What did MST3K introduce you to?

Sketch/comedy writing!

Well, it didn’t technically introduce me to it, but jeez what a clinic.

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It introduced me to a lot of character actors/actresses that were in movies long before my time. And now when I see them on Perry Mason or Twilight Zone or others shows from way back when, I can say, “I know who that is”!

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It introduced me to Bruno VeSota, who may be my favorite MST3K repeat offender (and in the most MST3K episodes too). He was so good in every role, even if the movie was terrible. For example, I genuinely felt for him when he discovered his wife cheating on him in Attack of the Giant Leeches. He really sold me on it. I’m convinced he didn’t get better roles because of his weight.

image

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Rock climbing.

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I think it got me into reading criticism in a big way. Like riffing, media criticism sounds like negativity or nitpicky complaining when you describe it, but it ultimately stems from seeing media as worthy of thinking and talking about. Basically, it taught me to be active instead of passive in the way I approach media; that recognizing flaws doesn’t mean you have to be a drag or that you can’t have a wholesome love of the imperfect or goofy.

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Luckily I got a bit of that in my high school sophomore satire class… great stuff. I think far more of ‘fandom’ could use a take on it like that.

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I was in my thirties when the original series aired, so I’d already been exposed to a lot. I guess it showed me how to enjoy and appreciate bad movies.

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80s beer GIF

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I agree. I loved him in Leeches but he was equally good in Daddy-O.

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Mystery Science Theater 3000 introduced me to the most useful word in the entire English language:

Dickweed.

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Oh - and Steve Allen thought of it first.

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The magic of educational shorts. I’ve always loved the episodes that had shorts prior to the main film they were riffing on.

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Other people who love B- (and lower) grade movies.

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Hamdingers.

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Nobody wants to be introduced to Hamdingers.

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The Hamlet episode was where I first learned about Ricardo Montalban. I was 15 years old and had never gotten into Star Trek, so his name was nowhere near my awareness in the late '90s. But I figured he must be some kind of big star for the show to be making all those jokes about him, so I started checking out his stuff.

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The other side of that is that the voice probably isn’t Ricardo Montalban. It’s probably his brother Carlos, who sounds a lot like him and did a lot of voice work. That doesn’t change your motivation for finding out more about Ricardo, of course.

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Ah yes of course, the Chest of Fine Corinthian Leather, precedes Mr Rourke around every corner.

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I’m right there with ya. It’s a bad term!

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The term “snicker-snag.”

Not that it’s info I needed, but still.

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