Sep 14, 2008

On Video: Tina Fey, "Jesus Is My Friend" and Very Bad Church Dancing


This week on video: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
FIRST: the role Tina Fey was born to play.



SECOND
The Sonseeds an early 1980s band, resurface via viral video. You could call them cheeky Christian ska ... or if Elvis Costello and Donny Osmond tried to evangelize a bowling alley ...



LASTLY, and very unfortunate: This what you get when you combine church music, sexual confusion and Janet Jackson.



Aw, snap. Yes you DID SEE THAT

11 comments:

Madley said...

Wonder what the "jesus is my friend" guy is doing now...

What a hoot these all were!

Steve said...

I used to think the 70's was the decade to avoid. I tell my student that I survived it once, please don't make me live it again.

But now the 80's have replace the 70's for kitsch.

Steve in Central CA

Susan Isaacs said...

Yes, Steve, the 80s have indeed surpassed the 70s for kitsch. Ironically, 'kitsch' was dictionary.com's Word Of The Day. I think it's from the German word for "Very Bad Taste."

Anonymous said...

I just had to send my Pastor those videos! We were talking about a Praise Band on Sunday. Thought he could use a good laugh.

Kimberly said...

It has indeed been a good week for videos!

I actually saw a link to a supposed interview with the "Jesus is My Friend" - if I can find it again I'll post it.

Lisa Wheeler Milton said...

You gave us a good giggle. Is it wrong that my kids are imitating Mr. Sonseed now?

Susan Isaacs said...

Not at all, Lisa. Imitating mr sonseed is better than imitating britney. Or, well, the renewed mind guys. jesus is my friend sticks with you, regardless!!

Lace Collar Wren said...

wow. um, the combination of these three videos? Slightly blowing my mind. Tina Fey can come have dinner at my house any time, the Sonseed people may have paved the way for the fun Christian ska that came out in the late 80's and early 90's...but that last video? Funny and then really sad. At least to me.

I have a theory - I'm sure lots of other people have thought this too - that at least until the popularity of karaoke in America there was no other venue for musical expression besides for mega-talented or -connected people. If I loved (and needed) to sing, then chances are I would be drawn to a religious setting and perhaps not question too closely how my innermost heart and the dogma/teachings/message of the church cleaved or clashed.

I consoled myself after watching that last video by imagining the darkly comic and wholly fictitious movie that provides the whole backstory to that trio and the ways their lives morphed after they "made it big." Two of the three left Christianity for a while (one of them made it back)and neither one of the women ever wore royal blue again. I don't know why I felt better after thinking this, but I did.

Susan Isaacs said...

Ah, Jennifer. Yes, that's probably true about life before karaoke. I know one gal who joined a choir just to sing. And you're right, even if I don't like the theology of some places, sometimes I just go for the music.

I love your imagination. I can see your story in my head. And I'm cringing to think where they went after that. Oh the humanity ...

Lori said...

Yes, the combination of those three videos is blowing my mind too. I love love love "Jesus is my friend" (saw it on bestweekever last week) and that last one? I'm not sure what to say.

TCissna said...

Hi Susan - Have you seen THIS?

Watch it and weep: http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=11713

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