theme song

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(that's a montage)
(do you make butt at your current job?)
(includes 26 intermediate revisions)
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{{aboutemail}}{{forshort|Theme Song Video}}
 
{{sbenav|155}}
{{sbenav|155}}
[[Image:sbemail155.png|thumb|The email-checkinest guy in the land]]
[[Image:sbemail155.png|thumb|The email-checkinest guy in the land]]
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 +
{{aboutemail}}{{forshort|Theme Song Video}}{{for|the intro video|Intro}}
Strong Bad explains why his email show doesn't have an official theme song.
Strong Bad explains why his email show doesn't have an official theme song.
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</blockquote>
</blockquote>
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''{Strong Bad pronouces "Shaheen" as "Shaheeeeen", and lens flares and a sound effect appear over the name. He pronounces the location as "on-ta-REE-oh, cah-nah-DAH" (as though with a Mexican accent)}''
+
''{Strong Bad pronounces "Shaheen" as "Shaheeeeen", and lens flares and a sound effect appear over the name. He pronounces the location as "on-ta-REE-oh, cah-nah-DAH" (as though with a Mexican accent)}''
'''STRONG BAD:''' Oooh, a little south of the border flavor. ''{typing}'' Dear Supper Bag, It bugs ''me'' how your face doesn't have a not tons of acne. If it did have a not tons of acne, ''you'' would be a whole lot cooler.
'''STRONG BAD:''' Oooh, a little south of the border flavor. ''{typing}'' Dear Supper Bag, It bugs ''me'' how your face doesn't have a not tons of acne. If it did have a not tons of acne, ''you'' would be a whole lot cooler.
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He's got two brothers and The Cheat, his pet. The Cheat, his pet!!!<br/>
He's got two brothers and The Cheat, his pet. The Cheat, his pet!!!<br/>
-
''{"STRONG BAD" appears on the screen as the name is sung. Strong Bad types with boxing gloves on. Lappy flies into the screen, showing an email from punkkid87.}''
+
''{"STRONG BAD" appears on the screen as the name is sung. Strong Bad types on a keyboard with boxing gloves on. Lappy flies into the screen, showing an email from punkkid87.}''
<blockquote class="lappy email" style="background-image:none">
<blockquote class="lappy email" style="background-image:none">
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The memory's scrubbing you down! ''{fades}''
The memory's scrubbing you down! ''{fades}''
-
''{The music fades out and a clip montage starts, as Strong Bad's voiceover begins. Strong Bad is shown drinking a mix of coffee and a "COLDSON Lite" from a novelty drinking hat in the basement with The Cheat and Strong Sad; he floats in space; he looks up from typing on his laptop and throws a stack of paper in the air.}''
+
''{The music fades out and a clip montage starts, as Strong Bad's voiceover begins. Strong Bad is shown drinking a mix of coffee and a "COLDSON Lite" from a novelty drinking hat in the basement with The Cheat and Strong Sad; he floats in space; he looks up from typing on the Lappy and throws a stack of paper in the air.}''
'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{voiceover}'' And of course the best clips they show are from the un-aired pilot that you'll never see.
'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{voiceover}'' And of course the best clips they show are from the un-aired pilot that you'll never see.
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Memory scrubbing you down! ''{fade out}''
Memory scrubbing you down! ''{fade out}''
-
''{The final shot shows Strong Bad in a tank before the clip montage fades out to "created by Lem Sportsinterviews".}''
+
''{The final shot shows Strong Bad in a tank with the Strong Badian emblem on the side in a desert. He turns the barrel towards the camera before the clip montage fades out to "created by Lem Sportsinterviews".}''
'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{voiceover}'' And just when you think you finally get to start watching some of the actual show, now you get to watch a commercial!
'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{voiceover}'' And just when you think you finally get to start watching some of the actual show, now you get to watch a commercial!
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'''COMMERCIAL GUY 1:''' A shady online degree is just four clicks away at CGNU online e-niversity.
'''COMMERCIAL GUY 1:''' A shady online degree is just four clicks away at CGNU online e-niversity.
-
''{Four cursors appear. Cut to a wooden wall. A set of college flags appear.}''
+
''{Four cursors appear. Cut to a wooden wall. A set of college pennants appear.}''
'''COMMERCIAL GUY 1:''' Most colleges take four years to complete.
'''COMMERCIAL GUY 1:''' Most colleges take four years to complete.
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*The line "Check back after all the bowl games" on CGNU's website is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Bowl game|bowl games]] in American [[Wikipedia:College football|college football]].
*The line "Check back after all the bowl games" on CGNU's website is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Bowl game|bowl games]] in American [[Wikipedia:College football|college football]].
*In the final credits, the credits for "Best Grip" and "Key Boy" are reversed versions of  standard film credits [[Wikipedia:Best boy|best boy]] and [[Wikipedia:Key grip|key grip]].
*In the final credits, the credits for "Best Grip" and "Key Boy" are reversed versions of  standard film credits [[Wikipedia:Best boy|best boy]] and [[Wikipedia:Key grip|key grip]].
 +
*One of the degrees that CGNU e-Niversity offers is Matt's Communications, a [[portmanteau]] of [[Matt]] and [[Wikipedia:Mass communication|Mass Communications]], a degree that is offered at many colleges.
===Trivia===
===Trivia===
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**This show was filmed in front of a live studio audience.
**This show was filmed in front of a live studio audience.
**Soundtrack available as Cheap as Free Records
**Soundtrack available as Cheap as Free Records
-
*The website for CGNU (http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.edu/) does not exist, as only actual educational institutions can register .edu addresses. However, a fan has registered http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.com/, and recreated the page seen in the email; the list of degrees can be found by clicking on the exclamation point after "website Coming Soon(ish)"
+
*The website for CGNU (http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.edu/) does not exist, as only actual educational institutions can register .edu addresses. However, a fan registered http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.com/, and recreated the page seen in the email; the list of degrees could be found by clicking on the exclamation point after "website Coming Soon(ish)". The domain has since expired.
-
*"We'll be right back with more Strong Bad Email" is voiced by [[Jackie Chapman]], as revealed in the DVD commentary.
+
*"We'll be right back with more Strong Bad Emails" is voiced by [[Jackie Chapman]], as revealed in the DVD commentary.
*The summary for the [[Podstar Runner]] RSS feed read, "Yeah, how come Strong Bad's email show doesn't have a theme song?"
*The summary for the [[Podstar Runner]] RSS feed read, "Yeah, how come Strong Bad's email show doesn't have a theme song?"
 +
*The [[YouTube]] description for this email is "Strong Bad tries to explain why his email show doesn't have a theme song."
===Remarks===
===Remarks===
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*The Cheat wears [[Cool Shades|cool shades]] during the first theme song.
*The Cheat wears [[Cool Shades|cool shades]] during the first theme song.
*The four characters of Three is 4 Tonite all have the same faces but different hair styles that were apparently added on to the original photo.
*The four characters of Three is 4 Tonite all have the same faces but different hair styles that were apparently added on to the original photo.
-
*Even though he is the Cheat's best friend, this is the first time Strong Mad is mentioned in a Powered By The Cheat.
+
*Even though he is The Cheat's best friend, this is the first time Strong Mad is mentioned in a Powered By The Cheat.
*If the shots in the "Neville" theme song version are from the unaired pilot it would mean that Strong Bad had the [[Lappy 486]] before he had the [[Tandy 400]].
*If the shots in the "Neville" theme song version are from the unaired pilot it would mean that Strong Bad had the [[Lappy 486]] before he had the [[Tandy 400]].
*'Kansattica' where Senor Cardgage can legally prescribe marriages is a [[portmanteau]] of Kansas and Attica, a reference to Attica, KS, a small town in south-central Kansas about 60 miles southwest of Wichita.  It may also refer to Attica, a region in Greece.
*'Kansattica' where Senor Cardgage can legally prescribe marriages is a [[portmanteau]] of Kansas and Attica, a reference to Attica, KS, a small town in south-central Kansas about 60 miles southwest of Wichita.  It may also refer to Attica, a region in Greece.
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*Strong Bad's head pokes into the Powered By The Cheat preview when the preview squeezes into the screen.
*Strong Bad's head pokes into the Powered By The Cheat preview when the preview squeezes into the screen.
*When Strong Bad's portrait fades in and out of the screen during the ballad theme song, parts of his mask can be seen through his forehead diamond. (This is caused when two non-merged Flash objects are faded at the same time, indicating Strong Bad's diamond is actually a separate object to his mask.)
*When Strong Bad's portrait fades in and out of the screen during the ballad theme song, parts of his mask can be seen through his forehead diamond. (This is caused when two non-merged Flash objects are faded at the same time, indicating Strong Bad's diamond is actually a separate object to his mask.)
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*The Lappy's screen is a bit brighter during the 2nd theme song.
 
===Inside References===
===Inside References===
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*The "[[Action Cool 5|Action Cool News 5]]" logo, in the lower right hand corner at the end of the email, and the "Incredibly Local News", are references to [[local news]].
*The "[[Action Cool 5|Action Cool News 5]]" logo, in the lower right hand corner at the end of the email, and the "Incredibly Local News", are references to [[local news]].
*In the end credits, it lists the director as Hot Tub T, a reference to [[dangeresque 3]].
*In the end credits, it lists the director as Hot Tub T, a reference to [[dangeresque 3]].
-
*The second theme song mentions [[robots]].
+
*The second theme song mentions [[robots]], as well as "[[X it out|sharin' and carin' it out]]".
*This is another instance of [[Not X]].
*This is another instance of [[Not X]].
*Biscuit Gravy University references [[biscuits]] and [[gravy]].
*Biscuit Gravy University references [[biscuits]] and [[gravy]].
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** The font and style of "created by Lem Sportsinterviews" (yellow [[Wikipedia:Cooper Black|Cooper Black]] letters on a completely black background) is a reference to the closing credits of ''[[Wikipedia:Cheers|Cheers]]''.
** The font and style of "created by Lem Sportsinterviews" (yellow [[Wikipedia:Cooper Black|Cooper Black]] letters on a completely black background) is a reference to the closing credits of ''[[Wikipedia:Cheers|Cheers]]''.
*** The font and style of the rest of the opening credits, however, is another reference to ''[[Wikipedia:Family Ties|Family Ties]]'', which used a similar font ([http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/tango/ Tango]) in its opening credits.
*** The font and style of the rest of the opening credits, however, is another reference to ''[[Wikipedia:Family Ties|Family Ties]]'', which used a similar font ([http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/tango/ Tango]) in its opening credits.
-
**The scene with Strong Bad in an astronaut suit is a reference to the closing credits of the Muppet Babies cartoons. In the cartoon, Kermit and Piggy are both in the same looking astronaut suits and in the same pose as Strong Bad.
+
**The scene with Strong Bad in an astronaut suit is a reference to the closing credits of the [[The Muppets|Muppet Babies]] cartoons. In the cartoon, Kermit and Piggy are both in the same looking astronaut suits and in the same pose as Strong Bad.
*Strong Bad in front of the side brick wall of Bubs' Concession Stand in the closing credits refers to Jerry Seinfeld's ending stand-up comedy segment of episodes of ''[[Wikipedia:Seinfeld|Seinfeld]]''. The credit "based on the comedy stylings of Little Strong Bad" also refers to this and other programs starring comics.
*Strong Bad in front of the side brick wall of Bubs' Concession Stand in the closing credits refers to Jerry Seinfeld's ending stand-up comedy segment of episodes of ''[[Wikipedia:Seinfeld|Seinfeld]]''. The credit "based on the comedy stylings of Little Strong Bad" also refers to this and other programs starring comics.
* "Probably sung by some variety of Neville" refers to [[Wikipedia:The Neville Brothers|The Neville Brothers]], a group of soul singers.  The most famous Neville brother, [[Wikipedia:Aaron Neville|Aaron Neville]], has a distinctive vibrato that has inspired many parodies throughout pop culture.
* "Probably sung by some variety of Neville" refers to [[Wikipedia:The Neville Brothers|The Neville Brothers]], a group of soul singers.  The most famous Neville brother, [[Wikipedia:Aaron Neville|Aaron Neville]], has a distinctive vibrato that has inspired many parodies throughout pop culture.
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*''[[Wikipedia:The Golden Girls|The Golden Girls]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Family Ties|Family Ties]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Perfect Strangers (TV series)|Perfect Strangers]]'', ''[[Looney Tunes|The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:The Tom and Jerry Show (1975)|The Tom and Jerry Show]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Growing Pains|Growing Pains]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Cheers|Cheers]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Everybody Loves Raymond|Everybody Loves Raymond]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Home Improvement|Home Improvement]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Seinfeld|Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Charles in Charge|Charles in Charge]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Tiny Toon Adventures|Tiny Toon Adventures]]'', and ''[[Wikipedia:Coach (TV series)|Coach]]'' are all television programs.
*''[[Wikipedia:The Golden Girls|The Golden Girls]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Family Ties|Family Ties]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Perfect Strangers (TV series)|Perfect Strangers]]'', ''[[Looney Tunes|The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:The Tom and Jerry Show (1975)|The Tom and Jerry Show]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Growing Pains|Growing Pains]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Cheers|Cheers]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Everybody Loves Raymond|Everybody Loves Raymond]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Home Improvement|Home Improvement]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Seinfeld|Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Charles in Charge|Charles in Charge]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Tiny Toon Adventures|Tiny Toon Adventures]]'', and ''[[Wikipedia:Coach (TV series)|Coach]]'' are all television programs.
*[[Fonts#Cooper Black|Cooper Black]] is a font used frequently by [[The Brothers Chaps]].
*[[Fonts#Cooper Black|Cooper Black]] is a font used frequently by [[The Brothers Chaps]].
-
*The "channel 46" the Brothers Chaps are referring to is WGCL-TV (in the 1980s, it was known as WGNX-TV), the current CBS affilate for Atlanta (after WAGA channel 5's owner, New World struck a deal with the Fox network, which led to the channel changes in the USA in the mid-'90s).
+
*The "channel 46" the Brothers Chaps are referring to is what is now known as [[Wikipedia:WGCL-TV|WGCL-TV]] in Atlanta. An independent station when TBC were children, WGCL became the city's CBS affiliate in 1994 after [[Wikipedia:WAGA-TV|WAGA-TV]] switched its affiliation to Fox.
==External Links==
==External Links==
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[[Category:Powered by The Cheat]][[Category:Podstar Runner]]
[[Category:Powered by The Cheat]][[Category:Podstar Runner]]
[[Category: Emails With DVD Commentary]]
[[Category: Emails With DVD Commentary]]
 +
[[Category:Advertisements]]

Revision as of 17:05, 5 December 2018

Strong Bad Email #155
watch keep cool road trip
The email-checkinest guy in the land
This article is about the Strong Bad Email. For the short, see Theme Song Video. For the the intro video, see Intro.

Strong Bad explains why his email show doesn't have an official theme song.

Cast (in order of appearance): Strong Bad, Strong Mad, Strong Sad, The Cheat, Homestar Runner, Senor Cardgage, Balding Man, Fightgar, Reynold

Places: Computer Room, Club Technochocolate, Basement of the Brothers Strong, Outer Space, Bubs' Concession Stand, The Desert

Computer: Lappy 486

Date: Monday, August 7, 2006

Running Time: 3:55

Page Title: Lappy 486

DVD: strongbad_email.exe Disc Five, Sbemails' 50 Greatest Hits DVD

Contents

Transcript

STRONG BAD: {singing} When email comes to town, you know, you know, it's like a rainstorm... in your browser. {brings up the email}

{Strong Bad pronounces "Shaheen" as "Shaheeeeen", and lens flares and a sound effect appear over the name. He pronounces the location as "on-ta-REE-oh, cah-nah-DAH" (as though with a Mexican accent)}

STRONG BAD: Oooh, a little south of the border flavor. {typing} Dear Supper Bag, It bugs me how your face doesn't have a not tons of acne. If it did have a not tons of acne, you would be a whole lot cooler.

{Strong Bad clears the screen.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Look, you don't know what you're talking about, Shaheen {again, Strong Bad pronounces "Shaheen" as "Shaheeeen", and the Shaheen special effect appears over the word} Theme songs are just an excuse for showmakers to make less show. I'm sure viewership would triple if I had one of those crappy cartoon theme songs that bludgeons you over the head with the blunt end of the show's premise.

{Theme song music fades in over his last words. Cut to a smiling Strong Bad prancing in the basement.}

CRAPPY CARTOON THEME SONG: {singing}
Strong Bad is a wrestleman,
He's the email-checkinest guy in the land.
He checks real emails from the net,
He's got two brothers and The Cheat, his pet. The Cheat, his pet!!!

{"STRONG BAD" appears on the screen as the name is sung. Strong Bad types on a keyboard with boxing gloves on. Lappy flies into the screen, showing an email from punkkid87.}

{Strong Mad and Strong Sad dance in Club Technochocolate as they are announced. The Cheat slides into the screen, wearing cool shades and gets a close-up with the repetition of "THE CHEAT, HIS PET!!!".}

There's nobody dumber than Homestar Runner
On The Strong Bad Email Show!

{Homestar Runner breaks through the computer desk with a sandwich of light bulbs, opens his mouth wide, revealing large cartoon teeth, and bites into the sandwich. The title of the Strong Bad Email Show appears with Strong Bad's smiling face in front of a pink heart design.}

{The music ends. Cut back to Strong Bad sitting in front of the Lappy}

STRONG BAD: {typing} And the ratings have gone through the roof. And let's not forget the life-affirming pop-ballad type theme song. Probably sung by some variety of Neville.

{Fade through black to a scene with an unattended computer desk. The title "the Strong Bad Email Show" flies onto the screen. There are flowers on the desk and pictures of The Cheat, Strong Mad and Strong Bad on the wall. The characters are introduced with their pictures flying across the screen and their names appearing across them. Strong Bad shows a shadow Trogdor to The Cheat.}

POP BALLAD-TYPE THEME SONG: {singing}
You and me, babe, livin' for dreams,
Lifin' for love, drinkin' for free.
Sittin' on top of an old robot, sharin' and carin' it out.
The memory's scrubbing you down! {fades}

{The music fades out and a clip montage starts, as Strong Bad's voiceover begins. Strong Bad is shown drinking a mix of coffee and a "COLDSON Lite" from a novelty drinking hat in the basement with The Cheat and Strong Sad; he floats in space; he looks up from typing on the Lappy and throws a stack of paper in the air.}

STRONG BAD: {voiceover} And of course the best clips they show are from the un-aired pilot that you'll never see.

POP BALLAD-TYPE THEME SONG: {singing}
Memory scrubbing you down! {fade out}

{The final shot shows Strong Bad in a tank with the Strong Badian emblem on the side in a desert. He turns the barrel towards the camera before the clip montage fades out to "created by Lem Sportsinterviews".}

STRONG BAD: {voiceover} And just when you think you finally get to start watching some of the actual show, now you get to watch a commercial!

{Cut to real-life hands holding coins and peanuts.}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: {voiceover} Do you make butt at your current job?

{"$BUTT" is stamped on the screen}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: Do you want to make twice butt?

{Cut to a Cakkalate brand calculator displaying "BUTT X 2" upside-down. It rotates counterclockwise 180 degrees. Cut to the CGNU online e-niversity: "website Coming Soon(ish)!" "Check back after all the bowl games ;)".}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: A shady online degree is just four clicks away at CGNU online e-niversity.

{Four cursors appear. Cut to a wooden wall. A set of college pennants appear.}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: Most colleges take four years to complete.

{Cut to a hand with a mouse against a purple background. The hand clicks the mouse button four times, causing the words "FRESHMAN!" "SOPHOMORE!" "JUNIOR!" "SENIOR!" to appear one after the other in increasing font size.}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: At CGNU, one year equals one click.

{Cut to a mortarboard flying through the air. Cut to Senor Cardgage wearing a blue baseball cap in front of some boxes. His degrees are displayed on the screen as he moves his hand down.}

SENOR CARDGAGE: I got fourteen degrees while on my lunch take. Now I can legally prescribe marriages in the state of Kansattica.

{Cut to a blue background repeating the word "LEGITIMATE". An "(On)line CGNU e-NIVERSITY" medallion with four cursors rolls in. The words "Join the e-NIVERSITY e-VOLUTION e-DAY" appear in a blue font as Commercial Guy 1 says them, along with "Banner ad valorum".}

COMMERCIAL GUY 1: {voiceover} Enroll now, and join the e-niversity e-volution e-day. Uh, well, today. {the word TODAY!!" appears over "e-DAY" in a yellow font} That last one didn't quite work out.

{Fade through black to a Powered By The Cheat-style intertitle showing Strong Bad chasing his laptop.}

FEMALE ANNOUNCER 1: {voiceover} We'll be right back with more Strong Bad Emails.

{Cut to balding man standing in front of a newspaper background.}

COMMERCIAL GUY 2: {voiceover} Do you wanna cut your own arm off?

BALDING MAN: {loud, long sigh}

{Cut through static back to Strong Bad at the Lappy.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Now, don't worry. Just in case you were hoping to get gipped out of another minute of actual show, you get to hear the jazzy instrumental version over the end credits!

{A jazzy instrumental version of the pop ballad theme song is played. Cut to Strong Bad talking into a microphone in front of Bubs' concession stand at night. End credits are shown over the scene.}

STRONG BAD: {voiceover} And on the off-chance that you actually wanted to hear the theme song... we've taken care of that, too.

{A program preview with the logo for Three is 4 Tonite moves into the screen and squeezes the Strong Bad Email Show end credits into the left third of the screen. The music is faded significantly. The Action Cool News 5 logo slides in. As the announcer announces Three is 4 Tonite, the faces of the four main characters appear, as well as the text "Weeknights at 7:30, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 11:30.}

ANNOUNCER 2: {voiceover} Coming up later on Three is 4 Tonite: join Mandy, Brandy, Andy, and Scurge, as they learn how to give a care. But first...

{Cut to the words "Coming Up Next..."}

ANNOUNCER 2: They're tiny, they're toony, they're all a little loony.

{The graphics for the Cheat Commandos show Reynold being taped to a rocket and Fightgar checking the tape. The Cheat Commandos logo appears with the text "Weekdays at right now".}

ANNOUNCER 2: It's the Cheat Commandos.

{Cut back to Strong Bad at the Lappy.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} You see, Shaheen? {yet again, Strong Bad pronounces "Shaheen" as "Shaheeeen", and the Shaheen special effect appears} You're basically asking me to dedicate 2 minutes of my 3 to 5 minute email show, to what is essentially a commercial for something you're already watching! And besides, I give you people a new sbemail song every freakin' week. Allow me to leave you with the old standard 'When Email Comes to Town, You Know, You Know, It's Like a Rainstorm... In Your Browser.' {stops typing and starts singing} When email comes to town, you know, you know, it's like a rainstorm... in your browser.

{The Paper comes down.}

{Funky theme song music is played and credits scroll by, while the Powered by The Cheat show preview squeezes into the screen; A red curtain is visible with spot lights moving over it. The text "Next! All new Powered By The Cheat!!! Later... Incredibly Local News" and the Action Cool News 5 logo slide in.}

ANNOUNCER 3: {voiceover} {chuckles} Next up on Powered By The Cheat: Strong Mad gets his own talk show.

{"Strong Mad's Evening Hour" appears, followed by Powered by The Cheat Strong Mad (and his mouth and hands).}

ANNOUNCER 3: And his first guest is hilarity!

{Cut to Powered by The Cheat Strong Mad sitting behind a late night talk show host desk in front of a skyline. The guest with a The Cheat face and glasses appears in his seat, wobbling, before suddenly appearing up-close to the camera, laughing and bouncing up and down for a few seconds.}

Easter Eggs

  • Click on the talk show guest's gold tooth at the end of the email to see the Shaheen special effect.

Fun Facts

Explanations

  • In the commercial for CGNU e-Niversity, the slogan "Banner ad valorum" is a play on the Latin phrase "ad valorem" meaning "according to an object's value." It is most frequently used in describing an ad valorem tax.
  • The line "Check back after all the bowl games" on CGNU's website is a reference to bowl games in American college football.
  • In the final credits, the credits for "Best Grip" and "Key Boy" are reversed versions of standard film credits best boy and key grip.
  • One of the degrees that CGNU e-Niversity offers is Matt's Communications, a portmanteau of Matt and Mass Communications, a degree that is offered at many colleges.

Trivia

  • This is the first time Homestar has visible teeth.
  • The floppy disk container reads "california games".
  • In the first theme song, Strong Bad is seen typing on the Compy 386 keyboard, seen previously in fingers.
  • The credits during the second theme song read:
    • starring strong bad
    • strong mad
    • and the cheat baxter-birney
    • produced by Levert Burtmore
    • casting by Tess Ballthrow
    • executive producer Smarmy Cafe
    • created by Lem Sportsinterviews
  • The navigation buttons in the web browser showing the CGNU online e-niversity read, from left to right:
    • This Way
    • That Way
    • No way
    • A Dog
  • The college pennants (read clockwise from the top) are:
    • I Love Most Colleges! (White against a blue background)
    • Shower (White against an orange background with a baseball cap next to the text)
    • Biscuit Gravy University (White against a purple background with a biscuit outlined by lavender in the background)
    • TWO STRIPS!! (Brown against a yellow background with two strips of bacon beneath the text)
    • FROGS!! (White on green with a white frog outlined to the left of the text)
    • Homestar's Knees Tech (Pale yellow against a maroon background)
    • STATE U (Black outlined white against a red background)
Senor Cardgage's CGNU online diplomas
  • The degrees available from CGNU online e-niversity (or at least the ones Senor Cardgage earned on his "lunch take") are:
    • Business Administration
    • Business Abomination
    • Mousepad Engineer
    • Infotainment Technology
    • e-Cutting Ones
    • The Lighter Side of Sports
    • Matt's Communications
    • Business Wheeling
    • Insider Trading
    • Computer Graphs
    • Bidness Dealing
    • Caps Lock Technician
    • Escrow Understandment
    • Marriage Apothecary
  • The credits in the middle of the email read:
  • The credits at the end of the email read:
  • The website for CGNU (http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.edu/) does not exist, as only actual educational institutions can register .edu addresses. However, a fan registered http://www.cgnuonline-eniversity.com/, and recreated the page seen in the email; the list of degrees could be found by clicking on the exclamation point after "website Coming Soon(ish)". The domain has since expired.
  • "We'll be right back with more Strong Bad Emails" is voiced by Jackie Chapman, as revealed in the DVD commentary.
  • The summary for the Podstar Runner RSS feed read, "Yeah, how come Strong Bad's email show doesn't have a theme song?"
  • The YouTube description for this email is "Strong Bad tries to explain why his email show doesn't have a theme song."

Remarks

  • "BUTT X 2" is the display on the calculator held upside down. It is not possible for most calculators to display "U" and "T" upside down (the typed numbers would have to be similar to a lowercase "N" and two "L"s back to back).
  • During the Crappy Cartoon theme song, the "Trogdor" email on the Lappy is displayed with the font from the Compy 386, instead of the Lappy's current font, Glitch0.
  • The Cheat wears cool shades during the first theme song.
  • The four characters of Three is 4 Tonite all have the same faces but different hair styles that were apparently added on to the original photo.
  • Even though he is The Cheat's best friend, this is the first time Strong Mad is mentioned in a Powered By The Cheat.
  • If the shots in the "Neville" theme song version are from the unaired pilot it would mean that Strong Bad had the Lappy 486 before he had the Tandy 400.
  • 'Kansattica' where Senor Cardgage can legally prescribe marriages is a portmanteau of Kansas and Attica, a reference to Attica, KS, a small town in south-central Kansas about 60 miles southwest of Wichita. It may also refer to Attica, a region in Greece.

Goofs

Mouthless Strong Bad
Hilarity!
  • There is no punctuation mark after Strong Bad types "Shaheen" for the first time.
  • During the scene in the end credits with Strong Bad telling jokes, his mouth is shaped like an "O" and is covering his usually rectangle shaped mouth for one frame, giving him two mouths. Later in the same scene, his mouth disappears for one frame. This occurs another two times later on.
  • Strong Bad's head pokes into the Powered By The Cheat preview when the preview squeezes into the screen.
  • When Strong Bad's portrait fades in and out of the screen during the ballad theme song, parts of his mask can be seen through his forehead diamond. (This is caused when two non-merged Flash objects are faded at the same time, indicating Strong Bad's diamond is actually a separate object to his mask.)

Inside References

Real-World References

  • The heart background shown at the end of the first theme song is very similar to the one found in the intro and at the end of each episode of The Powerpuff Girls.
  • "They're tiny, they're toony, they're all a little loony" is a paraphrase of the first line of the theme song to Tiny Toon Adventures. Continuity announcers would regularly use this line, complete with the exaggerated pronunciation of the word "all," to introduce the show during the previous show's closing credits.
  • In the second theme song, there are several successive references to late-'80s television shows:
    • The succession of picture frames was a common element of several shows.
    • The lyrics closely resemble the second verse from the theme song from Growing Pains.
    • "The Cheat Baxter-Birney" is a reference to Meredith Baxter (formerly Meredith Baxter Birney, from Family Ties).
    • Strong Bad's flinging the papers into the air as he types may be a reference to Stephen J. Cannell's closing logo.
    • The font and style of "created by Lem Sportsinterviews" (yellow Cooper Black letters on a completely black background) is a reference to the closing credits of Cheers.
      • The font and style of the rest of the opening credits, however, is another reference to Family Ties, which used a similar font (Tango) in its opening credits.
    • The scene with Strong Bad in an astronaut suit is a reference to the closing credits of the Muppet Babies cartoons. In the cartoon, Kermit and Piggy are both in the same looking astronaut suits and in the same pose as Strong Bad.
  • Strong Bad in front of the side brick wall of Bubs' Concession Stand in the closing credits refers to Jerry Seinfeld's ending stand-up comedy segment of episodes of Seinfeld. The credit "based on the comedy stylings of Little Strong Bad" also refers to this and other programs starring comics.
  • "Probably sung by some variety of Neville" refers to The Neville Brothers, a group of soul singers. The most famous Neville brother, Aaron Neville, has a distinctive vibrato that has inspired many parodies throughout pop culture.
  • "Closing theme song by a Marsalis or two" refers to the Marsalis family of jazz musicians.
  • The Lighter Side of Sports, a long-running, syndicated TV show, is one of Senor Cardgage's degrees.
  • The "Escrow Understandment" line is a reference to a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch called "Middle-Aged Man", starring Mike Myers. One of Middle-Aged Man's powers was understanding escrow.
  • The web browser used in the CGNU e-Niversity ad strongly resembles Internet Explorer 5.0 for Mac.
  • Stuart Scott, mentioned in the end credits, is a reporter for ESPN. "Playa hata", his title, refers to one of his oft-used phrases on air.

Fast Forward

DVD Version

  • The DVD version features creators' commentary. To access it, switch your DVD player's audio language selection while watching.

Commentary Transcript

MATT: Go, Ryan.

MIKE: This one— Ryan's gonna take the, uh, lead on this email commentary.

MATT: You run point!

RYAN: I'm a— I'm a big fan of theme songs.

MIKE: Yeah? What's your favorite TV theme song, Ry?

RYAN: Uh... Fortunately, a mix... Well, I dunno. Either Golden Girls, that's a good one...

MIKE: Uh huh.

RYAN: Or Family Ties is another good one.

MATT: Yeah.

MIKE: Which one's Golden Girls? How does it go?

RYAN: A friend and a confidant.

{Mike and Matt laugh}

MATT: I— I always thought it was, uh, "You're a friend and I'm confident."

{Mike and Ryan laugh}

MATT: And so I thought it was {begins singing} "You're my fr— You're a friend and I'm confident!" And, uh, it just meant that, like, you know, I'm sure that we're friends! And then, what was, uh...

RYAN: Uh, Perfect Strangers had a good one.

MATT: Yeah, that was a good one.

RYAN: Uh...

{pause}

MATT: Um... {pause} Remember— So, when did things like, the, uh... the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, and, like, the Tom and Jerry Show, like, when they had a theme song, and it wasn't just shorts anymore? You know? Like, when did those happen? Was that— Was that in the 80s? Was that growing up, or was it prior to that?

MIKE: I dunno, it may have been in the 70s, I seem to remember 'em for a while, but...

MATT: Remember— I— That one reminds me of, uh... of the Tom and Jerry theme song. At the end, remember, he was picking up a weight and they all got sucked into the ground?

MIKE: Oh, yeah!

MATT: 'Cause he had... the weight he was trying to lift was too...

MIKE: Here's a Family Ties style, uh...

RYAN: Yeah.

MATT: Mm-hmm. Including Meredith Baxter The Cheat! The Cheat Baxter-Birnie!

MIKE: {overlapping} The Cheat Bax— Meredith Baxter The Cheat! {laughs} That would have been much better. {seeing Strong Bad do shadow puppetry} How is he doing—

RYAN: Growing Pains.

MIKE: Yep.

MATT: Yeah.

{Ryan laughs}

RYAN: Didn't we learn Alan Thicke wrote a lot of 'em?

MATT: Uh... or were we mistaken about that? I think—

RYAN: He wrote them. He didn't sing them.

MATT: He didn't sing them, that's right.

RYAN: 'Cause even— Uh, he wrote the Facts of Life one... I saw recently.

MATT: Ah. That looked like the— Cheers, uh... Doesn't Cheers use Cooper Black?

MIKE: Yeah. Yeah, at the end... for the "Created by..."

MATT: Yeah... {pause} "Check back after the bowl games!" They're— We're— They're really into the bowl games. Do you think that includes the Pro Bowl?

MIKE: Ohhh...

MATT: CGNU Online E-niversity.

MIKE: Definitely. The Pro Bowl. My favorite sporting event of the year.

MATT: Uh, so, Mike did a lot of this email. I was out of town. And Mike did a lot of this...

MIKE: Where'd you go? Where were you, man?!

MATT: I don't remem— Oh, I was in New— New York. {pronounces "York" like "Youk"}

MIKE: Oh.

MATT: I remember watching this with millionaire gadabout Craig Zobel.

MIKE: Look! It's Jackie!

MATT: Hey! That's old wife Jackie!

{pause as the three laugh while the balding man ponders the possibilty of cutting his arm off}

MATT: You know, maybe. He's considering cutting his arm off.

MIKE: He definitely will! C'mon. Who're you kidding?

MATT: Next time that guy shows up he should... not have an arm. {pause} Um...

{pause}

MIKE: "Based on the comedy of..." I know, uh, Everybody Loves Raymond, uh... Home Improvement.

MATT: {overlapping} Did Seinfeld?

MIKE: I don't know if Seinfeld had that in the credits. Those other ones had in the credits "based on the comedy of".

MATT: So this is our local affiliate, uh, what, channel 10. Uh... 4— Channel— Well, 46 was the local thing but it was channel 10 on cable. The guy would always— It was before Charles in Charge.

MIKE: {laughing} Yeah.

MATT: "But first, they're tiny, they're toony, they're all a little looney! It's Tiny Toon Adventures! And next, Lembeck chops his head off... on Charles in Charge." {pause} Um... So, yeah, how 'bout— When did squishy— squishing start... at the end of, uh... the promo for some other show happening.

MIKE: Yeah, I don't know why...

RYAN: Yeah, to fit more ads.

MATT: Right.

MIKE: I dunno why they allow it. Sometimes movies, they get so squished you definitely can't read them...

MATT: And plus, movies, they run them by really fast.

MIKE: {overlapping} It's, like, pointless. Yeah, really fast. Yeah.

MATT: Yeah.

{pause}

MATT: Coach!

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