In honor of the start spooky season (yay!), I have a question about an apparently beloved spooky meme/skit. What about "David S. Pumpkins" is so funny?

The skit is absurd, the pacing works well, and everyone involved is clearly having fun as there are multiple close calls on breaking character. It is funny because of how it doesn't make sense, a couple of characters are also aware of it not making sense, and then they get runaround answers when they try to figure it out.

No comedy bit lands for everyone though.

Yeah, I know it doesn't. I just genuinely don't find it funny. I do appreciate the breakdown though, makes sense why people aside from me would like it.
- Pretty sure Tom Hanks himself has mentioned he doesn’t understand why it’s so popular.
This was the perfect explanation. Thank you.

OP, says something to me that's very clear about your sense of humor that you didn't see any of this. There is an entire layer of humanity that you're missing in your day to day life. That makes me sad.
- What the fuck are you talking about
- Seek help.

My wife and I watched it when it aired, and we found it hilarious. It's the absurdity of it. Should I know who this guy is?

"Any questions?" "Yes! Several! I mean, he has a middle initial now?"

I personally really enjoy how David and the skeletons either can't out won't elaborate on the parts of their whole thing that the people are confused about. There's just something funny to me about how it doesn't seem like they're intentionally being obtuse. They'll gladly answer the vague question of "and the skeletons are...?" with the equally vague "part of it!" with a big smile, as though it was a perfectly fine and helpful answer.

It's a well-constructed skit -- unabashedly silly, with just the right amount of ironic detachment. I love how after Pumpkins shows up, the couple just coolly analyzes the regular monsters that were making them scream moments before. The music is ridiculous, Tom Hanks demeanor is ridiculous, the dancing is ridiculous (with a dash of sexual weirness at the end). And it comes full circle with him genuinely scaring them in the end.

I do think that them doing sequels and trying to spin a mini-franchise out of it was stupid though.

Didn’t know what this was so looked up the video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rS00xWnqwvI

Jesus Christ it's actually hilarious 🤣
Thank you.
That went viral?

It's about as funny as most SNL, which is pretty much not at all. You'd think they'd get teleprompters that were a little closer to the camera at some point so it wasn't so fucking obvious that someone can't remember a line like "Any questions".
- They don't use prompters but paper cards and their reasoning is that the script changes up until the last minute but that doesn't make any sense as it's easier to update text on a computer than to rewrite a bunch of cards.
  
  They are superstitiously stuck in their ways at SNL, now Lorne says he's not going to retire so I don't expect it to get any better.
- Let's see you do better.

It feels so real in how disappointing the experience becomes for the straight characters. That would be my reaction if I went into that thing to be frightened, and I get David S. Pumpkins instead. By the way, you're not alone as I read years ago that Tom Hanks doesn't get it either.

It feels so real in how disappointing the experience becomes for the straight characters.

This hits the nail on the head. It's funny because of the point of view of the actual participants.

The funny thing about this thread is that there are so many comments essentially agreeing with the central premise of the sketch, that it's relatable and disorienting when you stumble onto some kind of established fandom and can't seem to keep up with why it's popular or what is or isn't "part of it." The popularity is confusing in itself, and the need to dissect the lore (as OP is doing, perhaps even unintentionally following the sketch itself) distracts from the original purpose of going there to be entertained.

In other words, the sketch is funny and relatable exactly for the same reasons why much of the audience doesn't find it funny and relatable.
- This is a perfect analysis that was thoroughly ruined by not ending it with:
  
  aNy qUeStIoNs?!?

You are not a buzzkill, I think. This skit had a couple of things going for it:

Halloween can always use more “mascots” and this is one.
I admit that I originally didn’t like this skit, but my brother-in-law did, and I like him, so after watching it I always think of him until eventually it became something I genuinely liked.
I quote lines from this skit to my SO all the time, so it’s become kind of embedded into my life.
SNL during this time wasn’t very funny to me. I think that since SNL sucked during this time, even moderately funny skits ended up exploding in popularity just because they weren’t the usual onslaught of comedians stumbling over their lines and ruining jokes. Weekend Update was pretty funny, though.

So in short, my friend, it’s not really funny. It was a moment, and you may have missed it. But let me say this, I think you’re cool for kicking off Spooky season…

… Almost as cool as DaViD ESS pUmKiNs!

I've never seen it before now, and I loved it. (If you're reading this and haven't seen it, go watch it, because the one thing someone else mentioned in a comment would've been funny if I wasn't expecting it.)

The end of the bit was what really did it for me.

It's a kinda funny joke. But the problem with American comedy in general is that they just can't let something go. They milk that joke until there's nothing left.

It really varies on the comic. Some drag shit out some don't. I can't stand most of Jim Gaffigan's stuff because he does that shit ad nauseum.
Yeah I hate it so much

I don't get Tracy Morgan. His jokes don't seem that funny to me. He's extremely repetitive. I don't understand him. Then, one day I heard a comedian on a podcast describe him as a complete genius. He said Tracy's trick is he tells a joke that may be funny, maybe not funny, and you'll give him a little laugh. Then he repeats the joke ten times. It's no longer funny. You're just tired of hearing it. Then he repeats the joke ten more times, and somehow through the power of alchemy, it's now run full circle and is the funniest thing you've ever heard every time he says it. I think this skit has that same energy.

I have five words for you:

Kristen Schaal is a horse.
!Wade Boggs' Carpet World!<

!Wade Boggs' Carpet World!<

!Wade Boggs' Carpet World!<

!Wade Boggs' Carpet World!<

And one last piece of advice, Liz Lemon, from someone who's been on this side of the business for a long time:

!Wade Boggs' Carpet World!<
I’ve actually tired to explain how Donald trump is the complete opposite of Tracy Morgan for these reasons. Trump is dumb as hell trying to sound smart. The first time you hear what he says it’s funny because it’s so unbelievable; then reality sets in and it stops being funny. Sorry for bringing him up, but this is too coincidental to not mention
I prefer it in the original Stewart Lee
That doesn't sound like genius.
Not to be crass, but it almost seems like he's gotten even more like that since his accident. Nowadays he says the most absurd shit, but just the way he says it and commits to it is funny.

I think part of what made it initially a sensation was how self-aware it was in how incredibly stupid and not actually funny it is.

This is exactly it. It's not Tom Hanks, it's the idea that it's so stupid and they went all in. The viral part is beyond me. But I chuckle every time I see it because it represents some terrible idea shoved down your throat. And maybe it's just me but it reminds me of the nonsense in Idiocracy. Just laughing at garbage. They're laughing at themselves in the skit. 73 floors of David s Pumpkins? I'm surprised they found that many non-pumkins floors

Both absurdity and repetition can be funny and the sketch has both in uncomfortable number.

I find it a bit grating, but I think that's the point. And the sketch writers were clearly aware there was something (deliberately?) off about the whole thing which is why they make overt with DSP's catchphrase.

Sometimes humor is hard to explain. This sketch probably struck some chord with a fad for "random" things at the time, and maybe hasn't aged very well.

While the internet was of course influential in 2016, my recollection is that people weren't nearly as jaded and cynical as they are now in the post-truth, post-pandemic world.

We're constantly bombarded with memes, jokes, and other distractions...so perhaps people are not so easily amused now as they were almost a decade ago.

However, I do remember some folks being confused, annoyed, and unimpressed with it back then, too. But enough people were tickled by it to want to share it with everyone. And I do think Hanks brings a certain bizarre charm to it that not many comedians can pull off.

2016 is well after 9/11/2001... People where already very I jaded on the Internet.

I suspect you where just too young to be jaded yourself yet.

Everything Tom Hanks does is gold

The skit where he is a creepy animatronic robot on the love ride is fantastic.
Everybody knows him as Tom Hanks, but what people don't know is his real name is actually Hank Toms!
- Tim Honks
- Otm Shank
Even the David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special?

It's because it's absolutely absurd and has nothing to do with Halloween. You have seen the whole skit and not just the memes, right? It's basically a parody of Disney's Tower of Terror ride but instead of spooky Halloween stuff, they got this dude just dancing around.

I'm so glad I never have any idea what is viral on the internet

Is this why I am out of the loop? Is this a thing of American culture, or is it internet culture? Or both?

In any case, I watched the video, found it funny. Harmless absurdity is fun.

I don't find it particularly funny, but I certainly enjoyed the vibe of the entire skit.

I'm going to say because it's short, stupid catchy. Sometimes your brain goes to random places and then logic sets in. Ignoring typical reason is what makes absurdist comedy work. We obviously have a character playing it straight trying to figure it out getting more and more upset by the illogical which makes the bit work. The music is silly and not eerie at all and then getting scared freeze frame when they continue to point out the character is not scary is the kicker and sort of makes it worth it. This was probably just a random skit they threw in last minute and thought, just have fun. A lot of hit songs are simple, obvious, stupid and catchy. Rick James thought Superfreak was a throw away song too dumb to be on the album and it's his most recognized song.

but am I just a buzz kill

Nah, I'm a longtime fan of absurd shit like Tim and Eric that is rooted heavily in a public television vibe of "doing things wrong and cheaply."

I was never sure if this was trying for a similar vibe or what, but I'm definitely one of the people who firmly never understood it.

Me as well. I crack up at nonsense type comedy like the eric andre show, and imo this snl skit is just plain unfunny
If you like that public access TV feel, I highly recommend checking out the (earlier) episodes of the Chris Getherd show that literally aired on NYC public access TV.

It eventually got popular enough to get a deal with TruTV, which unfortunately ruined the aesthetic of the show and it was never the same (made me feel bad for Getherd. The show ended up failing because it was good enough to get on cable).

Those early public access episodes are gold. I imagine you can find them online.

It's basically just what my humor is like

I’ve never even heard of it but now I’m intrigued.

I never found it funny but it was always entertaining anyway. Watch the monkey dance vibes.

It's not funny. We hate this in my house. We all groan audibly when they do it, and turn SNL off.

Very little of SNL is actually funny. Celebrity jeopardy comes to mind

It's funny because it's bigger than a normal hat
- Turd Ferguson is a funny name.
The thing about it is to remember that it's generally one of 5 skits they have had to write and rehearse as much as possible in the course of 6 days at most.

SNL is more about having a good reason to workshop their skills than it is about how good the show is. But in the context of what they are actually accomplishing, it's generally a pretty good live show. But of course, it will never be as funny on average as a pre-written and pre-recorded show that can be edited and fixed up.

Sort of the same thing as going to any live theater shows. They are not as good as recorded and edited stuff, but you have to appreciate the effort given the context. And adjust your expectations of the quality of the results. They might occasionally still make something that happens to compete favourably with other media, but it shouldn't be expected.
As a Brit, I have to agree. So many of the skits that have been shared over the years are terrible, and I have to wonder if it’s a cultural divide.

On the other hand, the weekend update where the guys swap jokes is some of the best comedy I’ve seen.
- SNL is very much a combination of both humor from two years ago and next years mainstream. So many of the skits are built in the gap of "what have I seen lately that's funny so I can quickly write" and "this will be twice as hilarious in a few years."
  
  So, SNL is usually pretty meh because you either like current humor and the 'future' stuff doesn't hit or you don't like current humor and that doesn't hit.