I was worried “Smartypants” would end up being a generic Jackbox Party Pack ripoff, but Dropout know how to make a good idea great.
This was a really fun format when paired when strong comedians, and I hope we see more seasons in the future. That being said … how would I rank each presentation?
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
Boring
I don’t think I was the target audience of these presentations.
29 – The Perfect Email (Alexis)
I’m not the kind of person to write a passive aggressive email to someone in order to get what I want.
Alexis came off as quite rude in her email chains, and I don’t see how this was a good topic for a comedy presentation.
28 – God is a Woman (Cynthia)
Good, provocative topic that would’ve got people talking had it been funny and insightful.
27 – Forgive Theatre Kids (Anna)
I’m not a theatre kid. I don’t know any theatre kids.
This might be funny for people living in California, like Anna and her friends, but as an outsider I found the whole thing very strange.
26 – Family Sitcoms (Carlos)
I’m not old enough to have seen those 80’s / 90’s family sitcoms on TV, let alone American ones, so this presentation was a little lost on me.
Middling
Fun at points, but these presentations didn’t tickle my pickle.
25 – Zzyzx (Carolyn)
Carolyn provided one of the most informative, genuinely interesting presentations in the whole of Smartypants. Too bad this is supposed to be a comedy show.
I loved the way she took us through the story of Zzyzx, but she should’ve saved it for a TED talk.
24 – Honorary Degree (Ryan)
Ryan had one of the best ideas for a presentation out of anyone – try to get an Honorary Degree by pestering colleges. Shame it ended in total failure with nothing substantial to show for it.
Maybe he should’ve partnered with Alexis to write the perfect, passive aggressive emails.
23 – WNBA Is Better (Kimia)
Good presentation with valid points, but I don’t watch American sports so the references are lost on me.
22 – Celebrity Elections (Janie)
A half-baked idea for a presentation that didn’t really go anywhere.
21 – Craigslist = Oregon Trail (Brian)
I don’t use Craigslist. I’ve never played Oregon Trail. At least Brian sold the presentation well.
Intriguing
I had a good time with these presentations.
20 – Movie Presidents (Jon)
In Jon’s defence, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a badass American President in a film. Or in real life.
19 – The Cookout (Demi)
I agree. Spider-Man needs to use more racial slurs.
18 – Night Owl Discrimination (Pallavi)
As a night owl, I’ve never felt more seen.
17 – MJ’s Baseball Career (Jacquis)
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t follow American sports, so the intricacies of Jacquis’s presentation may have been lost on me.
That being said, he made a compelling argument that Michael Jordan wasn’t that bad of a baseball player.
16 – What Are Vegetables (Vic)
Vic is one of my favourite comedians on Dropout at the moment, but they picked a presentation topic that was a bit lacking.
What are vegetables? I don’t really care, but at least Vic presented in a funny way.
15 – Cicadas As USA’s Symbol (Sara)
All hail the mighty cicada.
14 – Government Mech (Erika)
Give. Erika. Their. Mech!
13 – Mastermind Of Groundhog Day (Paul)
I’d just watched Groundhog Day for the first time before Paul’s presentation, so all the little details were still fresh in my mind.
To be honest, this is genuinely one of the best movie conspiracy theories I’ve ever heard.
12 – Wrestling = Drag (Jess)
I went into Jess’s presentation completely unsure how she would equate wrestling to drag. Now I view them as the same thing.
Enlightening
TED Talks could never.
11 – Rollercoasters (Grant)
I didn’t realise Grant knew so much about rollercoasters and theme parks. I thought he was too tall to ride any of them.
10 – The Ocean Sucks (Zach)
Zach can do no wrong in my eyes. He’s one of the main players on “Play It By Ear”, and everything he touches turns to comedy gold.
We all know the ocean is freaky, but Zach’s presentation made it extra freaky.
9 – Charcuterie Ranked (Tao)
Tao’s presentation was less of a presentation and more of an assault to the tastebuds.
His charcuterie tier list got the crowd enraged, but I can respect the chaotic energy he brought.
8 – Eggs Are The Best (Katie)
Katie is another performer who can make even the silliest topics funny, and she picked one of the silliest topics of all.
Eggs need more respect.
7 – Birds Are Sexy (Fumi)
One of the more controversial Smartypants topics, but Fumi delivered it well.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in the “birds are sexy” boat but at least he explained himself.
6 – Happiest Birthday (Trapp)
You can always count on Trapp providing the goods.
He systematically and emphatically explained what must mathematically be the happiest birthday, and I was enraptured throughout the whole thing.
5 – Blaze With Cryptids (Jacob)
Jacob is yet another Dropout cast member who can do no wrong. Quite a talented crop of comedians, it must be said.
I learned a lot about cryptids as well as blazing.
4 – New Cuss Words (Patrick)
New cuss words appear all the time, but are we picking the right new cuss words?
Patrick gives a masterclass in poignant profianity.
3 – Swing Music Revival (Ross)
Ross has such a way with words that he could make the dictionary sound like a work of art.
His presentation is focused on music – one of my personal passions – and his enthusiasm was infectious.
Smartypants-ing
I collapsed with laughter listening to these presentations.
2 – Bomb The Moon (Raph)
Raph was the only comedian to do his presentation as a character, which already qualified him for the top five of this list.
His goal of bombing the moon is crazy and based on lunar lunacy. So yeah, hilarious from start to finish.
1 – Make Bodies Better (Paul)
I’ve only ever seen Paul Robalino in the background of some other Dropout projects, so I was surprised to see him get a starring role in Smartypants. You can imagine how surprised I was, therefore, when he gave the best presentation.
His plea to make bodies better is a riot from start to finish. There isn’t a single dull moment, and the Spworm conversation will live long in the memory (whether I want it to or not).
Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below:
Matt Has An Opinion 