History YMMV / AFutileAndStupidGesture

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Considering it's a biopic about one of the most influential humor magazines of all time, this is a given.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Much of the culture surrounding ''National Lampoon'' would be frowned upon in a workplace and/or writers' room today, particularly the rampant misogyny. The film acknowledges this, as well as the fact that ''National Lampoon'' only had one female writer and no Black writers.

** Doug Kenney's first meeting with Henry Beard during a Harvard mixer. They've both made amusing modifications to their nametags, but Henry's is a litte bit more... sophisticated.
--> '''Henry''': Nice to meet you. *points to his tag* Jesus Christ, not that one.
--> '''Kenney''': Ah. *shows his own tag* I drew a picture of a penis on mine.
** The scene where the Harvard Lampoon staff break out in a food fight at the book release party for ''Literature/BoredOfTheRings'', and a chunk of lobster gets flung out the window at the feet of a passing student couple.
--> '''Man''': Fucking Lampoon...
** The introduction of Creator/MichaelODonoghue, who Kenney describes as "aspiring to be the AntiChrist".
--> '''Michael''': *on the phone* I am going to send you a cannister of nerve gas, you mongoloid twats! You sent me the wrong records! ''YOU'RE THE COLUMBIA FUCKING RECORD CLUB!!'' *slams the reciever and throws the phone away*
** The montage of Matty Simmons, the publisher (and creator of ''Weight Watchers Magazine'') yelling at the staff for all the people the ''Lampoon'' pissed off and are now trying to sue them. Except the letters from The American Nazi party, [[YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame which turns out to be fanmail]].
** The part where Kenney acknowledges that there were dozens more writers who were instrumental for the ''Lampoon'' succeeding, with their names briefly appearing on screen and a few actors walking past the window, but then says that four characters were pretty much all that fit the narrative.
--> '''Black Man''': Oh, so there were no funny black people in the 70's?
--> '''Black Woman''': And only one funny woman?
--> '''Kenney''': Oh, I'm sure they were out there, we just didn't... think to look! If it helps, we also didn't have a lot of jews!
** The opening, where Creator/MartinMull, who plays an elderly version of Kenney as the movies narrator, is trying to come up with a good line to start the movie.
--> '''Director''': Say "My name is Doug Kenney, I changed the world of comedy forever, but I couldn't change myself"
--> '''Kenney''': Really? ''Blow me!''
** The scene introducing the Lampoons secretary, Mary "Marshmallow", who Kenney would go on to have an affair with, the old Kenney tries hitting on her, and her only response is flipping him off. Especially funny since Kenney gets jealous of himself!
--> '''Kenney''': Oh, so he's a charming stud, and I'm a DirtyOldMan, is that it? That's ageist!
** The newly hired staff pitching various ideas for the first issue of the ''Lampoon'', including Creator/MichaelODonoghue and his ''Vietnamese War Baby Book'', Brian Mcconnachie's ''Dr Seuss'' parody about the sexual awakening of a toucan, and Creator/TonyHendra's ''The Joy of Wife Tasting''.
*** Also, Hendra getting mercilessly heckled by the others for his ShallowParody idea for the magazine cover (Nixon with a Pinnochio nose).
--> '''Hendra''': So much for the free exchange of ideas! *storms off*
--> '''Michael''': Who was that? I already forgot.
** While talking about the creation of ''The Nation Lampoon Radio Hour'', Kenney acknowledges that the actors playing the Lampoon staff, such as Creator/JoelMcHale as Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/SethGreen as Creator/ChristopherGuest, don't really look like the people they were portraying at all.
--> '''Kenney''': Come on, you think I looked like Creator/WillForte when I was 27? You think Will Forte IS 27? *Forte can be seen in the background looking at Kenney while he rants*
** Mixed with TearJerker at Kenney's funeral at the end, where Old Kenney interacts with his younger self.
--> '''Young Kenney''': You can see me?
--> '''Old Kenney''': Yeah, I'm you if you hadn't... you know?
--> '''Young Kenney''': Ah, so you're a...
--> '''Old Kenney''': A narrative device, yeah. *takes a sip from his drink* You know, if it helps, in the future, people really like ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}''. They're kind of annoying about it actually!

DeliberateValuesDissonance: Much of the culture surrounding ''National Lampoon'' would be frowned upon in a workplace and/or writers' room today, particularly the rampant misogyny. The film acknowledges this, as well as the fact that ''National Lampoon'' only had one female writer and no Black writers.

UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The film has plenty of awareness that Doug was a difficult person, but it also wants the audience to invest in him as a person and feel sympathy for him. He's shown to have had many friends, but beyond the fact that he was funny and fun to party with, it never establishes why so many people liked him. Instead, the film portrays a successful, Harvard-educated man who is given to bouts of depression, is unfaithful to his wife and girlfriends, is openly misogynistic, has serious substance abuse issues, a major chip on his shoulder and alienates nearly everyone who cares about him. Watching him spiral into cocaine addiction and die in a possible suicide is a bummer, but it's hard to actually sympathize with him, even when they reveal that his older brother died young and he is traumatized by it.

UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The film has plenty of awareness that Doug was a difficult person, but it also wants the audience to invest in him as a person and feel sympathy for him. He's shown to have had many friends, but beyond the fact that he was funny and fun to party with, it never establishes why so many people liked him. Instead, the film portrays a successful, Harvard-educated man who is given to bouts of depression, is unfaithful to his wife and girlfriends, has serious substance abuse issues, a major chip on his shoulder and alienates nearly everyone who cares about him. Watching him spiral into cocaine addiction and die in a possible suicide is a bummer, but it's hard to actually sympathize with him, even when they reveal that his older brother died young and he is traumatized by it.

UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The film has plenty of awareness that Doug was a difficult person, but it also wants the audience to invest in him as a person and feel sympathy for him. He's shown to have had many friends, but beyond the fact that he was funny and fun to party with, it never establishes why so many people liked him. Instead, the film portrays a successful, Harvard-educated man who is given to bouts of depression, is unfaithful to his wife and girlfriends, has serious substance abuse issues, a major chip on his shoulder and alienates nearly everyone who cares about him. Watching him spiral into cocaine addiction and die in a possible suicide is a bummer, but it's hard to actually sympathize with him.

--> '''Old Kenney''': A narrative device, yeah. *takes a sip from his drink* You know, if it helps, in the future, people really like ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}''. They're kind of annoying about it actually!

--> '''Old Kenney''': A literary device, yeah. *takes a sip from his drink* You know, if it helps, in the future, people really like ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}''. They're kind of annoying about it actually!

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Considering it's a biopic about one of the most influential humor magazines of all time, I'd sure hope so!

--> '''Michael''': *on the phone* You sent me the wrong records! ''YOU'RE THE COLUMBIA FUCKING RECORD CLUB!!" *slams the reciever and throws the phone away*

--> '''Kenney''': Oh, blow me!

--> '''Old Kenney''': A literary device, yeah. *takes a sip from his drink* You know, if it helps, in the future, people really like ''Film/{{Caddyshacks}}''. They're kind of annoying about it actually!

--> '''Kenney''': Oh, so he's a young stud, and I'm a DirtyOldMan, is that it? That's ageist!

--> '''Kenney''': Come on, you think I looked like Creator/WillForte when I was 27? You think Will Forte IS 27? *Forte can be seen in the background looking at Kenney while he rants*

** The part where Kenney acknowledges that there were dozens more writers who were instrumental for the ''Lampoon'' succeeding, with their names briefly appearing on screen and a few actors walking past the window, but then says that four characters were pretty much all that fit the narrative.

** The introduction of Michael O'Donoghue, who Kenney describes as "aspiring to be the AntiChrist".