{"id":1227,"date":"2009-05-13T21:00:32","date_gmt":"2009-05-14T04:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wwwold.sketchwar.org\/?p=1227"},"modified":"2009-05-13T21:00:32","modified_gmt":"2009-05-14T04:00:32","slug":"gods-worst-nightmare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/?p=1227","title":{"rendered":"God&#8217;s Worst Nightmare"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>How many stupid questions does it take to incite the rapture?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"fountain\">\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">\n<p class=\"action\">INT. SET OF &#8220;LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Studio audience APPLAUDS as DAVID LETTERMAN sits at his desk.  Letterman flings his notecard which flies behind him and back through the fake windows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LETTERMAN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">My first guest tonight has gained worldwide popularity in monotheistic religions everywhere. With millions of followers, he&#8217;s known as the deity to beat. Please welcome to our show, God.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">GOD, sporting a white robe, long white beard and hair, and bare feet, dazedly walks out onto the set. In the background, the BAND plays &#8220;What if God were One of Us.&#8221; God takes a seat on the couch next to Letterman&#8217;s desk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LETTERMAN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">God, its an honor&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I don&#8217;t understand. One minute Gabriel and I were napping on the grassy knoll next to the pearly gate, the next minute I&#8217;m here&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LETTERMAN (CONT&#8217;D)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Those ten commandments, though, I have to say&#46;&#46;&#46; quite the bitch, aren&#8217;t they.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD (CONT&#8217;D)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What&#8217;s going on?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LETTERMAN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">(whispers) It&#8217;s just a dream. Go with it. (loudly) So, let&#8217;s just get down to the reason why you\u2019re here tonight. The duckbill platypus.  Did you just wake up one morning and say, &#8220;this sounds like a good idea?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Good God, can&#8217;t you get any new jokes?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">SFX Flash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">CUT TO:<\/p>\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">\n<p class=\"action\">INT. SET OF &#8220;THE VIEW&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God is sitting at a table in the middle of four cackling WOMEN: BARBARA WALTERS, JOY BEHAR, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, and ELISABETH HASSELBECK. He looks around, glancing at each of them. Signage printed with &#8220;The View&#8221; is prominently displayed on the curtain behind them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Where am I? What happened? Am I still dreaming?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WALTERS<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(to the camera)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Welcome back to &#8220;The View.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Christ, it&#8217;s a nightmare.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God sighs and puts his head down on the table.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WALTERS<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">So, there is something that I&#8217;ve been meaning to ask you&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Yeah?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">All four women chime in simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WALTERS<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">How do you explain the current economic downturn?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">BEHAR<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Can you explain the point of butt implants to me? Because I don&#8217;t get it. Really, why would you want to make your ass bigger?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WHOOPI<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Do you know what its like to be a Black woman in this country?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">HASSELBECK<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Why does poop smell like poop?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The women continue badgering God. God puts his hands over his ears and screams.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Aaaaarrrgh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">SFX Flash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">CUT TO:<\/p>\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">INT. SET OF &#8220;YO! MTV RAPS&#8221; &#8211; EARLY  1994<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God sits on a couch between a young SNOOP DOGG and SEAN &#8220;PUFFY&#8221; COMBS. Host FAB 5 FREDDY reclines in a chair off to the side. God sighs in relief but then looks down and notices his wardrobe: baggy pants, gold name plate that says GOD, backward baseball cap, and eye patch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Is this a joke&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God rips off the eye patch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">FREDDY<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">We&#8217;re always thanking him in our music, in our acceptance speeches, etcetera, so we thought we&#8217;d have him on the show. We&#8217;re here with our boy, God, to ask him a few questions &#8217;bout life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Staring at Freddy, God pulls off the baseball cap and flattens his hair.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">FREDDY<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">So, G tell us. Is hip hop going to take over the world?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">PUFFY<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Yeah, and, more importantly, are we gonna to win Grammies this year? 1994, baby!<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Puffy and Snoop Dogg chortle obnoxiously and do some type of cryptic handshake\/slap.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">(looks at Freddy) No. (looks at Puffy) No. And get over yourselves. By the way, Tupac is dead. Or, he will be in&#46;&#46;&#46; oh, two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Freddy and Puffy look at each other in shock.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(to Puffy)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">And no matter how many times you change your name, you&#8217;ll still suck.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">SFX Flash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">CUT TO:<\/p>\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">INT. SET OF &#8220;THE O&#8217;REILLY FACTOR&#8221; &#8211; PRESENT<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God, this time wearing his traditional white robe, sits across the table from BILL O&#8217;REILLY. God sighs and throws his head back in frustration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Not you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">O&#8217;REILLY<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I&#8217;m Bill O&#8217;Reilly, and this is the O&#8217;Reilly Factor. So, God, what&#8217;s with the gays?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">He looks at O&#8217;Reilly and shakes his head.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Son, you&#8217;re one of my biggest mistakes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">JESUS, dressed as a production assistant, strolls by.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JESUS<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Hey, Pops!<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God does a double take.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">SFX Flash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">CUT TO:<\/p>\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">INT. ABC NEWS STUDIO<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Perplexed, God sits across from PETER JENNINGS. Jennings stares back at God in shock.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I thought you were dead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JENNINGS<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I thought you&#8217;d be clothed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God looks down to see himself naked. He frantically tries to cover himself with his beard and hair.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">SFX Flash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">CUT TO:<\/p>\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">INT. CBS NEWS STUDIO<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Dressed in his white robe once again, God sits across from KATIE COURIC. He looks down at his watch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Seriously, can we get on with this? I have some important smiting to get to when I wake up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Couric looks at him a bit confused.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Well, I guess, we&#8217;ll just start with the big one, then. God&#46;&#46;&#46; why are we here?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God looks to either side of him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">That&#8217;s your question?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">That&#8217;s my question.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">One minute.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God closes his eyes and tenses his body.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What are you doing?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Just a sec.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">He closes his eyes again, tensing his body harder. He cracks an eye open and looks around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Is there a problem?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God opens his eyes and looks around, puzzled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Do you not want to answer the question or can&#8217;t you?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Can you just do me a favor? Pinch me. Real quick. Doesn&#8217;t have to be hard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Please&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Wait. So, we&#8217;re really here? In this studio? At this moment?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">We&#8217;re really here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Not a dream? But Letterman said&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I really don&#8217;t know what you&#8217;re talking about.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD (CONT&#8217;D)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Damn it. Lucifer must be screwing with me again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">COURIC<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Please, just answer the question. Everyone wants to know&#46;&#46;&#46; why are we here?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Hmm. (thinking; suddenly remembers) Oh, yeah. Forgot I could do that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">God claps his hands together. In a FLASH and a loud THUNDERCLAP, Couric and the entire CBS News set disappear leaving an empty soundstage. God stands in the middle and proudly brushes off his hands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">GOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">On the eighth day, God destroyed the media. And, boy, it was good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">BLACKOUT:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How many stupid questions does it take to incite the rapture?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[86,107,127],"class_list":["post-1227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sketches","tag-god","tag-interviews-that-never-aired","tag-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1227\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}