In the annals of unexpected movie cameos, the Three Stooges' appearance in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" is an often-overlooked one that works as one of the film's best jokes.

It's easy to overlook given how "World" can basically be called "Cameos: The Motion Picture" given the staggering number of comedic actors showing up for the smallest roles (Jerry Lewis, for example, only appears to run over Spencer Tracy's hat). But the Three Stooges' five second wordless cameo as firemen is memorable because it's such a brilliant joke in the context of the film and the scene they're in. Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett are attempting to lane a plane they've chartered after drunk pilot Jim Backus passes out, the airfield is chaos, Carl Reiner and Jesse White are up on the control tower trying to talk them down, cops and emergency personnel are running around in a panic...and then we see Moe, Larry and Curly Joe standing there stone-faced in fireman garb, patiently waiting. Brilliant and hysterical for two reasons:

1. The Stooges are the sanest people here? You're fucked.

2. The Stooges are the emergency first responders? You're DOUBLY fucked.

What a great cameo and for only a few seconds.

Submitted December 18, 2021 at 01:56AM by Mst3Kgf https://ift.tt/3GPO7pe