The comedy series Cunk On Earth is renowned for its hilarious and often absurd takes on historical events. Behind the scenes, crafting this humor involves meticulous planning and sometimes, unexpectedly complex challenges. One such instance revolved around a seemingly simple gag: incorporating a recurring musical clip, much like the Brush Strokes opening titles in Cunk On Britain. However, for the globally-focused Cunk On Earth, a more internationally resonant cultural touchstone was needed. This is where the infectious energy of the Pump Up The Jam Song by Technotronic entered the scene, becoming an unlikely comedic cornerstone.
Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk in "Cunk On Earth" discussing historical inaccuracies
From Sitcom Painter to Global Anthem: Finding the Perfect Clip
The original idea was elegantly simple: replicate the Brush Strokes gag from Cunk On Britain. In that series, the repetitive, overly long clip of the sitcom’s opening became a running joke, a fixed point in history against which Philomena Cunk’s grand narratives would hilariously stumble. The charm lay in the unexpected juxtaposition – equating a mundane sitcom with monumental historical events like the moon landing.
However, Cunk On Earth demanded a broader scope. Brush Strokes, while fondly remembered in Britain, lacked international recognition. The new series, destined for a global Netflix audience, needed a clip with universal appeal, a shared cultural reference point. The sitcom painter Jacko, beloved in the UK, wouldn’t resonate universally.
The solution, reportedly conceived by Charlie Brooker, was inspired: Technotronic’s pump up the jam song. Using its explosive entry into global pop charts as the new “unbreakable historic fixture” was a stroke of genius. It was international, instantly recognizable, and possessed that perfect blend of familiarity and slight absurdity to serve the Cunk On Earth brand of humor. The very idea of measuring historical timelines against the rise of the pump up the jam song is inherently comical.
Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" music video, a key cultural reference in comedy
The Unexpectedly Herculean Task of Music Rights
What seemed like a lighthearted comedic choice soon morphed into a significant logistical undertaking. Securing the music rights for pump up the jam song across all broadcast territories proved to be an unexpectedly lengthy and complex process. The production team apparently spent almost as much time clearing the rights as they did filming the rest of the series.
This anecdote underscores a peculiar aspect of comedy: sometimes, the more effort poured into a seemingly inconsequential gag, the funnier it becomes. The sheer absurdity of the situation – dedicating immense resources to license a song for a throwaway joke – amplifies the humor. The clip itself wasn’t essential to the show; that was precisely the point. Viewers would likely remain oblivious to the behind-the-scenes struggle, adding another layer to the comedic irony. It became a self-imposed, almost masochistic commitment to comedic absurdity, highlighting the often-unseen dedication that underpins even the silliest of jokes.
“Chart Show” Facts: Brainstorming Absurdity around “Pump Up The Jam”
To further enhance the comedic value of the pump up the jam song clip, the writers were tasked with creating pop-up “facts” in the style of ITV’s The Chart Show. The request was simple: generate pages of gags that could flash on screen during the video segment.
The resulting brainstorming session, conducted in a flurry of creative energy, yielded a document filled with wildly fabricated and increasingly absurd “facts” about pump up the jam song. This document, unearthed from the archives, reveals the unfiltered comedic process – a stream of consciousness where repetition and escalating silliness become the joke itself. The writer describes it as a “frenzy,” a state of disconnected brain activity conducive to free association, comparing it to the exhilarating yet uncontrolled descent of riding a bike downhill.
Energetic dance scene from Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" video, iconic 90s imagery
The Humor of Exhaustion: When Jokes Refuse to Stop
The sheer volume and relentless repetition of pump up the jam song gags are what make the brainstorming document so inherently funny. Ideas range from the nonsensical (“The name Technotronic is of Norman French origin. It means ‘maker of scissors’.”) to the bizarrely specific (“The pump used to move the jam in this song is a rotary vane positive displacement pump.”). Some jokes land, some miss, but the cumulative effect of this comedic barrage is undeniably entertaining.
The writer acknowledges the uneven quality of the gags, describing them as “rough scraps.” However, it’s in this very excess, this comedic overproduction, that the humor truly resides. The relentless pursuit of absurdity, the willingness to push a joke far beyond its natural lifespan, transforms simple one-liners into a shaggy dog story of comedic proportions. The question becomes not just “is this funny?” but “how long can we keep this going?” – and in that persistence, a unique form of humor emerges.
Energetic dance scene from Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" video, iconic 90s imagery
The Hidden Labor of Laughter: Comedy as a Hungry Beast
The anecdote about the pump up the jam song gags also serves to debunk the myth of comedy as a lazy pursuit. The sheer volume of material generated for Cunk On Earth, with only a tiny fraction making it to the final cut, highlights the intense labor involved. World-renowned experts dedicating entire days to answering deliberately stupid questions for a single line or reaction shot exemplifies the “glorious wastage” inherent in comedy creation.
This excess, however, is not simply waste. It’s a crucial ingredient, much like a bay leaf in a casserole, infusing the final product with a richer flavor. The hours spent crafting jokes, even those discarded, contribute to the overall comedic texture. It’s a testament to the dedication and often unseen effort that goes into creating even seemingly effortless comedy. The magic of comedy, like a magician’s sleight of hand, lies in the meticulous preparation hidden beneath the surface.
Close-up of the lead singer from Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" video
In conclusion, the story of how pump up the jam song became a comedic linchpin in Cunk On Earth is a fascinating glimpse into the often-absurd world of comedy writing. It reveals the surprising amount of effort behind seemingly simple jokes, the humor found in repetition and excess, and the hidden labor that fuels laughter. From navigating complex music rights to brainstorming endless streams of ridiculous facts, the journey of pump up the jam song in Cunk On Earth is a testament to the dedication and delightful absurdity that defines great comedy.
Joel Morris's book "Be Funny or Die: How Comedy Works And Why It Matters", exploring comedic techniques
