Recap / Strong Bad Email E 82 Impression

Airdate: Monday, August 25, 2003

Sender: Your Friend

Strong Bad: (singing) Eeeeeemail: It's like the sugar on the candy for my stuuuuuff.

Strong Bad's friend "Jhonka" wants to see him do an impression of Strong Sad. As it so happens, Strong Bad is preparing to compete in Free Country USA's annual Strong Sad Lookalike Contest, "where contestants are judged on appearance, impression and penmanship".

Strong Bad: Not beatin' around the bush this week!

Out in the field, Coach Z introduces "the man of the hour, the deathly pallor" for a (very) brief speech before beginning the competition. First up is Strong Bad, whose costume of a grey sweat-shirt, white beret, and paper-plate mask is praised for "nice use of light and shadow... and picnic supplies". Strong Bad's impression involves a poor attempt to disguise the fact he's playing a recording of Strong Sad's voice on a tape deck hidden under his shirt.

Coach Z: Okay then, very unsuspicious.

Homestar's costume of a grey version of his trademark star tee, "nice hippo slippers" ("Thanks, they're elephants!"), and a sock stuck to his head is a little better, as is his impression (saying "Oh, some animal died..." in a forlorn voice). The next contestant appears to be Strong Sad himself, but when Coach Z tells him to leave it turns out to be Homsar ("AaAaAaAa... I'm cryin' on the inside!")

The final contestant is The Cheat, whose costume is simply a paper bag made up to resemble Strong Sad's leg, but his impression is apparently convincing enough to impress Coach Z ("It's as if Strong Sad was still alive and with us today!")

Strong Bad: Stupid friggin' Cheat-in-a-Bag. (returns to the computer room, still in costume) I can't believe The Cheat won sectionals for the 4th year in a row dressed up as Strong Sad's left leg. I knew I should have gone for the bigger butt. Oh well, at least I won the penmanship award. But I should get going if I'm still going to be fashionably late to the afterparty. So, until next time, (singing) all the ladies and dudes say: "Strong Bad is a cool guy! And we're not cool in the least!" (leaves)

(The Paper comes down)

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Tropes:

• Bad Impressionists: Homestar and Strong Bad's costumes aren't exactly convincing, and Strong Bad's "impression" is simply a recording of Strong Sad.
• Failed a Spot Check: That sock taped to Homestar's head isn't actually part of his costume, as shown in an Easter Egg.
• Lampshade Hanging: Strong Bad points out his tendency to go on tangents that have little to nothing to do with the sender's question by addressing the audience with "No beatin' around the bush this week!"
• No, You: The recording for Strong Bad's "impression" of Strong Sad includes the following exchange:
  Strong Sad: Stop flicking my ear!
  Strong Bad: More like, you stop flicking my ear!"
• Oh, No... Not Again!: After losing the contest, Strong Bad gripes "I can't believe The Cheat won sectionals for the 4th year in a row dressed up as Strong Sad's left leg!"
• Paper-Thin Disguise: The Cheat manages to win the contest while wearing a paper bag with one of Strong Sad's legs drawn on it.
• Your Costume Needs Work: Inverted; Homsar's costume is so good he gets disqualified when he's mistaken for the real Strong Sad.

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Coach Z: I meant to tell you the sock on the head was a nice touch.
Homestar: I have a sock on my head? (shaking back and forth) Getitoff getitoff getitoff getitoff getitoff getitoff (stops shaking) getitoff getitoff.