Althouse: "This is my Milwaukee."

November 21, 2008

"This is my Milwaukee."

"Stay out of Sector 21!"

(Via Metafilter.)

ADDED: More here.

16 comments:

pro said...: I've never been to Milwaukee, but if you Texas'ed this up more and made it about my hometown of Amarillo, it would be pretty believable alternate future.

Black Star would be Pantex.

"You know how trees lose their leaves in the winter right"

"YEEEAAAAAAH"; 11/21/08, 10:56 PM
Wince said...: I enjoyed that video.

It invokes the style of Firesign Theatre's 1970 opus Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers.

On the surface we are introduced to a frivolous meta-world, yet one that is eventually overshadowed by a creeping paranoia both justified and never quite explained.

From the Amazon reviews:

The closest analogy I can think of with listening to Firesign Theatre is catching a radio broadcast from a parallel universe. Their weird, layered tales of sound and fury project the feeling of being allowed a glimpse into another world, another culture, a warped version of our own with people that operate under alien logic and a completely different perception. This is a world where everything is normal to the inhabitants but foreign and nearly incomprehensible to an external eavesdropper - sort of like a shipwrecked Englishman trying to comprehend the language and rituals of the tribesmen on the south pacific island he's been stranded on.

Firesign Theatre often goes beyond simple satire or parody and into a state difficult to define. A brilliantly constructed alternate reality is the best way I can describe it.

Stay out of Sector 21?

They never come up into the hills.

And whatever you do, don't take off your shoes!; 11/21/08, 11:12 PM
a psychiatrist who learned from veterans said...: I had the best time at a conference J&J put on in Milwaukee. They put it on there because as a quick idea it was fairly cheap. Bought a china bowl with a charming early aeroplane motif across from the hotel, found 'Freud, The Mind Of a Moralist' in a downtown old book shop. Saw more nice public statuary honoring the soldiers saving the Union in the Civil War, had dinner in a city club with documents re:same. Found out that the town is home to Jonson Controls which keeps your room temperature automatically neither too hot nor cold. How successfully American Germanic.; 11/21/08, 11:18 PM
sg said...: As a native Milwaukeean, I was pretty disappointed in the video. Sure, there's plenty about Milwaukee and Wisconsin to poke fun at--which I would enjoy.

What bothered me was that there was absolutely nothing in the video to tie it to Milwaukee specifically. No cultural or geographic references. I suspect it was filmed in New York. A few tells:

- subway/surface train (they don't exist in Milwaukee)

- *leecker St. on street sign (= Bleecker St.?)

- Foot bridge looked like something from Central Park

- People playing chess on benches? C'mon, we're talking about Milwaukee!

- No mention of the Holy Trinity of "B"s: beer, bratwurst, and brandy.

- Natives don't pronounce the "i" or "l": it's M'waukee.; 11/21/08, 11:34 PM
RightKlik said...: Funny. This reminds me of my hometown.; 11/22/08, 3:04 AM
KCFleming said...: Looks like an ad for the first few years AO.

(*After Obama); 11/22/08, 7:35 AM
rhhardin said...: It needs a fat guy falling down.; 11/22/08, 7:42 AM
knox said...: It needs a fat guy falling down.

Don't forget the mandatory guy getting hit in the crotch.; 11/22/08, 8:58 AM
Anonymous said...: I'm really confused. This is a joke, right? I live in Milwaukee. I agree with SG -- I don't recognize a single view in the video. And what's this disaster to which the guy with the English accent (this is not what people from Wisconsin sound like!) keeps referring?

Where's the frozen custard? Who needs air conditioning in Wisconsin? What's this "Canning district?"

OK. I'm slow (I'm now at 7:30, so it's becoming more obvious). I guess this is a joke. But they could have strived for some accuracy.; 11/22/08, 9:06 AM
David said...: Tedious--which captures the Milwaukee spirit perfectly.; 11/22/08, 9:16 AM
kjbe said...: I'm with SG and CF, I'm from Milwaukee and don't recognize anything here. Yeah, and what's with this English guy, eh?; 11/22/08, 11:14 AM
Kurt said...: Did anyone manage to catch the thing that flashed up on the screen after the female voice said: "He doesn't know, does he?" I tried to go back and pause several times, but I could never pause at the right moment, and I don't know how to do a single frame advance with youtube videos.; 11/22/08, 11:25 AM
Erich said...: Kurt, here is the text:

"*FACT

Do not remove the M-rotor. Do
not push on the M-rotor in an
attempt to re-seat during spin-up
or cross-spin. In the event of a
successful re-seat, catalogue
"leaks" (real and anticipated)
and jettison all affiliated
personnel. Do not feel upset
or confused -- the reseat was
successful."; 11/22/08, 9:50 PM
Kurt said...: Thanks, Erich! That is quite bizarre. I guess I didn't miss much!; 11/23/08, 10:23 AM
Morganlt said...: It's a viral game. This is the video that introduces the game, or the rabbit hole. It's sort of like a scavenger hunt on the internet. If your interested in joining in on the fun, check out the forums at unfiction.com (search for This Is My Milwaukee); 12/4/08, 2:55 PM
Unknown said...: Huh. A mediocre NY sketch comedy group makes an ELEVEN minute video making fun of "tedious" Milwaukee.
Ironyyyyyyy!

That main guy looks like a penis with ears.

(I like Milwaukee.); 12/4/08, 3:29 PM