These days, it is really hard to find comedy that is intelligent as it is entertaining. That kind of comedy seems to only exist in late night shows such as The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and the occasional Saturday Night Live skit. It is not that hard to be a novelty act, especially in this day and age. It IS hard to write material that keeps your audience wanting more. That is precisely why the work from the new sketch comedy team Temple Horses is such a breath of fresh air. The team, created by funny men Ryan E. Hoffman and Nick Ruggia, releases sketch comedy videos that are both culturally relevant and 'spill juice on your good pants' hilarious. What is especially cool about the team is that it was co-founded by men of many crafts. Both Hoffman and Ruggia write and star in all their own sketches along with other comedic friends. While their humor is not exactly safe for work, it is in fact smart and clever, and will leave you wanting more. Their most recent sketch comedy installment, "Around the Horn: Gun Control Edition," is accurate evidence of this.
The sketch is another parody episode of ESPN's television show Around the Horn, and was released on YouTube earlier on Wednesday. The sketch revolves around the issue of gun control. It features a "debate" about Chris Kaman's comment concerning people's rights when it comes to gun control.
Similar to their past sketches, this one features Hoffman, Ruggia, and some of their other talented friends as the various commentators. The sketch features impersonations of sportswriters voicing their opinions about Kaman's comment. Unfortunately, nobody seems to actually know who Chris Kaman is and, like on real television, they say whatever ridiculous thing pops into their minds even if it does not make any real sense. The commentators include a very enthusiastic Tim Cowlishaw who is fond of changing costumes, Kevin Blackistone as the token whose volume gets turned down whenever the camera pans to him, a confused Woody Paige, a chatty Bill Plaschke, and Jay Marriotti trying to escape from prison. Tony Reali, played by Jonathan Wexler, leads the pack with various witty comments about himself and his hair. It made me almost want to watch the real show.
The only thing stopping me is that I do not watch ESPN, but this sketch made a really argument for why I should. As amusing as the entire thing is, the strength of the sketch lies within its realism. Ever since the Sandy Hook tragedy, the issue of gun control has been a hot topic in the news. Due to its complex nature, it is a topic that is a huge breeding ground for irrelevant comments and stupid discussion. In other words, because nobody has a sound solution for how to prevent more shootings while still allowing Americans to exercise their rights, people just say whatever feels right at the time. That said, while this sketch is certainly an exaggeration, it definitely captures the essence of the media's attitude towards talking about gun control. I applaud Temple Horses for their ability to portray subtle realism while still making me fall off my chair laughing. That is NOT an exaggeration and I have the bruise to prove it. The sketches the Temple Horses produces are proof that smart comedy is not a dead art form. I predict only good things for Temple Horses down the road, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for the world next.
Don't believe me? See for yourself! Watch the sketch here:
You can also follow Temple Horses on twitter at @TempleHorses, "Like" them on Facebook, or check out their website www.templehorses.com for more.