Awkward moments: Why I love the shit out of Wet Hot American Summer

Ten years ago, the crew from the State put together a little film called Wet Hot American Summer. You remember the State. A sketch comedy show on MTV that didn't last long on the channel but will last a lifetime in our hearts? Amid that televised greatness, actor/director/writer David Wain got behind the camera and created an '80s summer camp film that went far beyond parody and introduced the world to a new level of gross and awesome (grawesome). Though the film received grave reviews, it was destined to be a cult classic -- not to mention it was a start for many actors (Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks to name a few).

I love the shit out of this film. I have turned friends onto it. I have lost friends after they watched it (ok, not really, but they weren't happy with me). I don't care. I love everything about it. It's awkward, random and crass. What's not to love?

Tonight and tomorrow night, the Esquire presents Wet Hot American Summer for its Midnight Madness series. If you haven't seen it, you would be a fool to miss it on the big screen, so in celebration of one of my favorite comedies of all time, here are five of the best awkward moments from Wet Hot American Summer. And if you can't get to the theater this weekend, you can always rent it -- the DVD does feature a fart track.


5. "Love" scene... with tube socks. Shocking though it may be, this is Bradley Cooper. Between hooking up with Michael Ian Black and being bossed around by Amy Pohler, it was definitely a unique role for him to start his career with. Clearly it did not damage it.

4. The trip into town montage These camp counselors are so silly. From french fries to pot to heroin. Amy Pohler's tongue is the star of this scene.

3. "Andy. You gonna clean that up?" Paul Rudd before he was really Paul Rudd. Believe it or not, he actually got jobs BECAUSE of his performance in this.

2. "The phone, the phone! Where's the fucking phone!" There really isn't much else you can say about this.

1. "I'm gonna go hump a fridge." I know what you're saying: "Isn't that they guy from Law and Order: SVU?" Yes, that is Christopher Meloni. And he plays the best character in this movie. The creepy cook. This role is much more complex than catching baddies on TV.

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Julie Maas
Contact: Julie Maas

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