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"Dick in a Box" is a song by the American comedy group The Lonely Island featuring American singer
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
. The artists wrote the song with
Katreese Barnes Katreese Barnes (January 3, 1963 – August 3, 2019) was an American musician, musical director, and songwriter, best known for being half of the pop duo Juicy with her brother Jerry Barnes, and her work on the music of ''Saturday Night Live'', in ...
and
Asa Taccone Asa Taccone (born September 20, 1983) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and frontman of the band Electric Guest with whom he has released three albums since 2012. He is noted as a close collaborator of The Lonely Island and has co ...
, who both produced it with Jorma Taccone. '' Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') creator and producer Lorne Michaels asked Samberg to write a musical sketch for the 2006 Christmas episode with Timberlake, who was returning as both host and musical guest. Samberg developed the concept with other members of the group before working with Timberlake on December 14. They recorded the track around midnight and spent the next day and a half filming the corresponding music video. The sketch depicts two early 1990s R&B singers, played by Samberg and Timberlake, singing a
holiday song Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
about making a Christmas gift for their girlfriends of their
penises A penis (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'' () is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females (or hermaphrodites) during copulation. Such organs occur in many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, but males do n ...
in boxes. The sketch premiered on ''SNL'' as a
Digital Short An ''SNL'' Digital Short is one in a series of comedic and often musical video shorts created for NBC's ''Saturday Night Live''. The origin of the Digital Short brand is credited to staff writer Adam McKay, who created content for the show in c ...
on December 16, 2006. The word "dick" was bleeped 16 times following an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission. ''SNL'' producers published an uncensored version of the sketch online right after its broadcast debut, a decision criticized by the Parents Television Council. In 2009, the song was released digitally as a single and included on The Lonely Island's debut studio album, '' Incredibad''. "Dick in a Box" became a viral hit on the internet, and had generated more than 28 million views on YouTube by October 2007. The song received generally positive reviews from both television and music critics, who praised its raunchy humor and Timberlake's performance. "Dick in a Box" has been recognized retrospectively as The Lonely Island's
signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a Handwriting, handwritten (and often Stylization, stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and ...
and one of the best Christmas-themed ''SNL'' sketches. The track won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2007, and appeared on the Australian and Canadian single charts in 2009. Samberg and Timberlake reprised their roles in two Digital Shorts sequels, "
Motherlover "Motherlover" is the first sequel to "Dick in a Box" by the Lonely Island, also featuring Justin Timberlake. It debuted on ''Saturday Night Live'' as an ''SNL'' Digital Short on May 9, 2009. The song finds the two ballad singers (played again by ...
" (2009) and "
3-Way (The Golden Rule) "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" is a song recorded by American comedy music group the Lonely Island featuring American singers Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga. It appeared as an SNL Digital Short in the May 21, 2011 episode of the American sketch comed ...
" (2011).


Background

Akiva Schaffer Akiva D. Schaffer (; born December 1, 1977) is an American film director, comedian, actor, and writer. He is a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island along with Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. He began his career with The Lonely Island maki ...
, Andy Samberg, and
Jorma Taccone Jorma Christopher Taccone (; born March 19, 1977) is an American comedian, director, actor, and writer. He is one-third of the sketch comedy troupe The Lonely Island, with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. In 2010, Taccone co-wro ...
met while attending junior high together in Berkeley, California. They decided to move to Los Angeles in September 2000 and formed the comedy trio The Lonely Island, named after the nickname they gave to the apartment they shared. They hosted several short films on their website before signing to the variety show '' Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') in late August 2005. Samberg was promoted as a performing member for the 32nd season, while Taccone and Schaffer joined the show as writers. In December, the trio wrote and recorded " Lazy Sunday" with fellow cast member
Chris Parnell Thomas Christopher Parnell (; born February 5, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1998 to 2006 and played the role of Dr. Leo Spaceman on ''30 Rock''. In animation, he voices Cyril Figgis ...
, which was broadcast as their second
Digital Short An ''SNL'' Digital Short is one in a series of comedic and often musical video shorts created for NBC's ''Saturday Night Live''. The origin of the Digital Short brand is credited to staff writer Adam McKay, who created content for the show in c ...
. The
gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...
song received over five million views on YouTube by February 2006, becoming the first television clip to go viral on the
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. The track's popularity contributed to the success of YouTube and reintroduced ''SNL'' to a younger audience.
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
first appeared on ''SNL'' as a musical guest in 2000, performing as a member of the American
boy band A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
NSYNC NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to European ...
. He subsequently appeared as both host and musical guest in an episode in October 2003, in which he demonstrated his acting potential with an impression of
Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...
and his work with
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...
on '' The Barry Gibb Talk Show'' sketch. "Hosting ''SNL'' was something I'd always wanted to do. The show allowed me to play to my strengths—mixing music with comedy seemed like a way into that world", Timberlake recalled. After the show, he received several acting offers and spent the next two years launching his acting career. He shot four films, including ''
Edison Force ''Edison'' (also known as ''Edison Force'' in the United States) is a 2005 American thriller film written and directed by David J. Burke, and starring Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J, Justin Timberlake in his feature film debut, and Kevin Spacey. Synops ...
'' (2005) and ''
Alpha Dog ''Alpha Dog'' is a 2006 American crime film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. The cast includes Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Ben Foster, Shawn Hato ...
'' (2006), before working on his second studio album '' FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). In late November 2006, Timberlake announced his return to ''SNL'' for the December 16 episode as host and musical guest.


Writing and recording

On December 12, 2006, when Timberlake was on track to host ''SNL'' for the second time, creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels asked Samberg to try writing a funny skit to showcase Timberlake's singing skills. Although the writing team originally came up with a different idea, Michaels insisted they exploit more of Timberlake's musical side. Inspired by the music they grew up listening to, members of The Lonely Island wanted to write an early 1990s R&B song that was similar to the work of Jodeci,
R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...
, the Isley Brothers, LeVert, and H-Town. That night, they contacted associate music director
Katreese Barnes Katreese Barnes (January 3, 1963 – August 3, 2019) was an American musician, musical director, and songwriter, best known for being half of the pop duo Juicy with her brother Jerry Barnes, and her work on the music of ''Saturday Night Live'', in ...
to help them work on the song; she was later credited as a songwriter and producer. Samberg felt the concept of imitating a 1990s-style band was "a perfect fit" for Timberlake, who was a member of a boy band. The concept of the track was not decided until December 14, when Jorma came up with the "dick in a box" premise. Once the trio agreed the concept was funny enough, they presented a rough draft of the song to Timberlake. A fan of 1990s-style music, Timberlake immediately accepted the song. He was the only one who was confident about the sketch. The trio was having doubts about the crass joke and the bygone musical concept. Timberlake felt it was important to make the song "really singable" and suggested several changes to "Dick in a Box". He came up with the hook and the line "Mid-day at the grocery store", while adding pauses to make the song more catchy. Schaffer suggested adding the three steps of making the box into the lyrics. Samberg, who was feeling nervous when working on the idea with Timberlake, said the singer "took the reigns 'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''and schooled us on how to record and make it sound fantastic". The writers finished writing the lyrics within two hours. Like other ''SNL'' sketches, "Dick in a Box" was recorded and produced in a very short time. Samberg and Timberlake recorded their voice track for two hours around midnight on December 14-15, right after finishing the lyrics. They used special equipment, including a $500 microphone, in Samberg's office. Timberlake recalled the crew were laughing frantically during the production and that the "delirium of no sleep" contributed to the song's humor. Although Samberg's voice cracked a few times, Timberlake's easygoing attitude made him more relaxed throughout the recording session.
Asa Taccone Asa Taccone (born September 20, 1983) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and frontman of the band Electric Guest with whom he has released three albums since 2012. He is noted as a close collaborator of The Lonely Island and has co ...
, Jorma's brother, worked on the track in Los Angeles while the other writers were in New York City. Initially, Jorma gave his brother the specific outline of the track for him to work with, which Asa described as a "cheesy, 90s, Color Me Badd type track". Asa then sent the writers several instrumental tracks and went through each beat with them during phone calls. He was nervous working with Timberlake and felt the process was chaotic because of the limited work time. "It was semi-terrifying having imberlakelisten to my stuff. I was a kid back then. I'm sure the stuff I was playing was mostly terrible," Asa said. NBC was not originally aware of his contribution to the track, so Jorma paid him $60 for it.


Music video

After listening to the finished audio track, Barnes felt it would "be a big hit" if they had an equally funny video for it. The music video for "Dick in a Box" was filmed in New York City in a day and a half. The crew spent December 15 filming the video. Timberlake left occasionally to prepare for the show; they finished the session at 3:00 AM the following morning. Schaffer directed the video with Jorma's assistance. Indoor scenes were filmed in
Studio 8H Studio 8H is a television studio located in New York City in the United States. The studio is a part of NBC Studios, the home of the NBC television network, located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It is most notable for housing the live broadcast of '' ...
, ''SNL''s permanent set. Timberlake and Samberg sported wigs and fake short beards for the video. Schaffer felt the filming process was both frightening and funny, saying, "We knew it was a really dumb idea and we weren't sure if we were even gonna get away with it on the air, but once we were actually making it, it was just super fun!" Members of The Lonely Island wanted to do the filming as quickly as they could, since Timberlake was busy with other hosting gigs and sketches. Kristen Wiig and
Maya Rudolph Maya Rudolph (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. In 2000, she became a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''), and later played supporting roles in the films '' 50 First Dates'' ...
played the duo's lovers. Wiig felt the song would be a hit after hearing it and seeing the film set. It was not until 4:00 PM on December 16, less than eight hours before it was to go live, that the video was ready to be shown to NBC executive
Rick Ludwin Richard Adam Ludwin (May 27, 1948 – November 10, 2019) was an American television executive and former vice president at NBC Television. He is notable as the executive who backed Jerry Seinfeld's series ''Seinfeld'', which went on to become one ...
. The video begins with Samberg and Rudolph sitting in front of a fireplace. Samberg says he has a Christmas gift for her and instructs her to "just sit down and listen". The balladeers are wearing silk suits, jewel-toned
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shirts, herringbone chains, trimmed goatees, and sunglasses. The men each give their lovers a box with their penis inside as a present, and ask them to open it and look inside. The singers stroke their goatees and pose with each displaying a gift-wrapped box attached to his groin. Their girlfriends seem aroused and excited by their presents, while the men aggressively rub roses and feathers in the women's faces. Near the chorus, the men sing about how their presents are better than other gifts, such as diamond rings, fancy cars, or luxury houses. The duo suggest their present is suitable for all holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. At one point, they give step-by-step instructions on how to create the gift. The video cuts between scenes of Samberg and Timberlake dancing and singing in various urban landscapes—in a park, on a ferry in front of the East River, and on a basketball court, where Timberlake is seen hanging from a basketball hoop with a gift box on his crotch. At the end of the video, the men sing about giving the present on multiple occasions—at their parents' houses, the grocery store, and backstage at the Country Music Association Awards—while being arrested by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), presumably for
indecent exposure Indecent exposure is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different ...
.


Composition

"Dick in a Box" is an R&B song with a runtime of 2:41. According to Universal Music Publishing Group's digital sheet music for the song, "Dick in a Box" is composed in the
key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...
of C minor and set in common time signature, with a moderately slow groove of 80 beats per minute. The vocals span two octaves, from C4 up to C6. Music critics compared the track to the work of Color Me Badd, noting the song's spoken-word
breakdown Breakdown may refer to: Breaking down *Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated *Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components *Decompo ...
and the way the last syllables of the
refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...
go increasingly up. ''
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
''s Noah wrote the track is a "slightly more up-front–and generously Yuletide-themed" version of Color Me Badd's "
I Wanna Sex You Up "I Wanna Sex You Up" is a song by American R&B group Color Me Badd, released in March 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, ''C.M.B.'' (1991). The song was produced by Dr. Freeze and was also featured on the soundtrack to the 1991 fil ...
" (1991). Critics also found the R&B track was influenced by American groups New Kids on the Block, Hall & Oates, and Backstreet Boys. David Jeffries of AllMusic described "Dick in a Box" as an imitation of teen pop, while Stephen Saito of ''
Premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...
'' called the slow jam "an ode to the phallic present for all occasions". Chris Mincher of '' The A.V. Club'' and Stuart McGurk of '' GQ'' viewed it as a midtempo
synth rock Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrume ...
track that soundtracks a rapidly unfolding horror. "Dick in a Box" has been described as a
Christmas song Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
by critics, including Mincher who highlighted its release in the special Christmas episode of ''SNL''. Ross Bonaime of '' Paste'' referred to it is a hybrid between "a Christmas song, a '90s R&B parody and a joke about bad gift giving". Believed the sketch qualified as a
Christmas film Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in in literature and Christmas music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptatio ...
, Matthew Dessem of ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' pointed out the Christmas setting and the theme surrounding Christmas presents, as well as the non-Christmas holidays mentioned in the song all take place around Christmas.


Premise and themes

The music the songwriters grew up listening to inspired "Dick in a Box". They wanted to make a parody of the members of a 1990s R&B group, who were still stuck in that era. It follows the tone of other songs by The Lonely Island, which focus on mundane characters who express themselves aggressively about their daily lives. The fictional duo was named 2:30 AM, which Timberlake explained is the time (until 5:00 AM) when "really strong lovemaking happens". Despite referring to 1990s R&B style music, Timberlake said the sketch was not "parodying anyone in particular". Timberlake explained the premise, where the characters genuinely give their genitalia as Christmas presents to their lovers, aimed for comedic effect, while making the characters even more ridiculous. He thought initially the idea was creepy but still pursued it. The premise was based on dick jokes and some men's habit of putting their penises in unusual things. "It's nothing new. Guys have been putting their dicks in boxes since caveman days," Schaffer said. Despite not trying it himself, Samberg had heard stories from other people doing similar things with bad results. Jorma said a scene in the 1982 Barry Levinson film ''
Diner A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a com ...
'', in which Mickey Rourke's character tricks his date into groping him by placing his penis inside a box of popcorn at a movie theater also inspired the premise. An identical act can be found in a scene of ''
La Boum ''La Boum'' (English title: ''The Party'' or ''Ready for Love'') is a 1980 French teen romantic comedy film directed by Claude Pinoteau and starring Sophie Marceau, appearing in her film début. Written by Danièle Thompson and Pinoteau, the film ...
'' (1980), directed by Claude Pinoteau. Mincher felt the act was "so absurd (and unexpectedly raunchy) that few watching it live could see it coming". Critics have offered various interpretations of "Dick in a Box". Penny Spirou in ''Music in Comedy Television: Notes on Laughs'' (2017) and Virginia Heffernan of '' The New York Times'' viewed the sketch as a satire of "the bad faith of the pandering R&B foreplay songs", which was made to trick a women's desire for comfort, until she "opens that nicely wrapped present". Heffernan also linked the content to Timberlake's public image in the 2000s, saying, "He's all sweet, but he gets what he wants. And no one, not even Janet Jackson, stands in his way...
he audiences He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
have decided, for now, that he's cooler than they thought." Terry Gross of '' Fresh Air'' opined the sketch is a parody of male narcissism, in which the characters suggest "the greatest gift mancould give to a lady is a very special lovemaking". She noted the singers emphasize "how great ''he'' is, not how much he loves his girlfriend, but really how much he loves himself". Mincher argued that besides the joke about men's obsession with their own genitalia, the sketch pokes fun at several men's gift-giving mistakes. A man believes he is the greatest present his girlfriend could receive, implying a woman should provide sexual favors for her man. He dismisses more expensive presents as superficial. Mincher suggests the sketch is a product of
male fantasy "Male Fantasy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, included as the closing track on her second studio album ''Happier Than Ever'' (2021). A country-tinged, folk ballad about a break-up, it was written by Eilish and its produce ...
detached from the reality of relationships.


Release

The video for "Dick in a Box" was sent to NBC executive Rick Ludwin after the raw editing had been finished at 4:00 PM on December 16. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took issue with the actors saying "dick" on-air and wanted to stop the sketch's screening. ''SNL'' producers came to an agreement with the FCC that the song could be aired with the word bleeped out. However, since the FCC has no jurisdiction over the content on the internet, the producers asked Ludwin to make the uncensored version available online. Ludwin, who was initially hesitant about the idea, watched the footage with a representative from the NBC legal department. He found the sketch funny and realized that those searching on the internet specifically for the video would not be upset by its content. He sought final approval for the uncensored sketch from Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment, and
Jeff Zucker Jeffrey Adam Zucker (born April 9, 1965) is an American former media executive. Between January 2013 and February 2022, Zucker was the president of CNN Worldwide. Zucker oversaw CNN, CNN International, HLN, and CNN Digital. He was previously C ...
, the chief executive of
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—both of whom approved the idea. Editing continued on the video for the rest of the day, in time for its television debut. "Dick in a Box" premiered as a Digital Short on the Christmas episode of the 32nd season of ''SNL'', which aired on December 16, 2006. NBC bleeped the word "dick" 16 times as agreed with the FCC. After the broadcast concluded at 1:00 AM on December 17, both the censored and uncensored versions of the sketch were made available on NBC's website and YouTube channel, under the heading "Special Treat in a Box" or "Special Christmas Box". A cautionary warning was shown at the beginning of the unbleeped version, while viewers had to affirm they were over 18 to access the video. Besides the official video uploaded by NBC, bootleg copies of the clip were being removed from YouTube at the network's request. The release made ''SNL'' the first scripted
comedy show Stand-up comedy is a comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of one-liners, stories, ...
on a broadcast network to use the internet to avoid FCC control over its explicit content. On December 21, the Parents Television Council (PTC) called on NBC and asked the network to explain the decision to post both versions of the song online. L. Brent Bozell, the president of the PTC, said that the video is "a new low for NBC" and the online release "is blatantly irresponsible and unacceptable". In an interview published by ''The New York Times'' the same day, Michaels said that posting the equivalent of a "
director's cut A director's cut is an edited version of a film (or video game, television episode, music video, or commercial) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit in contrast to the theatrical release. "Cut" explicitly refers to the ...
" of his late-night show on the internet "will be the exception" in the future. He believed other shows and networks would be likely to follow NBC's lead in making inappropriate-for-TV material available online, saying. "Now that the door has been opened, some things will go through it." Days after "Dick in a Box" was released, Samberg expressed his interest in creating an album full of comedy hip hop and R&B songs. "It's something we've always wanted to do and we've been working on putting it together," Samberg said. Universal Republic released the album, titled '' Incredibad'', on February 10, 2009. The album included 14 new tracks the trio recorded while living together in Encino, Los Angeles, during the summer of 2009. "Dick in a Box" was one of five ''SNL'' Digital Shorts on the album, with "Lazy Sunday", "Natalie's Rap", "Ras Trent", and "Space Olympics". This was made possible because of the partnership between NBC and Broadway Video that gave Universal Republic the rights to release these videos. It was the first time these sketches had been released without a laugh track. "We spend so much time getting stuff to sound good... but nobody has ever really heard a clean version of those songs," Jorma said. Before the album's release, the lead single "
Jizz in My Pants "Jizz in My Pants" is a SNL Digital Short which aired on ''Saturday Night Live'' on December 6, 2008, and YouTube on the same day. It serves as the music video for the first single from the Lonely Island's debut album, ''Incredibad''. The video ...
" was broadcast and released digitally in December 2008, followed by the first-ever digital release of "Dick in a Box" on
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and Amazon on January 27, 2009. "Dick in a Box" later appeared on the ''Saturday Night Live – The Best of '06–'07'' extra DVD, released in March 2008.


Public reaction

The ''SNL'' episode received a 5.3/13  Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic, and attracted seven million American viewers during its initial broadcast, one of the show's highest ratings for a Christmas episode. According to the ''
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'', less than a week after its online release, the uncensored version of the sketch had been viewed over 320,000 times on NBC's website and 3.5 million times on YouTube. Thanks to a partnership between NBC and YouTube, the video quickly became one of the 20 most-viewed on the site and one of the quickest viral hits of 2006. It generated 7.5 million views in one week at the end of December. According to Bri Holt, founder of the online video analytics site Vidmeter, there were at least 18 identical copies of "Dick in a Box" posted to various YouTube and Google Video accounts, bringing the total views to over 20 million as of February 2007. The official uncensored video garnered more than 15,000 comments and 28 million views (34.9 million views when combined with other versions) before NBC took down its YouTube channel in preparation for the launch of
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on October 21. On December 23, 2008, "Dick in a Box" appeared at number nine on the ''Guardian'' Viral Video Chart: Christmas Special showing the year's top viral videos, compiled by '' The Guardian'' and viralvideochart.com. An official video of the sketch was uploaded again on YouTube in December 2018, which had garnered 5.5 million views as of April 2020. Following its release as a digital single in January 2009, "Dick in a Box" debuted at number 82 on the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
and number 48 on the ''Billboard'' Canadian Digital Song Sales chart. Both were The Lonely Island's first entries on the charts. In late June, the single peaked at number 61 on the
Australian Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
, the third track from ''Incredibad'' to appear on the chart after the top 10 entries "Jizz in My Pants" and " I'm on a Boat". In January 2011, "Dick in a Box" peaked at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Comedy Digital Track Sales. Following the rebroadcast of "Dick in a Box" on ''SNL'', the FCC received several complaints from viewers about the sketch. A report in '' The Atlantic'' showed that "Dick in a Box" and "Djesus Uncrossed," a
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
parody of '' Django Unchained'' starring
Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz (; born 4 October 1956) is an Austrian-German actor. Since 2009 he has been primarily active in the United States. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards and two Sc ...
, were the most frequent targets of complaint letters sent to the FCC about ''SNL'' by viewers from 2012 to 2015. Most of the letters were suspicious of Timberlake's appearance after his part in the Janet Jackson controversy at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.


Critical reception

"Dick in a Box" received generally positive reviews from television and music critics. Annie Wu of '' TV Squad'' was "laughing erhead off" while watching the sketch and was impressed with Timberlake's performance. Palmer wrote that Timberlake and Samberg had "given new meaning to 'giving of yourself' and 'package' with the perfect gift for that special someone". Both Wu and Palmer were confused about the sketch's title and content during the broadcast. Palmer called the censored version pointless. Gilbert Cruz of '' Entertainment Weekly'' thought the sketch was a nice way "to cap off what has been a fantastic year for imberlake and suggested ''SNL'' should focus more on the Digital Shorts. Tom Hall of IndieWire praised the Digital Short as the highlight of the show, while Mark Lore of '' News & Review'' felt the track was Timberlake's best work since " Rock Your Body" (2003). Adam Sternbergh of ''
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
'' magazine described it as "by far the most hilarious Timberlake–starring, Kwanzaa-referencing, Color Me Badd–parodying, 'put your junk in that box'–instructing short video you will ever see". Larry Carroll of
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
called the song "the closest to 'Lazy Sunday' that we've seen yet". He praised the "dead-on spoof of that musical time period" and Wiig's brief cameo, and concluded, "Mr. Timberlake brought a very special package to us all this year, and he didn't even have it attached to his crotch." Heffernan said that Timberlake " ealedhis triumph when he managed to score a cherished asset: a holiday classic". She commended the joke as both mindless fun and imaginative. Several critics chose the sketch as the funniest moment of the episode, including Larry Carroll, Matt Dentler of IndieWire, and a writer from ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
''. Joel Keller of ''TV Squad'' picked the sketch as one of the best television moments in 2006, while Brian Zoromski of ''IGN'' listed the sketch as his favorite Digital Short and the most memorable moment of the year on ''SNL''. Critics have recognized retrospectively that "Dick in a Box" is one of the best Christmas-themed ''SNL'' sketches. Bonaime wrote the sketch is cheerfully egotistical and "might be the pinnacle of the Digital Short's success". Tara Aquino of
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
labeled the track as " The Christmas Song" for
millennials Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the Western demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000 ...
that should "make its way to every station come December 1st". Eric Spitznagel of '' Vanity Fair'' wrote the track is as recognizable as Steve Martin's " King Tut" (1978). Jody Rosen of ''Vulture'' commended the track as a "sublime cultural artifact that deserves to be in the next time capsule that NASA shoots off toward Jupiter". Hillary Busis of ''Entertainment Weekly'' ranked the track as Timberlake's best moment on ''SNL'', calling it hilarious and "largely responsible for Timberlake's stellar hosting reputation". ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' hailed it as one of the show's best musical moments, along with "Lazy Sunday". '' Rolling Stone'' listed the skit at number three on their 50 Greatest ''Saturday Night Live'' Sketches of All Time list, calling it Timberlake's best song post-''FutureSex/LoveSounds''. On July 19, 2007, it was announced that "Dick in a Box" had received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Other nominees in the category included " My Drunken Irish Dad" (from ''
Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffin family, Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter Griff ...
''), "Merry Ex-Mas" (from '' MADtv''), "Everything Comes Down to Poo", and "Guy Love" (both from ''
Scrubs Scrub(s) may refer to: * Scrub, low shrub and grass characteristic of scrubland * Scrubs (clothing), worn by medical staff * ''Scrubs'' (TV series), an American television program * Scrubs (occupation), also called "scrub tech," "scrub nurse," o ...
''). The songwriters won the award at the 59th Primetime Creative Arts ceremony on September 8. "Dick in a Box" was credited for setting a precedent for more explicit material to earn nominations and win in the Emmy music-related categories.


Live performances and usage in media

On February 7, 2007, Timberlake and Samberg gave a surprise performance of "Dick in a Box" for the first time at the
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
during Timberlake's concert tour FutureSex/LoveShow. The duo sang in front of a sold-out stadium of 18,000 people, including rapper P. Diddy, Donald Trump and his wife
Melania Melania is a feminine given name that derives from the Greek word (melania) meaning "black, dark". People named Melania include: * Melania the Elder (350–410), a Christian saint and an influential figure in the ascetic movement * Melania the ...
. They performed the track as an encore, beginning with an announcer introducing them as a new band that had "the most-watched video on YouTube". The singers wore the characters' costumes and facial hair from the sketch, with a gift box attached below the belt. Samberg changed the holiday lyrics to " Valentine's Day... Flag Day... Kwanzaa", while Timberlake was giggling as he delivered the deadpan lines. At one point, Timberlake fell on his knee and sang the line "All across America, a dick in a box." After the song, Timberlake came back onstage and apologized, "I'm sorry if I offended some of you, but I could not resist." ''Billboard'' felt the surprise performance "was hilarious if wholly unnecessary". Caryn Ganz of
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
wrote that the singers struggled with the nasal vocal performance and the song "landed a bit awkwardly in context". Ganz, however, noted that the audience "went truly berserk" with the performance. Amelia McDonell-Parry of ''Rolling Stone'' wrote "Samberg hardly has the pipes to fill an arena, but no one seemed to mind." Timberlake, who was absent during the Primetime Creative Arts ceremony on September 8, celebrated after being notified of his Emmy win by performing a piano rendition of the song at the Tacoma Dome, Washington. Samberg was willing to perform "Dick in a Box" with Timberlake at the main
59th Primetime Emmy Awards The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 16, 2007, honoring the best in U.S. prime time television programming at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ...
ceremony, held in Los Angeles on September 16. The Emmy Awards producers were reportedly unsure about airing the explicit content and asked the duo to come up with a more family-friendly version of the track. The singers rejected the idea, and the performance was canceled. The online release of "Dick in a Box" resulted in many users filming response videos on YouTube, in which they either present their own gift box or give instructions on how to do the box.
Leah Kauffman Leah Kauffman (born c. 1986) is an American singer and songwriter who is responsible for singing and writing popular viral videos, including "My Box in a Box", " I Got a Crush... on Obama", " Obama Girl vs. Giuliani Girl", "I Like a Boy", and ...
, who was a Temple University student, wrote and recorded a parody from the female perspective of the sketch, titled "My Box in a Box". The track's music video showed a woman lip sync to Kauffman's vocals and dance around with a gift-wrapped box in front of her crotch. The video had attracted more than three million views by January 2007. American band Umphrey's McGee covered "Dick in a Box" as an encore on December 31, 2006, at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. In " Koi Pond", an episode of the sixth season of the American comedy television series '' The Office'', Michael Scott (portrayed by Steve Carell) dresses in a suit similar to Samberg and Timberlake's characters, with a box wrapped as a present attached to his waist, while slipping a noose around his neck and faking a hanging to scare a group of young visitors. On an episode of '' The Ellen DeGeneres Show'', aired in January 2007, Ellen DeGeneres performed a jingle for AQUA2GO water
drink box A juice box, also called a carton (British English) or 'popper' ( Australian English), is a small container used to conveniently carry and consume drinks. They are frequently made of paperboard with an aluminum foil lining, but variations ex ...
es to the tune of "Dick in a Box". The following month, Facebook created a virtual gift shop for Valentine's Day that included a box with a bow on top and a hole cut into one of its sides.


Impact

Like "Lazy Sunday", "Dick in a Box" has found a wider audience during its online release than the initial television broadcast. The sketch, which has been rebroadcast over the years, has become one of the most popular ''SNL'' sketches and widely recognized as one of The Lonely Island's
signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a Handwriting, handwritten (and often Stylization, stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and ...
s. The viral video helped solidify The Lonely Island as a stand-alone comic act. In an interview with ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' in 2013, Samberg said, " ichaelssays the thing you're known for will be in quotes in the middle of your name. He's Lorne 'SNL' Michaels, and I'm Andy 'Dick in a Box' Samberg." Terri Schwartz of IFC opined "'Lazy Sunday' might have been the first Lonely Island Digital Short to be featured on ''SNL'', but it was 'Dick in a Box' that made the Digital Short one of the most anticipated skits on the improv series." Many people have since chosen costumes similar to those of Timberlake and Samberg for
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
. Samberg was flattered by the costume trend, while Wiig was astonished by it, saying, "It was crazy. So I did expect it because I knew it was funny, but you never expect the level to which it goes." Samberg and Timberlake's costumes are also displayed at ''Saturday Night Live: The Exhibition'', an exhibition about a week in the show's life on New York's
Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major and prominent thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping stre ...
. Jorma recalled the working experience with Timberlake has become their standard, saying, "Getting to work with someone as wildly talented as Justin Timberlake, getting to spend maybe four days with him... That was amazing." "Dick in a Box" has inspired many subsequent sketches by The Lonely Island, including the similar-themed "Jizz In My Pants" and " I Just Had Sex", and has spawned two sequels, where Timberlake and Samberg reprised their roles. In "
Motherlover "Motherlover" is the first sequel to "Dick in a Box" by the Lonely Island, also featuring Justin Timberlake. It debuted on ''Saturday Night Live'' as an ''SNL'' Digital Short on May 9, 2009. The song finds the two ballad singers (played again by ...
" (2009), broadcast during the 34th season, the duo sings about their desire to have sex with each other's mothers (played by Patricia Clarkson and Susan Sarandon) as a tribute to Mother's Day. They find themselves invited to a threesome with a girl they met at the
Payless ShoeSource Payless (formerly known as Payless ShoeSource Inc.) is an international discount footwear chain. Established in 1956 by cousins Louis and Shaol Pozez, Payless was a privately held company owned by Blum Capital, and Golden Gate Capital. In 1961, i ...
(played by Lady Gaga) in season 36's "
3-Way (The Golden Rule) "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" is a song recorded by American comedy music group the Lonely Island featuring American singers Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga. It appeared as an SNL Digital Short in the May 21, 2011 episode of the American sketch comed ...
" (2011). "Motherlover" was released as a single in 2011 and appeared on The Lonely Island's second studio album, ''
Turtleneck & Chain ''Turtleneck & Chain'' is the second studio album of the American comedy troupe The Lonely Island, whose members are Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone. The album was released on 10 May 2011 by Universal Republic Records. Turtlenec ...
'' (2011); while "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" was digitally released after the broadcast and appeared on the third studio album, ''
The Wack Album ''The Wack Album'' is the third studio album by American comedy hip hop group The Lonely Island. Recorded in Los Angeles and New York City with producers including TODAY, DJ Nu-Mark and Asa Taccone, it was released on June 7, 2013 by Republic Reco ...
'' (2013). The duo also re-appeared on the special 100th Digital Short, which was broadcast in season 37 in May 2012.


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Incredibad''. Studio locations * Mixed at Ansons Pocket Studio (Yorktown Heights, New York) * Mastered at
The Cutting Room The Cutting Room is a music venue in New York City that was open at 19 West 24th Street from late 1999 through January 2009 for music of all varieties and reopened at the beginning of 2013 in a new location at 44 East 32nd Street. It was co-owned ...
(New York City, New York) Personnel * Andy Samberg lead vocals, songwriting * Akiva Schaffer songwriting * Jorma Taccone songwriting, producer * Asa Taccone songwriting, producer * Justin Timberlake lead vocals, songwriting * Katreese Barnes songwriting, producer * Brian Sperber mixing * Tony Gillis mastering


Charts


Release history


Notes


References


Footnotes


Media notes

* * * * * * * * * * *
Transcript archived on 16 July 2021
*


Print sources

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External links

* {{EmmyAward MusicLyrics 2006 songs 2009 singles American Christmas songs Musical parodies The Lonely Island songs Saturday Night Live sketches Saturday Night Live in the 2000s Songs written by Justin Timberlake Justin Timberlake songs Universal Republic Records singles Viral videos