We've rounded up the most ridiculous PSAs on the internet.
Let's talk about that.
♪ (theme music) ♪
Good Mythical Morning.
The PSA, the public service announcement.
These were really big when we were kids. They still make 'em.
But there is just something special about the way
it used to be done.
Yeah, I mean, it's basically a commercial against things
that everyone should be against
that the public is, I think, in the funding.
I don't know. It's not like there's a product behind it.
- Somebody's funding these. - But the thing about them is
how they became an art form in and of themselves
that now that we have taken a trip down the wormhole of PSAs
and come out the other side,
- we're bringing to you... - It's very slippery.
...a presentation-- some of our favorite PSAs from the past.
Now, a little disclaimer. Do I even have to say this, guys?
You do. It's the internet.
The things that these PSAs are against,
like anti-smoking, anti-drug use--
Well, they're not against anti-smoking. They're against smoking.
Yeah, don't do the double-negative.
The things that they're against-- smoking, drug use,
other things that we're gonna be walking you through here--
- All bad stuff! - And we agree that they are bad things.
But we question the creative decisions behind the artistry, okay,
- of the PSAs. - Hopefully that's clear.
And let's just make that clear by showing you the first one:
a Star Wars anti-smoking campaign from the '80s.
(bubbling and whirring)
R2? Where are you?
(Link) So, first of all, this is legit.
- (Rhett) Yeah. - (Link) This is actually C-3PO.
- (Rhett) They got the real dude. - (Link) It's the smoke.
- (C-3PO) R2? - (R2-D2 beeping)
- (gasps) R2, you're on fire. - (R2-D2 beeping)
(Link) No, you're just holding a cigarette.
(C-3PO) R2-D2, you've found a cigarette.
(R2-D2 beeping)
(Rhett) That's a guilty-- guilty look.
(Link) Now, in fairness, he's not smoking it.
(Rhett) He was smoking out of that.
(Link) He's just holding it.
(C-3PO) ...is very bad for your heart.
- (R2-D2 beeping) - Well, I know I don't have one,
but humans do, and I think we should set a good example.
(R2-D2 beeping)
- Well done, R2. - (Rhett) That's a good example.
- Just drop it. - (Link laughs)
If you ever decide not to smoke, just drop it.
(C-3PO) ...and it isn't grownup at all. So please, don't smoke.
- (R2-D2 beeping) - (Link) Please don't smoke.
Personally, I think R2-D2 should be able to smoke all he wants.
- He's a robot. - Yeah, like they said in the thing,
he doesn't have a heart or a lung...s, so--
- (crew laughs) - Or a lungs.
C-3PO wants him to be a good example.
Okay, I get it. I do get that. For the kids.
So just throw your cigarette down anywhere you want.
And speaking of cigarettes,
sometimes they're known to start forest fires.
- And that's why we have this... - (singsong) Segue!
...1970s PSA for forest fire prevention.
I know a place that's peaceful and quiet.
- (Rhett) You do? - A place where animals play.
- (Link) I'm listening. - It's called a forest.
- (Rhett) Yep. - But every year we start forest fires.
- (Rhett) Yeah. - (Link) She's got some fire hair there.
- ...match or cigarette and, poof, fire. - (Rhett) Poof, fire.
I like the way she says "poof."
- (Link) She's looking into my soul. - Please be careful, okay?
- (Rhett) What? Huh? What? What? - (Smokey chuckles)
- (Link laughing) - If you knew it was me,
would you have listened?
"If you knew it was me, would you have listened?"
So it goes from a real-looking woman--
- I wouldn't have listened as hard. - No--
That's supposed to be a mask to obviously to, like, low budget mascot version of
Smokey the Bear? It's like they got it backwards.
Well... And look at this, Link. I'm going to pause this mask for you.
(laughing) 21 seconds into this thing it obviously got a horrible mask but you see
- that for a split second and it's FREAKY! - I did see it.
But I mean, this was so well conceptualized in every other way.
- I mean, first of all, the woman. - Casting of the woman, great.
Great casting, I'm into that. I'm into Smokey the Bear, I like puppets,
you know, who doesn't like Smokey the Bear
but why do you have to do the witch face transition?
It could have just been her red hair and boom there's Smokey the Bear.
- It even rhymes. - I would like to see this one come back.
I mean, I think they should redo this PSA
What woman would you get to play this one?
Keep the woman! Keep that woman she was perfect.
Don't bring her back, like out if hiding. Use this exact footage.
No, not the aged version of her, like 20 years later.
I want to use that footage of her but I want to replace the mask and I wanna--
- I think I wanna update Smokey the Bear. - CGI Smokey?
I mean, I don't think I'm going out on a burning limb here to say that the mascot
- Whoop. - costume was a little dated.
- A little scraggy. - To bring things from the '70s
to a little bit more recent-- still a little old school.
This was an NSYNC anti-drug campaign
from the late '90s to the early 2000s.
We're talking the peak of NSYNC's popularity, Link.
Okay. - ♪ (funky music) ♪
(Chris) Here we go. Do it again. Are we rolling?
- (Link mimics music) - (Rhett) It's funky.
- I'm into... - Basketball.
- (Rhett) Yeah. - My family.
- You know the game with the little plast-- - Hand puppets.
(Link) Look at their hair. So much [inaudible]
- No, Justin. - No, it's Chris.
- Justin! - Art.
(Rhett) Justin didn't have anything in his hair.
He was a buzz cut man.
- (girls calling "Justin") - Little plastic things.
- (Rhett) Girls like Justin. - To be or not to be.
- I'm into acting. - Fighting evil!
- I'm into scary movies. - (squealing)
(Link) The hormones that this thing churned are immeasurable.
(Rhett) Mm-hmm, I can smell the pheromones.
(Chris) Ugh! Stupid!
(Rhett) This isn't fast-paced enough for me.
(Chris) There's, like, red and green ones.
(Link) Yeah, not enough color for me.
(girls screaming)
- There's, like, the, uh... - Music.
- Music. - ♪ (harmonizes) ♪
Music.
(Rhett) It's really just the same three girls the whole time.
- These are our anti-drug. - (all) What's your anti-drug?
(Link) Oh, "What's your anti-drug?" Those were theirs.
(Rhett) I remember that campaign. Definitely remember it.
- I don't remember that exact commercial. - They're stinky winks!
- The little stinky winks! - (Link) He remembered.
It's a game.
I don't know if you were paying attention. I was.
These are the things that NSYNC listed as their anti-drug.
This is the kinda thing that NSYNC was into
at the peak of their popularity. Just keep that context in mind.
- Yes, complete list. - Basketball.
Family. Hand puppets. Synchronized swimming.
- Art, specifically Baroque minimalism. - Mm-hmm.
Acting. Fighting evil.
That was the Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys were evil.
- Oh. - Yeah. Had to fight them.
Scary movies. Mind reading. Dancing. Music.
- And stinky winks! - Stinky winks!
Who knew that the NSYNC anti-drugs
totally match up with all of my hobbies 100%.
- Yeah. What are the chances? - I'm pretty scared right now.
Okay, going back to the old school and the '70s,
- this is another anti-drug PSA. - Oh, yes.
Star Wars made their PSA, so you know Star Trek's
- got to get in on it too. - Get it on it.
♪ (retro space theme) ♪
- (Rhett) Oh. - (Link) Kind of a slow start.
Log of the startship Enterprise, stardate 5943.7.
(Rhett) Whoa, calm down, Captain Kirk.
(Link) Now, that is actually, um-- what's his name?
- (Rhett) William Shatner. - (Link) William Shatner.
(Rhett) And that's actually Nimoy.
Destroyed? What do you see, Mr. Spock?
The surviving inhabitants are in a dreadful condition.
It seems they can't control their limbs.
- (Link) And they're underwater. - (Rhett) Hmm.
(Rhett) I think those are holograms, Spock. Sorry to tell you.
(Spock) They seem to be in a state identical to
that curious 20th-century earth disease called hard drug abuse.
I suspect it has destroyed all meaningful...
- (Rhett) Yeah, HDA. - ...on this wretched planet.
- A tragic find, Mr. Spock. - As a Vulcan,
I find the need for hard drugs to be totally illogical.
But as a half-human, Spock, surely you can appreciate
the suffering that hard drug abuse causes.
(Spock) Certainly. We can only hope that other civilizations...
- (Rhett) Fascinating. - ...will not make the same mistake.
Boy, that one almost put me to sleep.
It was like they need to up the energy level a little bit.
It was almost like-- 'cause you didn't realize this too--
that that was actually William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy
who did-- they did the voices for the animated series.
But I have to think that they didn't think
that this was the final cut. I mean, it's like...
(monotone voice) "They are suffering from the disease
known as hard drug abuse."
Well, it was kinda like they were just phoning it in.
Completely. Like, maybe it was actually done on a phone.
- Like literally. - "Is this what you want me to say?"
"The curious 20th century Earth disease called hard drug abuse."
It's got a ring to it.
Let's bring the energy back a little bit,
thanks to G.I. Joe, the Real American Hero.
My favorite PSAs of all time.
They would tack these on the end of G.I. Joe animated episodes.
Yeah, and we've got two G.I. Joe ones.
And these are about a little more obscure things,
including not swimming during a thunderstorm.
(playful laughter)
- (thundering) - Let's get out of here!
I'm staying. I'm not a scaredy-cat.
No, but you could be a dead cat.
(Link) He's just hiding in the pond.
(Rhett) Look at the size of that hand. Is that normal?
(Deep Six) At even the hint of a thunderstorm,
- get right out of the water. - Thanks, your advice is...
- (boom) - Electrifying.
- (Link whispers) Wow. - If this happens again...
(Link) Look at the hand. It's there again.
- Now I know. - And knowing is half the battle.
(chorus) ♪ G.I. Joe! ♪
Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.
Look, I have chills. I get the chills from the G.I. Joe PSAs.
I mean, that's my childhood, man.
- Well, but I'm gonna have to-- - Look at that. Look, look.
- Sustained chills. - I see it.
We don't have a closeup cam today or a chill cam.
- Might be the lightning. - But think about it for a second.
- Deep Six-- that's his name-- - Hiding in the pond.
He was in the pond while the thunderstorm was happening.
Couldn't he have been on the shore and be like,
"Hey, guys! Get out of there!"
But he's like, "No, I'm in here with ya. Now let's get out."
And he's got this suit, which certainly--
You don't know that suit's gonna protect him.
Those big hands are gonna be okay though.
(laughs) All right, so give me the second video right now.
I want some more chills.
This one's about stranger danger.
♪ (dramatic music) ♪
Your mom, uh, had an accident. I'll, uh, take you to her.
(Rhett laughs)
- (boy) Look, Wild Bill. - (Rhett) Oh, gosh.
- Who was that? - Some stranger.
- He said that his mom was hurt. - (Link) The acting is so good.
I didn't know if I should go with him.
Well, just don't do what a stranger says.
Check it out with an adult you know.
- (Rhett) Yeah! - (Wild Bill) Remember, a stranger...
Can mean danger. Now I know.
- (Rhett) Uh-huh. - And knowing is half the battle.
- (chorus) ♪ G.I. Joe! ♪ - Is he on a trike? Like a spider?
Yeah, so okay, yeah. Don't listen to strangers,
but definitely listen to the dude with the big sunglasses
- and the weird mustache. - On the trike.
Yeah, do anything that guy says when he pulls up to you
on the street in a three-wheeled motorcycle.
Well, first of all, the stranger
was so not committed to his story.
He's like, "Your mom, uh, hmm, had a... accident."
Your mom, uh, had an accident. I'll, uh, take you to her.
You got to be like, "Your mom had an accident."
You got to believe it yourself.
You gotta sell it better than that.
If you want to be a good stranger,
you got to get your story straight.
You can't just improv it on the fly.
And, of course, if you want to be a good father,
you've got to listen to Godzilla.
- (Godzilla roaring) - ♪ (Harry Nilsson, "Best Friend") ♪
- (Link) Oh, who is that? - That's baby Godzilla, man.
(Link) What does mama look like? The Michelin tire woman?
(Rhett) Or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Woman.
Oh, he can only blow smoke rings. But it doesn't matter, 'cause--
(announcer) You don't need to be bigger than life
to be a good dad. You just need to spend time with your kids.
"Spend time with your kids." Is this a pro-smoking ad?
- (laughs) - Is that what's happening here?
If your kid looks like this,
you're gonna have to smoke to get through it.
Is that what you're saying?
No, it's like, "Hey, kid, this is how you blow a smoke ring."
Oh. Okay, yeah. Yeah, that got kids everywhere smoking.
Got dads to be great fathers,
but kids everywhere have started smoking.
And finally, this is a children's health PSA.
♪ Gofer a mouthful ♪
- ♪ Gofer the fun ♪ - Cool! Gofer Cakes!
- ♪ Gofer cakes are for everyone ♪ - (Link) Gofer Cakes!
♪ Just one snack is what it takes ♪
- ♪ And it's Gofer, Gofer, Gofer Cakes ♪ - (Rhett) You stack 'em?
- (Rhett) You eat 'em. - (Link) You can recline.
- ♪ Stuff your face ♪ - (Rhett) Put them in a blender!
♪ There's always room for fun Gofer Cakes ♪
- ♪ Empty the box ♪ - (Link) Could go for a shake.
That kid is zonked out on Gofer Cakes.
- (announcer) Exercised lately? - ♪ Till you explode ♪
I mean, that song.
- (imitates announcer) Exercise lately? - ♪ Till you explode! ♪
- Give me some Gofer Cakes, man! - I want Gofer Cakes.
That was just a commercial for Gofer Cakes, and I want some.
I want them, like, delivered to my door every month, man.
I've got a recliner. I've got a mixer.
- (laughs) - A mixer.
I really hope that somebody smart out there capitalized on this
and started selling Gofer Cakes,
because that's what I would've done.
They already made my commercial for me.
Kids love Gofer Cakes and don't care about the consequences.
- That's pretty good. - They'll eat 'em night and day.
Feel free to reminisce in the comments
what is your favorite P-P-P-P-Pew.
- P-P-P-PSA. - PSA.
I learned it from watching you.
This is your egg on drugs. This is your brain on eggs?
- How did it go? - Yep. I remember that one.
Thanks for liking and commenting on this video.
You know what time it is.
I'm Vincent from Yukon, Oklahoma,
and it's time to spin the Wheel of Mythicality.
- ♪ (Wheel of Mythicality music) ♪ - If you want your feet
to disappear into the forest, we can help make that happen.
And, by the way, you can just look cool.
That happens, too, when you wear a camo mythical shoe.
You can get the 2.0.
You can also get the socks and the hat, the matching hat.
Click on rhettandlink.com/store. The shoes, the hat, and socks.
(Rhett) I'm wearing it.
Click through to Good Mythical More.
An amazing fireworks safety PSA.
You have to watch it in its entirety along with us.
"Arm resettle." This was actually submitted to us.
We think they meant arm wrestle, but we're gonna go with--
Hey man, I challenge you to an arm-wrestling match.
You mean an arm resettle. Yeah, arm resettle.
- Oh, what? - Just resettle, man.
- It's in a good-- - Just resettle.
- Well, it's in a good spot. - Now let's resettle.
- I mean, that feels good too. - Yeah, resettle.
- Okay. - Resettle.
I think I win.
[Captioned by Sebastian: GMM Captioning Team]