I can kind of see why Tom Hanks didn’t want to play David S. Pumpkins at first. He’s kind of like the bargain basement type of character that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless you’re going for a cheap fright preceded by a giant question mark as to why he’s even in the skit. There’s some humor to it to be sure but overall he’s kind of a goofy character which, for Hanks, is not completely out of the norm but at the same time is not what you would expect to see him as. In truth the entire skit is kind of silly.
At this point I’m wondering why SNL can’t go back to some of the slapstick that they used to excel at in the days of Belushi, Akroyd, Chase, Murphy, Murray, and so many others. Back then the laughs were almost always genuine and the material was edgy but still in the borders of good taste. It’s obvious that those actors won’t be coming back anytime soon, and that the current cast is just flat out funny, but I have to wonder just what the writers are thinking at this point when they think of comedy. Has it really become so high brow that we can’t have a few simple gags and laughs that aren’t geared towards a more discerning audience?
Even back in the days of Spade, Farley, Meyers, and many others there was the type of comedy that was far more in your face and even mildly disturbing. It was a bit much at times and went over the top but it was genuinely funny. It’s a sign of how the show has changed with the times obviously that the comedy is now something so dry and cautious that they can’t do anything that would offend anyone any longer. It’s kind of sad really that David S. Pumpkins would get so many laughs when in truth the character isn’t really that funny. And the worst thing he does? He slaps the skeletons on the rump, with sound effects to make it sound even better.
David S. Pumpkins is, in my opinion, a wannabe character trying hard to be something that he’s not, which is entertaining. I happen to like Tom Hanks, but not this character. And yet a lot of people seem to be going nuts for David S. Pumpkins, and some are even planning on portraying him this Halloween. This is where the lemming, or sheep theory comes in. People will tend to go wherever they’re led. It doesn’t matter if they’re told to jump off a cliff for their beliefs, they will do it. Thankfully following David S. Pumpkins is more like following the leader through something as exciting as a pencil-making factory, but it’s still just as pointless.
Yes America, the comedy that so many think is great is about as stimulating as a talk about how to make a writing implement, and you’re hooked without even knowing it.
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