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I've been given a task that I'm beginning to suspect is impossible. Here's my assignment:
Write a parody of the song "Dancing in the Streets of New Orleans."
The parody still has to be about dancing in the streets of New Orleans so as not to change too many lyrics.
It has to be appropriate for all audiences (No mention of drinking or flashing boobs for beads).
It has to be universally funny (No jokes that only locals would get).
I wrote a draft that filled all these requirements. I've lived here long enough to know that the topic of the city is something of a sacred cow to locals, and I was as gentle as possible.
Sample:
Dancing in the Streets of New Orleans
ain't as easy as it seems.
Cobblestones you miss, make you do the twist
like nobody's ever seen.
(You'll just have to trust me that it matches the song rhythmically.)
Bumpy streets. Who can get upset about mentioning bumpy streets? Well, apparently the woman in charge of the project can. If she had suggested other jokes or different word choices, I would have done my best to make the changes. However, she didn't like that I poked fun at the city at all. She suggested rewrites that all gush about how wonderful it is here. That's all well and good, except THE ORIGINAL LYRICS ALREADY DO THAT. Why not just keep them? They're cute and everyone already has them memorized. I'd be fine with singing it straight.
The only joke she left in was one that mentioned the heat. One joke about heat isn't a "New Orleans" parody. It's not even a "hot place" parody.
Frankly I'm stumped. Comedy people, this is my question for you. Is it possible to write a parody about a specific city without mentioning anything even minimally negative about that place? If I could use inside jokes that would only mean something to locals, I might pull it off, but with that possibility removed, I just don't know what to do.
Help!
Write a parody of the song "Dancing in the Streets of New Orleans."
The parody still has to be about dancing in the streets of New Orleans so as not to change too many lyrics.
It has to be appropriate for all audiences (No mention of drinking or flashing boobs for beads).
It has to be universally funny (No jokes that only locals would get).
I wrote a draft that filled all these requirements. I've lived here long enough to know that the topic of the city is something of a sacred cow to locals, and I was as gentle as possible.
Sample:
Dancing in the Streets of New Orleans
ain't as easy as it seems.
Cobblestones you miss, make you do the twist
like nobody's ever seen.
(You'll just have to trust me that it matches the song rhythmically.)
Bumpy streets. Who can get upset about mentioning bumpy streets? Well, apparently the woman in charge of the project can. If she had suggested other jokes or different word choices, I would have done my best to make the changes. However, she didn't like that I poked fun at the city at all. She suggested rewrites that all gush about how wonderful it is here. That's all well and good, except THE ORIGINAL LYRICS ALREADY DO THAT. Why not just keep them? They're cute and everyone already has them memorized. I'd be fine with singing it straight.
The only joke she left in was one that mentioned the heat. One joke about heat isn't a "New Orleans" parody. It's not even a "hot place" parody.
Frankly I'm stumped. Comedy people, this is my question for you. Is it possible to write a parody about a specific city without mentioning anything even minimally negative about that place? If I could use inside jokes that would only mean something to locals, I might pull it off, but with that possibility removed, I just don't know what to do.
Help!
