide down the wave of T-shaped cereal and land on the ground, stretching out their arms)

Male Singer: ♫ Teamin' up with Mr. T Cereal! / Let's get it on the team, / Team that knows how cool... ♫

NC: Look! (imitates soaring) They're making a T! That means they're the cereal now! (Beat) I don't know, just buy it. Mr. T is on it!

Male Singer: ♫ Teaming up with Mr. T! / Golden sweet crispy T's, / One bite... ♫

(As the song continues, one girl eats the cereal and gives a slightly derpy look in the camera, smiling)

NC: Look at this girl's face.

NC (vo): That's a face that says "I'm being held hostage until you buy this damn thing".

NC: Better Morse code your way out of this one.

(The freeze-frame of the girl's face is Photoshopped so her eyes are blinking "The T Stands for Torture" with the Morse code, beeping included)

NC: (smiles) This is also one of the few cereal commercials that included the PSA.

(We cut back to the animated ad "Mr. T Cereal Talk No. 1" that shows Mr. T addressing the viewers in front of the school)

Mr. T: Mr. T here, and today, I'm talkin' to school.

NC: Oh, hey, hey! I was just kidding! They really did PSAs in these?

Announcer: Mr. T breakfast cereal presents (Mr. T takes out the letters that say...) Mr. T Talk No. 1.

NC (vo): Don't ask where No. 2 is. Apparently, the cereal wasn't popular enough for another commercial.

NC: Which is good, 'cause I had him teaming up with Pee-Wee Herman talking about crack. It was weird.

Mr. T: (to the schoolchildren) So study hard, listen to the teachers, and learn something new every day.

(Back to the previous cereal commercial)

NC (vo): But hell with that ad. We want the one where Mr. T keeps his lines to a two-word minimum!

Background Singers: ♫ Teamin' up with Mr. T! ♫

Mr. T: (to the camera) It's cool! (His face fades into a cereal box)

NC: Yeah. It is cool. But after all the...

NC (vo): ...songs and stunts and action going on saying how amazing it is...

NC: ...do you have anything else to say about it?

Male Singer: ♫ Teamin' up with Mr. T! ♫

Mr. T: (in the exact same shot) It's cool!

NC: (angry) That's literally the same recording! You used the same recording twice!

NC (vo): You really couldn't record him just saying "It's cool" in a slightly different way? What do you think the story behind this is?

(We're shown Mr. T, played by Adonis Knight (yes, this is really KJ, by the way), addressing the camera in front of a blue background)

Mr. T: So eat Mr. T's cereal. It's cool!

Director (Doug): (offscreen) Um, that's great, but there's a lot more script to read.

Mr. T: What? I don't say anything, unless I get paid by the syllable! You think I can't see into the future? Look at this cartoon!

(A clip from one advertisement shows Mr. T walking in a swamp and spinning the alligator around)

Mr. T (vo): You should call it "Mr. T and the Twits"! I know I don't have long for "this shit gets soggy like my nasty-ass cereal"!

Mr. T: My popularity is gonna expire. "Got a Stoned Nut" for the winner.

Director: (offscreen, sighs) Can't you just say "Stay in school" or something?

Mr. T: Oh, you mean like, "Stay in school", so you wanted to do commercials...

Mr. T (vo): ...for nasty cereal that tastes like crusted rabbit shit?

Mr. T: I pity the spoon!

(Another commercial shows Mr. T riding in a bus full of kids that don't move a muscle)

Mr. T (vo): Stay in school, or else you'll live in a bus with a bunch of kids that's being unexcites.

Mr. T: That's creepy. People would ask more questions.

(The other ad shows a female acrobat)

Mr. T (vo): Look at this girl. She's swinging on her vagina. How could she do that? That's the devil's work. I know this chick can't last long.

Mr. T: You want me to say more? Pay me.

Director: (offscreen) That's all right. I think we got all that we need.

Mr. T: (takes a closer look) Is that camera on?

Director: (offscreen) Yep.

Mr. T: You motherfu-

(Jump cut to a Mr. T Cereal box)

Announcer (Malcolm): Mr. T Cereal is part of a complete breakfast. And remember: stay in school.

Mr. T (vo): (overlapping the announcer) You pay me! You pay me, goddammit! You don't give PSAs to read! You better give me a cameo in Creed III! (The poster for Creed II is shown, but with Mr. T Photoshopped onto it)

NC (vo): Yeah, it's silly, but it's Mr. T silly. And that's the coolest kind of silly there is. For me, I'll always have a soft spot for Mr. T Cereal and its commercial, too.

Male Singer: ♫ Teamin' up with Mr. T! ♫

Mr. T: It's cool!

Background Singers: ♫ Teamin' up with Mr. T! ♫

Pee-Wee Herman (from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) (audio): I pity the poor fool who don't eat my cereal! Ha-ha!

Street Machine

(TV static transition to: Street Machine commercial. It is set in a futuristic land, and we're first shown a girl getting a video call from a boy)

Boy: I'm gonna beam down to the dunes.

Girl: I'll race you. (puts her helmet visor down and starts riding on her bike)

NC (vo): Here's a bike ad from the 80s, but it's supposed to be set in...THE FUTURE! It's an amazing time where people can unpause footage, mannequins of Matt Freuer wearing loose black shield helmet are all the rage, and bikes are so fast, they beat people beaming down to a planet.

Background Robotic Singers: ♫ Street Machine! ♫

(The girl arrives to the tunes to find the boy teleporting there)

Girl: What took you so long?

(The boy shrugs)

NC: (as the boy) Yeah. Pity we have...

NC (vo; as the boy): ...nowhere to go ever since the apocalypse hit.

NC: (as the boy) Do you wanna make sandcastle again? (offscreen, as the girl) That's all we ever do!!

NC (vo): Yeah, for a product called "Street Machine", there's not really any streets to use it on, is there? But it's great down neon hallways and giant dreidels covered in saran wrap!

NC: (in a booming voice, as this caption appears again) THE FUTURE!

NC (vo): Like a lot of 80s sci-fi ads, it was weird, made no sense, but was shiny; it was the most high-tech thing ever made!

Singer: ♫ Front brake... ♫

Background Robotic Singers: ♫ Street Machine! ♫

Singer: ♫ Quick stop... ♫

Background Robotic Singers: ♫ Street Machine! ♫

Girl: (to a boy) What took you so long?

NC: Slowest beam ever, by the way. What took that damn thing so long?

(Cut to a clip from Spaceballs)

Commanderette Zircon: Snotty beamed me twice last night. It was wonderful.

(The boy shrugs. The commercial ends with showing the Street Machine bike by Mill's Fleet and Farm and the slogan...)

Singer: ♫ Murray moves you! ♫ ("Moves you" echoes several times)

NC: (confused by the intonation) Weird catchphrase.

Singer: ♫ Murray moves you! ♫

NC (vo; as the singer): (repeating every sentence in the same tone) Did you see the film Lost in Translation? It was really good. He totally should have won that Oscar. (The footage of Sean Penn winning the Academy Award as Best Actor in 2004 for Mystic River is shown. Bill Murray isn't seen applauding in support in the split screen of five nominees) I mean, look at him losing it. He looks so bummed out. You know Sean Penn's gonna get another one anyway. This was Murray's big chance. What a bunch of pretentious assholes. I play politics.

(The commercial is shown again)

NC (vo): It's pretty stupid, but it's 80s sci-fi cheese stupid. I can't act like I don't get a giggle out of it.

Singer: ♫ Murray moves you! ♫

Energizer Bunny

(TV static transition to...two ladies drinking coffee?)

Lady #1: I love the taste of your fresh fruit coffee.

Lady #2: But it's not fresh fruit. It's nutri...

(A pink toy bunny appears on the table before the ladies and slides across it, beating on the drum)

Announcer: Still going.

NC: Yep. Most of us know the Energizer Bunny, but do you know where he started?

(One of the first Duracell ads is shown)

NC (vo): It was actually a parody of a Duracell commercial, which had a bunch of pink bunnies with batteries going out, but showed Duracell lasted the longest.

(The first Energizer commercial with a similar concept is shown)

NC (vo): Well, Energizer shat on that noise, saying they weren't even invited to this test, and not only does their battery make the pink bunny go longer, but their pink bunny has shades!

NC: (gasps mockingly) That means he's in cahoots with attitude! Attitude!

(The bunny "marches" across the black screen with the Energizer logo)

Announcer: They keep going and going...

(The bunny actually continues to slide down to the shooting set)

Director: Stop the bunny, please.

Announcer: ...and going, and...

(More ads are shown, having the same concept: a fictional product is "advertised", but the bunny interrupts it by marching across the screen)

NC (vo): It soon became a running joke as it brilliantly interrupted other commercials. Yeah, you thought you were watching something else, but suddenly...still going.

(One commercial shows two divers underwater)

Announcer #1: ...into an amazing world. Humans...

(The Energizer Bunny appears, drumming as usual)

Announcer: Still going. Nothing outlasts the Energizer.

NC (vo): Yeah, you never knew when he was gonna pop up and ruin a product that maybe you wanted to buy.

(Cut to a commercial starting with a woman thinking about objects that appear in the bubble above: a crying baby, a ringing telephone and a barking dog)

Announcer #1: Tension headaches this bad need a pain reliever this good. (The medicine appears in the thought bubble) New extra-strentgh Darnitol.

NC: Oh, really? That sounds like it might be really helpful...

(In a bubble, the Energizer Bunny knocks the medicine out of its way)

Announcer: Still going.

NC: Goddammit! I wanted to buy that! It soothes my head from your dumbass drum!

NC (vo): This bunny is rude. These people are just trying to do their thing, and he keeps getting in the way of it! How would you like if you were just going along your everyday life, and suddenly...

(Cut to NC sitting on the toilet silently and tapping on his phone. Just as said, the Energizer Bunny appears, freaking NC out)

Announcer: Still going. Nothing outlasts the Energizer.

NC: (overlapping the announcer) D'AAAHH!! Ah! A bunny! A bunny! Oh, my God! Oh! A bunny! A bunny! Oh, get it away! A bunny!

(Another ad is shown, with a villain interruping the meeting by shooting a laser beam at the diagram of the Energizer Bunny)

NC (vo): Eventually, they started hiring assassins to take them out. Shit, this battery business is hardcore!

Villain: (at the control panel, watching the bunny on a monitor) Mr. Energizer Bunny. Your hippity-hoppity days are over! (presses a button to activate a laser)

(We cut to a 1994 commercial that features the Energizer Bunny in a Star Wars setting, showing footage from the Episode V)

NC (vo): They were pretty funny for a while, but suddenly, Darth Vader couldn't even take him out. What the shit is this?

Emperor Palpatine: (speaking to Darth Vader kneeling before him) There is a great disturbance in the Force.

(The bunny appears in a carbon-freeze chamber in Cloud City, with smoke coming out)

Emperor Palpatine: Get his battery.

Darth Vader: All too easy.

NC: Why does the Empire even need his battery?

NC (vo): Is it like the Force, 'cause there's a positive and a negative side? This is stupid!

Emperor Palpatine: Get his battery.

NC (vo; as Vader): That seems kind of thrifty. While you're at it, close down Bea Arthur's canteen and give Han Solo a name. We are the Empire!

(Vader and the bunny begin a duel. Vader breaks a pipe, and the smoke comes out of it. This, unsurprisingly, doesn't harm the bunny in any way, and he slides around as Vader...fails to strike him down!)

Darth Vader: Impressive.

NC: Boy, Luke's looking like a little bitch by comparison now!

NC (vo): He got his ass kicked by a guy who can't even take out a toy bunny? Vader probably looks at the monkey with cymbals like...

(The classic cymbal-banging monkey toy is Photoshopped onto the stairs)

Darth Vader: Obi-Wan has taught you well.

(Vader's lightsaber deactivates, and it is revealed that it runs on batteries which energy has run out)

NC (vo): But the bunny beats him, because the Empire can't afford better batteries for his lightsaber!

NC: Health care and batteries. That's always where the cuts are.

(Vader raises fists into the air and screams as the bunny moves away)

NC: Eh, still more dignified than when he screamed "No".

(This very audio is played over the footage of Vader screaming)

NC (vo): They were funny at first, but got old kind of fast. Nevertheless, this bunny stayed an icon, no matter how annoyingly long it kept going.

(The end of the Star Wars ad is shown)

Announcer: It keeps going and going and...

Vader (audio): NOOOOOOOOO!

Star Trek V on video

(TV static transition to: Star Trek V on videocassette commercial; it opens with a man running up to a counter in a video store)

Man: Hey, do you have any Star Trek V tapes left?

NC: (confused, shifty-eyed) I'm pretty sure you mean another movie.

Black woman: (also coming up to counter, where she taps her finger on it) Where is the Star Trek V video?

NC: Don't tap your finger at me, you entitled bitch; it's Star Trek V!

Old man: You got Star Trek V?

Younger man wearing Star Trek V t-shirt: (making a Spock hand gesture) The Final Frontier?

NC: Okay, you two look like the people who'd be more excited for this.

Another woman: Pleeeeease?

Two women: Any Star Trek Vs?

(Now these customers are starting to be given copies of the movie)

Black man: (taking copy) Ooh, thank you.

Man with coat over his shoulder: (taking copy) Great.

NC: ...You do know it's Star Trek V, right? (holds up hand with all five fingers displayed) Five??

Another woman: (taking a copy) Thanks.

Another man: (taking a copy as well) Fabulous.

Teenage boy: (taking a copy, too) Yes!

NC: ...Star Trek V?! They physically go looking for God?!?

Woman with a baby: (taking a copy) Oh, thank goodness.

NC: (holding up hand) Oh, trust me, lady. I know, I have five babies at home. Star Trek V is perfect for them. It puts them right to sleep.

(Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan) beams down to the counter)

Scotty: Would you happen to have Star Trek V?

NC: Wow, Shatner was such a cheap-ass director, he didn't even get you a copy?

Cashier: Yes, sir.

Scotty: (holding up the VHS for the movie) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. (The cover is shown in close-up with the tagline "Beaming Down December 21st") So tell your dealer you want to see it!

NC: Why the hell do you have to tell your dealer?! It's clearly...

NC (vo): ...the biggest hit in the world, according to everybody!

NC: (as the cashier) Man, who would've thought? We're all out of...

(The photo of an empty shelter in the mall is shown)

NC (vo): ...Star Trek V and Barb Wire.

NC: They didn't do shit in the box office, but apparently, they're the voice of a generation.

NC (vo): Talk about missing the mark. This commercial had no idea how to advertise this movie. It just comes off as unbelievably desperate.

Scotty: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

NC: (as Scotty) You know, the one where...

(The clips of the following are shown)

NC (vo; as Scotty): ...I bumped my head, we all sang "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and Uhura does that feather dance?

NC: (as Scotty) Oh, Christ, what am I doing? (pretends to throw the VHS away) Take that away from me!

NC (vo): This is definitely one of those ads that's so bad, it's good.

NC: It makes no sense, but it's a pretty good laugh.

Scotty: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. So tell your dealer you want to see it!

AVGN: (appearing in the top-left corner) I'm sorry. I just got rid of my last copy.

Kellogg's Corn Flakes

(TV static transition to: Kellog's Corn Flakes commercial. It starts with a boy sprinkling the cornflakes out of the box, but his father takes it)

Father: Oh, I see you've got my Kellog's Corn Flakes again.

NC: It only figures the widest of cereals would have the widest of commercials.

Father: You know, cornflakes are Daddy's cereal, son. And I'm afraid you'd have to come up with a pretty convincing argument to get me to change my mind. (sprinkles the flakes into his bowl)

NC: (raises index finger) Problem number one. A kid is trying to steal his dad's cornflakes. (Beat) Since friggin' when?!

NC (vo; as the boy): Hell with those marshmallows and chocolate! I want the taste of soggy cardboard left out in the lane!

NC: Second...well, just watch.

Father: You'd have to come up with a pretty convincing argument to get me to change my mind.

(As the father sprinkles the flakes, three men in a street gang attire (one is carrying the boombox) enter the kitchen and start...rapping)

Gang Leader: (rapping) Kids love cornflakes, get what they like!

Gang: Huh!

Gang Leader: (rapping) They eat it in the morning, / And they...

Gang: (rapping) ...eat it at night! Night!

(NC is seen lowering his head upon seeing this)

Gang Leader: (rapping) It ain't just for Mommy, it ain't just for Dad...

Gang: (rapping) All kids like it, and they like it real bad! / Bad, bad, they like it real bad!

Gang Leader: (rapping) So you can't keep 'em in or out of Kellog's Corn Flakes! (closes the door as they leave)

NC: (as the father) Well, you convinced me, son. I am never buying this cereal again.

NC (vo; as the boy): You see, Dad? This is how lame our cereal is; we got these guys for mascots!

NC: At least Toucan Sam never rapped.

(Cut to a 1992 commercial featuring Toucan Sam rapping with a rhino)

Toucan Sam: (rapping) Another Fruit Loops, and...

Rhino: (rapping) And I got great taste like...

Toucan Sam: (rapping) ...Like me, Toucan Sam!

NC: Oh, never mind. This was a...weird time.

NC (vo): I don't even follow. Were these guys just waiting for someone randomly to say they need to be convinced that cornflakes could be eaten by kids, too? Was that, like, their lifelong goal?

(Cut to a skit showing the rappers' gang trudging down the street, with Walter Banasiak playing their leader and Doug carrying the boombox)

Malcolm: I don't get it, man! We've been wandering these streets for years and years? Why are we doing this?

Walter: I told you. One of these days, a grown-up is gonna need convincing that cornflakes aren't for kids, and then, our amazing rap will save the day!

Doug: But why? I just don't get why it's such a big deal.

Walter: (slaps Doug on the cheek) Don't ever question the cornflakes again.

Malcolm: I'm tired and hungry. I haven't eaten since we ate our fourth member.

Doug: I miss Funky Spoon.

Walter: Get it together, guys! Someone's gonna need convincing one of these days, I just know it!

Father (audio): Oh, I see you've got my Kellog's Corn Flakes again. And I'm afraid you'd have to come up with a pretty convincing argument to get me to change my mind.

(All while it is played, the gang livens up, overhearing this)

Walter: Where's that coming from?!

Malcolm: (pointing offscreen) That house!

Doug: Go!

(They run off. As the audio of the beginning and the ending lines of the rap is heard, we see the caption "One Corn Flakes Rap Later". After this, the gang is shown returning to their previous position)

Doug: (addressing the boy offscreen) Oh, and don't forget: cornflakes are for kids!

(The gang laughs...and breaks down in tears)

Walter: Oh, my God! It finally happened!

Malcolm: After years, we finally did our rap!

Doug: IT'S OVER!!

(The gang cries some more. They eventually calm down)

Walter: I think we wasted our lives.

Doug: There's no "think" about it.

(The commercial plays again)

NC (vo): Totally crazy and dated in all the wrong ways, this is a lame way to wake up to a lame cereal.

Father: Well, that was pretty convincing, son. (laughs as the boy gives him a smug look)

(TV static transitions to NC)

NC: Setup joke about reviewing a nostalgic commercial that's a real commercial here.

(As before, we cut to black to see a commercial or nothing. After some seconds, we return to NC)

NC: Punchline!

Love's Baby Soft

(NC sighs)

NC: Look, if there's anything I wanna leave you with before I take off here, it's that... Commercials can be creepy, commercials can be scary, commercials can made by very disturbed people--

See Also

• Commercial Special
• Return of the Nostalgic Commercials
• Revenge of the Nostalgic Commercials
• Dawn of the Commercials
• Rise of the Commercials
• Conquest of the Commercials
• Battle of the Commercials
• War of the Commercials