Jan 9 2008'Witless Protection' Trailer, AKA, Larry the Cable Guy Does Another Job
Even more upsetting than the idea that Larry the Cable Guy is popular enough to warrant a feature film is sad fact that this will be his third--and at the horribly alarming rate of one a year.
For the first film, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, he was kind enough to remind us that, although he would be playing a health inspector, this would still be our classic Cable Guy character. But audiences are maturing, and in this outing, in a showing of good faith, he simply calls the character "Deputy Larry". We're left to search for clues (sleeveless shirt, trucker hat, exact same f***ing schtick as always) to determine that this is--thank god--our beloved cable installer.
In line with this newfound confidence in his audience, the comedy takes a similarly drastic rise in intelligence. Whether Larry is mistaking the question "Are you insane?" for an inquiry to his name (his name is not "Insane" it turns out; it's Larry), stuffing a corn cob in an exhaust pipe, or being cavity-searched by airport security (topical!), it's clear that our cable guy has been studying humor from as far back as vaudeville to as modern as Leno, and nothing in between.
Why is anyone willing to buy into so many layers of fiction for this guy? I can't even imagine. Bear in mind, this is not the third starring film for Dan Whitney, but rather the third in a series of roles for his catchphrase spewing alter ego. (Larry so succeeds as an artist that he needs to meta-act to fully realize his potential.) No one is writing movies where Chandler from Friends takes on a new profession each year, yet it's just as ludicrous of a concept.
Worse yet, it's not even LCG writing these things; independent, yet clearly defective, people write these for him, a career I can only equate to assembling the launch buttons for atom bombs. Not since Ernest has an idiot playing an idiot playing an idiot been so strangely existent, and I hope it never is again.
Thanks for the tip, Kyle.
Reader Comments
1. The Moat - January 9, 2008 12:58 PM
"...it's clear that our cable guy has been studying humor from as far back as vaudeville to as modern as Leno, and nothing in between."
Given the tailpipe gag, perhaps we should include Beverley Hills Cop?
2. Kyle - January 9, 2008 1:04 PM
The best part of the "corn in the tailpipe gag" is that the next cut shows a car blowing up. I wonder how many Kent- um, kids, will attempt this just to see a car explode. Also, how many "tools in butts" scenes can we expect in the future?
3. mgroves - January 9, 2008 1:12 PM
LtCG is a modern Ray Stevens.
4. EPB - January 9, 2008 3:05 PM
This sad part is that it will probably be as successful as the cg chipmunks
5. Sisco - January 9, 2008 3:09 PM
The worst part is how many kids slash stupid fucking Americans who see this and don't realize it's a completely different car that blows up.
6. Wendy - January 9, 2008 3:34 PM
Thanks for the in depth break down on a career that has baffled me for some time.
Should we start taking bets on what job he will have next year?
7. Composer - January 9, 2008 5:13 PM
Next year he'll be back as a janit.... custodian perhaps? I like the list of high quality actors they name off at the end in the trailer, I kept saying to myself oh yeah that guy.
8. Mike - January 10, 2008 11:50 AM
You'd think he'd play a cable guy in a movie for once...
9. Lenny - January 10, 2008 12:41 PM
You'd think he'd play a cable guy in a movie for once...
I know right!!
The irony.