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Garfunkel and Oates

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This article is about the comedy-folk duo. For their TV series of the same name, seeGarfunkel and Oates(TV series).

Garfunkel and Oates
Garfunkel and Oates performing in 2010 Kate Micucci (left) and Riki Lindhome (right)
Garfunkel and Oates performing in 2010
Kate Micucci(left) andRiki Lindhome(right)
Background information
OriginLos Angeles,California, U.S.
Genres
Years active2007–present
Members
Websitegarfunkelandoates.com

Garfunkel and Oatesis an American comedy folk duo consisting of actressesRiki Lindhome,who performs as Garfunkel, andKate Micucci,who performs as Oates. Their fast-paced songs typically combine raunchyobservational comedywith sweet-sounding melodies and vocals. The duo was formed in 2007 inLos Angelesafter Lindhome and Micucci met during an improv show at theUpright Citizens Brigade Theatre.They began releasing songs onYouTubein 2007 and became popular through the website. Garfunkel and Oates' debut studio album,All Over Your Face,was released in 2011, while their second studio album,Slippery When Moist(2012), topped theBillboardComedy Albumschart. They released their third studio album,Secretions,in 2015.

Garfunkel and Oates went on their first tour in 2013. They starred inan eponymous comedy TV series(2014), which aired onIFCfor one season. TheirVimeocomedy special,Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special(2016), was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyricsat the68th Primetime Emmy Awards.The duo wrote the music for theNetflixchildren's TV seriesWaffles + Mochi(2021) and will executive produce and write the music for the upcoming animated filmSteps.

History

[edit]
Garfunkel and Oates in 2009

2007–2010: Formation and YouTube

[edit]

Riki LindhomeandKate Micucciwent to the same music camp in upstate Pennsylvania when both of them were in fifth grade, but were unaware of each other at the time.[1]Both began playing music from a young age, with Lindhome starting the flute at nine years old, and Micucci learning to play piano at four years old.[2]Micucci learned to play ukulele while working at a pineapple plant inHawaiiafter graduating from college.[3]Years later, both of them separately moved to Los Angeles, with Lindhome pursuing an acting career and Micucci coming after college with plans to design puppets. They met each other again in the lobby at theUpright Citizens Brigade Theatrein Los Angeles during aDoug Bensonshow, where the two were both "on bad dates" and recognized each other from commercial auditions. Lindhome and Micucci soon became close friends and started writing comedy songs together.[2][4]

The two began performing as Garfunkel and Oates in 2007.[5]The duo's name was inspired by Lindhome seeingHall & Oatesperform at theHollywood Bowland noticing that Hall would get his own closeups, while Oates was only filmed with the rest of the band, and thinking about the "silver-medalists" of other bands.[6]Garfunkel and Oates was formed when they started working together to adaptImaginary Larry(2009), ashort filmwritten by Lindhome during the2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike,into a musical.[7][8]

Lindhome posted a video of the duo performing toYouTubein 2007 for her friends and family to watch, which soon appeared on the website's home page.[9]After their song "Fuck You" became popular on YouTube in 2009, Garfunkel and Oates earned a large following online and decided to start performing professionally.[10][5]In early 2009, they started the Garfunkel and Oates Hour, a monthly live show that became popular at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.[7]They gained more attention after Micucci appeared and performed a Garfunkel and Oates song onScrubsin 2009.[11]In December 2009, Garfunkel and Oates performed onThe Jay Leno Show.[12]Also in 2009, the duo performed as an opening act forJohn Oates.[3]They performed their song "Pregnant Women are Smug" onThe Tonight Show with Jay Lenoin March 2010, and were featured onChildish Gambino's song "These Girls" from his mixtapeCuldesac,released in July 2010.[13][14]

2011–2013:All Over Your Face,Slippery When Moist,and TV series

[edit]

In January 2011, Garfunkel and Oates released their debut studio albumAll Over Your Face.[7]That same month, the duo signed a deal withHBOfor apilotof their own eponymous TV series.[15]HBO did not give the pilot a full series, but released it as five separate shorts onHBO Goin August 2012, which included amusic videofor their song "Pregnant Women are Smug".[16][1]Garfunkel and Oates released a music video for their song "This Party Took a Turn for the Douche" in February 2011 and a music video for their song "Weed Card" in April 2011.[17][18]In October 2011, the duo performed the song "David Wain is Sexy" inDavid Wain's web seriesWainy Days.[19]The following year, Garfunkel and Oates were featured inComedy Central's stand-up comedy TV seriesThe Half Hour.[20]They released their second studio album,Slippery When Moist,on February 21, 2012, which toppedBillboard'sComedy Albumschart.[21][22]The duo released their song "29/31" in May 2012.[1]

In June 2013, Garfunkel and Oates released the song "The Loophole" about Christians retaining theirtechnical virginityby practicinganal sexalongside a music video filmed at a pornographic film studio.[23]It inspired aTikToktrend of videos set to the song in 2021.[24]From August to December 2013, the duo went on tour throughout the United States in partnership with theMonster EnergyOutbreak Tour as part of their first comedy tour.[20]In September 2014,IFCapprovedGarfunkel and Oates,a TVsitcomdirected byFred Savageand starring the duo as fictionalized versions of themselves navigating the Los Angeles comedy scene.[25][26]The show aired from August to September 2014.[27][25]It was cancelled by IFC in March 2015.[28]

2015–present:SecretionsandTrying to Be Special

[edit]

In September 2015, Garfunkel and Oates released their third studio album,Secretions.[10]They wrote the song "If I Didn't Have You (Bernadette's Song)" for "The Romance Resonance",an episode of the TV sitcomThe Big Bang Theory,in which it was performed bySimon Helberg.[29]Both Lindhome (in 2008, as Ramona Nowitzki) and Micucci (in 2013, as Lucy) had previously portrayed characters in "The Big Bang Theory". Both would do so again in 2017, although not in the same episodes.[30] In 2016, Garfunkel and Oates released aVimeocomedy special titledGarfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special.It depicts Micucci and Lindhome hosting a fundraising concert so they can afford to film their own comedy special and was hosted byAnthony Jeselnik.[10]The special was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyricsat the68th Primetime Emmy Awardsfor the duo's song "Frozen Lullaby".[31]They also wrote the song "Fuck You in Heaven" for a 2016 episode of the TV seriesAnother Period,which stars Lindhome.[32]

In February 2019, Garfunkel and Oates appeared on the soundtrack for the 2019 filmThe Lego Movie 2: The Second Partwith a "Tween Dream" remix ofThe Lego Movietheme song from five years prior, "Everything Is Awesome".[33]Jeremy Konner, the co-creator of theNetflixchildren's TV seriesWaffles + Mochi,reached out to the duo and asked them to write a song about a tomato while he was pitching the series. FormerFirst Lady of the United StatesMichelle Obama,the show's star and executive producer, heard the demo and chose them to write the music for the series.[34]The show aired in March 2021 and featured seven songs written by Garfunkel and Oates.[2]In August 2021, the duo wrote a musical number for Lindhome's character Kimberly on an episode of the animated sitcom seriesDuncanville,"Off with the Braces".[35]They were featured in the music video forGeorge Harrison's song "My Sweet Lord"in December 2021.[36]The upcoming animated musical filmStepswill be executive produced by Lindhome and Micucci, who will also write all the lyrics.[37]

Artistry and public image

[edit]
Art Garfunkel
John Oates
Garfunkel and Oates based their name onArt Garfunkel(left) ofSimon & GarfunkelandJohn Oates(right) ofHall & Oates,who Lindhome described as the "silver medalists" of their respective musical duos

Garfunkel and Oates has described their music asfolk popandcomedy music.[6]Their music has also been described as comedy folk andfolk rock.[38][24][6]The work has frequently been compared by critics to that of comedy duoFlight of the Conchords.[39][11]Micucci has stated that the duo's music is inspired byBroadwaymusicals, specifically those written byStephen Sondheim,and1980spop music.[6][40]Lindhome and Micucci have stated that their main comedic inspirations areI Love LucyandThe State,respectively.[41]Lindhome plays guitar and performs as Garfunkel, based onArt GarfunkelofSimon & Garfunkel,while Micucci plays ukulele and keyboards and performs as Oates, based on John Oates ofHall & Oates.[21][7]Their songwriting process typically involves Lindhome writing lyrics and Micucci writing melodies.[1][41][34]Much of their music is fast-paced and contains raunchy, "brutally honest",observationallyrics contrasted with "cutesy", "childlike" melodies and "sweet" vocals.[4][24][5][42]

In 2009, Rebecca Dana ofThe Wall Street Journalwrote that Garfunkel and Oates were "fast becoming the darlings of the Los Angeles comedy scene...with their pretty-girl, dirty-mouth act".[6]Chrissie Dickinson of theChicago Tribunecalled their music "funny and sharply pointed", adding that it "can also be disarmingly touching".[5]NPR's David Greene called the duo "experts at wrapping ugly, hilarious truths into sweet melodies".[43]The Daily Dot's Audra Schroeder called them "a Swiss Army knife, at a time when artists often have to be many things to stay afloat".[10]Neal Justin of theStar Tribunecompared the tone of their music toSesame Street.[41]ForVulture,Joe Berkowitz wrote that the songs "are filled with sharp observations and hilarious stories that are distinctly feminine and quirky", adding, "The blunt, detail-packed way they rebuke potential suitors or reveal embarrassing personal insights seems brutally honest."[7]

Clara Olshansky and Milan Polk ofMen's Healthnamed Garfunkel and Oates's song "Present Face" one of the funniest Christmas songs of all time.[44]Paste's Hudson Hongo named Micucci and Lindhome two of the best comedians of 2014 for their work as Garfunkel and Oates, while the two were included onCosmopolitan's list of "13 Funny Women to Watch in 2014" in 2014.[45][46]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Comedy
[47] 		US
Heat.
[48]
All Over Your Face 4 —
Slippery When Moist
  • Released: February 21, 2012[50]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
 1 17
Secretions
  • Released: September 10, 2015[51]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
 2 20

EPs

[edit]
List of extended plays
Title Album details
Music Songs
  • Released: January 1, 2009[52]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Album
"Present Face"[53] 2009 Non-album single

Guest appearances

[edit]
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"These Girls"[14] 2010 Childish Gambino Culdesac
"Everything Is Awesome" (Tween Dream Remix)[54] 2019 Eban Schletter The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdGerry, Lisa M. (July 4, 2012)."A Chat with the Rad-Ass Chicks of Garfunkel and Oates".HelloGiggles.Archived fromthe originalon July 9, 2012.RetrievedNovember 20,2021.
  2. ^abcUitti, Jacob (April 14, 2021)."Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci Receive Approval From Michelle Obama to Write Kids Music for 'Waffles + Mochi'".American Songwriter.RetrievedNovember 13,2021.
  3. ^abLauer-Williams, Kathy (August 1, 2014)."Making dirty funny".The Morning Call.RetrievedNovember 20,2021.
  4. ^abJurgensen, John (August 14, 2014)."'Garfunkel and Oates' — Art Mimics Life in New IFC Series ".Wall Street Journal.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  5. ^abcdDickinson, Chrissie (September 4, 2014)."Garfunkel and Oates, from flat screen to big stage".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  6. ^abcdeDana, Rebecca (June 30, 2009)."Meet Garfunkel and Oates: The Female Flight of the Conchords".Wall Street Journal.RetrievedNovember 13,2021.
  7. ^abcdeBerkowitz, Joe (January 31, 2011)."Garfunkel & Oates Get All Over Your Face".Vulture.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  8. ^Waterman, Lauren (August 13, 2014)."Why You Should Be Listening to Garfunkel and Oates Right Now".Elle.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  9. ^Scheiber, Noam (July 25, 2019)."Is Peak TV Really a Bonanza for Female Comics? That's a Laugh".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  10. ^abcdSchroeder, Audra (May 6, 2016)."Kate Micucci on Garfunkel and Oates's first special, YouTube fame, and egg-freezing".The Daily Dot.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  11. ^abSerba, John (March 5, 2013)."Q&A: Musical-comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates talk about staying prolific to keep the funny fresh".MLive.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  12. ^Savage, Dan(December 14, 2009)."Garfunkel & Oates on Jay Leno Tonight".The Stranger.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  13. ^Huth, Kelly (March 10, 2010)."Nazareth's Kate Micucci to be on Jay Leno show Friday - Update".Lehigh Valley Live.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  14. ^abMench, Chris (December 2, 2016)."10 Songs That Prove Childish Gambino Has Always Been More Than Just a Rapper".Complex.RetrievedDecember 30,2021.
  15. ^Littleton, Cynthia (January 13, 2011)."Micucci, Lindhome ink pact with HBO".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2011.
  16. ^Frucci, Adam (August 7, 2012)."Garfunkel and Oates' Excellent Pilot Is Now on HBO GO in Pieces".Vulture.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  17. ^McGlynn, Katla (February 17, 2011)."Watch: This Party Just Took A Turn For The Douche".HuffPost.RetrievedNovember 21,2021.
  18. ^Gibson, Megan (April 20, 2011)."4/20 Viral Video: 'Weed Card' by Garfunkel & Oates".Time.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  19. ^Cantor, Hallie (October 7, 2011)."Garfunkel & Oates Sing the Many Praises of David Wain".Vulture.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  20. ^abNg, Philiana (July 14, 2014)."Garfunkel and Oates Sets 14-Date U.S. Tour (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  21. ^abLeach, Kelsey (March 29, 2012)."Garfunkel & Oates".Salt Lake City Weekly.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  22. ^Larsen, Crystal (December 2, 2014)."Joking Around With Garfunkel And Oates".The Recording Academy.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  23. ^Luippold, Ross (June 25, 2013)."Garfunkel & Oates Have a Religious Loophole for Pre-Marital Sex (NSFW Video)".HuffPost.Archivedfrom the original on July 2, 2013.RetrievedJune 27,2013.
  24. ^abcFox, Jesse David (May 13, 2021)."Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome Can Make Music About Anal Sex and Tomatoes".Vulture.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  25. ^abReilly, Dan (September 25, 2014)."Garfunkel and Oates on Their Most Controversial Song Ever".Rolling Stone.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  26. ^Framke, Caroline (August 7, 2014)."The promising Garfunkel And Oates struggles to find itself on TV".The A.V. Club.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  27. ^Andreeva, Nellie (September 30, 2013)."Update: IFC Orders 'American Storage' Presentation, 'Garfunkel & Oates' Series".Deadline.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 30,2013.
  28. ^Andreeva, Nellie (March 3, 2015)."'Garfunkel & Oates' Cancelled By IFC After One Season ".Deadline.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  29. ^Goldberg, Lesley (October 25, 2013)."'Big Bang Theory's' Kate Micucci on Howard's 'Song for Bernadette': Simon Helberg 'Nailed It' in One Take (Video) ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedFebruary 9,2015.
  30. ^"The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) Full Cast & Crew".IMDb.RetrievedApril 25,2024.
  31. ^Lewis, Dave (July 14, 2016)."Complete list of 2016 Emmy nominations and winners".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  32. ^Li, Shirley (August 11, 2016)."Another Period: Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome talk Lillian's big day".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedAugust 11,2016.
  33. ^Campbell, Chuck (February 9, 2019)."Ariana Grande takes deep turn on 'Thank U, Next'; 'Ladytron' makes anxiety beautiful".Knoxville News Sentinel.RetrievedNovember 20,2021.
  34. ^abLopez, Kristen (April 19, 2021)."'Waffles + Mochi': How the Series' Songwriters Made Umami Sound Like Motown ".IndieWire.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  35. ^Sarto, Dan (August 13, 2021)."Kimberly Em-'Braces' Great Change as 'Duncanville' Returns with New Episode".Animation World Network.RetrievedNovember 21,2021.
  36. ^Evans, Greg (December 15, 2021)."George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' Gets 50th Anniversary Video: Ringo Starr, Mark Hamill, Fred Armisen Among Many Friends Lending A Little Help".Deadline.RetrievedApril 4,2022.
  37. ^Kroll, Justin (March 29, 2021)."Netflix And Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Team On New Animated Feature 'Steps'; Newcomer Alyce Tzue To Direct".Deadline.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  38. ^Raymer, Miles (August 12, 2014)."Watch a clip of 'Garfunkel and Oates' guest-starring the actual Oates".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  39. ^Persall, Steve (November 18, 2014)."Interview: Garfunkel and Oates on bingo and bad dates".Tampa Bay Times.RetrievedNovember 21,2021.
  40. ^Jones, Chad (September 25, 2014)."The pair behind Garfunkel & Oates at Cobbs Comedy Club in S.F."SFGate.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  41. ^abcJustin, Neal (September 4, 2014)."Garfunkel and Oates heading to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis".Star Tribune.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  42. ^McGlashan, Maren (September 13, 2014)."Garfunkel & Oates Review: 'Third Member'".Paste.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  43. ^Greene, David (August 7, 2014)."Working And Dating In LA, Living To Sing The Tale".NPR.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
  44. ^Olshansky, Clara; Polk, Milan (October 26, 2021)."The Funniest Christmas Songs of All Time".Men's Health.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  45. ^Hongo, Hudson (December 4, 2014)."The 20 Best Comedians of 2014".Paste.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  46. ^Zulkey, Claire (January 1, 2014)."13 Funny Women to Watch in 2014".Cosmopolitan.RetrievedNovember 19,2021.
  47. ^"Garfunkel and Oates Chart History".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon April 1, 2018.RetrievedNovember 13,2021.
  48. ^"Garfunkel and Oates Chart History - Heatseekers Albums".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon July 21, 2018.RetrievedNovember 13,2021.
  49. ^"All Over Your Face by Garfunkel and Oates".February 1, 2011.RetrievedNovember 20,2021– viaApple Music.
  50. ^"Slippery When Moist by Garfunkel and Oates".February 21, 2012.RetrievedNovember 20,2021– via Apple Music.
  51. ^"Secretions by Garfunkel and Oates".September 10, 2015.RetrievedNovember 20,2021– via Apple Music.
  52. ^"Music Songs by Garfunkel and Oates".January 1, 2009.RetrievedNovember 20,2021– via Apple Music.
  53. ^"Present Face by Garfunkel and Oates".December 4, 2009.RetrievedNovember 20,2021– via Apple Music.
  54. ^"Everything Is Awesome (with Eban Schletter) [Tween Dream Remix] by Garfunkel and Oates".February 7, 2019.RetrievedJuly 7,2022– via Apple Music.
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