The “shitmydadsays” Guy Gets a TV Deal
As I have told you before, my favorite thing on Twitter is the “shitmydadsays” feed. The site is run by a 29-year-old fellow named Justin who writes down funny things his dad says. Samples:
“Son, no one gives a shit about all the things your cell phone does. You didn’t invent it, you just bought it. Anybody can do that.“
“You worry too much. Eat some bacon… What? No, I got no idea if it’ll make you feel better, I just made too much bacon.”
“The baby will talk when he talks, relax. It ain’t like he knows the cure for cancer and he just ain’t spitting it out.”
“You sure do like to tailgate people… Right, because it’s real important you show up to the nothing you have to do on time.”
“Just pay the parking ticket. Don’t be so outraged. You’re not a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. You double parked.”
I love this guy. As you can see, his specialty is pricking people’s sense of grandeur. Now his son Justin, who runs the Twitter feed, has gotten a TV deal:
Twitter sensation Shit My Dad Says is headed to television.
CBS has picked up a comedy project based on the Twitter account, which has enlisted more than 700,000 followers since launching in August and has made its creator, Justin Halpern, an Internet star.
“Will & Grace” creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are on board to executive produce and supervise the writing for the multicamera family comedy, which Halpern will co-pen with Patrick Schumacker. Halpern and Schumacker will also co-exec produce the Warner Bros. TV-produced project, which has received a script commitment.
Justin’s dad, as usual, is keeping Justin down to earth:
“Remember this: you’re just a lucky fucking guy. If people start telling you your dick looks bigger, remember that it’s not.”
Too bad he couldn’t avoid profanity.
Alta Bob (e8af2b) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:15 amSadly, profanity is the point, AB. I hesitate to think what the sitcom will be doing….
Eric Blair (711059) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:28 amPatterico, I was introduced to this by you when Justin was at just over 100,000 followers. It is a guaranteed smile. Nice that he has found a way to monetize it, too.
The beauty of this, for me, is that Justin’s Dad is being himself. Justin is often the butt of the barb. As funny as his Dad is, Justin is funnier for knowing what to Tweet. And he clearly loves his Dad and has told the world his Dad is “awesome.” Good for him, I wish him great success.
Times Disliker (82a310) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:29 amI laughed until I had tears in my eyes.
Mike K (2cf494) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:32 am“Remember this: you’re just a lucky fucking guy. If people start telling you your dick looks bigger, remember that it’s not.”
It was even funnier when we could pretend the dad didn’t know the Twitter feed existed and was just a grumpy anonymous guy.
Still funny, tho now I’m wondering whether the dad’s utterances are affected by his knowing they might show up on his son’s site. “So, you gonna put that one on the feed? That was pretty funny. Say so myself.”
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:34 amThis ranks up with there with fuckyoupenguin and hotchickswithdouchebags for me. Comedy gold.
JD (3b62be) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:35 amOops. Filtrated again.
JD (3b62be) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:38 amI’m glad Justin’s getting some cash for his idea but there’s no chance in hell he’ll get any creative control in this project and there’s even less chance that this idea will see prime time.
pk (fe44e2) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:45 am“Just pay the parking ticket. Don’t be so outraged. You’re not a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. You double parked.”
The Emperor (82e13a) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:48 amSo funny.
Covered. 😉
Stashiu3 (44da70) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:50 amHey, just to be clear, I don’t mind the profanity. But much of the humor is the shock value of the curmudgeonly father acting out with vulgar snap-comments (as in “oh, snap!”).
Or, more accurately, “…oh, ^%$#ing snap!”
Eric Blair (711059) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:53 amHe’s very funny. I wish he had said no to the TV deal though because judging from other sitcoms, going the commercial TV route seems to be the kiss of death to anything uniquely creative and with original bite and wit.
Dana (e9ba20) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:54 amNow, like Yogi Berra quotes, there will be a million things Justin’s dad said that he didn’t say.
tmac (5559f7) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:57 amWell, tmac, this kid’s success is 50% work, 50% inspiration, and 50% luck.
To quote Yogi.
Eric Blair (711059) — 11/12/2009 @ 7:59 amThat’s not correct, Eric. But I get the joke.
The Emperor (82e13a) — 11/12/2009 @ 8:15 amThe fact that Dad is 73 and Justin is 29 means there is a 44 year age and worldview difference. Justin’s father, being from an earlier generation than many of Justin’s peers’ fathers probably are, is a large part of what makes their interactions so funny and jarring IMO.
elissa (53b06c) — 11/12/2009 @ 8:20 ammakes me think of the comedian chris titus in a weird way. Titus has had a really f—ed up life, but he long ago learned to laugh as a coping method, and he shares that with us. his show was even pretty funny, but was sadly cancelled.
Not that i am suggesting the the “dad” here is like Titus’ dad or something like that, but there you go.
And yeah, the big problem with slice of life comedy is when it becomes popular enough to eliminate its unforced element. like the tom green show was awesome early on, but then started to suck when it got popular. Sasha Cohen figured out a way around the problem by inventing characters. So he can walk around as borat and until the movie came out no one knew who he was; and then when they all learned, he went and became bruno.
A.W. (e7d72e) — 11/12/2009 @ 8:25 amHell, I think Justin’s dad and my brother should be the writing duo for this show, and get paid for it being a hit.
When I think of Justin’s dad, I think of Jackie Mason, who should be hired for this show.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/12/2009 @ 8:50 amGreetings:
Too bad there aren’t a couple of czar-ships open at the White House for this guy and his dad.
11B40 (65253d) — 11/12/2009 @ 9:24 amGood point about the show “Titus,” my friends made too many correlations with that show and some of my monologues. Never watched it, but the few clips I saw of Stacy Keach as his father were hilarious (“What are you, some kind of wussy?”).
Dana’s right about the sitcom’s prospects – if Chuck Lorre was going to do it, I’d say it would have a reasonable chance. But “Will and Grace?” That thing blew donkey schlongs.
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/12/2009 @ 9:34 amThis ranks up with there with fuckyoupenguin and hotchickswithdouchebags for me. Comedy gold.
Comment by JD — 11/12/2009 @ 7:35 am
Love both those sites. Just for, oh, things like this priceless pic with the caption “If I ever need to pop 36 balloons simultaneously, I now know who to call.” Or this vid they recently featured WARNING: most definitely NSFW.
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 11/12/2009 @ 9:54 amYou guys are all pissing on each other and calling it rain.
Colorado (0c9d05) — 11/12/2009 @ 11:01 amYeah, but the douchebags are taking a stand! Hilarious vid:
http://www.youtube.com/v/8tqEBQjWRws&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/12/2009 @ 11:01 amYou guys are all pissing on each other and calling it rain.
Yet you fellate yourself daily and tell everyone that you have a girlfriend. How’s that working for you?
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/12/2009 @ 11:02 amComment by Dmac — 11/12/2009 @ 11:01 am
LOL – think we linked the same vid. Delighted to see someone else found it hilarious too. (Warning if you’re at work: Dmac’s vid is still NSFW.)
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 11/12/2009 @ 11:06 amIf civiliation means anything, it means a set of standards and manners, regarded as equally applicable to all. There is no evil in words as words; however, the usage of certain language in a public forum shows a lack of consideration for other members of the public. Even worse, it may indicate an unconscious (or even conscious) desire to break down standards of our common culture, as an attack on that culture. The Left is notorious for using offensive language or behaviour, except in relation to Islam, undoubtedly because Islam is equally devoted to breaking down Western culture. Once again, there are times and places where vulgar language does no harm; but not the public forum. The late Robert Heinlein had a character complain to his friend about poor table manners; the friend responded “Nuts. I’ve seen the Governor of Texas with a hot dog in one hand and a slab of pie in the other.” To which the first character responded “I’ll bet it wasn’t at a state banquent.” A perfect illustration concerning civilized behavior.
Ed Burke (1c2383) — 11/12/2009 @ 11:16 amThis guy’s dad would make a great Congresscritter. Too bad he could never get elected.
Tully (4dce1a) — 11/12/2009 @ 12:21 pmI doubt that there’s a “Dad”. It sounds to me like somebody making shit up and promoting it on Twitter with a view to getting a TV show.
nk (df76d4) — 11/12/2009 @ 1:14 pmAlthough making the stuff up is an improvement over Hollywood writers’ usual plagiarizing.
nk (df76d4) — 11/12/2009 @ 1:27 pmA breath of fresh air in these troubled times. I’d always want that dad on my side if a bar fight broke out. Probably the best thing that can ever be said about someone.
dfbaskwill (2c7f7f) — 11/12/2009 @ 2:39 pmHuh.
MayBee (f18f3a) — 11/12/2009 @ 4:14 pmI always assumed he was just making it all up, so I didn’t think it was all that funny. Maybe I’ll have to re-assess.
#28 and #31
He’s real
Angelo (5df281) — 11/12/2009 @ 10:09 pmhttp://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/09/mydadsays-twitter.html
Shouldn’t they have hired the Dad as the co-exec. and maybe Justin as his assistant after all it is the Dad that is “sayin’ the shit”.
Reality Check (818839) — 11/18/2009 @ 5:33 am