Credit where it's due: fourfour as you know it would be radically different were it not for the work of Derrick Beckles, the trash maestro behind TV Carnage. His Casual Fridays visual mixtape of fucked-up TV and movie clips strung together with savant-like attention and witty free association gave me a tangible sense of how much fun you could have and entertainment you could provide with video-editing. The only thing that came close to influencing me as much, outside of the work of Russ Meyer (which, I hope, permeates everything I do, not just the frenetic editing) is TVgasm's supercut of Julie Chen's "But first..."s (simply put, it showed me the joy in repetition). I'd argue that not only would this blog look different were it not for Beckles, but the Internet would in general -- his diabolical scavenging defined an essential online sensibility.
While TV Carnage certainly has a web presence (alongside the Street Boners of Gavin McInnes, who similarly influenced so much bandwidth of hipster-fashion discourse with his "DOs and DON'Ts" in Vice), ironically, it is in long form and on DVD that Beckles truly shines. Let's Work It Out!!!, his reel of work-out video footage, is his masterpiece. The thesis of the reel is delivered by an introductory clip: "If you're expecting another tedious how-to instructional tape, you're in for an entertaining surprise. So, whether you're here to learn, or just to look, stay with us and let us show you how to pump it." Over the next 70 minutes, Beckles teases the entertaining ridiculousness out of the exercise-video genre in all of its self-affirming, ab-busting, career-desperate, porn-star starring, homoerotic, "buttocks"-saying glory. As a formal exercise, things rarely come this lowbrow/brilliant. Beckles creates instant memes (Cher telling her backup exercisers to shut up because she likes the song that's coming on is used a handful of times to introduce particularly dreadful music) and mashes up sound bites to maximize hilarity ("Kill yourself...and keep on jammin'!"). Along the way is plenty of fake-rap ("My name is Brooklyn and I've perfected / The way to get big things erected"), woeful attempts at fitness by the out-of-shape and in (Traci Lords!), and hot dogs, hot dogs, hot dogs. My only complaints regard the use of footage from sources that aren't workout tapes (like Saved by the Bell and Perfect: commit entirely to your formal exercise or you'll never build your creative muscle to its maximum potential!) and the redundant commentary track included on the DVD. The medium is the mocking!
But these are minor qualms. Let's Work It Out!!! is art. Nobody does this stuff better than Beckles and more people need to realize this. (You can buy it at the TV Carnage store.) As a small sample of what to expect, check out this extra feature that someone (not me!) uploaded to YouTube of Jazzercise's Judi Sheppard Missett being a maniac:
Stuff like this is what keeps me going. Even in '11, Jazzercise still is a wonderful motivator.
My God, it's Kristen Wiig.
Posted by: John | January 13, 2011 at 06:08 PM
John - you beat me to it! As soon as she was singing along, and moving her body awkwardly, I realized... Kristen Wiig studied this video for hours - and she owes her career to this. And I mean that with affection, as Kristen Wiig (and maybe Keenan Thompson) are about the only things that get my laughs on SNL anymore.
Posted by: Michael | January 13, 2011 at 10:49 PM
OMG I thought I was going to be so original (there are only two comments how many of them could be about Kristin Wiig?). But yes she is exactly like Kristin Wiig except she is real. Crazytown.
Posted by: chasgoose | January 14, 2011 at 11:13 AM
I assume you've already seen this, but IRREGARDLESS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ea5xaIokcA&feature=related
Posted by: PR | January 14, 2011 at 02:14 PM
DYING at that video.
Posted by: Andy S. aka 'O' | January 14, 2011 at 04:21 PM
I may have to buy this as I'm a big fan of working out at home and fitness exercise DVD's. I shudder to admit this but I even OWNED that Cher video you mention. It was predictably terrible so I probably worked out to it only once but I still remember Cher telling her flunkies to shut up for her favorite songs. Which I think were frequently hers.
Someone tried to loan me a Jazzercise video but, well, you saw that chick. Who could work out to all of that? I suppose this is irrelevant but her form on some of those moves is also titanically poor. I hope he included some clips of Richard Simmons doing his "sizzle" move.
Oh God, I'm so embarrassed I know all of this.
Posted by: Vanessa M | January 14, 2011 at 04:33 PM
Utterly mesmerizing. I can only guess the level of rapture you felt as you watched this.
You're all gifted, kindred spirits.
Posted by: spazmo | January 15, 2011 at 08:11 AM
Judi Shepherd Missett: Still a maniac, now with heaps of plastic surgery.
Posted by: Dell | January 18, 2011 at 12:47 AM
But first.... I just want to point out that when I was about 8 my mom used to get this mom of a kid in my class to watch me after school - she was a platinum blonde Jazzercise instructor, who once taught our third grade class a routine to "2 Legit 2 Quit", and I used to have to play with her awful and nerdy son while she taught classes.
He's all grown up now and lives in a communal living space in Oakland and runs around trying to keep the man at bay, preaching about oppression and writing blog posts about how he spent 15 days in silent meditation. He used the word "reflection" a lot.
Conclusion: This stuff is dangerous.
Posted by: Amiee | January 18, 2011 at 07:03 AM
She's a skeleton! A really perky, whimsical skeleton!
Posted by: kdub | January 18, 2011 at 09:52 PM
OMG it's even better than the cowboy hiphop. I have no idea who that lady is but she frightens me.
Posted by: bert | January 19, 2011 at 06:12 AM
oh jesus, i had that cher tape too.
Posted by: sfgirl76 | January 19, 2011 at 04:21 PM
I need this on DVD, it might make me actually want to exercise.
Posted by: Lauren | January 19, 2011 at 04:57 PM
this is absolutely magnificent.
must buy DVD nao
Posted by: Matt | January 19, 2011 at 09:33 PM
I think you are right when you say this. Hats off man, what a superlative knowledge you have on this subject…hope to see more work of yours.
Posted by: Health Blog | January 26, 2011 at 05:54 AM
OMG - we HAD this at my house when i was growing up! i wouldn't be surprised if my mom STILL has it somewhere. so funny! i distinctly recall that whole coffee routine.
Posted by: ali | January 26, 2011 at 01:48 PM
The poster rocks! great one!
Posted by: kate welsh | April 06, 2011 at 11:04 PM
I would recommend this to my friends who needs to have this workout.
She really needs this for her own good to achive healthy and fit body.
Posted by: kids work out video | April 11, 2011 at 12:16 AM
You rock! haha..whimsical skeleton!
Posted by: Rugged Maniac | July 12, 2011 at 10:57 PM
Здравствуйте рекомендую Всем сайт, на нем Вы найдете громадную коллекцию фильмов, всех жанров и направлений новые фильмы 2010-2011 года торрент
. Ежечасные обновления, старые, документальные, отечественные и зарубежные фильмы всех жанров. Рай для киноманов. Только лучшее, только для Вас!!!
Posted by: Steangetype | October 06, 2011 at 04:20 AM