History Series / KeyAndPeele

* FatBastard: Wendell Sanders is ''[[GeekPhysiques considerably]]'' fat, trying to scam Skymall customer service into refunding his Fortress of Solitude bed that "arrived broken", and ordering multiple pizzas in one night that he tries to pass off as for a party. Part of the reason the "Wings of Power" music video budget runs out so quickly is because he needs to hire a stunt double to ride his horse in long shots, since he's incapable of even mounting it.

* DownerEnding: In the fourth "Substitute Teacher" sketch , a math teacher named Mr. Williams has to deal with a rowdy student named Jimmy. The sketch ends with Mr. Williams losing his job when he goes insane, while Jimmy gets everything he ever wanted.

* TakeCareOfTheKids: Creator/RashidaJones in "Lying to Your Dying Wife" plays a terminally ill wife in hospital, whose list of things she makes Peele promise to do includes this--and also ''sliiiiightly'' less reasonable things, such as that he'll never sleep with another woman, he won't look at porn and that he will never, ever think of someone else while masturbating. Peele's increasingly absurd attempts to get out of promising to do these things irritate Rashida considerably. When she asks him to promise to go and see her mom every day, he shouts "NURSE! FIX MY WIFE!" and bursts into tears.

** In the "Family Matters" sketch, Creator/ReginaldVelJohnson rants about how the increased focus on Steve Urkel and his transformation machine has turned a blue-collar show into "goddamn ''Series/QuantumLeap''".

* TheEndingChangesEverything: Can sometimes lead to SurpriseCreepy.

** During Creator/LiamNeeson's guest appearance, the valets go into such a huge fangasm that they ''explode'' - then reappear as [[Franchise/StarWars Force ghosts]].

--> '''Peele:''' Is this the place?
--> '''Key:''' This is the place.
--> '''Together:''' (Beat) [[spoiler: I said biiitch.]]

* CaptainEthnic: Deliberately played with in "Power Falcons" - as Green Falcon notes, despite Key's character being an extremely stereotypical MagicalNativeAmerican, he's still referred to "Yellow Falcon", while the Asian woman in the group is "Purple Falcon"; only Green Falcon himself is condescendingly referred to as "Black Falcon" by the others.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: In the "White Zombies" sketch, [[spoiler: the only zombie who actually tries to attack the duo is a little girl, but her parents pull her away]].

* GangBangers: One sketch is about a Hispanic gang in a secret meeting - which comes after a bit where Key's character claims that one such individual ''intimidated'' him into making more material about Hispanics.

--> "That's it! Black Falcon out - GREEN FALCON! GREEN FALCON! DAMMIT!"

* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: PlayedForLaughs with the UsefulNotes/HarrietTubman sketch. The real Tubman suffered lifelong fainting spells due to head injuries - the one here is not only in perfect shape, but able to flee the South using LeParkour!

** Eventually Key just bursts out laughing, whereupon Carvel [[spoiler: shoots him dead.]] There's a pause, then:

* {{Jerkass}}: ''Meegan''. PassiveAggressiveKombat is her at her ''nicest''.

* MotorMouth: The "East/West Bowl Rap" shows that [[spoiler: [[TokenWhite Dan Smith]]]] is actually the fastest rapper out of both teams. While most of the other players' verses are simply saying their own names, [[spoiler: Smith]] has fast and verbose BoastfulRap.

* MustBeInvited: The twist ending to a sketch with two Jamaican ladies. Peele's character just dropped by the other but is too polite to come in, despite Key's character saying it's okay, leading her to formally invite her friend in. [[spoiler: Turns out the friend was a vampire, who wasn't being polite but just needed to hear those exact words to come in and suck out her victim's blood]].

* NoTrueScotsman: The CampGay confronting a "office homophobe" [[spoiler: who turns out to be StraightGay]] contains elements of this.

* OhCrap: [[CampGay Latrell]] when he sees the coworker he had been bullying and calling a homophobe [[spoiler: [[StraightGay kiss his boyfriend]]]] and realizes:

* OrWasItADream: InUniverse use of the trope - in "East/West Bowl Rap Showdown", the eastern team's rap video opens with Leoz Maxwell Jilliumz asleep on a bench and dreaming of the team dancing around and rapping as a framing device. At the end, he wakes up and mutters that it was AllJustADream... before noticing he still has glitter in his hair, giving the obligatory "or was it?".

* StepfordSnarker: Peele plays one in "That One Friend Who Makes Everything Awkward" and gets [[DeconstructedTrope majorly dismantled]] by Key's character, right down to his true pitiful, sorry self - turns out he passive-aggressively snarks at everyone who expresses an unpopular opinion without ever being more direct because [[TakeThat he's embarrassed that he doesn't have any strong opinions, himself, and just follows the herd]].

** The end of [[http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/wfjmn7/key-and-peele-damn--check-that-s---t-out "Damn, Check That Shit Out"]] is a good example - the ''very last moments'' of a skit about two goofy guys ogling a woman at the park involve [[spoiler:the guy who seemed not to be getting the other guy's sexual comments suddenly gaining TheVoiceOfTheLegion and HellishPupils as he thanks the other guy for explaining to him what a vagina is right before disappearing into thin air, leaving the other guy to freeze up before running off trying to process that he just talked to an undercover alien]].
** [[http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/zrcleg/key-and-peele-ultimate-c--k-blocker "Ultimate Cockblocker"]] is probably one of the most notorious examples of this - it's goofy enough at first as Key's character can't understand how Peele's character always seems to be able to get to women he finds attractive within seconds of him expressing that he finds them attractive, [[spoiler:and it's just wacky at first when this ends up extending to ''a reporter Key's character sees on TV and a stick doodle he draws of a woman''... but then Key's character hugs his wife when she comes home, and catches a glimpse of what the reflection of that looks like]]...

* UncleTomfoolery: Before becoming a civil rights crusader and a beloved community figure, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh7xwI_0huM Otis Carmichael made a Hollywood film career out of playing racist stereotypes]].[[note]]The sketch also serves as an AffectionateParody of the era's black comedians and performers - noting that, while they ''did'' pave the way for mainstream acceptance of actors of color and were revolutionary in their field, the roles they played were often very offensive nonetheless.[[/note]]

* SurpriseCreepy: A notable number of skits racket up the absurdity before the punchline takes it to some kind of horror:

* IgnoredEpiphany: When Mr. T is lecturing some kids about not making fun of a person's appearance, he never fails to overlook a more pressing issue that was brought up, such as racism or buying drugs.

** Played for drama in "Family Matters". [[spoiler:Jaleel White has gone so mad with power that he now refers to himself solely as "Steve", and calls Reginald [=VelJohnson=] "Carl (Winslow)" in a sadistic, dehumanizing fashion, letting him know that he can't escape.]]

** [[invoked]] In the "Family Matters" sketch, "Steve Urkel" at one point says: "[[Film/GhostBusters1984 There is no Jaleel... only STEVE!]]". Later, when the actor playing Carl tries to shoot him, he says: "[[Film/DieHard Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker!]]". It gets even better when you remember that Reginald [=VelJohnson=] used to play [[{{Typecasting}} a policeman]] not only on ''Series/FamilyMatters'', but in ''Film/DieHard'' and ''Film/{{Ghostbusters|1984}}'' too.

* SpotlightStealingCharacter: Parodied in "Family Matters," where an angry Reginald [=VelJohnson=] complains to the producer about Steve Urkel's increasing presence in [[Series/FamilyMatters his show]]:

** In the "Family Matters" sketch, Reginald [=VelJohnson=] rants about how the increased focus on Steve Urkel and his transformation machine has turned a blue-collar show into "goddamn ''Series/QuantumLeap''".

* PoliticallyCorrectHistory: "Pirate Chantey", as it shows a crew of pirates holding some rather enlightened ideas. Though the introduction of [[PirateGirl the captain]] at the end might justify/subvert this; her entire (male) crew is so terrified of her that it makes you wonder whether they really held their feminist views or simply pretended to out of fear.

* SpaceWhaleAesop: In "Consequences", former gang member Donnie Herrera talking to an auditorium at a high school. He tells them how he did bad things (stealing, hanging out with tough kids, smoking weed, etc.) followed by him dealing with the consequences of this. The problem though is that the "consequences" are so wild and unconnected with the deeds he is guilty of that nobody takes any of it seriously. [[spoiler:Turns out he's a drug addict who hallucinated said consequences (and possibly some of the crimes)]]:

* SpaceWhaleAesop: In "Consequences", former gang member Donnie Herrera talking to an auditorium at a high school. He tells them how he did bad things (stealing, hanging out with tough kids, smoking weed, etc.) followed by him dealing with the consequences of this. The problem though is that the "consequences" are so wild and unconnected with the deeds he is guilty of that nobody takes any of it seriously:

''Key & Peele'' is a [[http://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/key-peele-comedy-central Peabody Award winning]] sketch comedy show starring Creator/KeeganMichaelKey and Creator/JordanPeele from the FOX sketch show ''Series/{{MADtv}}''. The show was the first production of Peele's newly founded production company Monkeypaw Productions, and premiered on January 31, 2012 on Creator/ComedyCentral. In terms of format, it brings to mind a mix of ''Series/ChappellesShow'' and the last two seasons of ''[=MADtv=]''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Series/{{MADtv}}'' and ''Series/ChappellesShow''. This is even lampshaded in a Dave Chappelle special, when he notes how mad he gets "watching Key and Peele doing my show."

** The "Mr. T PSA" skit, complete with [[SpoofAesop Spoof Aesops]], [[BadBadActing deliberately bad acting from both Key and Kate Micucci]], being shot on VHS tapes and an incredibly awkward PissTakeRap from Mr. T. Seeing how it's based off the memetic "Be Somebody or Be Somebody's Fool" tape, [[ShownTheirWork this is surprisingly accurate.]]

* GenreSavvy: In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLnUJzueBOQ "Is This Country Song Racist"]], after Key's character has sung two outrageously racist songs, he promises repeatedly that the third song will be completely non-racist and impossible to misinterpert as such. This is Peele's character's response:
--->"It seems like you're about to sing the most racist song so far."

** Several football-related sketches, such as "[=McCringleberry=]'s Excessive Celebration", reuse some of the more ridiculous names from the "East/West Bowl" sketches, with some lines implying they are the same characters who have gone pro.

** Several football-related sketches, such as "[=McCringleberry=]'s Excessive Celebration", reuse some of the more ridiculous names from the "East/West Bowl" sketches, with some lines implying they ar the same characters who have gone pro.

** Several football-related sketches, such as "[=McCringleberry=]'s Excessive Celebration", reuse some of the more ridiculous names from the "East/West Bowl" sketches.

--->'''Mr. Garvy:''' A-A-Ron! Where are you? Where is A-A-Ron right now? No A-A-Ron, huh? Well, you better be sick, dead, or mute, A-A-Ron!\\
'''Student:''' Here!\\
'''Mr. Garvy:''' Why didn't you answer me the first time I said it, huh? I'm just-- y'know, I'm just askin', y'know. I said it, like, four times, so why didn't you say it the first time I said "A-A-Ron"?\\
'''Student:''' ...Because it's pronounced "''Aaron''"?\\
'''Mr. Garvy:''' '''''SON OF A BALD BITCH!''''' ''[pushes everything off his desk onto the floor in anger]'' YA DONE MESSED UP, A-A-RON! NOW TAKE YO' ASS ON DOWN TO O-SHAG-HENNESEY'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW, AND TELL HIM ''EXACTLY'' WHAT YOU DID!\\

'''Mr. Garvy:''' O-SHAG-HENNESEY!\\

'''Mr. Garvy:''' '''''GET OUTTA MY GOTDAMN CLASSROOM BEFORE I BREAK MY FOOT OFF IN YA ASS!'''''

* PretentiousPronunciation: Inverted in the "Substitute Teacher Pt. 1" sketch where an InnerCitySchool teacher is substituting at a predominately white suburban HighSchool. He mispronounces ''all'' his students' names when calling attendance, and when they correct him, he angrily scolds them for trying to mess with him. Standouts include "Blake" as "Bah-Lak-Kay" and "Aaron" as "Ay-Ay-Ron".

* AdaptationalBadass: PlayedForLaughs with the UsefulNotes/HarrietTubman sketch. The real Tubman suffered lifelong fainting spells due to head injuries - the one here is not only in perfect shape, but able to flee the South using LeParkour!

* BrainsVersusBrawn: In the "Superbowl 2015" skit Key and Peele play two sportscasters who invites a third white sportscaster to give his analysis on the upcoming UsefulNotes/{{Superbowl}} match up between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. It becomes quickly apparent however, that this sportscaster is constantly describing white athletes as hard-working, analytical, cerebral, and intelligent and black athletes as strong, freaks of nature, and potentially [[MagicalNegro magical]]. When Key and Peele ask him to describe then Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (who is of mixed ancestry), he says "hybrid."

* BrainsVersusBrawn: In the "Superbowl 2015" skit Key and Peele play two sportscasters who invites a third white sportscaster to give his analysis on the upcoming UsefulNotes/{{Superbowl}} match up between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. It becomes quickly apparent however, that this sportscaster is constantly describing white athletes as hard-working, analytical, cerebral, and intelligent and black athletes as strong, freaks of nature, and potentially [[MagicalNegro magical]]. When Key and Peele ask him to describe then Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (who is of MixedAncestry), he says "hybrid."

* BrainsVersusBrawn: In the "Superbowl 2015" skit Key and Peele play two sportscasters who invites a third white sportscaster to give his analysis on the upcoming UsefulNotes/Superbowl match up between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. It becomes quickly apparent however, that this sportscaster is constantly describing white athletes as hard-working, analytical, cerebral, and intelligent and black athletes as strong, freaks of nature, and potentially [[MagicalNegro magical]]. When Key and Peele ask him to describe then Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (who is of MixedAncestry), he says "hybrid."