Despite the hellscape of 2020, there may be nonetheless one thing pure and good on the planet: Demi Adejuyigbe’s “September” video. The comic, podcaster (Gilmore Guys, Punch Up the Jam), and TV author (The Good Place, The Late Late Show) is understood on Twitter for his foolish, musical movies, from adding lyrics to the Succession theme song to creatively illustrating misheard lyrics. But he’s most well-known for his now annual custom of releasing a video on Sept. 21, the date famously referenced in “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire.
Anticipation over the September movies have grown every year, with 2020’s video getting an official, cookie-based preview announcement. Adejuyigbe even addressed the expectations within the caption to 2019’s video, which merely learn, “ahh now to enjoy 364 days of peace.” With 5 entries down, we’re taking this chance to rank the “September” movies, not as a result of we expect some are inherently higher than others, however as a result of there’s no higher strategy to cement a sequence as Important Art than arguing about it on the web.
Over the previous a number of years, Adejuyigbe has been utilizing these movies to boost cash for charity by promoting “SEPT 21” shirts. This yr he’s upped the ante by saying the 2020 video will probably be his final — except he raises $50,000 for a bunch of charities together with Street Watch LA, Trans United Fund, BlackRoots Alliance, and the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. At the tip of his 9/21/2020 video Adejuyigbe identified that final yr’s video earned 1.5 million views, which means if everybody donated $0.04 each time they watched, the aim can be met. So in the event you to maintain the magic going, you may donate at Sept21.com. (“Also, please vote,” he provides.)
5. 9/21/17
The 2017 video opens on a pink backdrop. Demi, carrying a long-sleeved tee-shirt printed with “SEPT 21,” pops into body when the lyrics to “September” begin. He dances round, however this time he punctuates the pauses with blasts from a confetti gun, which is a pleasant addition. The punchline comes when he turns round, as if to indicate the again of the shirt. We assume that it’ll say “THATS TODAY” because it did within the first video. But it’s clean! Demi holds up a “one second” finger, grabs some scissors from his pocket, and walks out of body. The sheet comes all the way down to reveal the wall behind, on which balloons spelling out “SEPT 21” and a banner studying “THATS TODAY” are hung. Demi dances out and in of body once more, first firing a confetti cannon after which taking part in a saxophone that additionally spews confetti.
Sequels are laborious (simply ask Speed 2: Cruise Control director Jan de Bont) and Adejuyigbe does a unbelievable job of increasing on the unique premise with out dropping the core spirit of the joke. However, it largely simply hits the identical notes as the unique video, which is why it’s ranked on the backside of our record.
4. 9/21/16
The first video within the sequence opens on a shot of an empty room. Demi’s head pops into body proper because the lyrics start, sporting spherical sun shades pushed all the way down to the tip of his nostril. He begins dancing, slowly rising till his shirt is seen. It’s printed with the date “SEPT 21”. “Oh,” you suppose, “I see what he did there.” With impeccable timing — simply because the “ba de ya”s of the refrain begin — he turns round to disclose the again of the shirt, which says “THAT’S TODAY.” An ideal button to an ideal bit.
It’s the OG, and a tricky act to comply with because it’s largely humorous since you’re questioning “where’s he going with this?” for thus lengthy. The proven fact that it’s comparatively low on the rating is only a testomony to how expert Adejuyigbe is at heightening a joke.
3. 9/21/19
By this level, expectations for Demi Adejuyigbe’s “September” video are sky excessive. As if as an instance the anticipation, 2019’s video opens on a calendar with days crossed off main as much as Sept. 21. Then the digital camera pans away from the calendar and opens on an empty kitchen. Things pop the hell off.
As the lyrics begin, the fridge door opens, revealing the phrases “Do you remember?” in vinyl stickers, and out pops Demi. He crawls out of the fridge carrying a brand new “SEPT 21” shirt and begins dancing, opening cupboards alongside the way in which which have “9” and “21” stickers positioned contained in the doorways. He dances his means over to a clean wall, earlier than confetti is thrown from offscreen and arranges itself into “SEPT 21” on the wall. He continues over to his sofa, on which pillows printed with “9” and “21” are organized. He factors to the TV, which is taking part in Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September” video. But who’s that within the background? It’s Demi Adejuyigbe, dancing whereas carrying his “SEPT 21” shirt. From there the digital camera finds Demi once more. He’s turned into the unique “SEPT 21” white T-shirt. He dances over to a full mariachi band, taking part in alongside to “September” with balloons spelling out “SEPTEMBER 21” and selfmade banners studying “THATS TODAY.” Demi pops again into body, this time with a “SEPT 21” hat, taking part in a flute. The flute blasts confetti.
This entry was by far probably the most bold up so far, with a transferring digital camera, some spectacular video modifying, and a number of costume adjustments. It illustrates simply how a lot Adejuyigbe has matured as a comic, and proves that he can mine each ounce of humor out of a joke.
2. 9/21/20
This is a swan track from a comic on the prime of his recreation. The (doubtlessly) last video opens on an alarm clock set to 9:21, pans over to a calendar flipped to Sept. 21, and as much as reveal a bed room. There’s a lump underneath the covers, so we assume Demi will leap off the bed and begin dancing. Nope! There’s a motion towards the wall and Demi turns round to disclose he’s carrying a hoodie painted to match the wallpaper. He dances in the direction of the digital camera and jumps all the way down to reveal the bed room is inside a truck parked alongside an LA freeway. He begins dancing down the highway and the digital camera pans over to a billboard painted with “SEPT 21.” And what’s that within the sky? It’s a kind of planes that flies banners. Of course, the banner reads “THATS TODAY.” Demi dances again over to the truck which has “SEPT 21” spelled out in balloons on the facet. Demi performs the trombone on prime of the truck. The trombone spews confetti. Fade to black.
This video is a known as shot. It’s a sunk 8 ball. It’s a slam dunk. (Those are all of the sports activities metaphors I do know.) If Adejuyigbe raises sufficient cash to movie one other video, I’ll be ready anxiously to see what he comes up with — with full religion that he can pull it off — but when he doesn’t, that is the proper ending to an ideal sequence.
1. 9/21/18
The third video within the sequence deviates from the primary two entries by opening with Demi on display screen. His again is turned to us as he performs the opening notes of “September” on a keyboard inside a storage. The digital camera zooms in, he stands up and turns round to disclose…a shirt with a query mark printed on it? Hold on, that’s not Demi in any respect!
As the lyrics begin, a sheet comes down and there’s our hero, dancing in a go well with and sun shades. He tears away the go well with to disclose his trusty “SEPT 21” T-shirt. As the refrain begins, the sheet falls away once more — to disclose the West Los Angeles Children’s Choir, who’re all carrying “SEPT 21” T-shirts and singing “ba de ya — 21st September/ ba-de-ya — September on the 21st.” Demi comes again in with an oboe that shoots confetti. Everyone dances and sings.
This could also be a controversial rating, however I’m a sucker for a youngsters’s choir. There’s even a post-credits scene wherein Adejuyigbe says “I think we got it” and the youngsters all cheer, which is simply lovable.
Update: A earlier model of this story misquoted the lyrics sung by the West Los Angeles Children’s Choir.
