If you were just hit with a breaking news alert containing the line, "$80 million over the next six years," you'd immediately think of a superstar athlete, right?
Well, not in Key and Peele's latest skit, as the comedic duo cleverly spoofed ESPN's SportsCenter, turning it into the lucrative world of TeachingCenter, humorously touching on the imbalance of high-paid athletes and low-paid teachers in today's society.
However, on TeachingCenter, it's the teachers commanding the huge contracts and the athletes struggling in a role reversal some would argue should be the norm in an ideal U.S. picture.
Taking on the sports broadcasting personalities of Boyd Maxwell and Perry Schmidt, comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele open up the skit by throwing a live press conference for superstar teacher Ruby Ruhf, who does her best LeBron James' impersonation ... except announcing that she's "taking her talents" from Ohio to teach in New York City. She does so by signing a six-year, $80 million contract with an additional $40 million in incentives based on improved test scores.
Another highlight of the skit has the broadcasters covering the Teacher Draft from New York City's Radio City Music Hall, a long-time venue of the NFL Draft. Except in the Teacher Draft, struggling schools get first dibs on drafting a superstar teacher to improve their poor test scores.
Key and Peele hilariously describe the No. 1 teacher's background as an "unbelievable story," including "his father living paycheck to paycheck as a humble pro-football player." Again, clever role reversal. Viewers are also bound to get a few laughs from the ticker on the bottom of the screen running high geography grades from top students.
The sarcastic social commentary about the way Americans put a precedence on sports was also touched on via Key and Peele's skit about NBA announcers last month. Funny stuff as always.
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