Krompf: Cufflinks video
sort of in honor of Del Close Marathon happening
The Del Close Marathon, UCB’s long-form improv festival, is back in NYC. It’s happening right now and I’m missing it. One of my favorite parts of DCM is seeing old indie teams come back.
One of the best indie teams in UCB NY history: Krompf (spelling, as far as I can tell, is arbitrary). Neil Casey, Amey Goerlich, Ryan Karels, Joe Wengert. For years (nearly decades) they would run the Krompf breakfast, in which the team would cook eggs and bacon on stage for the audience and then do an improv set. They’re “only” doing improv this year, which I feel is good for the health of the members (and audience) and the fire codes of the theaters.
But let’s reminisce about ye olden days of UCB with this classic Krompf sketch: “Cufflinks.”
I do love the “bad local commercial” genre, though I think this one has at least three other layers of stuff going on in it. My favorite detail on this particular rewatch is that one cufflinks store brags about using a machine called THE OWL while another brags that all of their cufflinks are cleaned by humans.
One of the comments says it feels like an Adult Swim sketch which is true. I think it’s more Mr. Show DNA, but hey, think whatever you like.
If you like Krompf, watch KEVIN — the Amazon Prime animated series co-created by Joe with his friend/ex-girlfriend Aubrey Plaza, or WIDOW’S BAY, which Neil writes for, or go to the CHAOS BLOOM THEATER in Denver, run by Amey (the third ‘cufflink spouse’ in this vid) or see Ryan Karels’ art on his instagram account (the same account that has the video I posted above).
Plugs
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Amazing!! Thanks Will. Also Will is in this video too as an employee he runs ‘The Owl’!
Thought you’d like to hear that Ryan Karels started Krompf’s set by handing out half a breakfast burrito to someone in the audience, symbolically feeding us all. DCM misses you!