Look, despite what the entire genre of true crime would have you believe, there is nothing funny or entertaining about murder. I need to acknowledge that with a blanket statement because what I’m about to share is objectively hilarious. It’s very much a “wrong time, excellent execution” sort of thing, and I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that this is deeply in poor taste.
With that said, what I’m about to share with you involves one of my favorite movie clips of all time, and sometimes, even when I’m stone-cold sober, I will just start cracking up over the line, “If we were your children, we’d punish ourselves.” I am, of course, talking about the 1994 cinematic masterpiece The Little Rascals. Here’s a refresher on possibly the greatest scene from the greatest movie of all time:
Obviously, I am not alone in my undying admiration for this movie, and in particular that scene, because a reporter (and I use that title in the loosest sense of the word) referenced it in the most deeply inappropriate way possible: at a press conference regarding the capture of convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante, who escaped prison by crab-walking up a wall late last month. See for yourself:
For those of you not watching the video (and you really should), a reporter asked: “Was there any concern he would team up with another small man to step inside of a trench coat, Little Rascals-style?”
Imagine that you’ve poured your blood, sweat, and tears into entering the field of journalism. It’s a low-paying, highly volatile position where job stability is no longer guaranteed. You get access to a press conference that is garnering national—if not international—attention, and this is the question you ask with a straight face. 10 out of 10, no notes. Finally, the press is asking the questions the general public wants answers to. (The answer to the question was, of course, a terse “no” from law enforcement.)
Only that’s not what really happened, as much as I wish I could will it into existence. The “journalist” who asked the question is actually Philly-based comedian Mike Rainey:
On the one hand, it kind of spoils the hilarity of the entire situation by knowing it was a comedian who purposefully blagged his way into a press conference in order to cause a ruckus. On the other hand, it’s just such a dumb thing to do and such an idiotic question, it’s still kind of funny?!
Obviously, it’s the kind of thing that is amusing just once, and Mikey Rainey did the joke, so let’s not do a whole TikTok trend where other yahoos invade press conferences and ask asinine, unhinged questions, OK? However—and this is a big however—The Little Rascals movie is eternal, so if more jokes that reference this classic masterpiece enter the cultural zeitgeist almost 30 years after the movie’s initial release? All I can say to that is: otay. (Also, hand me a dollar, I have a song I want to sing.)
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
