Fact: At 4:07, 4:19 and 5:55 (close-up) of the following video,
Dwight Schrute from "The Office" is standing next to Harry Belafonte during
Quincy Jones’ iconic "We Are the World" Super Group benefit video.
Don’t worry. I’ve confirmed this. I emailed Dwight myself. And he related the following information, quoted directly …
Fact: Harry Belefonte smells funny after a night of partying.
Fact: That’s not Cyndi Lauper’s real hair color.
Fact: I was not the only one wondering why Huey Lewis was there. Willie Nelson gave me a knowing glance.
Fact: Dionne Warwick tried to give me a Psychic Friends reading.
Fact: Huey Lewis didn’t know who James Ingram was, either. Huey’s off the hook.
Fact: Bruce Springsteen was just a little too into his singing part. (Editor’s Note: Dwight Shrute says he is convinced that Bruce was the most-sober performer — and since Dwight Schrute was fully sober, Dwight Shrute could definitely have taken him that night in a battle of martial arts.)
Fact: Kim Carnes paid money to be included. Money wasted.
Dwight Schrute started to ramble after that. Something about how he thinks Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder are faking their ‘blindness’ to bump up record sales. “Everyone knows people open their wallets for the ‘handicapped’,”; he said. Anyway, I present the evidence:
Hunter’s right, Schruute doesn’t look like Ackroyd. For one thing, Ackroyd had better, bigger hair. I had forgotten about that video and song as well. It’s like a one shot, 7 minute trip back to the 80’s. I had forgotten that Journey’s Steve Perry was in that. Musically I like it, but now that I’m no longer among “the children” I see it as a bunch of self-righteous lefties pretentiously crooning for One World. No. Thanks.
Okay, I’m going to look like the rube amidst the sophisticates, but this video really stunned me. I haven’t seen it in years. The talent on display is impressive. Perfect timing and big voices. I loved it. Okay, commence the hating! And by the way, Dan Ackroyd DID NOT look like Dwight Schrute.
Thanks, Sam. What inspired this was two things:
1. My wife and I have been watching a lot of Office re-runs lately. Fact: It’s the go-to on the Tivo when nothing else is on. Fact: It is ridiculous that Rainn Wilson has not won an Emmy for his performance as Dwight Schrute.
2. My wife stumbled across the “Do They Know It’s Christmas” video on YouTube last night. That song and video is even worse. Bono wails out something like: “Thank God it’s them, instead of yoooooooouuuuuuu!” By that, Bono meant: Thank God you’re not starving in Africa like all those brown people in Ooogla-Boogla … or wherever. Why, yes, Bono. I’m very grateful I was born where I was. Thanks for the reminder, though.
Even the song’s title is painfully patronizing. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Yeah. Probably. Especially since Christianity is pretty prominent on the Dark Continent after at least a century of missionary work. That kind of song would never be written today. It’s embarrassing. And the video is worse, with the focus on the “hot” band of the moment … Bananarama.
Jim this is absolutely hilarious. I don’t know what’s funnier: Mr. Schrute’s comments or the video itself. I hadn’t seen the video in years, and it beautifully reminds me of an important truth: “hip” rock and rollers are the corniest and most absurd people in the world.
Springsteen in particular is a real wheeze here–his self-importance is truly spectacular. I’ve always thought him one of the inadvertently funniest people in the world, and this video is a vivid reminder of what an unintentional comic genius he is.