S1E18 - SEVERED Origins - "Sizzler Corporate Video" PLUS!
Severed: The Ultimate Severance Podcast
Allen Stare
4.8 • 639 Ratings
🗓️ 18 August 2023
⏱️ 67 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Since things are kinda quiet down here on the Severed Floor, I've decided to lighten things up a bit. This week, we're going to do a full breakdown on the file marked "Sizzler" Corporate Video. It's loaded with Big Hair, Big Plates of Food and some Big Platitudes about corporate Steak House chain 'Sizzler.' Dan Erickson has talked about it in interviews as being an inspiration for "Severance." What is it? Where did it come from? How did the not-quite-40-year-old DE come across this relic from 1991?? I've got all the answers plus a fun breakdown of the video, scene by scene.
You REALLY need to see this video. Here's a link:
(1153) Sizzler Promotional Commercial 1991 - YouTube
Following the video, DON'T MISS a Special Interview! I talk to Sharon Simon, East Coast Stand-up comic and 'Severance' fanatic. Sharon got in touch with me about doing an interview. Why? Why NOT?!!? So, we did an interview. It was a lot of fun.
Video breakdown AND Interview not enough for you?? Strap in, Refiner...we've got an MLE planned for the end of the day. That's right: a Music Listening Experience. Music Producer Michael Orbit sent me some hot tracks inspired by 'Severance.' I had to share! I've got samples and links for you to check out.
It's a full day, Refiner! Pour another cup of coffee and let's get to work!!
EASTER EGG; Be listening during the interview with Sharon. Yes, that would be Siri, thinking I'm trying to get her to tell me something in the background...twice. The noise of things banging and falling would be me frantically trying to silence an iPad.
Huge thanks to Adam Scott, star of 'Severance' and host of the Severance Podcast for recording a custom intro for "Severed." Make sure to check out 'The Severance Podcast w/Ben Stiller & Adam Scott" wherever you found this one!
A big 'thank you' to Kier Eagan, er I mean Marc Geller! Marc both sat for an interview (make sure to check it out) AND recorded some great bumpers as Kier himself.
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Season 2 of "Severance" is underway as of 1/17/2025. New episodes are released at 9E/8C on Thursday evening through the end of March. Join the 'Severed' Patreon page for new episode chatroom viewing parties every Thursday night. (www.patreon.com/SeveredPod)
Join the fun on our Facebook page @SeveredPod. Throughout this very exciting Season Two, I'll try to keep you updated on news about the show.
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Needing your own copies of the Lexington Letter and Orientation Booklet? I've got you covered with downloadable PDFs of both documents:
LETTER: LEXINGTONLETTER-TheLetter.pdf
HANDBOOK: LEXINGTONLETTER-MDROrientationHandbook.pdf
You haven't completely watched 'Severance' until you've listened to 'Severed'.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Severed, the Ultimate Severance podcast. |
| 0:10.2 | So glad to see you've returned refiners. We're just hanging out here on the |
| 0:17.9 | severed floor hoping to get some new files from upstairs. |
| 0:21.3 | Unfortunately, things like writer and actor strikes are keeping those files from appearing. |
| 0:26.7 | By the way, this is Severed, the ultimate Severance podcast. |
| 0:30.0 | I'm your host, Alan S. |
| 0:31.9 | Since we don't have any new episodes to dissect, we've been distracting ourselves by taking a look at those things |
| 0:38.3 | that fueled the creation of severance. I call it the Severed Origins series. We've covered |
| 0:44.0 | the Philip K. Dick Novella and movie Paycheck. We've also taken a more than four-hour, |
| 0:49.5 | three-part look at the Terry Gilliam movie, Brazil. This time out, I thought we'd lighten things up a bit. |
| 0:55.6 | There is a long-form corporate promotional video out there, which influenced Dan Erickson |
| 1:01.3 | when it came to crafting the message of severance. It's a four-minute and thirty-second video |
| 1:06.0 | produced for the Steakhouse Chain Sizzler back in 1991. Dan has mentioned it several times in interviews. |
| 1:13.4 | He's discussed it at length with Anne Helen Peterson in her culture study interview and in his |
| 1:19.6 | talk with Thrillist. I of course had to check out this video. So if you're ready, refiners, |
| 1:25.6 | let's open the short and deliriously happy file marked |
| 1:29.6 | Sizzler. Full disclosure, refiners in 1991, I was working for a regional Midwestern advertising |
| 1:37.4 | agency. I was an account executive and accounts manager. We weren't a huge shop, so I was also |
| 1:43.2 | heavily involved with creative development. |
| 1:45.7 | I've both written and directed long-form videos just like this one. I never did one for a restaurant |
| 1:51.6 | chain, but I distinctly remember writing and producing short-form corporate promo videos for |
| 1:57.4 | a seed corn company, a regional coal mining group, and a manufacturer of industrial hydraulic |
... |
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