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Janae Ajel
Ling assignment #4
For this assignment, I chose to analyze a comedy sketch by comedians Key and
Peele. In the sketch, the two have a conversation over text messages talking about
going out and both react different ways to each sent message. In the beginning, Key is
already annoyed that Peele isn’t responding to his initial text messages. Peele on the
other hand has been playing video games and smoking marijuana all day when he
realizes he hasn’t responded to the text messages. Key reacts angrily while Peele
reacts casually and in a better mood. Each text message sent is misinterpreted by the
other to the point where Key thinks they are going out to fight while Peele thinks they
are going out to the bar. In the end, Peele is sitting at the bar happily when Key walks in
with a spiked baseball bat and Key realizes that the whole conversation was a
misunderstanding.
The name of the frames are the serious frame vs. the laid-back frame. In the
serious frame, the elements would be friend one, friend two, text messages, and the
bar. The scenario would be that friend one texts friend two and friend two responds
rudely and an argument ensues over text message which leads to a confrontation at the
bar. The elements of the laid-back frame would be friend one, friend two, text
messages, video games, marijuana, and the bar. In the laid-back frame, friend one texts
friend two who is playing video games and smoking and they agree on plans to hang
out at the bar through text message.
The sketch revolves entirely around the misunderstanding between the two
characters due to the misinterpretation of the text messages. Since the communicating
was done purely over text message, the characters couldn’t hear the intonation, see the
body language, or hear the tone of voice that would normally give away the feelings of
the other. This leaves the messages to be open purely to the interpretation of the
reader. A big part of how the messages are interpreted has to do with the mood that
each of the characters were in prior to the conversation. In the serious frame, friend one
is already annoyed so the messages were read in the same mood. The same principle
applies in the laid-back frame where friend two reads the messages in a calm manner
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because he is completely relaxed. Eventually the conflict is resolved once the two
friends meet face to face because at that point, the body language makes it evident that
the messages were misinterpreted. This is humorous because throughout the whole
conversation, both parties are completely unaware of the other’s reactions and the
frames are completely opposite from each other. Both frames share some of the same
elements, but they are viewed differently in each. For example, in the serious frame, the
bar would be viewed as the spot to meet up and fight. For the laid-back frame, the same
bar would be viewed as the spot to hang out.
Assignment 4 revision
The sketch I analyzed was the “Text message confusion” sketch by comedians
Key & Peele. The frames in the sketch would be the serious frame, the laid-back frame,
and the guilty frame. In the guilty frame, the elements would be friend one, friend two,
the baseball bat, drinks, and the bar. The scenario would be that friend one has a
baseball bat and goes to confront friend two at the bar and realizes there was a
misunderstanding when he gets there.
The sketch revolves entirely around the misunderstanding between the two
characters due to the misinterpretation of the text messages. Since the communicating
was done purely over text message, the characters couldn’t hear the intonation, see the
body language, or hear the tone of voice that would normally give away the feelings of
the other. This leaves the messages to be open purely to the interpretation of the
reader. For example, the initial message that starts the chain reaction is when Peele
says “Whatever. I don’t care.” This was very casually said, but because Key wasn’t able
to hear the tone of Peele’s voice and therefore, misinterpreted the message as being
said in a rude manner. In this case, it is easy to see how the phrases were so easily
misinterpreted.
A big part of how the messages are interpreted has to do with the mood that
each of the characters were in prior to the conversation. In the serious frame, friend one
is already annoyed so the messages were read in the same mood. The same principle
applies in the laid-back frame where friend two reads the messages in a calm manner
because he is completely relaxed. An example of this would be the use of the phrase
“You want to go?”. This phrase is commonly used in modern day to ask someone if they
want to fight, but depending on how it is said, it can literally mean that someone is
asking if the other person wants to go somewhere. Each of the characters took this
phrase in a different way than the other. Because Key was so mad, he asked Peele if he
wanted to go fight. Peele on the other hand read all the previous messages consistently
calmly and that did not change with this message even though Key intended it to.
There is one change in frame at the end of the sketch when Key enters the bar
holding a bat. Here he switched from the serious frame to the guilty frame as soon as
Peele greets him. The switch is immediate because throughout the entirety of the text
message conversation, Key had no facial expressions or vocal tone to understand how
Peele was responding. When they finally meet face-to-face, Key can see that the
greeting from Peele does not match with how he was interpreting the text messages
and the realization is immediate. The laid back frame stays consistent throughout the
sketch because Peele stays ignorant to the intentions of Key during the whole thing.
Key has a switch because of his realization while Peele never realized that Key was
being hostile towards him.
Transcript of “Text message confusion”
Dialogue read out loud while writing text message. Dialogue written in quotations are
messages from the other person being read out loud by receiver.
Key texting:(Annoyed) I’ve been trying to reach out to you all day. Are we on for tonight?
Key:(Sends text) Geez.
Peele: (Playing video games) What? You can’t catch me. You can’t catch me. I’m lance
moore. Touchdown bitch what? Pause. (smokes and phone vibrates) Aw, shoot.
Keegan’s been texting me.
Peele texting: Sorry, dude. Missed your texts.I assumed we’d meet at the bar. (shrugs)
Whatever, I don’t care. (Sends text)
Key: (Text message alert) (rudely) “Sorry, dude. Missed your texts.I assumed we’d meet
at the bar. (shrugs) Whatever, I don’t care.” Whatever, I don’t care?! What the fuck is his
problem?
Key texting: (Testily) Do you even want to hang out?!
Peele:(calmly) “Do you even want to hang out?” Oooh that’s considerate.
Peele texting: Like I said, whatever.
Key: (angrily) “Like I said, whatever”?! Fuck this guy!
Key texting: Geezus you…
Peele:(calmly) “...are fucking priceless.”
Peele texting: Awwwww! You’re the…
Key:(angrily) “...one who’s fucking priceless”?! This… (paces around the room) This
mother fucker right here. Oh he wants to-- okay mmm-hmm. (inhales sharply) Mmm-
hmm. (through teeth) Okay.
Key texting: You want to go?!
Peele: (While smoking) Right now? Huh. (Checks watch) I guess I could do that. (Clears
throat) okay!
Key: “OKAY LET’S GO?!” “OKAY LET’S GO?!” ALRIGHT YOU KNOW WHAT?! YOU
KNOW WHAT?
Key texting: YOU WANNA REALLY…
Peele:(calmly) “... do this now?” Keegan you nut. (laughing) You’re not putting me out.
Key: “FUCK YEAH LET’S DO IT”?! Oh you fucking asshole!
Peele texting:(calmly) First round is mine.
Key: OH NO! There ain’t gonna be no rounds, asshole! It’s gonna be a fucking
streetfight! (Muttering) This son of a-- (Leaves house)
At the bar peele is sitting down and key walks in
Key:(holding a bat with nails in it) YOU!
Peele: Buddy! Like I said, first round’s mine. (To the bartender) A beer and gimlet for my
partner right… what’s that?
Key: Uh, I-I-I got you a baseball bat with nails in it.
Peele: For my post-apocalyptic Jackie Robinson costume. How did you know?
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