The skit is absurd, the pacing works well, and everyone involved is clearly having fun as there are multiple close calls on breaking character. It is funny because of how it doesn't make sense, a couple of characters are also aware of it not making sense, and then they get runaround answers when they try to figure it out.

No comedy bit lands for everyone though.

My wife and I watched it when it aired, and we found it hilarious. It's the absurdity of it. Should I know who this guy is?

"Any questions?" "Yes! Several! I mean, he has a middle initial now?"

I personally really enjoy how David and the skeletons either can't out won't elaborate on the parts of their whole thing that the people are confused about. There's just something funny to me about how it doesn't seem like they're intentionally being obtuse. They'll gladly answer the vague question of "and the skeletons are...?" with the equally vague "part of it!" with a big smile, as though it was a perfectly fine and helpful answer.

It's a well-constructed skit -- unabashedly silly, with just the right amount of ironic detachment. I love how after Pumpkins shows up, the couple just coolly analyzes the regular monsters that were making them scream moments before. The music is ridiculous, Tom Hanks demeanor is ridiculous, the dancing is ridiculous (with a dash of sexual weirness at the end). And it comes full circle with him genuinely scaring them in the end.

I do think that them doing sequels and trying to spin a mini-franchise out of it was stupid though.

Didn’t know what this was so looked up the video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rS00xWnqwvI

It feels so real in how disappointing the experience becomes for the straight characters. That would be my reaction if I went into that thing to be frightened, and I get David S. Pumpkins instead. By the way, you're not alone as I read years ago that Tom Hanks doesn't get it either.

You are not a buzzkill, I think. This skit had a couple of things going for it:

1. Halloween can always use more “mascots” and this is one.
2. I admit that I originally didn’t like this skit, but my brother-in-law did, and I like him, so after watching it I always think of him until eventually it became something I genuinely liked.
3. I quote lines from this skit to my SO all the time, so it’s become kind of embedded into my life.
4. SNL during this time wasn’t very funny to me. I think that since SNL sucked during this time, even moderately funny skits ended up exploding in popularity just because they weren’t the usual onslaught of comedians stumbling over their lines and ruining jokes. Weekend Update was pretty funny, though.

So in short, my friend, it’s not really funny. It was a moment, and you may have missed it. But let me say this, I think you’re cool for kicking off Spooky season…

… Almost as cool as DaViD ESS pUmKiNs!

I don't get Tracy Morgan. His jokes don't seem that funny to me. He's extremely repetitive. I don't understand him. Then, one day I heard a comedian on a podcast describe him as a complete genius. He said Tracy's trick is he tells a joke that may be funny, maybe not funny, and you'll give him a little laugh. Then he repeats the joke ten times. It's no longer funny. You're just tired of hearing it. Then he repeats the joke ten more times, and somehow through the power of alchemy, it's now run full circle and is the funniest thing you've ever heard every time he says it. I think this skit has that same energy.

I think part of what made it initially a sensation was how self-aware it was in how incredibly stupid and not actually funny it is.

It's a kinda funny joke. But the problem with American comedy in general is that they just can't let something go. They milk that joke until there's nothing left.

Both absurdity and repetition can be funny and the sketch has both in uncomfortable number.

I find it a bit grating, but I think that's the point. And the sketch writers were clearly aware there was something (deliberately?) off about the whole thing which is why they make overt with DSP's catchphrase.

Everything Tom Hanks does is gold

Sometimes humor is hard to explain. This sketch probably struck some chord with a fad for "random" things at the time, and maybe hasn't aged very well.

While the internet was of course influential in 2016, my recollection is that people weren't nearly as jaded and cynical as they are now in the post-truth, post-pandemic world.

We're constantly bombarded with memes, jokes, and other distractions...so perhaps people are not so easily amused now as they were almost a decade ago.

However, I do remember some folks being confused, annoyed, and unimpressed with it back then, too. But enough people were tickled by it to want to share it with everyone. And I do think Hanks brings a certain bizarre charm to it that not many comedians can pull off.

It's because it's absolutely absurd and has nothing to do with Halloween. You have seen the whole skit and not just the memes, right? It's basically a parody of Disney's Tower of Terror ride but instead of spooky Halloween stuff, they got this dude just dancing around.

I'm so glad I never have any idea what is viral on the internet

I don't find it particularly funny, but I certainly enjoyed the vibe of the entire skit.

I'm going to say because it's short, stupid catchy. Sometimes your brain goes to random places and then logic sets in. Ignoring typical reason is what makes absurdist comedy work. We obviously have a character playing it straight trying to figure it out getting more and more upset by the illogical which makes the bit work. The music is silly and not eerie at all and then getting scared freeze frame when they continue to point out the character is not scary is the kicker and sort of makes it worth it. This was probably just a random skit they threw in last minute and thought, just have fun. A lot of hit songs are simple, obvious, stupid and catchy. Rick James thought Superfreak was a throw away song too dumb to be on the album and it's his most recognized song.

but am I just a buzz kill

Nah, I'm a longtime fan of absurd shit like Tim and Eric that is rooted heavily in a public television vibe of "doing things wrong and cheaply."

I was never sure if this was trying for a similar vibe or what, but I'm definitely one of the people who firmly never understood it.

It's basically just what my humor is like

I’ve never even heard of it but now I’m intrigued.

I never found it funny but it was always entertaining anyway. Watch the monkey dance vibes.