As a long-time fan of both Lasagna Cat and I Think You Should Leave, I can confidently say that the duo behind these brilliant shows have truly come into their own as masterful comedic filmmakers. Their work on these projects showcases an impressive evolution of their craft, building upon the foundations they laid during their time on Lasagna Cat.
As a youngster, I was captivated by the character Garfield, that grumpy cat from the comic strips. There were so many of them I couldn’t get enough! You know, my search for classic Garfield books even took me to Half-Price Books for the first time ever! However, as they say, growing up means leaving behind childish things, and in my case, it led to an obsession with Lasagna Cat. Now, let me guide you through a quirky piece of pop culture that’s more delightful than Odie or having fries with your spooky hamburger…
The series in question is a YouTube venture, initially debuted on January 14, 2008. Each episode, with only one notable exception, adheres to a consistent format. The action commences with a live-action reenactment of a Garfield comic strip, featuring people dressed as the characters. Following the initial comic’s brief appearance on screen, an altered, more dramatic rendition of the comic unfolds. This segment is accompanied by a well-known, iconic soundtrack and features visually intense scenes that expand mundane lines from the original comic into elaborate settings, such as a baseball game or a fantasy video game level.
Instead of ending with a typical Christmas-themed Garfield comic, we have a parody that mimics a viral video featuring our furry friend. In another comic, Garfield sneezes so violently that Jon’s breakfast winds up on him. This is reimagined as a stop-motion skit where a Godzilla-like Garfield’s allergies cause destruction with sausages. To call it absurd would be an understatement. The humor spans from complex parodies like the remake of the Miami Vice pilot to simpler chuckles such as Garfield swiftly turning his head to give a knowing look at the audience.
Over time, I’ve found myself rewatching the amusing Lasagna Cat skits countless times. What stands out about these productions is their distinct personalities, even though they heavily rely on established pop culture elements. It’s important to note that the humor in Lasagna Cat stems from the audience’s prior knowledge of Garfield, Jon Arbuckle, and Odie. Unlike some other instances, these skits don’t rely on parodies of well-known radio tunes. Instead, they use the original versions of songs like Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady.” If handled incorrectly, this approach could have easily devolved into the style of Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg’s work – a collection of references to other art disguised as jokes.
Instead of simply imitating the style of “Disaster Movie,” the “Lasagna Cat” shorts, on the other hand, embody one of Emmett’s powerful lines from the “LEGO Movie” when addressing Lord Business: “People are taking what you did and turning it into something new.” The pairing of the Nine Inch Nails track “Head Like a Hole” with an anxious Jon Arbuckle (not to forget the dark Garfield and Jon staring intently at the camera) is nothing short of hilarious. Even if you’re not familiar with this song, visual jokes like the puzzling crows that dart and screech or Jon Arbuckle sporting a dirty back tattoo are still brilliant. Simultaneously, “Songbird” by Kenny G doesn’t have to be your favorite tune on Spotify in 2023 for the sight of a Garfield butterfly to induce giggles as much as it does unease.
In simpler terms, these shorts have a more engaging connection with Garfield compared to other adult adaptations of kid-friendly characters like Winnie the Pooh horror movies. Early Garfield stories, particularly those featuring a rounder and less human-like Garfield, contained some intriguing images. However, Garfield never possessed the artistic quality of Peanuts, Calvin & Hobbies, or Krazy Kat. Even in its creative prime, it was the catchphrases like “I hate Mondays”, “Big fat hair deal”, and “I never met a lasagna I didn’t like” that resonated with audiences, not the character designs or backgrounds. As the comic progressed, the character actions and settings became increasingly limited. For example, a typical 2004 Garfield daily comic strip might only show Garfield moving from his chair by lifting an arm to use a TV remote once.
Lasagna Cat doesn’t merely combine Garfield with lyrics and images that are surprising or inappropriate, it also amusingly contrasts this cat with visual styles absent from the original cartoon strip. In various ways, Garfield can be found in settings ranging from grainy dial-up internet aesthetics to the monochrome world of silent films, a rough YouTube action video from the late 2000s, and much more. A brief clip can even reimagine a 1987 comic strip by featuring Garfield as a newly discovered creature in its infancy and a stand-in for Jesus Christ within just about 60 seconds. For years, Garfield has been confined to a specific visual style. However, the Lasagna Cat shorts extract humor from transporting this cat to any location that the creators can dream up. A character once limited by a certain comic strip aesthetic is now the inspiration for endless surreal comedic possibilities.
It’s quite remarkable how Lasagna Cat managed to create such insightful adaptations of previously known content, given it first appeared during YouTube’s early days. During this time, YouTube was also home to other notable figures like Neil Cicierega and Jason Steele, who migrated from Newgrounds. However, Smosh and Fred were among the earliest recognized YouTube celebrities. The quality on YouTube was inconsistent from the very beginning. Fortunately, channels like Lasagna Cat demonstrated that exceptional content could thrive in this environment. One of its most significant achievements is proving that such high-quality content could exist so early into YouTube’s lifespan.
Behind the quirky creations like Lasagna Cat and its tributes honoring Jim Davis, the genius minds belong to Fatal Farm, a duo made up of Zachary Johnson and Jeffrey Max. Known for their work on offbeat commercials, this dynamic duo is particularly recognized for their dedication to Lasagna Cat. Max assumed the role of Jon in each episode, while Johnson portrayed the character of Odie.
After Lasagna Cat’s second (and, at present, last) season, the duo shifted their focus to directing the Tim Robinson sketch show I Think You Should Leave. Their work there, whether individually or as a team, highlighted the significant improvement in their skills they had developed during their time on Lasagna Cat. Johnson’s direction of the sketch Detective Crashmore stood out because it accurately portrayed the subtle visual details of classic action movies. The blend of this authenticity with a protagonist who casually says surprising things (“Did he really say that?”) mirrors the humor they created by pairing Garfield with inexplicable imagery and pop music.
During season three, a sketch featuring “monsters in the world” greatly improved thanks to Fatal Farm’s extensive background in working with costumed actors from their time on Lasagna Cat. In their sketches, including Max’s famous Spectrum and Funerals, exceptional comic timing was showcased, a skill they honed during their days on Lasagna Cat. The humor in the Spectrum and Funerals sketch, where numerous bodies fell to the ground, wouldn’t have been nearly as funny if it wasn’t timed so perfectly. This knack for timing was crucial in making the best Lasagna Cat episodes. Notably, when movie posters of Garfield appear in this video set to the Jurassic Park theme, it’s a testament to Fatal Farm’s development over 40 short Lasagna Cat episodes of exceptional comedy filmmaking skills that have since influenced wider culture.
The abilities displayed in maintaining the Lasagna Cat series, even after a lengthy break of nearly a decade, were quite remarkable. Although Fatal Farm secretly produced videos from 2008 to 2017, it wasn’t until February 2017 that we saw 13 new Lasagna Cat episodes. The second season showcased a broader range compared to the first, with longer episodes (some even over an hour) and a darker sense of humor. Death became more prevalent in Lasagna Cat’s storylines, as evidenced by Odie’s trip to Hell following one particularly grim episode. In a way, Lasagna Cat managed to draw dark comedy from giving these comic strip characters a touch of mortality, much like Garfield continues its run indefinitely.
Revisiting the series didn’t lead to repetitive jokes, but instead a refreshing dedication to the novel. The climactic event was marked by an extended surrealist sequence that would impress David Lynch, featuring Jon Arbuckle, a real cat, maggots, and someone giving birth in a public bathroom stall. Unlike lazy pop culture parodies, such as those by Seltzer and Friedberg, which smell of easy choices, Lasagna Cat didn’t conform to these patterns. What other Garfield parody would have the audacity to end with a finale as outrageous as the Phone Sex Survey? Would other YouTube parodies of well-known pop culture characters create secret additional YouTube channels to expand the universe of a single episode? There’s a strong artistic commitment underlying all this weirdness.
Wow, it’s rare to find parodies like “Lasagna Cat” that dare to keep things simple with just animal costumes for Odie and Garfield, unlike many other modern takes on classic characters. Just as in “Hundreds of Beavers,” the static expressions of costumed creatures add to the humor instead of detracting from it, as it might scare others in similar fields. But not the team behind Fatal Farm – they embrace the challenge and use these limited costumes to showcase their bold creativity. The audacity to commit to such simple outfits is a testament to the fresh, unpredictable humor that defines these hilarious shorts. Unlike Garfield in its original comic format, “Lasagna Cat” doesn’t stick to the usual gags and visuals; instead, it exudes an electric energy of comedic surprise.
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2024-10-09 22:15