'Key & Peele' imagines what would happen if we treated teachers like athletes
This story first appeared on Babble and is reprinted with permission.
You could argue that it's pretty much been the summer of Amy Schumer, the Emmy-nominated actress whose Comedy Central series, Inside Amy Schumer, and first feature film, Trainwreck, have been raking in ratings (and cash). Her hilariously dry delivery pokes no-holds-barred fun at herself while simultaneously making strong statements about pop culture, relationships, sexism and feminism, all of which clearly resounds with a wide audience.
However, she's not the only Comedy Central star who's blurring the lines between raunchy humor and serious news; Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele star in a show that's also bringing a fresh perspective to satire. On their Comedy Central program, Key & Peele, they've "anger-translated" the president, spoofed Nazis, and played old-timers talking about Drake. Recently, though, they managed to nail exactly what's wrong with everyone, everywhere.
In a sketch called TeachingCenter, Key and Peele perfectly poke fun at ESPN's SportsCenter -- by replacing any mention of athletes with teachers. They stage a teacher draft at Radio City Music Hall, analyze school trades, and enact a play-by-play of a classroom instructor who adeptly "brings an introvert into a discussion."
"That's a Teacher of the Year move right there," they said.
Of course, SportsCenter TeachingCenter wouldn't be complete without discussion of who's making the big bucks. In this case, it's a calculus teacher who goes first round in the draft. The fictional Mike Yost is lauded as a "mathlete" who made something of himself despite humble beginnings. Then there's another teacher celebrated for making $80 million over six years.
It's all ridiculous because teachers are never put on pedestals -- or paid -- like athletes. Except you watch it and think, "But they should be."
If humor that makes you think is the new black, break out the dark crayons.
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