1.11 The Actor

Summary and spoilers

Murray is depressed about how empty and rare the Conchords gigs are, and how he can’t even wrangle some complimentary soup for the band. The Conchords hire Ben, a semi-professional actor, to impersonate a record executive and make a rejection phone call to Murray. Ben (as Stefan Gucci) gets into the role (and probably feels a little sorry for a sobbing Murray) and instead offers Murray a record deal. This leads to an in-person meeting where Murray shows his negotiating skills. The Conchords want no part of this fake deal, which is of course confounding to the clueless Murray. Eventually, Bret gets caught up in the excitement of a two million dollar deal, and the Conchords sign.

Murray spends hundreds of dollars on a Lord of the Rings themed music video and a celebratory rap party; afterward he finds out that the deal was fake. With his finances reduced, Murray moves into his office again, washing his underwear in the sink and drying them in the microwave, a routine that is, to quote Jemaine, "…very humiliating for everyone involved."

Comments

Songs in this episode: ‘Cheer Up, Murray’ and ‘Frodo (Don't Wear the Ring)’.

Those who are in the know about Bret McKenzie’s small role as an elf escort in the second and third Lord of the Rings films will enjoy seeing McKenzie ringing it up again here. Incidentally, McKenzie’s character in the Rings films is known as Figwit, derived from an acronym for "Frodo is great - who is THAT?!?", a phrase coined by fan Iris Hadad. Figwit captured a sizeable internet fan base for his efforts; Peter Jackson has said that he only brought McKenzie back for the third film because of the fan interest from the second film.

John Turturro does a surprise cameo as the credits roll (playing a tough cop alongside Ben as ‘the Dry Cleaner’ in Martin Scorcese’s ‘Dry Cleaner’).

Flight of the Conchords Quotes

"It doesn’t matter how good your music is if no one’s there to hear it."
- Murray

"Some people don’t return your calls
They don’t return your calls
People will call you ‘ginger balls’
They’ll call you ‘ginger balls’
Those people don’t know what they see
They just see ginger balls
ginger balls"
- Bret and Jemaine (from ‘Cheer Up, Murray’)

"Cheer up, Murray
So nothing goes your way
It’s the same every day
Well, tomorrow is another day"
- Bret and Jemaine (from ‘Cheer Up, Murray’)

Jemaine: Well, what about for you? Is this a good deal for you?
Stefan: Well, quite frankly, this is a terrible deal for me.
Jemaine: Do we want to do deals with people that do such terrible deals for themselves?
Murray: I think so.
Bret: Why not?
Murray: Yep.

Murray: I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Articulate!
Mel: It’s elvish. That’s elvish.
Murray: Are you chewing something?
Mel: It’s my native tongue.
Murray: [peers into Mel’s mouth] Is it?
Mel: Yep.
Murray: Alright.