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Nerdist was started by Chris Hardwick and has grown to be a many headed beast.

Singled Out on Attack of the Show

by on February 13, 2009

I LOVE LOVE LOVE working on AOTS. It’s rare that I ever reference that old chestnut “Singled Out,” not because I’m ashamed of it but because I never wanted to be the guy who was trying to milk the teat of its success long after it was appropriate. Actually, I don’t think I even milked that teat much when the show was still on. If you’re between the ages of 20 and 40 you may remember this show, as MTV aired the living shit out of it from 95-98. Yes! It was a blast. I was right out of college. Who wouldn’t love that job? Only a JERK. No! I did not sleep with Jenny McCarthy. And No! That does not make me gay. The most sexual thing that ever happened was Jenny showing me her PMOY spread. She pointed out to me, “See, the curtains don’t match the rug.” I complimented her decor nonetheless. Other than that, we had a very brothery-sistery relationship and I adored working with her. The only other “sexy-branded moment” I can think of was that one time Carmen Electra’s boob popped out during a promo shoot, and when I clumsily indicated this to her with a cupped hand gesture and an uncomfortable, “Uhhh…hey…there…” she calmly said, “Eh, everyone’s seen ‘em anyway,” and flopped it back behind its shroud. She was super-cool as well.

Anyway, back to AOTS. They had wanted to do a “Singled Out” sketch for a while and I was way on board. I have to credit our writers, producers and staff–they executed it flawlessly, from Kevin’s excellent “Woos!” to the game board with gold crap glued to it right down to my floppy wig that represented the young, Caucasian mid-90s hair drapes that I used to have. I was having the weirdest flashbacks during this because THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE SHOW WAS LIKE. Even though we were poking fun at it, this easily could have been an episode.

To AOTS and “Singled Out” I sincerely and without a shred of sarcasm say, “Good times.”

 
42 comments read them below or add one

  2. Ha! I’ll look for it. It’s on VHS somewhere. If I can find it, I will. Maybe I should call Patrick Duffy and Sharon Lawrence to see if they have their copies…

  8. I was wondering why you always looked so familiar but I just could never place it. It all males sense now. Singled Out was a great show. Always funny. AOTS too. Looking forward to the episode. I’ll torrent it tom as soon as it comes out. You and Periera are always so funny

  9. Really awesome job!

    It brought me back to my dorm room days so much so that I started masturbating. It’s not gay if I whack my bag to Pereira dressed as Jenny McCarthy, is it?

  12. Hopefully you still have that cassette of “You Got the Right to Shake Your Booty”.
    it’ll be worth millions one day due to nobody else owning it.

  13. Sweet bleeding Jesus, Horacio! I forgot about that!!!! It’s true, though…You do have the right…Though I’m not sure why “Christian Bale” is one of the tags on the youtube page.

  14. Maybe Bradlee Booty really is…Christian Bale! :O

    I LOVED Singled Out! Now that I think about it, I think I stopped watching MTV not long after Singled Out went off the air. My friend and I used to drool over you Chris ;D
    I remember watching House of 1000 Corpses with friends one night. I saw you, and was like Nice! It’s Chris Hardwick from Singled Out! I just got “Huh?” so I tried explaining it…they still didn’t get it *sigh* Kids…

  16. What a hilarious sketch! You really captured what I lovingly remember about “Singled Out” perfectly. Everyone at AOTS should be commended for putting together such a pitch perfect spoof. Congrats to all.

  17. Friday the 13th can no longer be known as unlucky because of the gem that AOTS brought us today. I definitely had to stop the dvr once I saw you come out in that wig. Pure brilliance.

    “You don’t have to thank me, mortal. Just remember this one thing: you’ve got the right to shake your booty.” I’m pretty certain I’m going to end all email correspondences with that line from now on. Thank you for this gift, Horacio.

  18. Speaking of blastses from the pastses, I was watching a VHS tape that had some MST3K on it along with various tidbits of yesteryear and for some reason, my sister had recorded this “Blind Date”-esque show that takes place on a cruise ship. And guess who was the host! I’m not gonna lie… you looked a little like you wanted to gut someone/something. I can’t blame you, cause the chick on that episode had the most obnoxious laugh that the guy oddly enough claimed was “sexy.” Oh, 90s…

  19. Yeah, that’s pretty much exactly how I remembered it. Tell Pereira nice work on the McCarthy impersonation too lol.

  21. Wow, can’t believe someone else already beat me to the “Trashed” reference. out-trivia’d!!

    And yes, awesome sketch. Your wig alone is a fucking piece de resistance.

  23. I used to watch that show all the time. Well I actually used to watch MTV all the time and they reran that show like three thousand times a day. I was cool with it though. At the time I thought that masturbating to Jenny McCarthy might be my greatest talent, and it turns out at the time, it was. I was pretty good at it and I bet I could still rub one out in record time if I broke out my playboy from back in the day. I’m sure the magazines a little starchy.

    That must have been a little embarrassing to have her show you her spread in Playboy. As a nerd I would have been sporting a axe handle the whole time. To have someone that beautiful say, “Hey look at my naked body here in Playboy”, would have been jerk off material for literally years. My nerd boner would have lasted a week for sure.

    Great show though. It was campy, fun and extremely insane, which made it a must for my TV viewing. I was also right out of college when that show aired. Just goes to show you how popular I was in the workforce just out of college. English degrees don’t exactly get you the big high paying jobs; just a room in your parents basement for a couple more years, while you try and find a job that can pay for your comic book collection AND rent.

    Michael

  25. Singled Out and Remote Control were my favorite bits on MTV back in the day. It’s almost hard to believe you (Chris) hosted that show.

    You’ve come a long way!

  28. It’s funny how so many of us are so nostalgic for the days of “Singled Out”. I can’t even tell you why loved it so much, but I did… and I do. Thanks for taking me back, Chris.

  29. AWESOME!… hair was epic. I was hoping Carmen was gonna be on the show. This should be a weekly segment. Milk it for all it’s worth.

  32. “i thought that was one of the best bits that AOTS has done in a very long time.”

    agreed! HIGH-LARRY-US, loved it!

  33. That was you on Singled Out?!?! Holy crumbs! I knew I’d seen you before, on TV, sometime ago, but not sure when.

    I am in that age range you mentioned and yes I watched the ever-lovin’ snot outta that show. My friend and I protested that it was lame but we watched it any chance we could. Hehheh.

  34. Loved the sketch, and damn, did it make me feel nostalgic. I can’t lie that I enjoyed Singled Out back then. Still love Jenny and still, uh.. love(?) you too.

  35. “K3vin 02.15.09 at 5:06 pm
    I was hoping Carmen was gonna be on the show….. Milk it for all it’s worth.”

    …pun intended?

  39. Chris I gotta say I laughed my ass off at the reference and sadly I felt like an ass hole. Back in those glory days of the 90s I loved singled out. Thought Jenny was hot and that host dude was cool. Granted I was like 10 or 11 lol and I had no idea it was you man. I’m so sorry but yes indeed good times and I always love you on the show and your standup. Come to st louis dammit

  41. If she’s a shamwow girl then she’d rather bite the lip of the man that pays for giggity-giggity. Is she’d a word?

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