Look guys, we get it. Ska puns, though inherently versatile, carry with them a certain hamminess that can often alienate even the most die-hard supporters of the genre. It is said that every time an awful ska pun is said unironically, a video of a puppy experiencing a sobering moment of soul crushing sadness is uploaded onto the internet. “My favorite member of early-2000s post-grunge band Creed is SKAht Stapp” – a person designed by scientists in a laboratory to be hated objectively.
This issue is at the bottom line of a sketch from a recent episode of Portlandia, in which Simpsons creator Matt Groening takes a character to court over a ska pun that is just awful. Portlandia is ripe with musical nods, as creators Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein are both professional musicians. Check out the short clip below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcR7TL-uzBs&feature=share