The album art of Phil Hartmann (2022) | Hacker News Reader

The album art of Phil Hartmann (2022)

conorherbert.com

170 pointsJojoFatsani37 comments

Phil Hartman was a true artist. The Ronald Reagan SNL skit where he's planning with his White House staff and generals and he's on top of every detail while everyone else can't keep up with him, that skit is superb. It is the most flattering portrayal of a US president that SNL has ever done, even though he's talking about doing shady stuff like funding the Contras. It's flattering because when I saw it as a kid I really buy Hartman's performance that Reagan crushes his tasks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5wfPlgKFh8

Funny that it was commenting on the exact opposite, that Reagan was senile and had lost control of the CIA. Without the context it does look like he's a superhero though.

I thought it was being ironic. That on SNL he's competent and gets stuff done. Even if those things are shady and questionnable. And as a teen who didn't know shit about anything that's the impression it made on me. And frankly that's the point I was making. Not that Reagan was competent, but rather that Phil Hartman did a good job at portraying him as competent. If you just see the skit for what it is, Phil Hartman had a lot of dialogue to deliver with precision and skill. Especially when you compare with other performers. Fast forward to a decade later and you got Jimmy Fallon who can't utter one line without cracking up

It was satire. The joke of the sketch was that the if the WH and their damage control campaign were being genuinely transparent, the response would have had to have been an act of sheer genius, and not the clear debacle everyone knew it was.

I mean, the sketch was written by Al Franken: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_season_12#....

Just watched Kiki’s Delivery Service and was reminded of Phil. My favorite childhood comedian. RIP.

He did an excellent job as jiji

Writing/Acting credits for him as Kap'n Karl in the adult version of the The Peewee Herman Show.

He always possessed a balanced approach to his across the board talent.

I still miss this guy.

Crazy to think he died 26 years ago.

I’m always fascinated by the nuance of biographies. The big events are, of course, interesting, but I often find myself drawn to the more mundane, or unrelated-to-rise-to-fame, aspects that blend into someone’s life story when creating something like a Wikipedia blurb or summary. Before X worked as an insurance adjuster for Y years until Z happened. People like Alan Rickman come to mind. I never knew Phil Hartman did this type of work and for some pretty well known bands. Very cool

I remember his apperance on those nickelodeon outdoor showcases. I'll never forget when he said his blood type was "B positive" becaudd hes such a positive person

Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz. Legend

Great article. I had no idea about the Pee-Wee Herman connection, either.

There have been a number of musicians with strong art backgrounds or actual careers in design. David Yow of The Jesus Lizard springs to mind (https://glassworkscoffee.com/blogs/beans/david-yow) as well as Bill Drummond of The KLF.

TIL.

Holy cow. Never knew.

I grew up with his stuff.

The Poco Legend album cover art is exceptional.

Amazing post. Surprised and happy to see something like this here.

And yet I'm so distracted by the unnecessary fade-in content it torques my jaw.

Attack of the Masturbating Zombies is one of my all time favourite SNL sketches. RIP Phil.

Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer is still mentioned by Bill Hader as one of his favorite sketches. Hartman was a sincere talent.

Edit: found it, Armisen and Hader called it "a perfect sketch" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdWrOeXQpqE

That's probably my favorite sketch of his as well. I think about that sketch often.

Whenever I want to baffle someone with terminology, I always lead with “Well, I may be just an unfrozen caveman engineer but…” and then launch into as many TLAs as possible.

Mine was the Anal-Retentive Chef

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBQAwLuuDo0

C'mon, no mention of "Newsradio"? :|

Peak Phil Hartman.

He was consistently the best part of everything he was in. Even in pretty crap-tastic films like Jingle All the Way, he was still somewhat entertaining.

I remember him being in a very mediocre shooter on the psx called Blasto. The game play was fairly meh. But the one liners were a lot of fun. I bought the game specifically because he was in it.

And don't miss out on his antics in the Activision Ice Hockey commercial.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do09o30A284

And again a jerk dad in Small Soldiers!

Maybe the writer now has something new to watch.

... of Phil Hartman?

First famous person I’d save with a time machine just so we’d get a fifth season of Bill McNeal.

Those first four seasons of the show were some of the best TV made.

Funnily enough, I’m in the middle of a Newsradio rewatch. First time I’ve watched the show in years and it still holds up.

As Bill (Phil) would say, “good times.”

The only part that doesn't hold up for me is the typical 90s-sitcom nervous-giggly writing about anything sex-related. The ensemble cast is pure gold, especially Phil and Stephen Root. I still find myself thinking about the cane and quitting-smoking episodes.

The Buttafuoco bit from the second episode. And the episode where Phil is stalked. And the malt liquor bit. And the bit after the jumper with him and Dave Folly lying on the floor.

How this doesn't have a picture included of Steely Dan's Aja, which is an iconic cover he did, baffles me.

If you read the article it says why - because he didn’t do it

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